Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

GAME TITLE: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow
DATE LAUNCHED: 05.06.03 (North America)
05.08.03 (Japan)
05.09.03 (Europe)
# OF PLAYERS: 1
CONSOLE: Gameboy Advance
DIFFICULTY: Normal
GENRE: Action / Adventure
EXTRA MODES / GOODIES: Soul Trades, Boss Rush Mode
PUBLISHER: Konami
DEVELOPER: Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo

Being the 3rd Castlevania to be released on the Gameboy Advance, this game is, by far, the best Castlevania to date.

= [MUSIC & GRAPHICS] =
The music to Aria of Sorrow is highly superior to that of Harmony of Dissonance. For the way it’s set up, The graphics of Aria of Sorrow are wonderful. Some of the new enemy effects are nice, and having giant-sized bosses is awesome Very Happy . the music is a bit dark, and gloomy. There isn’t really a whole lot new in the sound effects department, either. I have noticed that certain bosses have voice bits, but they really aren’t all that clear.

SCORE - 9/10

= [GAME-PLAY] =
The game-play to Aria of Sorrow is slightly similar to that of it’s predecessors, but has drastically improved.
what it basically is, is that you have the game’s main character, Soma Cruz (a foreign exchange student attending
high school in Japan), acquiring enemy souls to posses their power (much like Circle of the Moon’s DSS
Card Ability, and Harmony of Dissonance’s Relics of Dracula). Some souls are more difficult to collect than others,
as enemies do not give them up every single time you defeat them. a ‘not so interesting’ feature in the game is the SOUL TRADE, which allows for you and a partner to trade souls to complete your soul collection. There really isn’t much of a point to this unless your friend has a specific soul that is needed to defeat a certain boss, or if you just want to complete your soul collection. ^__^

SCORE - 10/10

= [DIFFICULTY] =
Aria of Sorrow would have to be one of the harder games within the entire Castlevania series. Most of the beginning to Aria of Sorrow is all introductory stuff… but then gets a bit harder once you encounter the 1st boss, which deals a considerate amount of damage to you if you’re not careful. most of the castle’s map is less infected with enemies while some are swarming with them (so you better prepare yourself just in case *wink*). But, if you look on the bright side can be beaten either way. you’ll just need to know their pattern and wait for that moment to strike. It’s wise to do this in the crowded areas as well.

SCORE - 9/10

= [STORY] =
The year is 2035. Japan. Crowds of spectators are gathering around in anticipation of the first full
solar eclipse of the twenty-first century. Soma Cruz, a foreign exchange student attending high school in Japan, goes to see the eclipse with Mina Hakuba (Soma’s childhood friend, classmate, and the only daughter of the shrine’s caretaker). Both try to reach the top, but for some reason, the road kept getting longer and longer. Once Soma and Mina reach the top of the Hakuba Shrine, Soma’s senses began to dim…

The pitch black sun is holding chaotic darkness together, trying to rouse a sleeping soul as if looking for its missing other half…

SCORE - 8/10

= [OVERALL SCORE] =
7.8/10

By TurkMasterZero

Get your shtuff here:

Castlevania?: Curse of Darkness(tm) Official Strategy Guide (Bradygames)