Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 171 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 146 out of 171
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 171
  3. Negative: 15 out of 171

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  1. VLG
    Aug 22, 2023
    9
    My brother's favorite game of all time. I like it a lot too, and beat it like once. He plays it to this day. Great memories attached, and tons of nostalgia. Good old days.
  2. blimpsgo180
    Mar 27, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am a big fan of the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS Castlevania’s, and Symphony of the Night is how this style of game got it’s start. It is considered to be the first Metroidvania game, a game that combines elements from the game Super Metroid, with traditional Castlevania gameplay. On the one hand, this is the first game in either series to include RPG mechanics, such as levelling-up and loot collecting. On the other, the game features a massive map like in Super Metroid, as well as moments where sections of the map are blocked off, usually until a specific item has been collected. Combine these things with superior combat from the Castlevania series, and you have a genre that has spawned a lot of copycats.
    Unlike the Game Boy Advance and DS versions of Castlevania, Symphony of the Night doesn’t follow a progression where you enter a new area, and grind until the boss fight, at least not early on. Instead, the game is a lot about exploration, as well as loot collection. Your sword and armor can be upgraded, and these items are often dropped by enemies, if not hidden in a secret area. There’s also a “Life Max Up” and a “Hearts Max Up”, in addition to regular leveling. Loot collecting is a lot like Diablo, while RPG mechanics feel borrowed from Final Fantasy.
    The combat is good. Really good. As a change of pace, you don’t bear a whip, but a traditional sword, and you can equip a shield if you choose to. I think this is because you play as the son of Dracula, Alucard, which someone had to point out to me, is Dracula spelled backward. Like in past Castlevania’s, combat is a lot about good timing. You also can swiftly move backward to avoid an incoming attack – actually, you can move faster backward than forward.
    Still true to the Castlevania namesake, there are sub-weapons, such as an axe, dagger, and a cross, and all sub-weapons consume hearts. Beyond that, armor that you carry can work in your favor, such as a shield that restores hit-points. Finally, there are a number of one-time use weapons you pick up that can attack one foe or a group. And if you’ve been playing a little while, it can all look so graceful.
    Around halfway through the game (leading up to the first ending), you come across a library. The head librarian is an old man who happens to be a salesman. In the library, this seems a bit odd – normally we borrow from libraries. He can sell you a Castle Map, which pretty much exposes all the areas you haven’t been to yet, as well as highlighting where you’ve already been. There’s some great stuff to see, such as a Colosseum, where defeating numerous powerful enemies leads to a boss fight, and the power to turn into mist, so you can glide through barred doors. There’s also an underground waterway, that leads to a special item and armor.
    The sad truth is, you can “beat” Castlevania: Symphony of the Night in about an hour and a half, with enough time to gain levels for the final boss fight, as well as see the entire castle. Something I didn’t know till recently is that’s it’s just the first ending. There are five endings. The game is old enough (released in 1997) that it’s spoiler-free to say there is an entirely new castle after the third ending, which is the same as the main castle, but upside-down and backwards. Upside-down in the sense that you’re walking on the ceiling, and backwards in the sense that the entrance to the original castle where the game begins is at the far left, and in the upside-down castle at the far right, far from the beginning. I learned the enemies are much harder here, and the second castle is a lot like a New Game Plus mode.
