also known as Akumajou Dracula X - Gekka no Yasoukyoku
PlayStation
🇬🇧
Reviewed in 1997
94
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✪ Reviewed on December 5, 2024
90
The original Japanese version of Castlevania Symphony of the Night, an absolute masterpiece and one of the greatest games ever made. Labyrinthine exploration, deep RPG elements, sublime art direction and legendary soundtrack. The definitive Metroidvania, still unsurpassed today.
Your verdict
Category
Action Adventure1 player12+
Description
Western release of the Castlevania masterpiece where Alucard, son of Dracula, explores his father's vampiric castle. Created by Konami, released in 1997 in the United States and Asia and in 1998 in Europe. Metroidvania-style explorable map, RPG classes, localized translation and Michiru Yamane's orchestral score.
Castlevania - Symphony of the Night review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
2/5
Music
★★★★★
"Decent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Masterful"
Exploring the castle at will, unlocking powers and passages, watching your character grow stronger as in an RPG: the formula founded a whole genre. The precise movement, the wealth of the arsenal and the joy of searching remain exemplary in their fluidity. The sumptuous 2D has barely aged, and the balance between action and progression is still a model.
The international release of Symphony of the Night, foundation of the Metroidvania genre, which the Western editions turned into a cult object despite a low-key rollout at the time. The American version, long found cheap, saw its value soar once its reputation set in, to the point of ranking among the most coveted Castlevania titles. The interest lies in that gap between modest sales and the absolute-classic status earned afterward.
Memorable bosses
Deep in a sprawling gothic castle, the guardians draw on a wildly rich bestiary: Death scything his blades, the colossal Legion swarming with the damned, or Dracula himself. Each tests your swordplay as much as your RPG-style gear management. This inventive gallery, carried by a baroque atmosphere, has marked generations of players hungry for exploration.
A cult cover
Under the title "Gekka no Yasoukyoku," Ayami Kojima delivers a painted portrait of Alucard of almost baroque elegance: pale face, flowing hair, ornate drapery against a dark ground. The finesse of the line and the dusky tones convey the castle's gothic, melancholy soul. Refined and venomous, it ranks among the most beautiful illustrations of the PlayStation era.
Is Castlevania - Symphony of the Night still worth playing in 2026?
Akumajou Dracula X - Gekka no Yasoukyoku is the original Japanese version of Castlevania - Symphony of the Night, Konami's absolute masterpiece and one of the greatest games ever made. Labyrinthine metroidvania exploration, deep RPG with levelling and equipment, Ayami Kojima's sublime art direction and Michiru Yamane's legendary score make for an experience of rare elegance. An absolute peak.
