Castlevania: Symphony of the Night Appreciation Thread

[Filthy Mutie]

I play through this game in its entirety at least once a year. I just finished it last night with Alucard and now I have to beat it with Richter so I can have all the achievements on my new Live account.

Do you love this game?

[Nefarius]

I loved it from the beggining.It was a stroke of genius that the first level was the last level of the previous game.Excellent soundtrack and good gameplay.Definetely one of the best PSX game.

[Cyke]

One of my all-time favorite boss battles: Alucard Vs. clones of the Castlevania III heroes. It was so hectic and mind blowing and probably the closest to a comic book-style battle the franchise ever had.

[Wjowski]

It quite literally reinvented the Castlevania franchise.

[hoffmandu]

More than that, the formula still stands tall with each installment. I honestly can't get enough.

[Donald M.]

Oi! Who voted "It's just OK."?

*gets out Louisville slugger*

[jesse_custer]

I often cast "Dark Metamorphosis" just to hear Alucard say it.

The voice acting is fucking hilarious.

[The Zapper]

quite possibly my favorite game of all time.

[Len Ikari145]

Oi! Who voted "It's just OK."?

*gets out Louisville slugger*

Yes, I'd like a few words with them.

*brings out his magnum*

[Filthy Mutie]

I often cast "Dark Metamorphosis" just to hear Alucard say it.

The voice acting is fucking hilarious.

It's true. Dracula is out of this world, and the Succubus is cringe-inducing hilarity when she dies. Some of my friends and I will occasionally imitate/quote Dark Metamorphosis in casual conversation.

[Filthy Mutie]

Yes, I'd like a few words with them.

*brings out his magnum*

Just a chat.

*Sharpening a pitchfork*

[Mister Kight]

Just a chat.

*Sharpening a pitchfork*
Hey, I don't care what anybody says- the Inverted Castle sucked .

[Len Ikari145]

Hey, I don't care what anybody says- the Inverted Castle sucked .


Good to know you stand by your opinions. *shoots him in the head*

Now share them with Satan, heathen.:tongue:

[GozertheGozarian]

The inverted castle did suck, but it was still fun.

[jesse_custer]

The Inverted Castle is one of the only legitimate artistic exercises in a video game.

[Filthy Mutie]

The Inverted Castle is one of the only legitimate artistic exercises in a video game.

In terms of having to design the castle in such a way that it could be used if flipped 180 degrees?

[jesse_custer]

In terms of having to design the castle in such a way that it could be used if flipped 180 degrees?

I just remember thinking that the idea was insane for a video game. I'm a big platforming fan, and the inverted castle is [intentionally] not ideal for platforming in many cases. Thankfully, Alucard has enough powers to get around.

I should add that I'm using "artistic" loosely, and I've been drinking a good bit lately.

[RBishop]

I play through this game in its entirety at least once a year.
I do as well. It's the only non-computer game I ever play any more.

[Cyke]

I remember nearly completing the map and a bit relieved but almost disappointed when I beat the end boss. Then the inverted castle opened up, I checked the map to see that I had only truly explored half the game, and that's when I yelled out a big fat "HOLY SHIT!" in order to gain my brother's attention upstairs.

[Filthy Mutie]

I remember nearly completing the map and a bit relieved but almost disappointed when I beat the end boss. Then the inverted castle opened up, I checked the map to see that I had only truly explored half the game, and that's when I yelled out a big fat "HOLY SHIT!" in order to gain my brother's attention upstairs.

I'm always surprised and sad about people who play through the game's first castle and think that's all there is to the game. I'd be a sad panda if I thought that was all there was.

[Cyke]

I'm always surprised and sad about people who play through the game's first castle and think that's all there is to the game. I'd be a sad panda if I thought that was all there was.

I could be wrong, but getting through the first castle was about the length of an average Castlevania game up to that point, no? Even back in that era, when we all expect hidden rooms and little nuggets, having an entire castle as the hidden room is one heck of a shock.

