Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Game Hoard, The (7 out of 7) (100%)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night took the action platforming and horror elements of the Castlevania series and pushed them into a new genre gloriously. Exploring Dracula’s Castle manages to be rewarding but still tense, the limited healing options pairing well with surprisingly strong enemies in your path. Even when you find the upgrades and equipment to make you a powerhouse, Alucard will still find Dracula’s forces put up a powerful resistance, save for a few bosses that fold too easily. Even with small issues like the cheesy voice acting though, the map design for the game world is so superb that it enhances the experience above any small tripping points, with the game providing an abundance of goodies to reward discovery, incredible openness as you begin your journey, and a world design that achieves an air of mystery while making sure progression is often apparent enough that you won’t be left bumbling about aimlessly.

Game industry News (GiN) ( ) (100%)

Symphony is very affordable on Live Arcade, only costing 800 Microsoft Points (approximately $10.) Obviously this is a must download, especially for anyone who loves such a memorable series, especially the best part of it! Now if Microsoft can only convince Konami to release Rondo of Blood for Live Arcade!

Retro Spirit Games ( ) (100%)

Not only is it the finest game of its genre, it is simply one of the best games ever made. With the original Playstation version going for steep prices, a mere 800 points is simply unspeakably good value, heck.. it's worth every penny of its high asking price in boxed Playstation format.

UOL Jogos ( ) (100%)

"Castlevania: Symphony of the Night" mostra por que é considerado um dos melhores "Castlevania" de todos os tempos. Mesmo passados dez anos de seu lançamento original, encanta com uma boa produção e, principalmente, pelo design de game primoroso, que alia variedade, ótimo ritmo de jogo e a sensação de que o jogador está constantemente evoluindo. Custando apenas 800 Microsoft Points (US$ 10) e por seu volume de jogo, é de longe a maior pechincha da Live Arcade até o momento.

ZTGameDomain (10 out of 10) (100%)

If I’ve said it once, I have said it a thousand times; this is the greatest game ever. There is really nothing wrong with this game whatsoever. If you enjoy old school side scrolling, or you just want a really good adventure game to play on your 360. Look no further than Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, you won’t be disappointed at all!

Meristation (10 out of 10) (100%)

Lo único que se le puede achacar en contra podría ser el no haber aprovechado para incluir novedades, o más bien rescatarlas de la versión japonesa del título (más familiares y armas) o de la versión de Saturn (jugar con Maria). Pero esto no quita que estemos ante una joya lúdica que, a pesar de los años, nos ha vuelto a encandilar.

Lawrence (9.8 out of 10) (98%)

THE killer app for Xbox Live Arcade. One of the greatest games of all time is now available on the 360, and it’s a blast playing through with the new achievements. It was fun enough going for 200.6% completion back in 1996, and getting achievement points just adds that much more incentive. The fantastic art design is as sharp as ever, and the enhanced graphics mode is actually a welcome addition. The best game on the Live Arcade, bar none.

411mania.com (9.5 out of 10) (95%)

This is not just one of the top 2 games for XBLA this is one of the best games for the Xbox 360 and a candidate for Game of the Year. After 10 years this hasn’t missed a beat and is still the premier Castlevania game. Hopefully this is the future of XBLA and more games of this kind will get ported across after the maximum memory cap was raised. If you own a 360 you need to own this game. It’s as simple as that.

Game Chronicles (9.5 out of 10) (95%)

While I love original games, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is another in a long line of re-released classics. The big difference is this wasn’t a rehashed old coin-op; this is a top-tier release from a prior generation gaming console. It's a complete game with hours upon hours of gameplay, excellent graphics and sound, and most importantly, immersive and addictive gameplay. For a mere 800 marketplace points, this game has it all. It’s easily one of the greatest downloads to hit Xbox Live Arcade since it’s inception. Do yourself a favour and download it, it’s simply an incredible game. Always was and still is.

TeamXbox (9.5 out of 10) (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. What’s more ironic about Castlevania: Symphony of the Night’s prowess is the era in which it was released. 3D was burgeoning, but the strength of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night came through loud and clear to PSOne owners, just as it will come across to XBLA subscribers nearly ten years after its original release.

Retro Gamer (94 out of 100) (94%)

(...) Symphony remains a quality adventure. Deep, imaginative and involving. Symphony not only cements Digital Eclipse's reputation for superb conversions, but also makes you wonder what other PSone titles Microsoft may have up its sleeves.

