Swan Song for an Era | Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Sean Chick

(gittes)

United States
Hammond
Louisiana

In the mid-1990s the video game world was shifting away from the side scrolling action format to the world of 3D. It seemed that every great video game character was making the change, and only a fool would stick around in the stale world of platform jumping. So in 1996 one might have expected Simon Belmont, the hero of Castlevania, Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, and Super Castlevania IV to be featured on any of the three major consoles competing in that era. However, change is never total, and the desire to honor tradition or stay true to a winning formula is always present. Sega Saturn clinged to high quality arcade ports, probably since it had served them so well in the past. Nintendo stuck by the cartridge. For both companies this proved to be a mistake, although Nintendo would survive on the backs of some classics titles, while Saturn failed for reasons that are not in the scope of this review.

Konami too was not yet willing to fully abandon the past. The platforming challenge that had been the mainstay of every vampire hunting excursion, and rather than run to 3D, the gaming giant was willing to trot out another side scrolling adventure. Yet, like a good horror movie, this game used old conventions while breaking new ground. The result is what is commonly (although not universally) held to be the pinnacle of the series: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

So Let’s Begin:

Gameplay (40/40): Castlevania: Symphony of the Night puts you not in the role of a Belmont or another group of human vampire hunters, as was the case in Castlevania: Bloodlines. Well, for the short prologue adventure you do start off as Richter Belmont, one of the more powerful members of this ancient clan. However, in most of the game you are the moody Alucard, the wayward half-breed son of Dracula who made his first appearance in Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse. You are armed not with a the vampire killer whip, but instead a sword, and you enter the castle as the ultimate mad-dog killer, until Death takes away your weapons. This is a dramatic way to introduce the one of the game’s newest feature: the collection of items. To make up for the items he has lost he collects new ones, gradually upgrading his arsenal. Also there are a plethora of magic items to collect, as well as food. Whereas old Simon had to eat a pork chop to gain health, Alucard collects these items and uses them for later. Some are bizarre too, including hot dogs, ramen, and a plate of breakfast, all of which are dropped by the many creatures that infest the castle. Other items are magical pieces that allow you to jump better, call upon familiars to aid you, or turn into a wolf, mist, or bat.

Alucard explores the castle in a non-linear fashion that is similar to games of the past in its basic visual and combat design. However, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night takes its cues from Super Metroid. Alucard must explore a castle no longer divided by levels, but rather loading screens that are seamlessly integrated into Dracula’s fortress. Thus there are few loading screens, keeping you in the game. And why would you want anything to distract you from your adventure? The controls are perfect. I love the old games, but until Super Castlevania IV and Castlevania: Bloodlines, rigid controls were always a problem in the series. Here the control scheme is a leap forward, providing you with many ways to maneuver. If you lose a fight either you were playing poorly or you did not level up. That later point is the greatest divergence from the old games. Now the side-scrolling gameplay of old is tied to gathering experience. The result is perfect. For instance, you know you can navigate the treacherous church stairs. You have the skills, but now you need the experience. This can lead to some grinding, in which you aimlessly kill enemies for experience. This means that sometimes the game is not a tight experience of constant thrills. In fact, some of it is downright monotonous, and you probably pick up too many items along the way. Mostly though, it makes you want to explore other parts of the castle and fight the many bosses who guard its secrets so that you can access the other areas.

Alucard in Action:

Graphics (15/15): The word beautiful comes to mind. Every area is given a unique look and the characters benefit from a nearly flawless character design. Some effects might look strange. Even for its time the fast moving clouds seemed odd, yet I think it fits the otherworldly mood perfectly. As far as I can see, there has not yet been a 2D adventure that can match the look of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.

Music (14/15): Castlevania games are known for their superb music, and this title hardly disappoints. In fact, Michiru Yamane, who had earlier composed an excellent soundtrack for Castlevania: Bloodlines, surpasses all other titles (itself a major feat) with a wide array of tunes. The styles are varied and includes baroque, organ, rock, and even jazz. What is particularly effective is how the music matches the area. When you first charge into the castle the tune is a hard driving rock instrumental that could have found its way on a Led Zeppelin album. It makes you feel ready to storm a fortress of the undead and smite all before you. Some music will remind you of older pieces, but in general the game sticks with original work. However, I had to shave off a point for the absolutely awful credit music: “I Am The Wind.” It sounds like a throwaway 80s tune that might have been featured in Top Gun or Beaches.

