I'm glad I read this, because it confirmed some of my own opinions about the game. Since I played this well over 20 years too late, I could see why it was beloved but also see why it seemed a bit strange. I was expecting Metroid style mechanics, but it was something different. When I wrote my own review, I dabbled with the idea of referring to it as a dungeon crawler - because I really liked the amount of combat and picking up so many items.
I'm with you all the way though, what it gets right it does extremely well, and with real style. The music, art style, the fact that every room seems to have a new style of monster, the secrets. It has so much to do in it, densely packed.
I also wanted to say that speaking on a personal level was wonderful and honest. I am similar, and writing has really helped me speak out on what I want to talk about, even if I'll never say it verbally! It's great to have you around.
I'm glad you read it too haha. It's definitely not a Metroidvania in the modern sense: all the elements are there but the focus isn't on exploration and abilities but on combat and equipment. I also dabbled with the idea of telling the reader to detach themselves from the idea of it belonging to that genre but I decided that would be arrogant of me.
There are so many rooms that are just cool in this game, it didn't make it into the review but I love that confession booth in the chapel that stabs you with spikes if you sit on one side, a really funny little secret.
I really appreciate that and it's a pleasure to have you around too! There was never a point where I just decided I want to write, it's always come more naturally to me than talking.
Excellent post, as always! What really caught my attention was your food for thought regarding the genre this game launched. Your take on how 80% of this game's design is direct inspired by Super Metroid and that there's games that are more Metroid while others are more SotN is spot on. Now that I think of it, having the "Metroidvania" moniker can be a detractor for many games that lean on one side or the other and confuses the audience that expects more RPG elements from those who wants an upgrade system. In the end, Metroidvania can mean a whole universe of things.
As for the games analysis itself, not only I second your take, I also echo your opinion about the soundtrack. This is one of the best of all time, no question about it.
Side note: I don't know about Apple platforms, but there's an Android version of SotN available for download at Play Store. It's the same PSP's Dracula X Chronicles version you played for this review, but with atrocious revamped menus that detracts from the whole experience, but at least is another way to access this game.
I could see the distinction becoming more formal in future especially since Metroid itself has flirted with a more combat-heavy style (Metroid Dread) and when placed in the context of the rest of the franchise it stands out as different.
Castlevania has given us some of the all-time greatest gaming tunes, Bloody Tears and Vampire Killer probably being the most iconic. I hope we see it return someday.
Speaking of mobile/handheld formats, the Requiem bundle would make a great Switch 2 game, maybe spiced up with the Saturn version included?
I would love to see the Saturn version being re-relased in the future! It has its flaws, but its a crime to have a version with that sheer amount of extra content being relegated to obscurity.
Great review! I was intimidated when I saw ‘28 minute read’. But just like all your reviews, I started it and was done before I knew it. I love video game soundtracks, I’m surprised I’ve never listened to this one. I’ll have to give it a listen.
I'm not sure myself how a review of a 10-ish hour PS1 game ended up being this long haha, I probably could have cut out the section about the price and some of the links but I like to be thorough and the inaccessibility of SotN is something more people should be annoyed by, at least in my opinion. happy you enjoyed it :)
Definitely do, there are 1 or 2 annoying songs in there but it's mostly back to back bangers.
Just to let you know, mentioning the ZX Spectrum by name is enough to serve as a diagnosis.
Bitterly disappointed to see how that poll is going - I can't wait to see how you defend the boringest game on the NES.
SotN and Silksong are opposite ends of the same problem with balancing, where SotN has almost no thought put towards what the numbers that dictate game events should look like, and Silksong has far, far too much thought put towards it, and in both cases you end up just not really caring because it's pretty much pointless. SotN maybe has an edge because until you DO get a crazy good drop or get spoiled on how the shield rod functions, you will still be swapping things in occasionally and having to use a new attack animation to get better damage, while in Silksong I mostly wound up trialing things and then reverting back.
That really was all the confirmation needed, I think owning a Sega Saturn or playing Paradox games were sure-fire signs too.
I might just do it anyway and skip over covering a modern game next month, there's nothing coming out until Requiem at the end of the month and I don't feel like reviewing PS5 Demon's Souls without having played the PS3 original.
I think that sums it up: not caring. There are all these numbers, values and stats that govern SotN but beyond higher number = good I've never bothered to learn how it all comes together because the game is simply too easy to warrant it. You're right that you will still swap out a lot, I think it's a good idea to level up a few familiars to max level for example.
I've got a PS3! Yeah, somehow I missed it. I was always a 360 guy and played Dark Souls not long after it came out but despite owning a PS3 on the side I never grabbed the game, I've always used my PS3's as the Metal Gear Solid/Uncharted/LBP machine.
I know the art-style was mangled on the PS5 but I want to play through both and cook up my own comparison someday.
