If you’re reading this far, I’ll assume you don’t care to be spoiled, so I’m going to start dishing them out now.
The reason I suggested finding the books hidden in the castle is because, the first time I played, I either didn’t find them all, or didn’t consider their significance until I beat Graham Jones for the first time. These books tell of three souls you must collect before the encounter with Graham, and, if you use them, and are familiar with Castlevania, you’ll probably be able to guess what happens next. The powers you must have are: Fire Demon, Giant Bat and Succubus. The powers that are given by these souls are iconic powers that Dracula has used during the course of the Castlevania games.
Soma is, in fact, one of the reincarnations of Dracula. He was born on the day Dracula died, so he inherited some of Dracula’s power. He’s not the only one, but having the ability to absorb and use the powers of Dracula’s army kind of makes him the one most likely to take Dracula’s throne. Thing is, Soma doesn’t want to, and seeks to annihilate, or at least subdue, the dark monster within him.
This is what makes the story of Aria of Sorrow (despite the plot hole at the beginning) the most thought-provoking storyline in the Castlevania lineup. Soma is one the most introspective characters in the series, since once he understands what he is, he wants to know if he is fated to be the ultimate evil of mankind or whether he can escape from it. In the end, he battles chaos in his own nature, averting his fate, and saving the day.
Aria of Sorrow is a terrific mix of unique but familiar gameplay and introspective storytelling that’s rare in video games. I wholeheartedly recommend it. It only takes about eight hours to beat (though almost 20 if you want to collect everything), and it’s about $15 on Amazon. It’s not perfect (I think that after killing a certain number of the same enemy, the game should give you the soul regardless), but then, what is? Take it for what it is, one of the finest games in the Castlevania series.
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Review copy supplied by author.