[StreetFighterRyu]

By far my favorite Castlevania game of time. I don't like the new voice over in the remastered version for the PSP. They should should have just stuck with the original voices.


I remember nearly completing the map and a bit relieved but almost disappointed when I beat the end boss. Then the inverted castle opened up, I checked the map to see that I had only truly explored half the game, and that's when I yelled out a big fat "HOLY SHIT!" in order to gain my brother's attention upstairs.

Yeah, my reaction was the same. Along with, "You gotta be kidding me."

[worstblogever]

To this day, I geek out when describing the boss battles (http://www.castlevaniacrypt.com/games/sotn/bosses.htm) from this game.

My personal favorites are:


Scylla, just for her visual...
Mephistopheles, for the creepy sound of swarming giant flies during the fight, but almost certainly...
Granfaloon (or as I call it, the Great Toasty Ball of the Damned). On the latter... how do you not love a boss that's a giant orgy-like ball of dead folks that rains corpses down upon your character? That's all kinds of win.

[Damiean Dark]

It was an amazing game and the original disc still fetches high prices on auction sites.

What i dont get is witht the huge respect and love SOTN got they still insist on making crappy 3D sequels to the castlevania legend look at the Bionic commando 2D remake it was great the awesome power of the PS3 and 360 could create the greatest 2D platformer ever imo.

Maybe the lesser power of the WII will bring a 2D Castlevania game to that platform?.

[Filthy Mutie]

To this day, I geek out when describing the boss battles (http://www.castlevaniacrypt.com/games/sotn/bosses.htm) from this game.

My personal favorites are:


Scylla, just for her visual...
Mephistopheles, for the creepy sound of swarming giant flies during the fight, but almost certainly...
Granfaloon (or as I call it, the Great Toasty Ball of the Damned). On the latter... how do you not love a boss that's a giant orgy-like ball of dead folks that rains corpses down upon your character? That's all kinds of win.



Granfaloon--I mean, seriously, how do you come up with that? "It's a toasty ball of bodies, which are clearly damned, somehow packed around a cyclopean spaghetti monster!" "Sounds great, do it!" And it was great.

The boss battles across the board were generally pretty badass.

[Filthy Mutie]

By far my favorite Castlevania game of time. I don't like the new voice over in the remastered version for the PSP. They should should have just stuck with the original voices.

I did NOT know they did this. Ew.

DAAAHHHK METAMORPHOSIS!

[linainverse]

I'm playing SotN now for the first time on the PSP. I actually bought a PSP just for this and had a hard time beating 2.5 levels of Rondo of Blood just to unlock it. People think i'm crazy for buying a 1997 game but i watched it on youtube and fell in love with the music and visuals and so when i it in the shop i knew i had to get it.

Currently playing the inverted castle.. it's really quite amazing, and impossible to navigate without flying. The inverted water really does not make sense though, and looks stupid. (But then a lot of things in this game don't make sense, like a vampire walking around with holy mail, holy water etc )

A 'problem' i have is, once i get crissaegrim, the game becomes ridiculously easy. Even with those guardians. Does anyone agree? I haven't completed the game though, things may get harder, I'm not sure.

[Filthy Mutie]

I'm playing SotN now for the first time on the PSP. I actually bought a PSP just for this and had a hard time beating 2.5 levels of Rondo of Blood just to unlock it. People think i'm crazy for buying a 1997 game but i watched it on youtube and fell in love with the music and visuals and so when i it in the shop i knew i had to get it.

Currently playing the inverted castle.. it's really quite amazing, and impossible to navigate without flying. The inverted water really does not make sense though, and looks stupid. (But then a lot of things in this game don't make sense, like a vampire walking around with holy mail, holy water etc )

A 'problem' i have is, once i get crissaegrim, the game becomes ridiculously easy. Even with those guardians. Does anyone agree? I haven't completed the game though, things may get harder, I'm not sure.

What's Crissaegrim?

[StreetFighterRyu]

I did NOT know they did this. Ew.

