Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

My Castlevania - SOTN Review

In my honest opinion, I believe this game is the BEST game that you can purchase on XBLA. Having owned the original on the PS, I knew exactly what this game had in store for me. With its 2D platforming/RPG mixed elements, awesome boss battle, and open ended gameplay, it was worth every Microsoft Point.

The game has you playing the reawakened Alucard, son of Dracula, when Castlevania manifests out of nowhere. Your goal is to explore the castle, find out why it has returned, and to exterminate your father once again. When you first enter the castle, you have some good moves and equipment, but that changes when you run into Death, and he steals all your items. The game features a non-linear castle, letting you choose how you want to proceed through the game. You can collect special orbs that allow you to take the form of a bat, wolf, or even mist to tackle obstacles. Most rooms feature secret areas that are not accessible until much later in the game. Much like an RPG, you are able to collect different weapons, articles of clothing, and other items that have their own stats and attributes. The boss fights in this game take on strange and bizarre forms, and they are a blast. The game features multiple endings, depending on the percentage of the game you unlock. You can even fight an additional boss fight if it is high enough. The music score for this game is top-notch, especially considering how old this game is. The game has won multiple "Game Of The Year" awards, and is even in some lists of "Greatest Games Of All Time".

This game is a must buy, no matter what type of gamer you are. I find absolutely no flaws in this game.