    I didn’t play Symphony in the Night until I was deeply entrenched in the portable games. That said, it’s really well made. The biggest downgrade is that the series had to take a resolution hit to work on Game Boy Advance and DS. It exceeded my expectations, and let’s not forget it started the Metroidvania genre. I will get all five endings. The game is tied to my Microsoft account, and I don’t have an Xbox to play on right now. In hindsight, if you’re looking into Metroidvania games, this is the best place to start.    … Expand
  3. neomoonsevin
    Dec 16, 2022
    3
    rubbish i purchased this and its shert not likeing this either i like this back in the olds but not anymore
  4. frederik1478
    Oct 6, 2021
    10
    Still one of the best metroidvelia games there exist, disc games Just comfort food for me now I just always relax while playing it and it's always fun to find a new way to break the difficulty because this game is easy I mean not in the beginning but halfway through the game you will found a way to break the game, is always enjoyable so it's a good classic to return to when you feel down
  5. Alex_Pilgrim008
    Jul 13, 2019
    9
    The 360 port of "Symphony of the Night" isn't perfect, but it's perfectly fine for those that missed it on the PS1. The enhanced graphics are much sharper than the original's and you can expand the picture to full screen. However, the background music is terribly muted even when stereo sound is turned on. As far as extra content is concerned, there is none besides the option to switch toThe 360 port of "Symphony of the Night" isn't perfect, but it's perfectly fine for those that missed it on the PS1. The enhanced graphics are much sharper than the original's and you can expand the picture to full screen. However, the background music is terribly muted even when stereo sound is turned on. As far as extra content is concerned, there is none besides the option to switch to the PlayStation 1's blurrier visuals. In addition, for this game, the Xbox's d-pad doesn't work as good as Sony's. Despite the flaws, "Symphony" is perhaps the greatest Castlevania game ever made. I would give this $10 port a 9 out of 10.… Expand
  6. bloodedgesensai
    Feb 25, 2019
    7
    This is a well made port. Unfortunately, it still feels lacking. Everything symphony of the night did well is still here. Not only that, but there is no loading screens and no slowdown. I was however, hoping for the Saturn and PSP content. Maybe the 2 variations of Maria would be fused together. That might be unreasonable, but as long as Maria is playable in some way. Even still, where'sThis is a well made port. Unfortunately, it still feels lacking. Everything symphony of the night did well is still here. Not only that, but there is no loading screens and no slowdown. I was however, hoping for the Saturn and PSP content. Maybe the 2 variations of Maria would be fused together. That might be unreasonable, but as long as Maria is playable in some way. Even still, where's the saturn's item button? Or the ghost prison? Underground garden? The PSP version's better voice acting? I can live without all of that, but what happened to the infinite wing smash?

    Overall. I highly recommend this to anyone that hasn't played symphony of the night. This is the best version. It's just a shame that instead of being better than the PS1 version it could have been the definitive symphony of the night experience.    … Expand
  7. BigEvilSquirrel
    Aug 11, 2018
    10
    5 out of 5.
    This game manages to take everything good about Castlevania and blend it perfectly with everything that made Super Metroid great, making a game formula others have been trying to duplicate for centuries. This game manages to perfectly blend various genres into a beautiful masterpiece. Excellent platforming, RPG elements, and exploration seamlessly come together here. The music    5 out of 5.
    This game manages to take everything good about Castlevania and blend it perfectly with everything that made Super Metroid great, making a game formula others have been trying to duplicate for centuries. This game manages to perfectly blend various genres into a beautiful masterpiece. Excellent platforming, RPG elements, and exploration seamlessly come together here. The music is second to non and elevates the atmosphere to astronomical levels. The gameplay is just on point. I just can't recommend this game enough.    … Expand
  8. VladDaInhaler42
    Jul 9, 2018
    10
    They put the vania in "metroidvania"... enough said. A timeless jewel with unlimited replay value.
  9. neopolx
    Jul 10, 2016
    10
    The best plataform game EVER,Castlevania is great but Symphony of the night take itto another level, Full of movements, magic powers, great story, Two castles an allies. and secrets.
  10. wewantwar
    Apr 15, 2015
    10
    One of the best platformers ever made with high replay ability and with a superb soundtrack that you will undoubtedly remember for the rest of your gaming life.
  11. FrontierGames
    Feb 20, 2014
    10
    Esse é o Melhor Castlevania de todos,trilha sonora,gráficos,jogabilidade.esse jogo merece versão até para o PS4 E XBOX ONE Esse jogo merece a Nota 10/10 É um grande classico do PS1.
  12. magic_jon
    Oct 27, 2013
    9
    What can I say about this game that hasn't already been said? Having never played the game previously when it was originally released on the Playstation it was something of a treat to play through for the first time in 2013.

    The first game I ever played was on the SNEZ and happened to be Castlevania IV which I still think is an excellent game to this day so I had a declared interest in    What can I say about this game that hasn't already been said? Having never played the game previously when it was originally released on the Playstation it was something of a treat to play through for the first time in 2013.

    The first game I ever played was on the SNEZ and happened to be Castlevania IV which I still think is an excellent game to this day so I had a declared interest in playing SOTN. When I discovered it was available on xbox live for £6 I bought it immediately and have not been disappointed! I love the 2D graphics and the atmosphere. It works so much better than a lot of the 2.5D games that are coming out at the moment because the creature animations have a certain eerie or grotesque quality about them that only seems to be achievable in this sort of 2D. I just cant see Beezlebub or the Legion boss being as unsettling when rendered in 3D because I don't think the artistry would be there.

    The game does actually take some getting into and I wasn't initially all that blown away. I think this was largely to do with a significant lack of a back story and being left with little to no sense of direction when attempting to tackle the huge castle map. This is a by product of modern gaming's frequent bouts of 'hand holding' however and once I slipped back into the mindset of the good old days of the more cryptic secret filled era of gaming I was more than happy. I will say I had to consult a walkthrough on numerous occasions, particularly in order to get going but since I've gotten into the swing of things I feel this directionless style of gameplay really suits as it allows for replay value and surprises.