Difficulty (9/10): Of all the Castlevania games, I think this title is the easiest, and I am not complaining about this aspect. I love the old titles, but without my emulator’s save state function, I could never beat any of them. My skills are just not on that level, even I still enjoy the challenge. This does not mean that Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is an easy game in of itself. The later stages are a considerable jump in difficulty, and Galamoth, an optional boss, is among the toughest guys around. However, the difficulty is part of the game’s innovation. You can technically beat the game and never face your father in a Darth Vader vs. Luke Skywalker style death match. You need not face Death, Shaft, or the upside down castle. You can simply kill Ritcher Belmont, and thereby win the game, but only a fashion acceptable in a Roman Polanski film. If you want to achieve a happier end to the game, you must accept a harder difficulty.

I have shaved off a point both for the game’s steep curve once you approach the halfway mark, but also for making some of the bosses rather mundane. A few of the fights are not very memorable and devolve into button tapping slugfests. The Succubus might be the most memorable of the boss battles, since it is done with a dramatic flair that I found compelling and unique.

Immersion (19/20): The variations in music, graphics, and enemies that inhabit each part of the castle makes each section unique, and therefore encourages exploration and enjoyment. The enemies include your usual run of skeleton warriors and demons, but there is a great diversity here too. In the upside down library you’ll face off against Wizard of Oz characters. In the catacombs goblins light fires that stay on screen, causing damage if you walk into them. Large wolves guard Dracula’s castle halls and howl as they die. Mixed with these new foes are some of the usual suspects from games past: bats, axe knights, and bone throwing skeletons. Then there are the zombies in the main hall, itself nearly a fixture of the series. This is in keeping with the game’s mix of old and new.

I took off a point for the upside down castle lacking a variation in music, and while a cool idea, I found this part of the game to be not as engaging. Also, the US port is notorious for the hammy dialogue, especially the opening exchange between Richter and Dracula. I might be in minority, but I love it. Okay, so the voice acting is over the top. However, so is the whole premise of Dracula as the greatest embodiment of evil and yet dumb enough to let someone march in his castle and become stronger through killing his constantly spawning minions. Not that I blame the count for his tactics, because it makes for one awesome game. However, let’s not fall for the trap that many comic book movies gleefully enter: taking ourselves too seriously. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has just the right amount of ham fisted acting to keep things grounded, although I must say Maria kind of gets on my nerves sometimes.

Richter Belmont Defies the Count:

Conclusion (97/100): As the platformer was ending its reign as the most popular game design, Konami bestowed up the world the greatest expression of that dying era. There are flaws with this game, but the blemishes are not so much the evidence of lazy or poor game design, but rather of a creative frenzy where the designers were simply trying new things. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has arguably been surpassed by the later games, which are sometimes unfairly called Symphony clones. In some ways the later titles have tightened up the formula. However, each lacks the magic that is in this game.

While certainly 2D adventures have not left us, the Castlevania games that followed the style of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night have not been released on major consoles. Instead they have been featured on the portable devices, which however popular, are not where premier games are typically showcased. The reasons for the series becoming a mainstay of portable gaming are a subject beyond the scope of this review, but it is part of a perceived decline in the stature of the series. In that respect, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night could be accused of doing more harm than good by popularizing a format already on the decline. In contrast to her descendents, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was released on the major consoles of the day: PlayStation and Sega Saturn (Japan only and with some variations). It was a last parting shot from the era of platformers, even as it staked new ground. That in part explains the mystique of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Then there is the superb music, smooth controls, evocative graphics, and that unexplainable sense of the grand, or what Edmund Burke would call the sublime.

The European Cover is the Best:

Last edited Sun Jul 24, 2011 6:21 pm (Total Number of Edits: 2)
Posted Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:35 pm
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