Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

 Game Boy Advance
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: May 6, 2003
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 242 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 219 out of 242
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 242
  3. Negative: 10 out of 242
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  1. RyokenI.
    Mar 23, 2008
    10
    Brilliant! If you like super metroid, wonderboy 3- dragons trap, and of course SOTN, you will love this to pieces. Exploration, platform gaming, rpg and collection game (think pokemon) this game should appeal to a broad audience, the only possible fllaw being it''s difficulty level... too easy. But with a bit of creativity, you can even devise a challenge game (try beating it Brilliant! If you like super metroid, wonderboy 3- dragons trap, and of course SOTN, you will love this to pieces. Exploration, platform gaming, rpg and collection game (think pokemon) this game should appeal to a broad audience, the only possible fllaw being it''s difficulty level... too easy. But with a bit of creativity, you can even devise a challenge game (try beating it with one kind of weapon, or no armor!) 38/40… Expand
  2. KevinS.
    Jul 3, 2003
    10
    This is my favorite Castlevania game, and one of my favorite GBA games. The AoS's graphics are some of the best I've seen for GBA. The story is great, the music is awesome and the Action/RPG style cant be beat! This is probably the best Castlevania game ever!
  3. ZeroLayer
    Jul 29, 2003
    10
    It's the first Castlevania game I got. And I'm hooked. Great graphics, tight controls and incredibly addicting.
  4. AZWification
    Dec 16, 2010
    9
    Castlevania was a great franchise and it still a great one!The GBA got so far the best Castlevania games EVER!Aria of Sorrow is a action-side scrolling game where you control Soma Cruz(the hero).The graphics are not very colorful, but they are very realistic for the GBA!The tunes aren't bad either!The gameplay is great, you discover a lot of good things, you unlock endings, is just one ofCastlevania was a great franchise and it still a great one!The GBA got so far the best Castlevania games EVER!Aria of Sorrow is a action-side scrolling game where you control Soma Cruz(the hero).The graphics are not very colorful, but they are very realistic for the GBA!The tunes aren't bad either!The gameplay is great, you discover a lot of good things, you unlock endings, is just one of the best Castlevania games EVER!If you don't like this game, that means you don't like video games!Well, this game is not perfect, but very enjoyable!MUST BUY!… Expand
  5. Matseb2611
    May 18, 2011
    10
    After having played more than a dozen of Castlevania titles, I think Aria of Sorrow is still my favourite. The game takes place in the year 2035, many years after Dracula's defeat, but now Dracula's power is about to be reborn in a new dark lord candidate. You play as Soma Cruz, a student who found himself in the castle and realises that he has the ability to steal the souls of theAfter having played more than a dozen of Castlevania titles, I think Aria of Sorrow is still my favourite. The game takes place in the year 2035, many years after Dracula's defeat, but now Dracula's power is about to be reborn in a new dark lord candidate. You play as Soma Cruz, a student who found himself in the castle and realises that he has the ability to steal the souls of the monsters after defeating them. With this soul system the player gets access to an enormous variety of secondary attacks as well as permanent buffs. Just like with Symphony of the Night, the player is not limited to only one weapon, but can use a lot of different weapons he/she finds throughout the game, ranging from swords, to hammers, to spears, and even to guns. Also just like SOTN, and the other GBA Castlevania games, this is a Metroid style Castlevania, meaning the whole game is like a one huge map, where certain parts can only be reached later in the game after acquiring a certain ability or an item. Aria of Sorrow, despite having rather simple GBA graphics is a very beautiful and stunning looking game. The level design is fantastic, and the soundtrack is just as beautiful, complementing perfectly with visual beauty of the game. The controls are easy, making it convenient to control your character, and the game has just about a perfect level of difficulty, without it seeming too easy or too frustrating. There is literally nothing bad I can say about Aria of Sorrrow. The only thing I think SOTN has over it are the graphics.… Expand
  6. frankzhang2046
    Nov 11, 2019
    10
    My favorite video game of all time. The movement is incredibly responsive, music is amazing, the system is intuitive. Overall the flow of the game is so good that I've played this game at least 20 times in total yet still goes back to revisit it from time to time.