    All in all I feel this is a gem of a game however I feel it won't be appreciated be all gamers, particularly the younger generation who haven't grown up with some of the balls out cryptic ridiculousness that the earlier consoles offered. One down side however is the inability to swing your weapon upwards or diagonally upward, I don't know why this was present in Castlevania IV all those years ago but has since been removed.    … Expand
  13. drlowdon
    Aug 2, 2013
    7
    For a game that is almost fifteen years old Symphony of the Night holds up remarkable well. A 2D action RPG it takes the template from the Metroid series presenting players with a huge castle (home of Dracula) to traverse that gradually unlocks as weapons, abilities and equipment are (re)discovered. Being an RPG defeating enemies of course allows you to level up. Although there is no realFor a game that is almost fifteen years old Symphony of the Night holds up remarkable well. A 2D action RPG it takes the template from the Metroid series presenting players with a huge castle (home of Dracula) to traverse that gradually unlocks as weapons, abilities and equipment are (re)discovered. Being an RPG defeating enemies of course allows you to level up. Although there is no real ability for the type of customisation found in more modern titles this does make all the backtracking to find newly accessible areas slightly less of a chore than it might otherwise have been.

    The gameplay itself is fast paced and varied with a range of different enemy types each with their own attack patterns to keep players on their toes. Evidence of the games age is certainly visible in the rather blurry graphics, terrible script and somewhat unresponsive controls (although that last one may have more to do with the Xbox 360 pad). To be honest this is a game crying out for a modern day remake but for now you could do a lot worse than give Symphony of the Night a try.    … Expand
  14. WyattTheAwesome
    May 29, 2013
    9
    This is definitely worth 10 dollars. While the voice acting is cheesy, the gameplay is addicting and I enjoyed exploring the castle. You're probably going to need a strategy guide as it is a HUGE game and easy to miss stuff.
  15. MarkyB
    Feb 28, 2013
    9
    I have given this game a 9, bearing in mind that it was released in 1997. The game is a 2D side scrolling action RPG and takes place in a massive freeroaming castle environment. Not that much skill is involved as the player can gain strength etc by earning experience and finding better weapons and equipment. There are lots of clever puzzles and secrets in the game. The graphics and musicI have given this game a 9, bearing in mind that it was released in 1997. The game is a 2D side scrolling action RPG and takes place in a massive freeroaming castle environment. Not that much skill is involved as the player can gain strength etc by earning experience and finding better weapons and equipment. There are lots of clever puzzles and secrets in the game. The graphics and music is also great. I thought the story is a bit silly and a player will have to make sure to read up on the internet about save rooms, otherwise frustrations will follow.… Expand
  16. SilentSputnik
    Feb 8, 2013
    10
    SOTN is an absolute masterpiece. Get past the steep learning curve and experience its brilliance. After you complete the first castle, you'll be extremely happy at your purchase. When you figure out that you missed the second half of the game, amazement sets in.
  17. Makaveli
    Sep 7, 2012
    10
    How can anybody hate this game? They don't make games of this caliber anymore.The time and effort that have gone in this game shouldn ' t go unnoticed. The only thing i can complain about is at first the controls can be weird, I don't know how many times I would accidentally keep freezing time, or throwing holy waters. Maybe it's just me?lol..The music is great, The way Alucard walks looksHow can anybody hate this game? They don't make games of this caliber anymore.The time and effort that have gone in this game shouldn ' t go unnoticed. The only thing i can complain about is at first the controls can be weird, I don't know how many times I would accidentally keep freezing time, or throwing holy waters. Maybe it's just me?lol..The music is great, The way Alucard walks looks like some funky disco/walking/dance, I felt gay playing as Alucard because of the way he walks but when you figure out the "Y" trick you don't need to see him walk like that anymore.lol. The acting is horrible,but who cares about that anyway? I have played many games in my day and this game to me is a 2nd favorite of mine, right next to Chrono Trigger.… Expand
  18. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    6
    This game was pretty good. It felt a bit short though, I dunno I think i missed some secrets maybe.
  19. EastonReviews
    Mar 7, 2012
    8
    I think this was a classic sinse the PS1 was what the school groopies were yapping about. The game itself tells a story in it's mindless side scrolling, which is pretty impressive, and the fighting is well crafted. Worth spending your X360 points on.
