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Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is 20 years old!

T

Tain

Member
I don't think the difference between the structure of Metroid and SotN is particularly huge. SotN ultimately has more customization (and exposes more stats to the player, but this is pretty minor), where the character upgrades in Metroid are simply more controlled.
 
V

VDenter

Banned
Its certainly a brave departure. But adding a RPG Level up system was a mistake. This game has some of the worst level design out of any Metroidvania game. And the RPG mechanics just completely break any and all challenge.
 
F

Foffy

Banned
To actually contribute to the thread, what I find most remarkable is this game aging well for what was at the time a planned spin-off of the IP.

What spin-offs to major IPs not only age well over time, but eventually get molded into the main formula of the franchise? SotN has aged better than some of the action platformers that started the series...
 
V

Vandole

Member
If Symphony of the Night is 20 years old and I played it when I was 20, that means.... No. I can't really be that fucking old.
 
M

MegaManTrigger

Banned
Piccoro said:
The PSP/Vita exlusive Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles has a better version of SOTN anyways.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be so quick to say that. The PSP version suffers from a bit of blurring and washed out colours compared to the PS1 edition. The changed voice acting is also a bit wooden but I suspect it's because of old English styled dialogue. The only real advantage is more playable characters in the form of Maria Renard. Whereas the PS1 looks much better on a Vita screen at its resolution. It's really a matter of preference.
 
M

Maedhros

Member
One of my favourite games ever, no fucking doubts.

Not my favourite from the series though.

And there's no fucking doubt it was a revolutionary game, many still take inspiration from it to this day.

20 years old... DAMN...
 
S

Semajer

Member
I finished it for the first time a few weeks back and really enjoyed it. My main complaint is that navigation during the second half of the game was a bitch.
 
M

MegaManTrigger

Banned
Tain said:
I don't think the difference between the structure of Metroid and SotN is particularly huge. SotN ultimately has more customization (and exposes more stats to the player, but this is pretty minor), where the character upgrades in Metroid are simply more controlled.
Click to expand...

In fairness SOTN also has controlled upgrades in the form of Max Life, MP, and Hearts. It's really only equipment and the Richter fight that the player has a bit more control over how Alucard plays.

Speaking of that, I fucking love how the Dracula - Richter fight actually has a purpose. How well you do in that fight determines how strong your beginning Alucard's stats are.
 
Tizoc

Tizoc

Member
Are there any major differences between the PSOne JP and US releases in terms of 'breaking' or abusing the game's code to cause stuff to happen?
 
1

13ruce

Banned
I love this and most of the other Castlevania games.

Zelda, Castlevania, KH, Metroid, MGS and quite a few more franchises to avoid a big list lol.
Hold a special place in my heart.

I hope they port most of the games to the Switch i will buy em all.

Happy Bday SotN!
 
T

theMrCravens

Member
Game is way too easy and has little challenge, but was still incredible when it first launched.

I remember playing JP version before NA released. Music still incredible.
 
S

SomewhatGroovy

Banned
It reinvented the genre because Metroid, Metroid 2 and Super Metroid had very rigid rules to play by within the confinements of a map and closed out sections. Some here are getting hung up on the whats (map, closed sections which open up when new abilities acquired, etc) and not the how and the how SOTN uses the playing field in a way three metroid games couldnt is what makes it stand out and, yes- I argue-, redefining.
 
S

Sir_Crocodile

Member
MegaManTrigger said:
Speaking of that, I fucking love how the Dracula - Richter fight actually has a purpose. How well you do in that fight determines how strong your beginning Alucard's stats are.
Click to expand...

Man, the amount of times I reset to try and get that 14 Luck on subsequent playthroughs.

SomewhatGroovy said:
It reinvented the genre because Metroid, Metroid 2 and Super Metroid had very rigid rules to play by within the confinements of a map and closed out sections. Some here are getting hung up on the whats (map, closed sections which open up when new abilities acquired, etc) and not the how and the how SOTN uses the playing field in a way three metroid games couldnt is what makes it stand out and, yes- I argue-, redefining.
Click to expand...

For example?
 
D

DaytimeWhiskey

Banned
Sir_Crocodile said:
So you're saying it reinventing a genre by doing much the same thing as Super Metroid but three years later? If that's your definition of reinvention then I guess so.



Yeah, that was my original point, whether the level stats & loot was enough to call it a reinvention of the genre. Not sure on that.
Click to expand...

-Multiple endings
-Multiple characters with different play styles (Richter is the superior Belmont)
-The customization of your character
-Weapons, subweapons, transformations, magic
-The dialog and interaction between characters
-The sheer scope and size of the game

Is it enough to say it reinvented the genre? Maybe not. Did this list just start turning into awesome things about the game? Maybe so. But to write the game off as a Super Metroid knock off with loot and exp is kinda selling it short
 
F

Foffy

Banned
DaytimeWhiskey said:
-Multiple endings
-Multiple characters with different play styles (Richter is the superior Belmont)
-The customization of your character
-Weapons, subweapons, transformations, magic
-The dialog and interaction between characters
-The sheer scope and size of the game

Is it enough to say it reinvented the genre? Maybe not. Did this list just start turning into awesome things about the game? Maybe so. But to write the game off as a Super Metroid knock off with loot and exp is kinda selling it short
Click to expand...