  7. ylnylmn
    Aug 7, 2021
    9
    I can say that I like it more than SOTN. Level design, items, gaining abilities when killing enemies,balance of difficulty, boss fights, dialogues between characters, the value of the money we collect. In many ways I liked it better than SOTN. The playing time was pretty good too. Not as long as SOTN. I was bored at the reverse castle in SOTN. But I was not bored in Aria. The soundtracksI can say that I like it more than SOTN. Level design, items, gaining abilities when killing enemies,balance of difficulty, boss fights, dialogues between characters, the value of the money we collect. In many ways I liked it better than SOTN. The playing time was pretty good too. Not as long as SOTN. I was bored at the reverse castle in SOTN. But I was not bored in Aria. The soundtracks and voiceovers were very good at SOTN. And SOTN was the forerunner of metroidvania. Aria has been a beautiful metroidvania thanks to SOTN.. So I rate Aria and SOTN equally. By the way, you have a way to hell Medusa head!!… Expand
  8. camptownrangers
    Sep 5, 2015
    10
    Far, far superior to Symphony of the Night.

    This game nails down every aspect of good design, from the great design of the castle to the unparalleled soul collection system that keeps the game perpetually fresh and damn fun.
  9. Michael
    Mar 11, 2008
    10
    This is by far the best platforming 2D adventure game I've ever played. I'm shocked that Circle of the Moon has a comparable score to this game since by comparison, Circle of the Moon is a bit of a mess. I'd recommend this game to anyone with a DS or a GBA.
  10. Lucif3r
    Oct 3, 2019
    10
    My favorite Castlevania and GBA game ever made.
    The soul system gives good replay value and the castle layout is very good. Very well made game.
  11. QuatokyTonberry
    Feb 21, 2019
    6
    Gameplay: - Normal
    Story: - Very Bad
    Visual: - Normal
    Music and sound: - Good
    Average time: -6 H
    Score: - 6
  12. [Anonymous]
    Apr 4, 2004
    10
    This game is incredible. Live and die by that saying, "Third times a charm".
  13. Death
    Nov 19, 2004
    10
    It is the best of all GBA titles.
  14. RobertL.
    May 31, 2004
    10
    This title is easily worth twice the purchase price. Awesome powers+awesome weapons+challenging baddies=Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow.
  15. AbdullahA.
    Jun 1, 2003
    10
    The game is so good....i can't stop myself in collecting spirits and increasing the level....but there is still places i didn't discover so far...but in general the game worth a deep play.
  16. RaphaelR.
    Jun 29, 2003
    10
    The first time i finished it the ending was bad but i found out that this game has 3 endings beating chaos is the best ending and having the chaos ring equipped. note:graham is not the last boss.
  17. JohnL.
    Jul 9, 2003
    10
    This is way better than other Castlevania games.
  18. RobertB.
    Aug 12, 2003
    10
    Aria of Sorrow is one of my favorite games on the GBA because you can get a bunch of abilities through souls from monsters you defeat, the graphics are better than HOD, and it's real fun to play. AOS overall is fun game that you'll keep playing for years on end.
  19. AzizK.
    Sep 22, 2003
    10
    I Think It Has To Be One Of The Best Ever Games On A Nintendo Console!
  20. Max
    May 1, 2004
    10
    I was proud to get a sore neck from staring at the little screen for hours playing this supurb game.
  21. NathanI.
    Apr 28, 2003
    10
    Tight game.
  22. D.J.
    Jun 26, 2003
    10
    The only bad part is totally finishing it.
  23. ChrisR.
    Mar 13, 2004
    10
    Just as good as Symphony of the Night and my favorite GBA game. It is truly a great game.
  24. Manny
    Mar 17, 2004
    10
    The best of the gba castlevanias and thats saying a lot. An A class game all the way.
  25. Soma
    Sep 29, 2004
    10
    A true classic that combines the best of gaming, and the best of sound. Amazingly addicting as well. Buy it now.
  26. ShawnC.
    Jan 23, 2006
    10
    I love it! It has great game play and amazing graphics!
  27. RidleayRomero
    Nov 30, 2018
    10
    I love Aria of Sorrow. The game is so much fun to go through that it's almost impossible to get everything in just one single run of the game. Great music, great gameplay, great boss fights. The game is practically flawless.
  28. AD421
    Aug 27, 2011
    8
    Aria of Sorrow offers players gameplay that will never go stale. It's honestly just a fun game. The only downside is story but when has Castlevania ever been about story? The bosses are fun and the soul collection was a nice addition to the series. It's very friendly for newcomers to the series as its a pretty easy game. New Game+ offer more hours of fun and keeps replayability pretty high.
  29. Redreal
    Sep 17, 2012
    8
    Best Castlevania I've personally played since SOTN. The soul system is really fun and creative. Graphics and music were ok...couple of catchy tracks, nothing like SOTN but this was made for gameboy so meh Story was hella cheesy though, although major twist at the end if you "equip the right souls.
