Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Pros

• Well-optimized for mobile screens
• No microtransactions
• Retains the original story and gameplay

Cons

• Awkward touchscreen control placement
• No support for cloud saves
• Performance issues on high refresh rate phones

A legendary action-RPG, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, makes a smooth transition to mobile. Developed by Konami, this classic console game brings you into the world of Alucard, Dracula's half-human son, as he awakes and embarks on a quest through Dracula's castle. The journey is far from easy, with the castle teeming with a diverse range of enemies.

Navigating Through Dracula's Castle

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night uses a 2-D side-scrolling gameplay, where the goal is to explore the depths and heights of Dracula's castle. To advance, players must defeat numerous enemies along the way. The game's non-linearity leaves room for exploration, though certain areas remain off-limits until specific items and abilities are collected. A map gradually revealing your progress aids in navigation.

Unlike its predecessors in the Castlevania series, this game doesn't restrict the protagonist's weaponry to a whip. Alucard can find and use a variety of weapons, and the game also incorporates inventory and other RPG elements.

Alucard's hit points determine the maximum amount of damage he can sustain, while his magic points dictate the frequency of magical attacks. Defeating monsters earns experience points, crucial for leveling up and boosting attributes.

Alucard's four key attributes are strength, defense, intelligence, and luck. He can cast up to eight different spells, though this depends on directional combination input and consumes magic points. Alucard can also summon familiars to assist him in battle and exploration.

Optimized for Mobile

The mobile version of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night has been designed to suit smaller screens. The new UI offers easy control of special attacks and transformations. The game maintains a steady framerate and notably, there are no microtransactions. The game also provides several language options, with improved translations.

Two control schemes are available: touchscreens and controllers. The game immediately recognizes clipped-on controllers and adjusts accordingly. The touchscreen controls, however, have a unique setup.

The touchscreen control scheme is decent, but the placement can be awkward. They obstruct parts of the screen and seem rather crowded. This can make playing on a smaller phone challenging due to the high likelihood of pressing the wrong button.

Despite offering Pixel 4 and disabling smooth display options, playing on phones with high refresh rates can lead to minor performance issues. Additionally, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night does not currently support cloud saves, making it less practical to play on multiple mobile devices.

A Quality Mobile Port

For fans of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, this mobile version is a delightful journey down memory lane. For new players, it's a fantastic opportunity to experience this classic game. It preserves the original story and gameplay while optimizing for smaller screens. With no microtransactions or other common mobile game annoyances, it's a genuine representation of its console counterpart. Despite some areas needing improvement, it's a solid mobile port overall.

Pros

• Well-optimized for mobile screens
• No microtransactions
• Retains the original story and gameplay

Cons

• Awkward touchscreen control placement
• No support for cloud saves
• Performance issues on high refresh rate phones