shots
| Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow GBA review | |
| developer | Konami |
| publisher | Konami |
| author | Mike |
| date | Sep. 16, 2003 |
| graphics |  |
| sound |  |
| gameplay | |
| value | |
| reviewer's toast | |
| overall | |
|
|
Chromehounds
NA Review by Marcin
Oblivion-The First 3 Hours
PC Quicktake by walTer
Comic Quick Takes January 25, 2006
Feature by Mike
When I bought my very first GameBoy back in the day, the first game I purchased was Castlevania. Fast forward more than a few years, and the series is still going strong. The Castlevania series has become a reliable staple for GameBoy owners, and the latest offering, Aria of Sorrow, does not disappoint.
Aria of Sorrow leaves behind the past for the future, but fear not - the gameplay is classic Castlevania at heart. With the exception of the back story and a few small details here and there, you would never suspect that you were in the future - Dracula's castle looks pretty much the same as it ever has. The main character this time around is Soma Cruz, who is quite similar to the characters that have come before him.
As GBA games mature, I am constantly amazed at what the little sucker can do. The graphics in AOS are simply amazing. Each adversary Soma faces is detailed and unique, and some are simply huge, taking up the entire screen. Those looking for interesting enemies will not be disappointed here. The backgrounds are rich and colorful, with glowing candles, beautiful paintings, and parallax scrolling backgrounds.
The sound is another high point. The musical score is very well done, and I'd suggest a pair of headphones to fully appreciate it. Sound effects are well done, with the appropriate grunts and groans, and each weapon having a sound of its own.
Gameplay is pretty much unchanged, with the addition of collecting 'souls' from your enemies. Your main goal is still to get out of the castle, while amassing a collection of powerful weapons, armor and spells. The interface is well laid out, with a helpful map that shows the areas you have explored. You will often need to revisit areas that you could not access, once you find the proper weapon or spell. Save points are scattered about the map, usually one room away from where you die, it seems.
AOS has a feature that deserves its own paragraph - the sleep mode. This is a feature EVERY GBA game should have. I am not sure why they called it 'sleep mode' as it does not power the GBA down as in other games, but actually creates a one time save point. Once you load from this save point, it is permanently erased, so you can't save three steps away from a boss or difficult area, and keep reloading. It's a fair system, and one I'd like to see in every portable game.
What really sets AOS apart from previous installments, and gives the game extended longevity, is the soul system. Each creature in the game, and there are over 100, has a chance of dropping it's soul. Soma uses these souls as spells and abilities, such as using various protective auras, projectile spells and even short time transformation spells that are simply awesome to witness. There is a Pokémon effect here, where you will want to collect all of the souls. Many creatures are stingy about giving theirs up, and I've spent over two hours alone trying to get a single soul. There is a fantastic monster encyclopedia that keeps track of each monster you have fought, and whether or not you have captured its soul.
I try to balance each review with both positive and negative points, but there is really very little to complain about in AOS. One might find frustration in having to repeat a tough area more than once, or wish the actual save rooms were more abundant.
All of this comes together in the end as a must have title for the GBA. The actual gameplay is said to be rather short, clocking in at around ten hours, if one simply blows through the game. If you stop and collect each soul, I'd dare say it's not an exaggeration that the time will triple. I've got 25 hours clocked on my game, and there are still a few souls I didn't get. Once you defeat the game, you are given another character to play with. The game is the same, but the character is a little different than Soma.
If you have enjoyed the past Castlevania games, or like sidescrolling games of any type, Aria of Sorrow is a must have for your GBA collection. It's a rare game that gets nearly every aspect right, and does very little wrong.