  30. celtqy
    Jun 18, 2013
    8
    Really good game for GBA. Really good tight controls. Really stupid story. Really nice and fleshed out animated style. Really overkilling on the amounts of weapons and spells. Always fun to carry this one around.
  31. arcazeronus
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    The storyline, the sprites, the music; everything is amazing about this game.
    Just like SotN, it's basically a Metroidvania. There is so many things to discover, so many things to loot. The music in this game is great. The art style of characters are unique. The overall world is looking brilliant.
    Even if you beat the game for a few times, you still want to play it more. The levels are    The storyline, the sprites, the music; everything is amazing about this game.
    Just like SotN, it's basically a Metroidvania. There is so many things to discover, so many things to loot. The music in this game is great. The art style of characters are unique. The overall world is looking brilliant.
    Even if you beat the game for a few times, you still want to play it more. The levels are designed well, and when you beat the game, you get rewarded by having more playability.
    If you've never played this game and you liked any of Castlevania games, you should play this.    … Expand
  32. EremitaJ
    Jul 30, 2014
    9
    Another underrated gem I see here. MetroidVania is probably the style that I like the most out of all three (RetroVania, MetroidVania and Lords of Shadow of the Colossus of God of WarVania if you know what I'm sayin') and this game is perfect proof. I was young and all I knew about CastleVania was this one game and I loved it, everything made sense, backtracking wasn't a chore because youAnother underrated gem I see here. MetroidVania is probably the style that I like the most out of all three (RetroVania, MetroidVania and Lords of Shadow of the Colossus of God of WarVania if you know what I'm sayin') and this game is perfect proof. I was young and all I knew about CastleVania was this one game and I loved it, everything made sense, backtracking wasn't a chore because you needed exp. and money and the story was so far from beaing a "pure, traditional and classic CastleVania" but the style was there. I renember some stages entirely and I would be able to beat this game in less than 10 hours because I looked for all the secret and spent so much time on it. The game also made an impacto on me. By seraching I found out "CastleVania Symphony of the Night" and I was like: MetroidVania on PS2 with Richter Belmont and Alucard? GOTTA GO PLAY DAT ****… Expand
  33. Chris5667
    Jul 8, 2020
    10
    With All its items, features and souls, a great story, rpg elements, its fantastic Soma Cruz as the main character and of course its delicious and fantastic music, this could be easily not only my favorite Castlevania in the series (even over the masterpiece SOTN) but also my favorite GBA game of all times even better than true jewels such as Metroid Fusion or Megaman Zero.
  34. frederik1478
    Feb 14, 2022
    8
    I'm so happy to play this game efter play the other castlevania games on a Gameboy finally a game with good level design again. And want a doesn't look like s*** like castlevania harmony of dissonance. The soul system is awesome gathering monster souls get new abilities and I will say this is my second favorite castlevania game I have played it is the third if you take blood stain as aI'm so happy to play this game efter play the other castlevania games on a Gameboy finally a game with good level design again. And want a doesn't look like s*** like castlevania harmony of dissonance. The soul system is awesome gathering monster souls get new abilities and I will say this is my second favorite castlevania game I have played it is the third if you take blood stain as a castlevania game… Expand
  35. Max_Spidey
    Oct 8, 2018
    9
    [PT-BR] O primeiro Castlevania antigo que eu joguei,que jogo SENSACIONAL,a trilha sonora desse jogo é uma delícia,jogabilidade muito boa,tem uma dificuldade moderada,você apanha um pouco em certa área ou em certo boss,mas você vai pegando o jeito e uma hora você passa,no jogo tem um sistema de almas que cada uma te dá um poder diferente (Não vou me aprofundar nisso) e uma história bem[PT-BR] O primeiro Castlevania antigo que eu joguei,que jogo SENSACIONAL,a trilha sonora desse jogo é uma delícia,jogabilidade muito boa,tem uma dificuldade moderada,você apanha um pouco em certa área ou em certo boss,mas você vai pegando o jeito e uma hora você passa,no jogo tem um sistema de almas que cada uma te dá um poder diferente (Não vou me aprofundar nisso) e uma história bem interessante,um dos melhores jogos de gameboy advance,e um dos melhores jogos que já joguei,sem exagero.… Expand
  36. MudRipChar
    Mar 5, 2019
    9
    While Circle of the Moon was too dark to see, and Harmony of Dissonance was a bit too vibrant, Aria of Sorrow is perfect. Konami hit it out of the park with this 3rd GBA entry. I couldn't put this game down until I had 100% completed it. The story/characters might be a bit shallow, but the gameplay is flawless.