  20. Larux18
    Jan 24, 2012
    10
    This game keeps being as amazing as it was more than a decade ago, this port is everything that we needed since it keeps the gameplay unchanged and controls adapted perfectly and it has a really classic feel to it which is refreshing. There are many secrets to find in this game extending the gameplay and replay value and the RPG elements are great. The only issue I had with this game wasThis game keeps being as amazing as it was more than a decade ago, this port is everything that we needed since it keeps the gameplay unchanged and controls adapted perfectly and it has a really classic feel to it which is refreshing. There are many secrets to find in this game extending the gameplay and replay value and the RPG elements are great. The only issue I had with this game was the really difficult learning curve since its not the best game for starters. Overall this is an amazing game just like before at 800 microsoft points its easy to recommend.… Expand
  21. ICUH8N
    Dec 21, 2010
    8
    Excellent atmosphere, huge non-linear platforming game, great graphics that still hold up to this day, a huge assortment of weapons and enemies, giant bosses and one of the best video game soundtracks of all time. On the downside, the D-Pad controls are WAY too sensitive (e.g. you'll accidentally use subweapons or the spell "dark metamorphosis" constantly) and the game is painfully easy.Excellent atmosphere, huge non-linear platforming game, great graphics that still hold up to this day, a huge assortment of weapons and enemies, giant bosses and one of the best video game soundtracks of all time. On the downside, the D-Pad controls are WAY too sensitive (e.g. you'll accidentally use subweapons or the spell "dark metamorphosis" constantly) and the game is painfully easy. When confronted with a difficult situation there's always an easier way through, such as turning to mist, a bat, leveling up or equipping some weapon that improves your resistances. Even without that, Alucard is just immensely powerful and most enemies take so little health upon impact that it's a wonder if you'll ever die.… Expand
  22. BlackAcidDragon
    Oct 8, 2010
    10
    Game is awesome. i still have the psx version of the game and have it on Arcade now. (i have no ps2 :( )
    still playing it now years later and love still finding out new things about the game
  23. TimC
    Jul 24, 2008
    9
    Simply excellent gaming for those who enjoy a bit of old school! Brilliant, lenghty and memorable. Highly recommended.
  24. PabloG.
    Aug 4, 2007
    10
    Amazing game. I have never played a Castlevania game before, but after the first hour(steep learning curve and almost no instructions on sub-weapons, spells, or anything), I was hooked.
  25. SimonP.
    Jul 4, 2007
    8
    I couldn't quite see what the fuss was about when I first played this, but it began to grow and grow on me. It has two things - an addictive quality and above all charm. Although a PS1 game, it reminds me more of some of the best SNES side-scrollers. Game-play is varied and challenging and the limited RPG element of levelling up weapons adds depth. The graphics aren't I couldn't quite see what the fuss was about when I first played this, but it began to grow and grow on me. It has two things - an addictive quality and above all charm. Although a PS1 game, it reminds me more of some of the best SNES side-scrollers. Game-play is varied and challenging and the limited RPG element of levelling up weapons adds depth. The graphics aren't outstanding even for a PS1 game, but they have character and a great level of variety and detail. Sound is first-rate with some suitably gothic soundtracks. Being 38, I love the idea of retro games because they remind me of happy times when I played them first time around, but usually once the rose tinted spectacles of nostalgia come off I don't tend to return to them for extended play. This game is very addictive though and now I'm finding myself snatching a half hour on it every morning between my girlfriend leaving for work and me having to do the same. Overall, it… Expand
  26. Marc.D.
    May 23, 2007
    9
    Buy it if you've never played it on the PSX. Buy it if you have. It's that good. SOTN is a testament to the longevity of excellent game design. A decade has done nothing to taint this game's appeal. After playing it...I'm eagerly anticipating the PSP release of Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles...thanks in large part to a new version of SOTN packaged in. 360 Buy it if you've never played it on the PSX. Buy it if you have. It's that good. SOTN is a testament to the longevity of excellent game design. A decade has done nothing to taint this game's appeal. After playing it...I'm eagerly anticipating the PSP release of Castlevania: Dracula X Chronicles...thanks in large part to a new version of SOTN packaged in. 360 owners...do your Arcade library a favour and just get it.… Expand
  27. RyanP.
    May 2, 2007
    10
    A great PSX game comes tot he 360 and what a what a welcome addition it is too. The controls carried over perfectly as did the graphics, music and the all important gameplay. Faultless execution linked with a lovely new hi-res graphic (you have choice to play is hi-res or original mode) makes this one of the best purchases on Live thus far.
