Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Game Boy Advance
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: May 6, 2003
Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Image
Metascore
91 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 55 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
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  • Summary: The year is 2035 and Soma Cruz is about to witness the first solar eclipse of the 21st century when he suddenly blacks out -- only to awaken inside a mysterious castle. As Soma, you must navigate the castle's labyrinths while confronting perilous monsters at every turn. But beware, you must escape before the evil consumes you!… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Nintendo Power
    100
    The graphics are unparalleled, the mosnters are original and challeng[ing] and the scope of the game is impressive. [June 2003, p.136]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. Pocket Games
    100
    Probably the prettiest of the three recent Castlevanias. [Fall 2003, p.35]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. GameSpot
    86
    Just a really great action game in the same vein as classics like "Symphony of the Night" and "Super Metroid" before it, and it stands tall among the GBA's best action games, including "Circle of the Moon" and last year's "Metroid Fusion."
  4. GameCritics
    70
    Since Aria Of Sorrow is the third Castlevania in as many years, I'm also concerned that Konami is growing increasingly content to simply rest on their laurels.

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Matseb2611
    10
    After having played more than a dozen of Castlevania titles, I think Aria of Sorrow is still my favourite. The game takes place in the year 2035, many years after Dracula's defeat, but now Dracula's power is about to be reborn in a new dark lord candidate. You play as Soma Cruz, a student who found himself in the castle and realises that he has the ability to steal the souls of the monsters after defeating them. With this soul system the player gets access to an enormous variety of secondary attacks as well as permanent buffs. Just like with Symphony of the Night, the player is not limited to only one weapon, but can use a lot of different weapons he/she finds throughout the game, ranging from swords, to hammers, to spears, and even to guns. Also just like SOTN, and the other GBA Castlevania games, this is a Metroid style Castlevania, meaning the whole game is like a one huge map, where certain parts can only be reached later in the game after acquiring a certain ability or an item. Aria of Sorrow, despite having rather simple GBA graphics is a very beautiful and stunning looking game. The level design is fantastic, and the soundtrack is just as beautiful, complementing perfectly with visual beauty of the game. The controls are easy, making it convenient to control your character, and the game has just about a perfect level of difficulty, without it seeming too easy or too frustrating. There is literally nothing bad I can say about Aria of Sorrrow. The only thing I think SOTN has over it are the graphics.… Expand
  2. RyokenI.
    10
    Brilliant! If you like super metroid, wonderboy 3- dragons trap, and of course SOTN, you will love this to pieces. Exploration, platform gaming, rpg and collection game (think pokemon) this game should appeal to a broad audience, the only possible fllaw being it''s difficulty level... too easy. But with a bit of creativity, you can even devise a challenge game (try beating it with one kind of weapon, or no armor!) 38/40… Expand
  3. Michael
    10
    This is by far the best platforming 2D adventure game I've ever played. I'm shocked that Circle of the Moon has a comparable score to this game since by comparison, Circle of the Moon is a bit of a mess. I'd recommend this game to anyone with a DS or a GBA.… Expand
  4. LeyendaV
    8
    Finalmente un gran Castlevania en GBA (la tercera es la vencida). La historia post-Drácula y los nuevos elementos (como la captura y el uso de las almas) girando al rededor de esta nueva visión "futurista" que adquirió la saga fue excelente.… Expand

See all 26 User Reviews

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