Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
Game Boy Advance- Publisher: Konami
- Release Date: May 6, 2003
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With all of its unique features and amounts of item/soul collection, Aria could be considered second to only one other game in the Castlevania series – the masterpiece, "Symphony of the Night."
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GameNowIt's the closest a GBA Castlevania adventure has come to achieving "Symphony's" level of atmosphere, and it has a crazy power-up system that makes you want to keep playing and playing and playing. [June 2003, p.43]
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Nintendo PowerThe graphics are unparalleled, the mosnters are original and challeng[ing] and the scope of the game is impressive. [June 2003, p.136]
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Pocket GamesProbably the prettiest of the three recent Castlevanias. [Fall 2003, p.35]
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Not enough can be said for how much fun this game is, how the action keeps coming at you, and how the soul system truly adds a layer of customization and replayability that wasn't in previous Castlevania games.
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Despite having these RPG-like features, Aria of Sorrow is not at all an RPG! What it is, is an amazing, exciting, must-have game that'll keep you entertained for many, many years.
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Even if you’ve never played one of the recent Castlevania titles, and especially if you were bothered by the unbalanced design of the last two games, go out right now and pick up Aria of Sorrow.
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"Harmony of Dissonance" was, and still is fantastic. Aria of Sorrow is better.
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Quite simply the best Castlevania on the system, and an impromptu contender for best game – period – on the system itself. With link capabilities, a hidden character, and a bevy of secrets, Aria of Sorrow also has substantial shelf life and replay value.
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While I didn’t like it at first, I grew to like the ability to only save your game in the special sanctuaries. Yeah, it makes the game more challenging, but it really fits in with the Castlevania world.
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Game InformerAria of Sorrow totally enraptures me in its world, more so than most environments made up of seemingly obscene numbers and polygons. [June 2003, p.119]
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Electronic Gaming MonthlyAll I know is that Aria of Sorrow is the best GBA title to date. [Shane; June 2003, p.116]
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The best portable Castlevania game yet created.
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An excellent game and easily the best in the GBA Castlevania series... Put[s] a dramatic spin on the gameplay and the general premise for the story, but it retains just enough of the series to keep veterans happy and newcomers entertained for countless hours.
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A superior GBA adventure in every respect and a marked improvement on "Harmony of Dissonance." Still, it is another "Symphony of the Night" clone—if you’re feeling a little sick of the same ol’ thing, this game may be the breaking point.
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Play MagazineAs transfixing and hand-drawn inspired as any Castlevania before it, or any game for that matter, even if it does lost some of its hold on the handheld platform. [June 2003, p.56]
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Aria of Sorrow comes the closest of the three Game Boy Advance titles to replicating the look and feel of Castlevania on the original PlayStation, and one-ups it by the inclusion of the addictive soul collecting.
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Cheat Code CentralIt's more fun that the last two games and the production values have been improved. I find this game has a better balance of gameplay variety and unique level designs that keep it from becoming repetitive.
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Another fantastic chapter in the Castlevania saga and warrants a purchase. Be warned, the game is not very long and only clocks in at about 10-15 hours. There are multiple endings which will keep you coming back for more, though!
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In so many ways that truly count, Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is the best 2D outing the series has seen since "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night."
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From what I've seen so far in Sorrow and its predecessor, this attentive, almost meticulous craftwork put into Castlevania ought to be transferred to a mainstream console or even the PC; my own backhanded compliment to the developers.
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netjakIt ain’t that same ol’ thing.
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Just a really great action game in the same vein as classics like "Symphony of the Night" and "Super Metroid" before it, and it stands tall among the GBA's best action games, including "Circle of the Moon" and last year's "Metroid Fusion."
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The best action-adventure game if you're looking for something more to get your teeth into once Metroid Fusion is done and dusted. [NGC]
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Exactly what we've come to expect of this steadily improving franchise - the same formulaic design conventions balanced with just enough new stuff to keep fans from getting bored.
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A great game. Harnessing the power of your enemy's soul at least superficially changes the ancient formula and incorporates a limited link cable mode for the bartering of souls.
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GMR MagazineIf "Harmony" was dinner, then Aria is surely dessert: short, sweet, and to the point. Not bad if you don't mind too much of a good thing. [June 2003, p.76]
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Better graphics, sound, story, gameplay and style all add up to a brilliant action adventure with a touch of RPG about it.
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Since Aria Of Sorrow is the third Castlevania in as many years, I'm also concerned that Konami is growing increasingly content to simply rest on their laurels.
Awards & Rankings
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2
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8
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#8 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
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2
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#2 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
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User score distribution:
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Positive: 219 out of 242
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Mixed: 13 out of 242
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Negative: 10 out of 242
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RyokenI.Mar 23, 2008
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Aug 7, 2021
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Nov 11, 2019