Especially when, per Koji Igarashi himself, they were more inspired by Zelda than Metroid. Once you understand that, you can see why they focused on customization and player choice with equipment.
 
B

BrianRoyale

Member
I have such found memories of this game. Played it when I worked at KB Toys (RIP) and talked about the game with a couple of co-workers who were also playing through it. That was such a golden age of games for me, having a 35% off discount on games caused me to spend more than i should have.
Honestly one of the few PS1 games I can boot up and find it holds up incredibly well.
 
S

Sir_Crocodile

Member
DaytimeWhiskey said:
-Multiple endings
-Multiple characters with different play styles (Richter is the superior Belmont)
-The customization of your character
-Weapons, subweapons, transformations, magic
-The dialog and interaction between characters
-The sheer scope and size of the game

Is it enough to say it reinvented the genre? Maybe not. Did this list just start turning into awesome things about the game? Maybe so. But to write the game off as a Super Metroid knock off with loot and exp is kinda selling it short
Click to expand...

I take issue with this since at no point did I call it a knock off, and at many points I've called it a fantastic game, both in this thread and in many castlevania threads, as I am a massive fan of both this game and the whole 2D series (except mirror of fate).

But "reinventing a genre" is a big statement.
 
O

Opa-Pa

Member
I don't think it reinvented a genre as much as it created a sub-genre. Metroid and Igavania games share a couple of elements but are insanely different to the point I question why people include Metroid games when talking Metroidvania games.

All Metroidvania games follow the Symphony formula, not Super Metroid. Same as how Axiom Verge followa SM and not SoTN.

I mean, ultimately if you hold Symphony to SM standards then it's a pretty shit Metroid game with sparse as hell level design... But it's not trying to be that at all, so it'd be unfair and pointless.

Anyway all that aside, Symphony is pretty cool. I don't hold it among the best, but it allowed some of my favorites to exist and it was clearly important for the industry. Here's to Bloodstained delivering on the hype!
 
M

MegaManTrigger

Banned
Sir_Crocodile said:
Man, the amount of times I reset to try and get that 14 Luck on subsequent playthroughs.
Click to expand...

I know. I reset so many times to get the best non-Blade Dashed Alucard (80HP/30MP/65Hearts iirc? Could be wrong). I found out that you could get a perfect Alucard by having Richter spam Blade Dash but the input method is ridiculously tough to nail, as you'd need to go reverse directions quickly.
 
P

Pinky

Banned
theMrCravens said:
Game is way too easy and has little challenge, but was still incredible when it first launched.

I remember playing JP version before NA released. Music still incredible.
Click to expand...

I agree for the most part, but the inverted castle certainly has its moments, especially this fucker...

sotngalamothmain.gif
 
T

Team Filler

Member
Great game but has some big flaws in fun per inches. There are hallways where if it weren't for the enemies you would just be pressing left or right on the dpad for like two minutes straight.
 
P

PepsimanVsJoe

Member
What I like about SOTN is that it's just so open-ended.

The player could beat practically the entire game with a bare-handed Alucard if they wanted to. There are innumerable ways the player can challenge themselves.
 
Berserking Guts

Berserking Guts

Member
Yeah, it's one of those games that I came into late (XBLA) and it never resonated with me the way it did with other people. I feel like I missed the boat on that one. Same with Super Metroid. I didn't play it until the mid 2000s.
 
M

Myriadis

Member
I actually played it three months ago for the first time and it still holds up incredibly well. Save for the voice acting but I can deal with it.

Enjoyed the excellent animations and the many secrets that castle has, the great soundtrack and the artstyle. It was less Metroid-like than I imagined but all in all it still worked pretty well and the huge amount of optional content is amazing. Like you think you have explored the entire castle nope there's another hidden area.

What I disliked was the inverted castle. Sure it's all awesome when you realize that you have just seen the half of the game but the inverted castle just isn't different enough to justify its existence. And the warp points could've been placed at more strategic points, for example closer to the only shop in the game, that would've been nice.

But all in all a great game and I should give the other ones a try.
 
I

Intel_89

Member
Having played it for the first time recently I consider it groundbreaking for Castlevania but it's not my favourite in the series (AoS and OoE are my favourites).
 
SmokedMeat

SmokedMeat

Gamer™
So just over 20 years ago I was at a mom and pop game store freaking out at the cover of the new Diehard Gamefan.
 
H

hipgnosis

Member
My favorite game ever, game is magical. Still have the Collectors Edition lying somewhere. Also has my favorite soundtrack.
 
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