Official Xbox Magazine (UK) (9 out of 10) (90%)

While Xbox Live Arcade has allowed many of us to relive our gaming youth, some gaming classics haven’t stood the test of time well; even Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 has had its crown tarnished by the removal of the rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia. So it’s with an undeniable degree of satisfaction that Castlevania has proved to be an exception to the rule; it was, and still is, a gaming masterpiece. The term ‘Must Buy’ was created for games like this.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (9 out of 10) (90%)

Despite all of this, in 2007 this is still an anachronism. Videogames' bright new horizon is three-dimensional and Microsoft's second console wunderkind the only viewing tower worth climbing (until Friday at least). The 360 future is all about Marcus Fenix's curvaceous polygons, Forza Motorsport's reflective bonnets and screen-filling Virtua Fighter 5 suckerpunches. Aspirational pixels backed by aspirational music promoted by aspirational faces: not much room for two-dimensional gothic oddities in this too-cool-for-school marketing vision. But nevertheless, as those with eyes to see will be quick to evangelise, Symphony of the Night presents exquisite design, extraordinary scope, aesthetic coherence and transcendent elegance mostly unmatched elsewhere on Xbox Live Arcade, or anywhere else for that matter.

IGN (9 out of 10) (90%)

And in the end, that's really the long and short of it. We could spend all day ranting about the amazing gameplay, killer boss battles, and unparalleled musical score (with an odd hint of cheesy, cheesy voice acting), but we'd rather you go download the game for yourself and enjoy it. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is easily one of the greatest games of all time, this is a pretty solid version minus a few oddities and a piss-poor d-pad (if Konami brought the game, the least Microsoft could do is give us a decent pad for it now), and at the price of $10 it's a steal. We would have loved a more remixed version of the game, 16:9, or tougher/more overall achievements, as there's just an insane amount of game to explore, but in the end this is an amazing game, an incredible download for Microsoft's system, and must-have for any self-respecting gamer out there. Pass this up and you might as well trade in your 360.

Digital Press - Classic Video Games (9 out of 10) (90%)

As far as direct ports go, they rarely come any cleaner than this. Symphony was already one of the greatest games of the modern era, and mixed in with the Live Arcade, it still rules its post. This will be amongst the elite of titles available for download for quite some time to come.

Cheat Code Central (4.5 out of 5) (90%)

Symphony of the Night is a momentous addition to the Xbox Live Arcade family, both because of its incredible depth and the fact that it is the first game allowed to break the 50 MB size restrictions. Be thankful that Microsoft did break their own rule because SotN is worth it. If you've never played Symphony of the Night, definitely download it from the Marketplace as soon as possible. It is a great game that still proves fun, even so many years after its initial release. For fans of the game, if you don't still own the PlayStation version and are looking to try it again, it's definitely worth a download. Even if you own the PlayStation version, this version might still interest you with its cleaned up visuals, leaderboards, and achievement points.

Just RPG (90 out of 100) (90%)

While this version of Symphony of the Night may not be as original, innovative, or graphically modern as the original version was back in the day, it’s still a very solid game, with great enhancements and a price that you just can’t beat. If you’ve got an Xbox 360, this is a game I highly recommend.

Gamer.nl (9 out of 10) (90%)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is een tijdloze klassieker en ook nu nog steeds geweldig leuk om te spelen. De muziek alleen al is schitterend om naar te luisteren, maar de gameplay is ook heerlijk uitgebreid en kan nog prima mee met huidige standaarden. Bovendien zijn de 2D graphics nog steeds schitterend om naar te kijken en is de duistere sfeer echt heerlijk. Voor 800 punten kun je deze game eigenlijk niet laten liggen. Downloaden die hap!

AceGamez (9 out of 10) (90%)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a true classic in its own right - even with the minor enhancements and downgrades, but its port to XBLA may prove to be more important than the game itself. Could this be the opening of the classic gaming Pandora's Box that this could just be the start of the end of Sony's firm grip on one of the greatest gaming catalogues in the history of the hobby - to its greatest nemesis no less? One can only hope that it is, because not only does it allow a new legion of gamers to enjoy games they may have missed out on the first time around, but it also provides companies with important data as to which system best suits their future projects. An original Castlevania game for the Xbox 360? You could be one purchase away from making that a reality.

Defunct Games (89 out of 100) (89%)

What we have here is easily one of the best action/adventure games of all time, a masterpiece from beginning to end. It shouldn't surprise anybody that ten years later Castlevania: Symphony of the Night holds up remarkably well, it's just one of those timeless games that will be fun no matter how old it is. I have gone through this game at least a dozen times, there's just something about it that keeps me coming back. The level designs are flawless, Alucard is an amazing hero, and I never get bored of killing these cool bosses. As a $10 Xbox Live Arcade game it's a no-brainer, this is easily the best game released on Microsoft's download service since Geometry Wars Evolved. It wouldn't shock me to find out that most of the people that own the Xbox 360 have never experienced Symphony of the Night, and here's hoping that this inexpensive port will show those people what they've been missing.

