Castlevania: SotN

Developed and published by Konami in 1997 for the PlayStation, Castlevania Symphony of the Night is one of the most highly praised games in the Castlevania series and is considered one of the best games of all time. In 2020, Konami revived the game by releasing a mobile version for iOS and Android.

About Castlevania Symphony of the Night (Castlevania: SotN)

• Genre: Action, RPG
• Graphics: 2D Pixel
• Publisher: Konami
• Platforms: Android, iOS, PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Portable, Sega Saturn, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3
• Android Release Date: March 04, 2020
• Price: Paid game
• System Requirements: Android 4.4+

Setting 

• Symphony of the Night takes place after the events of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood.
• Richter Belmont, the hero who defeated Dracula, has suddenly disappeared. Alucard, Dracula’s son, awakens from a long slumber and senses the return of a dark force within the castle. 
• He decides to investigate and stop anyone attempting to revive his father.

Gameplay 

Players control Alucard as he explores Dracula’s castle. The gameplay combines 2D side-scrolling action with RPG elements, featuring aspects like:

• Exploration: Dracula’s castle is a vast maze with many hidden areas, requiring players to find paths and unlock new skills to progress further.
• Combat: Alucard can use a variety of weapons and magic to fight monsters.
• Role-playing elements: Alucard can collect items, equip gear, and upgrade stats to become stronger.

The game includes a “backtracking” mechanism, allowing players to return to previous areas to unlock additional content using newly learned skills.

Castlevania Symphony of the Night’s highlight features

• Metroidvania gameplay: Symphony of the Night is one of the pioneering games in the Metroidvania genre, with a large map, many hidden areas, and skill-based unlocks to explore further.
• Engaging storyline: The mystery of Richter’s disappearance and the plot to resurrect Dracula.
• Varied combat system: Multiple weapons, magic spells, and abilities for Alucard.
• Classic 2D Pixel art: A dark gothic style with detailed lighting effects and smooth animations.
• Amazing soundtrack: The music in Symphony of the Night is highly acclaimed, featuring haunting gothic compositions.
• High replay value: With multiple endings, plenty of weapons, and equipment to collect, players can replay the game multiple times to experience everything it offers.
• Support for touch and controller input: Optimized controls for the mobile version, making it easy to play.

Some tips and tricks for playing Castlevania: SotN

Explore every corner

• Don’t skip any rooms: Many items and secrets are hidden in out-of-sight corners. Try jumping, rolling, and using special skills to thoroughly check every area.
• Break everything: Some walls can be destroyed to reveal secret paths. Try attacking everything around you, especially walls that look unusual.
• Experiment with skills: When you acquire a new skill, go back to previously explored areas to find secret paths you couldn’t access before.
• In the game, many areas only open up when Alucard has specific skills or weapons. Remember to revisit old areas when you have new abilities to discover hidden rooms and collect valuable items.
• Some walls and floors in the castle can be destroyed to reveal secret rooms containing rare items and equipment. Try attacking places that look different or interactive.
• After completing the main section, you’ll unlock the “inverted castle” version, featuring tougher enemies and greater challenges. This is a chance to gather more items and finish the game with a 100% exploration rate.

Upgrading your character

• Collect every item: Each type of weapon, armor, and accessory has its own pros and cons. Experiment and choose equipment that suits your play style.
• Upgrade stats: Focus on boosting important stats like Strength, Constitution, and Intelligence.
• Learn magic: Magic is very useful in battles, especially against bosses. Try to learn as much magic as possible.
• Use spells and special skills: Alucard has access to many spells, but you need to input the right button combinations to activate them. Practice and memorize spells like Soul Steal, which can restore health when fighting tough monsters or big bosses.
• Manage transformation skills: Alucard can transform into various forms like a bat, wolf, or mist to overcome obstacles. Use these forms wisely to move faster, slip through narrow passages, or dodge attacks.

Other useful tips

• Make use of save points to recover: Save points not only save your progress but also fully restore Alucard’s health. Find and use save points often, especially before entering areas with bosses.
• Save money and buy essential items from the Librarian: The Librarian is the in-game shopkeeper, offering special items, including powerful weapons and new skills. Save up money to buy these items when needed.
• Take advantage of the environment: Some environments in the game can be used to gain an advantage in combat. For example, you can lure enemies to fall off cliffs or use traps to defeat them.

Download Castlevania Symphony of the Night mod apk free for Android

Castlevania Symphony of the Night has had a huge impact on the gaming industry, inspiring many Metroidvania games that followed. It is also highly regarded by critics and players alike, considered one of the most classic games of all time. If you’re a fan of action RPGs or Metroidvania games, Castlevania Symphony of the Night is a game you absolutely shouldn’t miss.