  37. tiberiotavareze
    Jan 9, 2021
    9
    My rate for this game: 9.0



    ..............................................
  38. Cleytin
    Feb 23, 2020
    9
    Um jogo praticamente perfeito, belos gráficos e ótima jogabilidade, pra mim o melhor Castlevania pra se começar a jogar a série inteira, traz boas mecânicas e bons chefes, o único problema é ter que ficar atrás de 3 almas específicas pra conseguir o final verdadeiro
  39. OverBoost2004
    Jul 23, 2021
    10
    The Best Of Castlevania,is Aria Of Sorrow, This Game Is Awasome,it has a brilliant Gameplay and a great map. I simply can repeat The best of castlevania!
  40. hector_bcn98
    Dec 13, 2022
    8
    Posiblemente sea el Castlevania más fresco de Advance. No copia tanto a Symphony of the Night como Harmony of Dissonance ni es tan retorcido como Circle of the Moon. Buena curva de dificultad.
  41. GVB
    Jan 26, 2023
    9
    Yeah, yeah, it's and old game, and with the limitations of the GBA... BUT, it's an excellent game. The character progression feels good, it's addictive, the characters are interesting, and in many ways is as good as Symphony of The Night.

    Give it a try, really.
  42. Zerofear
    Feb 13, 2021
    10
    Fantastic game with start to finish. I loved how it contains so much equipment and unique Soul Set that I found interesting. Controls are more improved than previous title. Soma is strongest character that can even go against Belmonts. There is many area to explore
  43. eazyye
    Feb 27, 2021
    9
    o game é muito bom , melhores 10 horas gastas no gba a historia nao é tao complexa mas tem uns plot legais , tem muitas armas e habilidades foi uma das melhores se não a melhor experiencia que eu tive no gba eu concerteza vou zerar uma segunda vez mas eu achei a trilha sonora meio méh é melhor doque as dos 2 outros Castlevanias do gba mas acho que fico repetitivo no meio do jogo
  44. SuperClaudio64
    Jan 15, 2022
    8
    Ottimo Castlevania e probabilmente il migliore per gba. La storia è carina, i mostri sono originali e sicuramente la parte migliore è accumulare i poteri dei nemici e testarli sul campo. Tuttavia trovo che il suo successore Dawn of Sorrow sia un gioco migliore, più completo con una modalità extra legata al bad ending, molto più interessante. Rimane un ottimo castlevania, ma un po troppoOttimo Castlevania e probabilmente il migliore per gba. La storia è carina, i mostri sono originali e sicuramente la parte migliore è accumulare i poteri dei nemici e testarli sul campo. Tuttavia trovo che il suo successore Dawn of Sorrow sia un gioco migliore, più completo con una modalità extra legata al bad ending, molto più interessante. Rimane un ottimo castlevania, ma un po troppo sopravvalutato come Simphony of the night.
    L'unica nota negativa sono i boss, che inizialmente sono nemici comuni e estremamente deboli e poi alcuni boss originali ma facilmente gestibili. In ogni caso un ottimo gioco che consiglio!    … Expand
  45. JustinForgueims
    May 22, 2023
    8
    Very good platform game with a lots of options: weapons and powers.
    A bit buggy
  46. JackMcloed
    Jul 4, 2021
    10
    It doesn't get any better than this on a portable console. A masterfully made game. Graphics - 10
    Presentation - 9.5
    Gameplay - 10
    Sound - 9.5
    Lasting Appeal - 10
  47. Darkspawn677
    Oct 12, 2022
    10
    Soma cruz is the son of alucard and he is the reincarnation of alucard each belmont is a reincarnation of the previous one and tepes the castlevania games need to be more rpg like
  48. Twinsty
    Oct 3, 2021
    9
    Então esse jogo é simplesmente maravilhoso porém eu acho estupidez esconderem o verdadeiro final do jogo através de três almas específicas e também tem o balore... se você já zerou você sabe porém em contrapartida a batalha contra a morte é simplesmente sensacional sem contar que tu pode jogar com uma pistola isso dá um belo toque de humor para o jogo 9/10.
