Have that holy water at the ready! The latest glorious chapter in Konami's decades-old vampire-hunting saga arrives in the form of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Available only for PlayStation, this entry serves to inflict the same thrilling sense of fright exhibited in the series' best works. Kudos to Konami for staying true to its vision for a spectacular 2-D side-scroller despite ample pressure, we assume, to morph the formula for today's 32-bit gaming world. It continues the story of Rondo of Blood, shifting focus to Dracula's estranged, brooding son, Alucard, whose array of fighting skills and spells is nothing short of brilliant. SOTN seamlessly blends platforming action with RPG systems, complete with level-based progression, skill acquisition, and non-linear traversal with incentive to explore every corridor. In fact, the structure is reminiscent of Super Metroid.

---

The winding halls and dungeons of Dracula's Castle hide a seemingly endless supply of surprises. Hundreds of varieties of weapons, armor, and items are waiting to be found and equipped by Alucard. Boss encounters are as inventive as ever, requiring only the best strategies to take 'em down rather than brute force alone. The graphics are showstopping, displaying hand-drawn spritework with expressive animations atop subtly utilized 3-D backgrounds. An atmospheric orchestral mix of gothic overtones accompany Alucard's journey throughout the massive castle, as do punchy sound effects and (admittedly stilted) voice acting. Combined with silky-smooth controls and an ever-expanding toolkit of abilities, SOTN captures what may only be described as a modern classic.

Printed in Issue #43, December 1997