DAAAHHHK METAMORPHOSIS!

It's from The Dracula X Chronicles. He doesn't sound badass. Nor Dracula.

[Filthy Mutie]

It's from The Dracula X Chronicles. He doesn't sound badass. Nor Dracula.

I never got a chance to play Dracula X/Rondo of Blood for Turbo Duo. I got it for SNES, which I understand is quite a bit different.

[GozertheGozarian]

What's Crissaegrim?
Rare drop from one of the inverted library mobs. The most brutal weapon in the game.

[Filthy Mutie]

Rare drop from one of the inverted library mobs. The most brutal weapon in the game.

Oh, wild. Yeah, I could see how that would make things easy. Take it up against Galamoth (http://www.castlevaniacrypt.com/games/sotn/bosses.htm) in the inverted catacombs and see how long it takes to win.

[Archguru]

Could be worse, you could be using the shield rod / alucard shield!

That sucked so much fun out of the game beyond the initial wow!

Final boss - dead in 10 seconds

[linainverse]

Oh, wild. Yeah, I could see how that would make things easy. Take it up against Galamoth (http://www.castlevaniacrypt.com/games/sotn/bosses.htm) in the inverted catacombs and see how long it takes to win.

yeah crissaegrim is dropped by schmoos, it didn't take a long time for me to get it, like maybe after 40 of them. It's basically a shredder that shreds enemies like they're paper. The egyptian mummy boss was dead in 2 secs. I hope Galamoth lasts longer, since he has so much hp.

now that enemies are like paper, I just try to have fun exploring, since it's my first time, and enjoying the music. I love those little secrets like how the fairy sings 'Nocturne' when Alucard falls asleep in the library..

[Filthy Mutie]

yeah crissaegrim is dropped by schmoos, it didn't take a long time for me to get it, like maybe after 40 of them. It's basically a shredder that shreds enemies like they're paper. The egyptian mummy boss was dead in 2 secs. I hope Galamoth lasts longer, since he has so much hp.

now that enemies are like paper, I just try to have fun exploring, since it's my first time, and enjoying the music. I love those little secrets like how the fairy sings 'Nocturne' when Alucard falls asleep in the library..

The soundtrack is amazing. It helped me get through college.

[linainverse]

The soundtrack is amazing. It helped me get through college.

It is. It's helping me get through working life now lol

[Hiromi]

Its the Super Metroid of the Castlevania series and imo one of the best of its generation.

[Alan2099]

I enjoyed it. I would have liked it a lot more if everygame in the series afterwards hadn't tried to copy it.

The overdecorated style and white haired protagonists in the games after this always seemed rather forced and lackign the charm of the earlier crumbling castles and rougher heroes.

[StreetFighterRyu]

I never got a chance to play Dracula X/Rondo of Blood for Turbo Duo. I got it for SNES, which I understand is quite a bit different.

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same game. It was for the PSP.

[MainTheDread]

Probably beats out River City Ransom as my favorite game of all time.


Playing through the game with Richtor is hell though.

[Filthy Mutie]

Probably beats out River City Ransom as my favorite game of all time.


Playing through the game with Richtor is hell though.

Yeah, I haven't got really deep into this yet. I put in his name, ran around a bit, and knew I'd have to wait until I had the stamina to stick to it.

[Filthy Mutie]

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same game. It was for the PSP.

Same game. Rondo of Blood originally came out in 1993 in Japan; it got a following in the states when fanboys started importing game systems/software. It was re-released a little later in the US as Dracula X, and stripped down quite a bit. No cinematics, no v/o work, fewer levels, etc. The PSP version is supposed to be faithful for the original release, but cleaned-up a bit for 2009.

[Filthy Mutie]

I enjoyed it. I would have liked it a lot more if everygame in the series afterwards hadn't tried to copy it.

The overdecorated style and white haired protagonists in the games after this always seemed rather forced and lackign the charm of the earlier crumbling castles and rougher heroes.

I agree with this.