Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow is a side-scrolling platforming video game developed and published by Konami. It was released in May 2003, and is the third installment of the Castlevania series on the Game Boy Advance. Producer Koji Igarashi, who had led the production teams for previous Castlevania titles, led Aria of Sorrow's development as well. Michiru Yamane returned to compose the music for the game alongside Takashi Yoshida and Soshiro Hokkai. Director Junichi Murakami was new to the Castlevania series.
Aria of Sorrow is set in the year 2035, when Dracula has been sealed away after a battle in 1999. The plot follows the journey of Soma Cruz, a teenager granted occult power as a result of being a potential vessel of Dracula's reincarnation, as he battles dark figures that wish to inherit the undead lord's power. The game incorporates the same combination of elements from platform games and role-playing video games as in a previous game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Aria of Sorrow introduces several features to the series, such as the "Tactical Soul" system and employs a futuristic storyline in contrast to the medieval setting of many other Castlevania games.
Although Aria of Sorrow sold poorly in Japan, selling 27,000 units nearly one month after its release, it was commercially successful in the United States, with more than 158,000 units sold in the three months following its release. Aria of Sorrow received universal acclaim with praise going towards its visuals, gameplay (particularly the Tactical Soul System), music, and level design with some even considering to be the best game in the Castlevania series since Symphony of the Night. Konami released a sequel to Aria of Sorrow, Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, in August 2005. It incorporated many elements from its predecessor, including the "Tactical Soul" system.
The game was re-released as a part of the Castlevania Advance Collection on September 23, 2021 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows alongside Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance, and Castlevania: Dracula X.
Category:Video Games