How Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow's Tactical Soul System Inspired A New Generation Of Metroidvanias
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is celebrating its 20-year anniversary today, May 6, 2023. Below, we look back at how the successor to Symphony of the Night is still influencing the genre.
From the Souls-ian hack-and-slash of Blasphemous to the pastel beauty of the Ori series, the sheer volume of metroidvanias in today's gaming market can overwhelm even the most die-hard enthusiast. But while most fans will always correctly consider Castlevania: Symphony of the Night as the most influential entry in Konami's lauded series, there were other games that had a big effect on today's metroidvanias--and I would argue 2003's Aria of Sorrow is the best of them.
You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos.
Want us to remember this setting for all your devices?
Sign up or Sign in now!
By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
Now Playing: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Video Review
Aria of Sorrow is the third Castlevania game for Game Boy Advance, though it's much more memorable than its two predecessors. It's the fourth «Igavania»-style entry in the series, meaning that it has the same exploration and RPG mechanics first inaugurated by Symphony of the Night and designer Koji Igarashi. Its grand new innovation, the Tactical Soul system, would be the next step forward for the franchise, and it's a mechanic that's inspired many of the metroidvanias that have emerged over the years.
The Tactical Soul system is essentially the basic logic of Mega Man bosses applied to every enemy in the game. Each time protagonist Soma Cruz slays an enemy, there's a chance that he will absorb the enemy's «soul,» which gives him an ability themed around the enemy's powers. A skeleton gives you the power to
Read more on gamespot.com