  28. StephenR.
    Apr 20, 2007
    10
    For me, Castlevania was my greatest experience ever on XBLA. Until the release I had never actually played it, but many people I knew told me how great it is and I decided to spend those 800 microsoft points for this masterpiece. The game is incredible, there are so many items to collect and it has a nice feeling to it, the style, the music, the funny dialog & all... The "levels" have For me, Castlevania was my greatest experience ever on XBLA. Until the release I had never actually played it, but many people I knew told me how great it is and I decided to spend those 800 microsoft points for this masterpiece. The game is incredible, there are so many items to collect and it has a nice feeling to it, the style, the music, the funny dialog & all... The "levels" have been incredibly well designed, as you see from the different areas and how well they work in both the regular and inverted castle. In my eyes, it's a great reason to spend 800 Microsoft points and it is most definitely worth every single one of them! So far I've played the game for 20 hours, nearly as long as I've played a few of my full-priced $70 games so you can't complain about pricing issues on this one, unlike other (more) retro titles like Gyruss & co.… Expand
  29. WilliamJ.
    Apr 20, 2007
    9
    Although I didn't have the original on playstation or Saturn, (playstation version suppose to be superior) I brought it on xbox live and as i played the game from its pretty lame introduction at the beginning I got into it. The speech surprised me and makes all the difference to the text, which would otherwise be dull. Musically this game is very very good and has themes all around Although I didn't have the original on playstation or Saturn, (playstation version suppose to be superior) I brought it on xbox live and as i played the game from its pretty lame introduction at the beginning I got into it. The speech surprised me and makes all the difference to the text, which would otherwise be dull. Musically this game is very very good and has themes all around the castle as you explore, from organs to 80's like pop music. The conversion has an option to switch to original or enhanced graphics. Enhanced graphics will be much preferred because it blurs the blocky graphics, something that the n64 did and playstation didn't. The game progress is help't by a map that is utterly ecential and gives much need ideas of where to go next. The lifespan is good as the completion of the normal castle will take something like 7-9 hours and theres even an ingenious inverted castle with completely different boss fights. Once this game is completed and done (which is very difficult) theres nothing to do. I give this 9/10 because of this.… Expand
  30. ChrisP.
    Apr 11, 2007
    10
    There are plenty of games you come back to after 10 years that aren't quite as good as you remember them. Usually you've built them up in your head and have an unrealistic view of how great they were. Symphony of the Night is not one of those games. Exploring Dracula's castle as the slightly-mysterious Alucard really is superb, possibly even better than I remembered. Why There are plenty of games you come back to after 10 years that aren't quite as good as you remember them. Usually you've built them up in your head and have an unrealistic view of how great they were. Symphony of the Night is not one of those games. Exploring Dracula's castle as the slightly-mysterious Alucard really is superb, possibly even better than I remembered. Why better? Well, even 10 years later it still feels like one of the best action/adventure games you've ever played. The graphics technology might be a bit dated but the artistic quality is without question and still stands up today. It's an absolutely beautiful 2D game and finally on Xbox 360 it can be played without any slowdown. Apart from some slightly dodgy voice acting, the sound is awesome and there is some of the best music you'll ever hear in a game. Basically, nearly every aspect of this game can still hold its own against any modern rival. It's the only game ever to take on Metroid at its own game and match it. It also has a great surprise in store for anyone thorough enough to explore the castle properly rather than just rush to the end. It's maybe not a surprise these days (partly because the Achievements on this version actually give it away) but 10 years ago it really stunned me like no other plot twist in any game I'd played. It's not perfect. Playing through a second time with the unlockable extra character is very tiresome because the game wasn't designed for him. There's a 'bug' that results in a couple of places where the map doesn't register that you have visited a location unless you turn into wolf form. However, these are minor gripes and without them I would be tempted to give this game 11 out of 10 anyway - it's that good. That this was the 13th game in the Castlevania series is even more impressive. It was a complete and brave transformation for the series at a time when it was actually doing rather well anyway and could probably have been left alone. The extent of the redesign is thrown right in your face at the start, with an opening sequence that actually has you playing the end of the previous game. Every subsequent game has lived in its shadow but also been inspired by its genius. And it really is a work of genius. One of those very rare games where everything seems right, clearly the work of a singular visionary on one of his best days. This would be good value as a proper boxed release but at 800 points (about £6.80) it's an unbelievable bargain and clearly the best Xbox Live Arcade game so far. It's also one of the best games of any kind anywhere.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2007
33
#33 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2007
9
#9 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    90
    It was, and still is, a gaming masterpiece. The term ‘Must Buy’ was created for games like this.
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  2. GameSpot
    85
    Symphony of the Night was an amazing adventure back in 1997, and even after 10 years, it's still most definitely worth playing.
    Read full review
  3. TeamXbox
    95
    With a mixture of open-ended gameplay elements, more advanced controls, and a gripping story, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is the epitome of the side-scrolling genre.
    Read full review
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