Art style changes [aside from Fat Official] are honestly minor compared to the butchering of the soundtrack, and thats from someone who really isnt a music guy
I've only played about 90 minutes so far (made my character, did the tutorial, went through the Gates of Boletaria and murdered the Phalanx with Firebomb spam) and what I'd say so far is that everything looks so smudged and dark and cinematic, not in a good way. I can see the filter darkening the sides of my screen at all times and it's just kinda ugly
This was a great read, you really know how to paint a picture with your reviews.
I agree with your idea of separating, or at least sub-categorizing the metroid-vania genre. For someone who hasn't played Metroid nor Castlevania games, you've helped me understand why I enjoy some games in the genre more than others.
Also, I'm interested on reading your opinions on Ocarina of Time at some point, regardless of how the poll goes.
Thanks a lot, I know they're absolute tomes to get through so I appreciate everyone for reading them.
Ocarina Of Time was the first non-handheld video game I ever played and it is the ultimate nostalgia game for me; I've played every version I know of and beaten it more times than I can count. Of course though it isn't perfect and it falls just below MGS3 in my top 3 video games.
Thank you! I'm happy other people are on the same wavelength, for a while now I've considered Metroidvania to have this line down the middle.
Dark Souls is another important game for me though one I played much earlier in my life. At 12 years old, Dark Souls was the first game that made me think about video games critically. It was the first time I reflected on previous generations and realised there were design choices on the PS2/XBX/GCN that I preferred to the then modern consoles and I appreciated how Dark Souls brought some of that back.
Double dipping in the comments haha, really glad you read so much and liked the article.
I'm surprised it isn't mentioned more often, without trying to sound arrogant or superior it's always been such a clear distinction for me but I've been playing video games every day since I was 4 years old so maybe people just haven't experienced the number of Metroidvanias I have or go back to older generations that much.
Going to be honest, I reopened the scheduled article several times with a mind to delete that entire section but restrained myself each time in the hope that my honesty would resonate with someone; I don't really like talking about myself, especially not on the internet so I'm happy you appreciated that section. It seems everyone has that game/set of games that just hit different then, for me it was Castlevania, Yakuza and to a certain extent the Resident Evil 3 Remake
Very much agree that Symphony has the best soundtrack 💪 it feels so atmospheric, yet melodic at the same
I love the variety and the guitar shredding is absolutely killer
Hell yeah it is! It's so late 90s and it rules 🫠
Random fact! My grandma beat the first 2 Castlevania’s on the NES. I even just wrote a post about it.
Your grandma is a beast
She was!
I'm glad I read this, because it confirmed some of my own opinions about the game. Since I played this well over 20 years too late, I could see why it was beloved but also see why it seemed a bit strange. I was expecting Metroid style mechanics, but it was something different. When I wrote my own review, I dabbled with the idea of referring to it as a dungeon crawler - because I really liked the amount of combat and picking up so many items.
I'm with you all the way though, what it gets right it does extremely well, and with real style. The music, art style, the fact that every room seems to have a new style of monster, the secrets. It has so much to do in it, densely packed.
I also wanted to say that speaking on a personal level was wonderful and honest. I am similar, and writing has really helped me speak out on what I want to talk about, even if I'll never say it verbally! It's great to have you around.
I'm glad you read it too haha. It's definitely not a Metroidvania in the modern sense: all the elements are there but the focus isn't on exploration and abilities but on combat and equipment. I also dabbled with the idea of telling the reader to detach themselves from the idea of it belonging to that genre but I decided that would be arrogant of me.
There are so many rooms that are just cool in this game, it didn't make it into the review but I love that confession booth in the chapel that stabs you with spikes if you sit on one side, a really funny little secret.
I really appreciate that and it's a pleasure to have you around too! There was never a point where I just decided I want to write, it's always come more naturally to me than talking.
Excellent post, as always! What really caught my attention was your food for thought regarding the genre this game launched. Your take on how 80% of this game's design is direct inspired by Super Metroid and that there's games that are more Metroid while others are more SotN is spot on. Now that I think of it, having the "Metroidvania" moniker can be a detractor for many games that lean on one side or the other and confuses the audience that expects more RPG elements from those who wants an upgrade system. In the end, Metroidvania can mean a whole universe of things.
As for the games analysis itself, not only I second your take, I also echo your opinion about the soundtrack. This is one of the best of all time, no question about it.
Side note: I don't know about Apple platforms, but there's an Android version of SotN available for download at Play Store. It's the same PSP's Dracula X Chronicles version you played for this review, but with atrocious revamped menus that detracts from the whole experience, but at least is another way to access this game.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.
I could see the distinction becoming more formal in future especially since Metroid itself has flirted with a more combat-heavy style (Metroid Dread) and when placed in the context of the rest of the franchise it stands out as different.
