Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Review (no fat)

by Konami Platform: GBA Genre: Arcade	ESRB Rating: Teen Release: 2003-05-06	Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Features: Updated graphics and audio Myriad of weapons to choose from Soma can acquire souls and special abilities Huge boss battles
	Egamer's Rating: 8 / 10. Reviewed on: 2006-11-27

Game Description

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is the fourth title in the series of the Dracula fighting games, and the third of its titles to hit the Game Boy Advance. The first title was release in 1997 for the PlayStation, and the game has taken off ever since. Does this title keep up with the previous version of the game? All the details await those who read on.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Gameplay

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow will be very familiar to those who played Castlevania: Symphony in the Night, which was the very first Castlevania title to ever be released. It is almost exactly the same, with a few minor tweaks here and there for good measure. The scenes in the game are dark, gothic-like, and set many years into the future. Basically, gamers will try to find their way out of Dracula’s castle, fighting evil creatures and demons on their way. The castle itself is a maze, and gamers may have to back track to successfully find their way out. Soma Cruz is the persona gamers will step into as they fight their way through the castle. The main character, however, must have been scared one too many times, as his entire head of hair is snow white!

Many weapons are available to gamers who dare journey on this quest. Of course Soma will have the ability to jump and run, and these abilities will progress as the game continues. The weapons in the game are fun to play around with, as each weapon has different abilities, strengths and weaknesses. Gamers will have a ball trying to figure out which combos give them the added advantage over the games many boss battles. On that note, the bosses within the game are freaking huge, and will intimidate most gamers out there. However, don’t be fooled. Each boss has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it’s up to the gamer to exploit the latter of the two.

A nice addition to the game is that Soma is able to absorb his enemies souls, giving him added abilities which will give him an added advantage in battles, and also allow him to reach areas that may not have been accessible to him before. There will be no spoilage in this review, as it is up to the gamers to find out these amazing abilities on their own. However, some of these abilities are essential to beating the game, and also take some of Soma’s magic points every time they are used. Enough said.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Graphics

It is obvious that some of the objects were taken from previous titles in the series, so gamers that have played the title before will feel right at home with this game. However, the graphics have been updated, and look fresh and new to the eye. The colors match the setting very nicely, and include shades of dark grey, blue and black. The frame rate in the game holds steady throughout, and the graphics are sharp and bright. That’s a hard feat to pull off on such a small, hand-held device such as the Game Boy Advance, but the developers of Aria of Sorrow have done well.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Audio

While gamers will soon forget the tunes that flood out of the Game Boy Advance’s tiny speakers after playing the game, they are easy to listen to during the actual quest. The sound effects set the scene very nicely, as gamers smash through the creatures that inhabit the castle. Audio in the game isn’t necessarily a high point in the game, but it doesn’t rank low in review either.

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow 2cent

While you may not want to play through the earlier titles all over again, those who haven’t played the game will find much to enjoy in Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. A negative point though is that the game itself isn’t very long, so those gamers who are looking for some quick action should pick this game up. It’s not too hard on the wallet either, as it checks in at $19.99, as with most Game Boy Advance titles.