  49. Gal0_Ninja
    Aug 11, 2023
    10
    Sendo o último da trilogia do GameBoy Advance, Castlevania Aria of Sorrow encerra com chave de ouro. O jogo possui uma exploração mais dinâmica e polida que seus antecessores, Harmony of Dissonance e Circle of The Moon, possuindo a mecânica de SoulSet que são almas coletadas dos inimigos que dão ao protagonista diversas habilidades para explorar o cenário e deixa o combate mais divertidoSendo o último da trilogia do GameBoy Advance, Castlevania Aria of Sorrow encerra com chave de ouro. O jogo possui uma exploração mais dinâmica e polida que seus antecessores, Harmony of Dissonance e Circle of The Moon, possuindo a mecânica de SoulSet que são almas coletadas dos inimigos que dão ao protagonista diversas habilidades para explorar o cenário e deixa o combate mais divertido junto de sua grande variedade de armas. Como de costume da franquia, sua parte artística não peca, com animações lindas, personagens e inimigos bem desenhados, e trilha sonora espetacular.

    Mas o jogo também possui suas falhas. Começando com a mecânica SoulSet, para coletar a alma de um inimigo, há uma pequena probabilidade, e visto que há pontos no cenário e o verdadeiro final do jogo só podem ser desbloqueados através de almas específicas, o jogo acaba dependendo de grind, o que pode acabar incomodando jogadores mais casuais. Continuando a falar de pontos no cenário, as passagens secretas são pontos chatos de acessar, possuindo uma alma específica para isso, mas substituí-la por almas mais fortes acaba deixando o personagem mais fraco e torna o combate mais desinteressante.    … Expand
  50. Puptent
    Feb 24, 2022
    9
    In my opinion this is probably the best Castlevania game not just on Game Boy but on any system.
  51. Uncle_Beth
    Apr 18, 2022
    9
    This is a fantastic Castlevania game and one of the best classic Metroidvanias which truly stands the test of time. The gameplay is great, challenging at first but not too difficult once you get the handle of it. The RPG elements are well implemented and the souls system makes for some great customization and replay value. The story isn't anything revolutionary for the genre, but it getsThis is a fantastic Castlevania game and one of the best classic Metroidvanias which truly stands the test of time. The gameplay is great, challenging at first but not too difficult once you get the handle of it. The RPG elements are well implemented and the souls system makes for some great customization and replay value. The story isn't anything revolutionary for the genre, but it gets the job done and sets the stage for your adventure. Even in 2022 I would highly recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of the Metroidvania genre.… Expand
  52. Cristian-
    Sep 11, 2022
    10
    O ápice da série Castlevania no GBA. uma obra prima que se destaca em praticamente tudo, o unico ponto negativo é a qualidade sonora que poderia ser melhor.
  53. FarPlayer
    Jun 11, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is amazing! A giant map to explore lots of things to do, lots of weapons, Interesting plot twists. Anyways dude if you haven't played this game before play it… Expand
  54. DegenerateKeith
    May 8, 2023
    9
    I had so much fun with this game and the souls system is really fun to use and the replayability is really fun too. You can experiment with souls and weapons, the only negative with this game is some of the bosses sucks like the bat boss and the last boss in underwhelming. But overall really really good
  55. Yojimbo2015
    May 6, 2023
    9
    Another of the classic "Metroidvania" titles and one of the few essential purchases on the GBA.
  56. JoanPedoro
    Aug 30, 2023
    9
    O jogo possui seus problemas, como o caso do sistema de almas, na parte que depende exclusivamente de sorte, mas ele é muito superio ao do seus irmão de console, que possui o nome castlevania, sua historia não é uma mastrepiece, mas é muito bom, para sua epoca ele pegou uma formula criada por symphony, e pela serie metroid, e faz de forma relativamente compacta, mas superio a seus irmão deO jogo possui seus problemas, como o caso do sistema de almas, na parte que depende exclusivamente de sorte, mas ele é muito superio ao do seus irmão de console, que possui o nome castlevania, sua historia não é uma mastrepiece, mas é muito bom, para sua epoca ele pegou uma formula criada por symphony, e pela serie metroid, e faz de forma relativamente compacta, mas superio a seus irmão de console, uma mapa criativo e divertido de explorar, um bom jogo, na verdade o melhor dentre os 3 castlanias que foram lançados na época pro GBA.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
8
#8 Most Discussed Game Boy Advance Game of 2003
2
#2 Most Shared Game Boy Advance Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. eToychest
    100
    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."
    Read full review
  2. GamePro
    90
    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.
    Read full review
  3. Play Magazine
    90
    As 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]
See all critic reviews »