Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Game Boy Advance
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: May 6, 2003
User Score
9.4 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. RyokenI.
    Mar 23, 2008
    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
  2. AZWification
    Dec 16, 2010
    9
    Castlevania was a great franchise and it still a great one!The GBA got so far the best Castlevania games EVER!Aria of Sorrow is a action-side scrolling game where you control Soma Cruz(the hero).The graphics are not very colorful, but they are very realistic for the GBA!The tunes aren't bad either!The gameplay is great, you discover a lot of good things, you unlock endings, is just one of the best Castlevania games EVER!If you don't like this game, that means you don't like video games!Well, this game is not perfect, but very enjoyable!MUST BUY!… Expand
  3. [Anonymous]
    Apr 4, 2004
    10
    This game is incredible. Live and die by that saying, "Third times a charm".
  4. JoelC.
    May 8, 2003
    10
    Ill never get sick of the Symphony of the Night style game. Its brilliant, and this game is a lot better than the other two. Not just because it's new, it really is very close to Sotn, and I agree, my favorite GBA title so far.
  5. KevinS.
    Jul 3, 2003
    10
    This is my favorite Castlevania game, and one of my favorite GBA games. The AoS's graphics are some of the best I've seen for GBA. The story is great, the music is awesome and the Action/RPG style cant be beat! This is probably the best Castlevania game ever!
  6. BarryW.
    Jul 9, 2003
    10
    That's a spicy tamale!
  7. Death
    Nov 19, 2004
    10
    It is the best of all GBA titles.
  8. RobertL.
    May 31, 2004
    10
    This title is easily worth twice the purchase price. Awesome powers+awesome weapons+challenging baddies=Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow.
  9. AbdullahA.
    Jun 1, 2003
    10
    The game is so good....i can't stop myself in collecting spirits and increasing the level....but there is still places i didn't discover so far...but in general the game worth a deep play.
  10. RaphaelR.
    Jun 29, 2003
    10
    The first time i finished it the ending was bad but i found out that this game has 3 endings beating chaos is the best ending and having the chaos ring equipped. note:graham is not the last boss.
  11. JohnL.
    Jul 9, 2003
    10
    This is way better than other Castlevania games.
  12. RobertB.
    Aug 12, 2003
    10
    Aria of Sorrow is one of my favorite games on the GBA because you can get a bunch of abilities through souls from monsters you defeat, the graphics are better than HOD, and it's real fun to play. AOS overall is fun game that you'll keep playing for years on end.
  13. AzizK.
    Sep 22, 2003
    10
    I Think It Has To Be One Of The Best Ever Games On A Nintendo Console!
  14. Max
    May 1, 2004
    10
    I was proud to get a sore neck from staring at the little screen for hours playing this supurb game.
  15. Michael
    Mar 11, 2008
    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.
  16. NathanI.
    Apr 28, 2003
    10
    Tight game.
  17. D.J.
    Jun 26, 2003
    10
    The only bad part is totally finishing it.
  18. ZeroLayer
    Jul 29, 2003
    10
    It's the first Castlevania game I got. And I'm hooked. Great graphics, tight controls and incredibly addicting.
  19. ChrisR.
    Mar 13, 2004
    10
    Just as good as Symphony of the Night and my favorite GBA game. It is truly a great game.
  20. Manny
    Mar 17, 2004
    10
    The best of the gba castlevanias and thats saying a lot. An A class game all the way.
  21. Soma
    Sep 29, 2004
    10
    A true classic that combines the best of gaming, and the best of sound. Amazingly addicting as well. Buy it now.
  22. ShawnC.
    Jan 23, 2006
    10
    I love it! It has great game play and amazing graphics!
  23. Matseb2611
    May 18, 2011
    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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
91 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. eToychest
    100
    With all of its unique features and amounts of item/soul collection, Aria could be considered second to only one other game in the Castlevania series – the masterpiece, "Symphony of the Night."
    Read full review
  2. GamePro
    90
    A superior GBA adventure in every respect and a marked improvement on "Harmony of Dissonance." Still, it is another "Symphony of the Night" clone—if you’re feeling a little sick of the same ol’ thing, this game may be the breaking point.
    Read full review
  3. Play Magazine
    90
    As transfixing and hand-drawn inspired as any Castlevania before it, or any game for that matter, even if it does lost some of its hold on the handheld platform. [June 2003, p.56]
See all critic reviews »