Akumajo Dracula X: Gekka no Yasokyoku

Sure it's sort of an old game But hey its most likely the fan favorite of all CASTLEVANIA games. This game is so much different from all the other CV games such as Game play, Graphics, And Most of all Sound Voice And Score(music). These features make this game so great as it should be. Sure the Voice Acting can get cheesy at some points in the game but the INCREDIBLE game play makes up for all the flaws. The controls are outstanding and you can actually jump across a pit in this one as opposed to all the other NES CV GAMES! (a little inside joke to all CV players) But anyway this is probably the best CV game that KONAMI has released in a long time. So go buy this title or rent it today you wont be displeased. I know I wasn't!

The Castlevania series is a long and respected one, and this one may be the best out of them all. With the massive choice of weapons and armor, a kickass storyline, very good voice acting, and a moving soundtrack, this game is a must play for Castlevania fans.

This game is simply one of the best video games in existence. It lets you basically do whatever you want, in an exploration style that is reminiscent of the Metroid games. It still has those classic Castlevania elements, such as various sub-weapons including the axe, holy water, and dagger. Not to mention some really awesome music. Years ago I paid 30 dollars for the soundtrack to this game, and it was well worth it. Several endings are unlockable, which is always a plus. The storyline of the entire Castlevania series is very, very deep; and this particular game is no exception. If you enjoy freedom, awesome music, and RPG elements in a sidescroller, then this game is definitely for you.

Even after six years, I went back and replayed SotN to gladly find not an ounce of its charms has been lost with time. With growing emphasis and interest in RPGs and the entire evolution of the gaming industry as is, I think I've grown to like this simple little game even more.

CastleVania: SotN is not without its faults. I will admit, the plot is a lame excuse to bring back Dracula for yet another round of CastleVania (if you can consider it having a plot at all), and the voice-acted dialogue screams cheesy b-film. In the end, that's made me like SotN all the more now then I did in 1997 when it first debuted. My only -real- complaint against SotN is its difficulty setting – it's too easy to beat.

Symphony of the Night's success comes from the fact that it acknowledges it is a game to be played, not a movie to be watched or a novel to be read. You -play- CastleVania, and all the game elements are as rock-solid as they come. It plays as a fantastic exploration game in the same vein as Super Metroid, which was a step away from previous CastleVania straight-action-side-scroller formula it had used since the original NES game.

Adrian Fahrenheit Tepes, aka Alucard, is the most intriguing CastleVania character the gamer has ever taken control of (and he's way badder than he was in CastleVania3). No more the Belmont Vampire Hunter, now we play as the son of Dracula to take on the father, and as we explore the Demon Castle we really get to tap into Alucard's growing vampiric powers . . . and to this date, I've never seen a game character to top Alucard's ability to become a cloud of mist on command.

Not just one, but two beautifully drawn castles to explore, some of the best boss/enemy designs and a well thought out castle-design. I'd of liked to have seen some instant-death pitfalls/spikes/lava/whatever (and a way of knowing that it is instant death and not another route to explore); most gamers hate 'em, but with SotN's wonderful controls it wouldn't have been much of a problem avoiding them unless you just get careless. Towards the end of the game, Alucard's abilities would make falling into them virtually impossible.

CastleVania also sports my favorite video-game artwork and musical score by the talented Ayame Kojima and Michuru Yamane respectively. Though the premise of the exploration and level ups are borrowed from other games, SotN stands out as its own. By the music, artwork, setting, characters, and gameplay, it is distinctly CastleVania. Nowhere else have I seen game so distinctly its own.

It took me 4 days to pass this game because I couldn't put it down. However, I'm still not tempted to say it's the best Castlevania game out there. It's among the best, but not thee best. I would honestly have to give the crown to Castlevania 3: "Dracula's Curse", starring the less known Belmont, Trevor (whom Casper Van Dien can portray in a movie).