Castlevania Symphony of the Night

[KAZ]

I stuck this in the classic gaming section because I think ps1 is getting close to being a "classic" considering the next gen systems have been around for quite a while.

 

My friend introduced me to Castlevania for the PS1, what a wonderful game!

I just love the side scrolling + great graphics combination.

 

I'm not a pro at this game at all, but I got used to it pretty fast. I have gone through the game (exploratory cheating), to see what it had for creatures, etc. Gorgeous game. Sometimes the save points are too far apart, but oh well. I LOVE the leveling up concept, so much that I'm tempted to play through it straight (no cheating). Actually, I started playing through it originally without cheating, but I got totally creamed. I made it by the first boss, and a ways beyond that, till some other baddies killed me.

 

 

Ok, to the point. Why did they (Konami) decide to include the Shield Rod Alucard Shield combination? This combination is so overpowering, that the game loses its once arguably formidable difficulty.

 

It would've been a game that I could find no fault with if it weren't for this.

It took my friend 30 minutes to defeat this Death Boss. It took me a total of 12 seconds with the shield rod/alucard shield. Certainly the game did not intend for me to do this, right?

 

So intense is my criticism of this, that I'd almost like to beg Konami to remake the game (or re-release it) with some "tiny" modifications. Some of the shield rod combinations are fine and cool.

 

Maybe I should first ask if the alucard shield rod trick was in the Saturn version of this game?!

 

So while my satisfaction of this game was at like 99%, it took a nasty turn when I learned of this trick. And how can one resist performing a tactic that is totally valid to use? Cheating externally is one thing. I've always been awful at the Castlevania series like on nes or snes. But this game was completely different!

 

Some games I would never never dream of cheating at ever. Mega Man X for snes is one of these. It is probably the game I'm best at (that or Mega Man 2 for nes).

 

And I've seen words spelled incorrectly on the game too, obviously from the translation that was done.

 

Kaz

[NE146]

Ok, to the point.  Why did they (Konami) decide to include the Shield Rod Alucard Shield combination?  This combination is so overpowering, that the game loses its once arguably formidable difficulty.

 

It would've been a game that I could find no fault with if it weren't for this.  

It took my friend 30 minutes to defeat this Death Boss.  It took me a total of 12 seconds with the shield rod/alucard shield.  Certainly the game did not intend for me to do this, right?

 

Sure it did... I mean the game didn't tell you outright about that combination anyhow.. but since you figured it out, consider yourself well armed

 

The game has 4 endings (and a rumored 5th.. but I haven't been keeping up) depending on how well you do so it also has that replay value... although two of them I think are if you kill Richter. It's been a while though so my memory is foggy

[figgler]

Greatest PSone game ever IMO.

 

The difficulty factor though takes a severe dip as noted. I tend to play slow and methodically, so once I get to the inverted castle, my level is so high and equipment is so good I'm nigh invincible. Then it becomes an exercise in "going through it". Still the best experience I've had on the PS though. Absolutely awesome.

 

There must be a different ending if you actually beat the game as Richter too right? I can't confirm, but given how much more difficult it is and that it's a totally different playable character, it only makes sense to me...

[JB]

Ok, to the point.  Why did they (Konami) decide to include the Shield Rod Alucard Shield combination?  This combination is so overpowering, that the game loses its once arguably formidable difficulty.

 

It would've been a game that I could find no fault with if it weren't for this.  

It took my friend 30 minutes to defeat this Death Boss.  It took me a total of 12 seconds with the shield rod/alucard shield.  Certainly the game did not intend for me to do this, right?

 

Sure it did... I mean the game didn't tell you outright about that combination anyhow.. but since you figured it out, consider yourself well armed

 

The game has 4 endings (and a rumored 5th.. but I haven't been keeping up) depending on how well you do so it also has that replay value... although two of them I think are if you kill Richter. It's been a while though so my memory is foggy

Yes. Killing Richter with and without the holy glasses nets you 2 endings. The other 2 are Dracula kills, with varying map %s(196 is the cutoff, I think. Looked it up the other day, can't recall now).

