Review of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Two-dimensional platformer Castlevania: Symphony of the Night bravely entered the arena with no shame, back when the first PlayStation heralded in an age of three-dimensional graphics. Considering that Mario went three dimensions the year before and that Zelda would shortly follow suit, it looked exceedingly naive to release a two-dimensional platformer. However, Konami was well aware of their actions.

Naturally, Symphony of the Night became a cult favorite and is now a regular entry in lists of the best video games ever made. It introduced not one, but two highly acclaimed trilogy on portable Nintendo systems and became the progenitor of the Metroidvania style. With the arrival of the indie movement, the Metroidvania model gave a 2D area that allowed for flexibility, creativity, and narrative room, which resulted in an explosion of these kinds of games. Without Cave Story and Shadow Complex, where would contemporary indies be?

Some incredible Metroidvania games have emerged for mobile players from this independent industry. These include the wonderful exclusive Grimvalor, the underwater version of Aquaria, the exquisitely animated Dust, the shamefully underappreciated Dandara, the rogue-like Dead Cells, and even Shinsekai from Apple Arcade. Hardcore mobile players will find the genre to be a perfect match because of its continuous, iterative gameplay. Now is the ideal moment to play Castlevania: Symphony of the Night again—the game that started it all.

Konami has released a mobile version of Symphony by Dotemu, presumably to promote the third season of the unexpectedly fantastic Netflix anime series. The mobile version is the same one that was included with The Dracula X Chronicles, a PSP game. It features a better storyline and voice acting than the original, and it does away with some of the b-movie clumsiness (like the famous line: "What is a man? "A pitiful little mountain of secrets!" Although fans of the original game may be let down, it's ultimately a good thing. From the beginning, you have the choice to play as either Richter or Maria.

Higher-resolution text and artwork, as well as improved item menus with touch controls, are further variations from the original. The game's live assets are chunkier than those of older games, which has inspired its look. You may be shocked to see how little small squares the original animators had to work with while watching it on a wider screen. Still, the animation is solid. For its time, it is extraordinarily realistic and detailed, and it serves as a masterwork for modern pixel painters.

Naturally, on-screen controls are the only option available to gamers without specialized controllers. These aren't the best: instead of the more sensible swipe-anywhere controls seen in games like Dead Cells, you get a basic touch pad. The assault buttons are more difficult to press than the jump button. A few concessions are given to gamers: spells and transformations may be accessed using hotkeys, however it's unclear why using special weapons still requires pressing D-pad-up+attack. It's also odd that the touch controls cannot be adjusted for location or size, even from a seasoned producer of replicated classics.

Naturally, a specialized controller is the ideal way to play the game. Binding the map to a flick (in any direction) of the second analog stick is an odd decision, particularly when L2 is idle.

However, what about the actual game? It's still really excellent. Your vast, diverse castle landscape is practically twice as large as you may have imagined, and it's jam-packed with elements that allow you to create a tale without the need for protracted cutscenes. Hardcore players will find it demanding but not annoying, with many of mysteries. Battle, particularly boss battle, calls on strategy, dexterity, and careful use of your powers.

Finding new equipment and increasing your stats include some minor role-playing game aspects. Yes, it is possible to beat the game and give Alucard extreme power, but to be honest, it is all part of the enjoyment. Even better, this version allows you to pick up where you left off right away in the previous area instead of having to drag yourself back to your last save point. (If this puts you in a difficult situation, you may load from the previous hard save.)