'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' is a very clean, well-made side-scroller. It adopts many of the conventions of its classic predecessors and adds enough that is original to create a thoroughly enjoyable Castlevania experience.
The game is set in the future, but sees its protagonist taken to the iconic, gothic setting of the previous titles. In the castle of Dracula, the player must explore the monster-infested halls and corridors of its medieval horror landscape. In this regard, much of the game's settings may seem familiar, but there is enough variation to leave the player with a large, expansive domain to work through, and many stunning environments to traverse. The underground caverns and outer gardens offer notable and welcome deviations from the dark, stone interior of the castle. All the environments are well designed, allowing for a fair and balanced mix of platform and combat action in each unique portion of the map. Indeed, the map is a crucial tool in navigating ones way through the game, but the locations resist labyrinthine repetitiveness.
For a game that basically comes down to 'jump', 'slash', 'run', the gameplay remains fresh and engaging throughout. The inclusion of the monster soul system adds a delightful element to the customisation of the character and his battling opportunities. Equally, collected souls become crucial to movement through the game. This helps balance the pace of progression well. It is a short game, but one can proceed at leisure, collecting the necessary souls and exploring at will.
The combinations available with the three part soul system invite the player to find and test as many souls as possible, to find the most useful for them in a given situation. Some souls are inevitably more useful than others, and a few will become prominent members of the player’s selection. Devoting time to consider tactics and combinations, especially for boss battles, enriches the game greatly. That said, sometimes - perhaps too often - one can get by just running in and mashing attack. Nevertheless, with the usual weapon, armour and accessory combinations also available, there is plenty of scope for strategic playing also.
To further enrich the experience, 'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' offers a solid soundboard, with each area given its unique theme and atmosphere. The fighting noises may get a little repetitive; and until the latter portion of the game, some of the themes may start to drag on. However, the sound of the game is clean overall.
Both to its advantage and detriment, the story of the game remains thin, with the emphasis of active exploration the more prominent focus. The occasional appearance of a character and some dialogue works more to assure the player they are heading the right way; but the story, for what it is, remains fun and accessible. A lot is predictable, but multiple ending possibilities are a nice addition. Certainly, the best ending is the most satisfying and adds an entire new section to the game. Those bent towards 100% completion will appreciate this, though at no point is the player required to collect every soul or weapon. Still, that opportunity is available to those looking to add another few hours to the life of their playthrough.
'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' is, as I say, a bit short. This, however, makes it more accessible, especially to players unacquainted to the series. It manages to offer a lot in its limited frame, with completionists definitely getting the most out of it. The bosses vary from straight-forward to head-scratching, with most inviting you to consider the best soul combinations for survival. A couple verge more into the overpowered category, but enough time and thought will allow the player to recognise the necessary patterns to exploit.
Overall, 'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' is an excellent game that balances the platform and action elements of its predecessors to craft an accessible experience, especially for newcomers to this genre. Seasoned fans will certainly appreciate its quality, though may consider it an easier title than others. 9/10. I will certainly be returning to this game in the future.
'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' is a very clean, well-made side-scroller. It adopts many of the conventions of its classic predecessors and adds enough that is original to create a thoroughly enjoyable Castlevania experience.
The game is set in the future, but sees its protagonist taken to the iconic, gothic setting of the previous titles. In the castle of Dracula, the player must explore the monster-infested halls and corridors of its medieval horror landscape. In this regard, much of the game's settings may seem familiar, but there is enough variation to leave the player with a large, expansive domain to work through, and many stunning environments to traverse. The underground caverns and outer gardens offer notable and welcome deviations from the dark, stone interior of the castle. All the environments are well designed, allowing for a fair and balanced mix of platform and combat action in each unique portion of the map. Indeed, the map is a crucial tool in navigating ones way through the game, but the locations resist labyrinthine repetitiveness.
For a game that basically comes down to 'jump', 'slash', 'run', the gameplay remains fresh and engaging throughout. The inclusion of the monster soul system adds a delightful element to the customisation of the character and his battling opportunities. Equally, collected souls become crucial to movement through the game. This helps balance the pace of progression well. It is a short game, but one can proceed at leisure, collecting the necessary souls and exploring at will.
The combinations available with the three part soul system invite the player to find and test as many souls as possible, to find the most useful for them in a given situation. Some souls are inevitably more useful than others, and a few will become prominent members of the player’s selection. Devoting time to consider tactics and combinations, especially for boss battles, enriches the game greatly. That said, sometimes - perhaps too often - one can get by just running in and mashing attack. Nevertheless, with the usual weapon, armour and accessory combinations also available, there is plenty of scope for strategic playing also.
To further enrich the experience, 'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' offers a solid soundboard, with each area given its unique theme and atmosphere. The fighting noises may get a little repetitive; and until the latter portion of the game, some of the themes may start to drag on. However, the sound of the game is clean overall.
Both to its advantage and detriment, the story of the game remains thin, with the emphasis of active exploration the more prominent focus. The occasional appearance of a character and some dialogue works more to assure the player they are heading the right way; but the story, for what it is, remains fun and accessible. A lot is predictable, but multiple ending possibilities are a nice addition. Certainly, the best ending is the most satisfying and adds an entire new section to the game. Those bent towards 100% completion will appreciate this, though at no point is the player required to collect every soul or weapon. Still, that opportunity is available to those looking to add another few hours to the life of their playthrough.
'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' is, as I say, a bit short. This, however, makes it more accessible, especially to players unacquainted to the series. It manages to offer a lot in its limited frame, with completionists definitely getting the most out of it. The bosses vary from straight-forward to head-scratching, with most inviting you to consider the best soul combinations for survival. A couple verge more into the overpowered category, but enough time and thought will allow the player to recognise the necessary patterns to exploit.
Overall, 'Castlevania - Aria of Sorrow' is an excellent game that balances the platform and action elements of its predecessors to craft an accessible experience, especially for newcomers to this genre. Seasoned fans will certainly appreciate its quality, though may consider it an easier title than others. 9/10. I will certainly be returning to this game in the future.
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| ID: 411530 | 28 Words
pacman1755 is Offline
Great game.