 

The 5th ending is...

well, the sound was recorded, and even translated, but there's no known way to activate it in-game, nor are there subtitles as there are for all other dialog texts. Evidence indicates that it exists solely to taunt people.

 

Greatest PSone game ever IMO.

 

The difficulty factor though takes a severe dip as noted.  I tend to play slow and methodically, so once I get to the inverted castle, my level is so high and equipment is so good I'm nigh invincible.  Then it becomes an exercise in "going through it".  Still the best experience I've had on the PS though.  Absolutely awesome.  

 

There must be a different ending if you actually beat the game as Richter too right?  I can't confirm, but given how much more difficult it is and that it's a totally different playable character, it only makes sense to me...

Richter ending is Richter standing on the cliff face looking at the castle ruins. No text, no motion, nothing.

 

 

 

 

And yah, the difficulty is kinda sad later. Even without using the shield rod at all. Even intentionally not using any of your best equipment.

And the only place I would EVER condone the use of the shield rod/Alucard shield is VS Galamoth.

 

Unless you're just item hunting.

Or travelling through a crowded, boring area. It really speeds up travel in areas where the wolf form can't get up to ramming speed.

...

Damn! Wish I'd thought to use that instead of spells to clear areas out on my last play through.

[Emehr]

I never discovered the Shield Rod trick on my own, it took a FAQ for that little combo I probably never would have tried on my own. I guess it's good for those who want to complete all 216% of the map (or whatever % it is) and don't want to bother too much with the monsters.

 

Great game. My first impression wasn't so hot with that horrible, horrible, over-the-top voice acting. The cheesy guitar riff music in one of the stages is pretty lame too. The clumsy inventory and no way to drop items kinda sucks too. Beyond that this game is a work of art and has some nice usage of certain graphical programming techniques (rotating graphics for use in monster sprites, a dash of 3-D for background scenery, transluceny, etc.).

 

- Jason

[Lost Monkey]

Thanks for the topic, Kaz, I just recently got a PSone and remembered seeing a few sellers selling new copies of this on eBay...

 

I've played the Saturn version, but I mistakenly started with Maria and wasted hours playing what is essentially a free-roaming non-linear "game". I stopped playing and haven't picked it up again since (~2 years). I intend to play the PSX version to bitter end though.

[Lord Thag]

I played SotN to death when I had a PSX. If you like it, you should try Castlevania Aria of Sorrow on the GBA. It's very similar and just as fun.

[JB]

I played SotN to death when I had a PSX. If you like it, you should try Castlevania Aria of Sorrow on the GBA. It's very similar and just as fun.

Been there, done that. Sold it.

The game's BORING.

[Emehr]

I played SotN to death when I had a PSX. If you like it, you should try Castlevania Aria of Sorrow on the GBA. It's very similar and just as fun.

Been there, done that. Sold it.

The game's BORING.

 

I felt the same way about Harmony of Dissonance. The core gameplay is essentially: 1) enter a big room 2) kill a bunch of monsters that you've seen before if you've ever played a Castlevania game 3) pick up an item here and there 4) kill an extremely easy boss 5) rinse and repeat.

 

- Jason

[keilbaca]

I just completed SOTN the other day, very, VERY fun game. The music is awesome, just everything about it is just simply amazing on how they did it. Why can't the new Castlevania's be like SOTN?!?! *sighs*

[Bratwurst]

Circle of the Moon is much more like SotN than Aria of Sorrow as far as the handheld games go.

 

If you can't stop yourself from using the super powerful combinations, well, tough cookies. The game is fun enough despite the difficulty level bottoming out near the latter half. I remember deriving the most pleasure out of filling out the map and uncovering the items/secret areas.

[Lost Monkey]

Circle of the Moon is much more like SotN than Aria of Sorrow as far as the handheld games go.

 

I enjoyed COTM a lot.. once I had the GB Player for the GCN...

 

 

TTFN

[Bratwurst]

I enjoyed COTM  a lot.. once I had the GB Player for the GCN...

 

Yup, that game had some serious visibility issues before the SP and GB player game around. I remember when that game first came out people were (dangerously) tweaking the contrast pot hidden in the back of the original GBA to see it just a tad better.