Gamer 2.0 (8.9 out of 10) (89%)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night packs a lot of value into its relatively small package. It has multiple endings, a second inverted and more difficult castle to unlock, as well as the ability to play as Richter Belmont once the game has been fully cleared. The game has very nicely thought out Achievements that are all attainable, though a few of them may be time-consuming. For 800 Microsoft Points, it’s a real bargain. If you never played the original, this is a great way to get acquainted with one of the best games of all time. If you have played the original, 800 Microsoft points is still a nice price to have a true classic game at your fingertips.

Planet Xbox 360 (8.9 out of 10) (89%)

Although 800 Microsoft Points ($10) may sound like a steep price for a title as old as this, consider that used Playstation versions of this title are going for upwards of $40 still on eBay. The game holds up better than the majority of games even half its age, and provides a rich gaming experience that will have 360 owners drooling in anticipation of the next great retro release on Arcade.

Xbox World Australia (XWA) (88 out of 100) (88%)

If you're tired of what today offers, take a dose of nostalgia and fall in love again with Symphony of the Night. It's not hard to see why it is held with such a high regard; where many games today fail to complete the puzzle in one, or two, areas, Castlevania has all the pieces. Its open-ended narrative-driven style that combines the greatest of platforming with the very best of RPG doesn't miss a beat. With the ability to unlock alternate modes, this game oozes replayability. If you're an achievement lover, Symphony of the Night has a few gimmes, but to its credit presents you with some rather daring challenges that would even test the bravado and machismo of Fabio himself.

Xboxdynasty (XD) (8.6 out of 10) (86%)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night ist bis Dato ein absolutes Meisterwerk und bereichert die Welt von Xbox-Live Arcade ungemein. Wer auf Rollenspiele, mit Jump´N´Run und Hack`N`Slay Elementen steht, der kann hier ganz beruhigt seine Coins in das Spiel investieren.

360 LIVE (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

(...) Unter dem Strich ist dieses »Castlevania« für uns der momentan beste Retro-Kick auf Live Arcade. Und schon deshalb einen großen Test wert, weil der Spielumfang den vieler Vollpreis-Produktionen übertrifft.

RPGFan (85 out of 100) (85%)

If you've been hankering for a good 2D Action RPG that lets you dash around as a half-vampire in a massive dungeon, maybe it's time you go back and check out the game that really started the modern Castlevania phenomenon. All you need is a next-gen console (or even the handheld PSP!) and some spare change. Of course, if you want a more deluxe version of the game and you own a PSP, you'll want to hold out for Dracula X Chronicles.

GameSpot (8.5 out of 10) (85%)

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is an epic adventure that set the tone for all of the 2D Castlevania adventures that we've been seeing on the GBA and DS over the past several years. It's a healthy-size adventure that expands nicely to make multiple play-throughs desirable, and it's probably the beefiest Xbox Live Arcade release yet. Even at its 800-point ($10) price tag, SOTN feels like an absolute steal.

Gaming Nexus (B+) (83%)

One of Konami's greatest accomplishments is now one of the best games on the Xbox Live Arcade. Symphony of the Night is full of imaginative gameplay, great level designs, outstanding music, and some of the greatest action you've ever seen. It's also a steal at only $10!

UGO (UnderGroundOnline) (B+) (83%)

It will probably steal your life away for a week or two at the least, though. This is an excellent addition to the Xbox Live Arcade family, offering some of the best single-player gaming on the service. If you're a fan of Castlevania, Metroid or just about any action RPG, we doubt you'll be disappointed.

Game Over Online (82 out of 100) (82%)

You'll probably enjoy earning them, though, as long as you can overcome the game's shortcomings. Symphony hasn't aged terrifically well, particularly in view of how highly polished its sequels have been, but it's still one of the must-play games of the late 1990s. It has more than its share of drawbacks as a 360 game, but this is as close to a sure thing as you can find on Xbox Live Arcade.

Video Game Talk ( ) (80%)

Is Castlevania: SOTN worth those precious 800 Marketplace points? Regardless of the game’s faults in the audio and visual department, I’d have to say yes. The sheer amount of content within this arcade title is mind boggling. The single player campaign will take many, many hours to complete as well as knocking out the tougher achievements. For those too young to have played this title back in 1997, it’s definitely a game that shouldn’t be missed. For those looking to rekindle the nostalgic feeling of tearing through Castle Dracula, you would be wise to snatch it up.

RPGamer (4 out of 5) (80%)

In the end, Symphony of the Night is a faithful port of the PSX version with a nice, optional visual upgrade. While it would be awesome if it had the extras found in the Japanese Sega Saturn version, there is little that can be complained about considering the price tag of only 800 MS points, the equivalent of ten dollars. For those that have yet to play through it, it's a wonderful addition to any Castlevania fan's collection. Players that have been hunting Dracula for years will find a list of achievements to unlock as they relive the hunt on the 360.