Symphony of the Night changed everything for the Castlevania franchise. Mixing light RPG mechanics with Metroid-style exploration spelled the end for the classic linear games. The only Castlevania games of the classic style that released after that masterpiece were re-releases and remakes like Castlevania Chronicles and Dracula X Chronicles. The Nintendo portables became a breeding ground for "Metroidvania" entries. The Game Boy Advance, DS, and 3DS got, in total, seven games that attempted to recapture the magic of Symphony of the Night. Quality of those games varies, but the third attempt Aria of Sorrow came the closest to nailing it.
The story of this one is outright ridiculous. In 2035, a teen studying in Japan named Soma Cruz is drawn to Dracula's castle which reappeared during a solar eclipse. A prophecy laid out that a person would become the vessel for Dracula's reincarnation and will gain dark powers. While I can appreciate that the plot is more involved than most entries in the series, I have a couple of issues. First, the futuristic time period means nothing. Aside from some of the dialog and a couple of zombies with guns, the game still acts like it's the 18th century. Second, the plot is far-fetched, even for the series. While it never reaches the insulting levels of the Twilight books, it still gets fans of traditional vampire stories raising eyebrows.
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The art and music is some of the best 16-bit stuff I've ever seen. The level of detail is exquisite especially for a handheld. The music may not be CD-quality, but it sets the mood perfectly. The gameplay is almost a dead ringer for Symphony of the Night. Soma finds plenty of weapons and armor all over the castle (though none that fit the time period). Exploring the castle is always a blast though there are a few random teleporter rooms that can be a pain to navigate. The big addition to the game is that Soma gains the souls of enemies he destroys which grant him new powers. It's the same dynamic that Koji Igarashi put into Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night. While trying the various powers which come in attack, defense, and movement varieties is a ton of fun, that third category brings a slight snag. Certain areas of the castle are completely inaccessible without certain souls, and acquisition of a soul from an enemy comes at random. Be prepared to do plenty of grinding certain enemies to get a soul you need.
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow came so close to meeting the standard set by Symphony of the Night. It's one of the best looking and sounding Game Boy Advance games, and its gameplay is fresh and executed almost flawlessly. Only a couple of slight niggles with the plot and mechanics keep this one from scoring the "A+" that I would gladly give the earlier game, but don't let that deter you. Aria of Sorrow absolutely deserves your time, especially is you got into Bloodstained recently. Of all of Dracula's reincarnations, this is one of the most welcome.