[JB]

Yah. Even I have some trouble seeing it.

 

/me still hasn't beat Dracula.

[ninjarabbit]

I find it funny and ironic that a sprite based 2-D game that Sony tried to keep off it's system ends up as one of the best games on the system and ages better than 99.9% of PS1 games.

[SwedenLynxer]

SotN game was THE reason I bought my PSX!

[Dones]

I find it funny and ironic that a sprite based 2-D game that Sony tried to keep off it's system ends up as one of the best games on the system and ages better than 99.9% of PS1 games.

How's that? What's the story with Sony?

[MegaManFan]

Sony said a year or so ago that they would reject at face value any 2-D platforming game from being published in the US solely on the basis that it wouldn't show off the hardware capabilities of the system. Retro comps seem to be the only exception.

[Agent X]

Sony said a year or so ago that they would reject at face value any 2-D platforming game from being published in the US solely on the basis that it wouldn't show off the hardware capabilities of the system.  Retro comps seem to be the only exception.

 

Was this ever substantiated? I always considered this to be nothing more than a wild Internet rumor.

 

In any case, it doesn't explain how recent games like Viewtiful Joe and Alien Hominid managed to make it to market unscathed.

[KAZ]

That is sad to hear that Sony thinks like that. I became a castlevania fan exactly because of the psx version. I was so awful at the harder versions on nes etc. It is because of the leveling up aspect. In other castlevanias, you simply can't get your character better, he's the same on every level.

It is like final fantasy meets castlevania situation. Well final fantasy 3 for snes meets castlevania to be specific.

 

Imagine a Castlevania Symphony of the Night "clone" for the Playstation 2, where it was much like the psx version except there was gorgeous cinema scenes strategically placed within the game.

 

And the 2d graphics could be enhanced to "show off" the system.

 

Perhaps the cinema parts could be placed whenever bosses were killed, and it would show better detail of what the monsters looked like.

 

Possibly there could be 3d parts stuck in hidden places, but I don't know if that would be a good idea.

 

Also sad is the fact that 2d mega man games will probably never see action on any of the newest systems. A remake of mega man x on ps2, now there's something I'd notice. With some added cinema of course, and some awesome intros and endings stuck in. Maybe half an hour of footage, it would be a dvd after all, they would have space.

 

If they'd hire me, I'd help with the process, bringing the programmers coffee or something. Be a intern or something.

[Xot]

Greatest PSone game ever IMO.

 

Agreed 100%.

 

or should it be 212.4%?

[MegaManFan]

Not to mention the Sega Saturn version.

[Xot]

T

Also sad is the fact that 2d mega man games will probably never see action on any of the newest systems.  A remake of mega man x on ps2, now there's something I'd notice.  With some added cinema of course, and some awesome intros and endings stuck in.  Maybe half an hour of footage, it would be a dvd after all, they would have space.    

 

If they'd hire me, I'd help with the process, bringing the programmers coffee or something.  Be a intern or something.

 

Man, I would just about cream my jeans if another 2-D Mega Man game came out. Specifically, MEGA MAN 9. I want Capcom to actualy cannonize Dark Man, dammit!

 

Okay, is there anyone who gets that?

[JB]

Sony said a year or so ago that they would reject at face value any 2-D platforming game from being published in the US solely on the basis that it wouldn't show off the hardware capabilities of the system.  Retro comps seem to be the only exception.

 

Was this ever substantiated? I always considered this to be nothing more than a wild Internet rumor.

 

In any case, it doesn't explain how recent games like Viewtiful Joe and Alien Hominid managed to make it to market unscathed.

 

There IS their treatment of SNK's titles. Gotta make it a 2-for-1 bundle deal, AND they don't get to ask a full 50$ for it?

 

And Viewtiful Joe, like everything else that even HINTS at being 2D(R-Type Final, anyone?), was forced to a bargain-bin pricepoint release.

[ninjarabbit]

As good s SotN is, I'd like it better if it wasn't such a ripoff of Super Metroid. But hey, if you're going to ripoff a game might as well make it a great game.