Castlevania has given us some of the all-time greatest gaming tunes, Bloody Tears and Vampire Killer probably being the most iconic. I hope we see it return someday.
Speaking of mobile/handheld formats, the Requiem bundle would make a great Switch 2 game, maybe spiced up with the Saturn version included?
I would love to see the Saturn version being re-relased in the future! It has its flaws, but its a crime to have a version with that sheer amount of extra content being relegated to obscurity.
Such a shame we never got a Saturn Mini, would have been a great opportunity to do that
Great review! I was intimidated when I saw ‘28 minute read’. But just like all your reviews, I started it and was done before I knew it. I love video game soundtracks, I’m surprised I’ve never listened to this one. I’ll have to give it a listen.
I'm not sure myself how a review of a 10-ish hour PS1 game ended up being this long haha, I probably could have cut out the section about the price and some of the links but I like to be thorough and the inaccessibility of SotN is something more people should be annoyed by, at least in my opinion. happy you enjoyed it :)
Definitely do, there are 1 or 2 annoying songs in there but it's mostly back to back bangers.
Just to let you know, mentioning the ZX Spectrum by name is enough to serve as a diagnosis.
Bitterly disappointed to see how that poll is going - I can't wait to see how you defend the boringest game on the NES.
SotN and Silksong are opposite ends of the same problem with balancing, where SotN has almost no thought put towards what the numbers that dictate game events should look like, and Silksong has far, far too much thought put towards it, and in both cases you end up just not really caring because it's pretty much pointless. SotN maybe has an edge because until you DO get a crazy good drop or get spoiled on how the shield rod functions, you will still be swapping things in occasionally and having to use a new attack animation to get better damage, while in Silksong I mostly wound up trialing things and then reverting back.
That really was all the confirmation needed, I think owning a Sega Saturn or playing Paradox games were sure-fire signs too.
I might just do it anyway and skip over covering a modern game next month, there's nothing coming out until Requiem at the end of the month and I don't feel like reviewing PS5 Demon's Souls without having played the PS3 original.
I think that sums it up: not caring. There are all these numbers, values and stats that govern SotN but beyond higher number = good I've never bothered to learn how it all comes together because the game is simply too easy to warrant it. You're right that you will still swap out a lot, I think it's a good idea to level up a few familiars to max level for example.
You never played the original Demons Souls??? What are you still doing here? Go get a PS3!
I've got a PS3! Yeah, somehow I missed it. I was always a 360 guy and played Dark Souls not long after it came out but despite owning a PS3 on the side I never grabbed the game, I've always used my PS3's as the Metal Gear Solid/Uncharted/LBP machine.
I know the art-style was mangled on the PS5 but I want to play through both and cook up my own comparison someday.
Art style changes [aside from Fat Official] are honestly minor compared to the butchering of the soundtrack, and thats from someone who really isnt a music guy
I've only played about 90 minutes so far (made my character, did the tutorial, went through the Gates of Boletaria and murdered the Phalanx with Firebomb spam) and what I'd say so far is that everything looks so smudged and dark and cinematic, not in a good way. I can see the filter darkening the sides of my screen at all times and it's just kinda ugly
This was a great read, you really know how to paint a picture with your reviews.
I agree with your idea of separating, or at least sub-categorizing the metroid-vania genre. For someone who hasn't played Metroid nor Castlevania games, you've helped me understand why I enjoy some games in the genre more than others.
Also, I'm interested on reading your opinions on Ocarina of Time at some point, regardless of how the poll goes.
Thanks a lot, I know they're absolute tomes to get through so I appreciate everyone for reading them.
Ocarina Of Time was the first non-handheld video game I ever played and it is the ultimate nostalgia game for me; I've played every version I know of and beaten it more times than I can count. Of course though it isn't perfect and it falls just below MGS3 in my top 3 video games.
Thank you! I'm happy other people are on the same wavelength, for a while now I've considered Metroidvania to have this line down the middle.
Dark Souls is another important game for me though one I played much earlier in my life. At 12 years old, Dark Souls was the first game that made me think about video games critically. It was the first time I reflected on previous generations and realised there were design choices on the PS2/XBX/GCN that I preferred to the then modern consoles and I appreciated how Dark Souls brought some of that back.
Double dipping in the comments haha, really glad you read so much and liked the article.
I'm surprised it isn't mentioned more often, without trying to sound arrogant or superior it's always been such a clear distinction for me but I've been playing video games every day since I was 4 years old so maybe people just haven't experienced the number of Metroidvanias I have or go back to older generations that much.
Going to be honest, I reopened the scheduled article several times with a mind to delete that entire section but restrained myself each time in the hope that my honesty would resonate with someone; I don't really like talking about myself, especially not on the internet so I'm happy you appreciated that section. It seems everyone has that game/set of games that just hit different then, for me it was Castlevania, Yakuza and to a certain extent the Resident Evil 3 Remake