10 Games To Play If You Miss CastleVania: Symphony Of The Night

While Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a classic game that still has a huge number of fans revisiting it today, many are looking for a newer gaming challenge that can provide a similar experience to the old-school horror provided by this classic entry in the long-running franchise.

Whether it comes in the form of other Castlevania games or from something completely different, the gaming industry is filled with experiences that have been inspired by legendary games such as Symphony of the Night. Gamers simply need to know where to look for the kind of experience that they’re after, and fortunately, there are a few great ideas.

Updated on December 9th, 2023 by Chris Harkin: Though the Castlevania franchise itself remains dormant, the Metroidvania genre, featuring many similar games inspired by the franchise, continues to grow. Between modern AAA attempts to move the genre forward and indie developers keeping to the retro style of games like Symphony of the Night, there will always be plenty for fans of this classic game to enjoy. *A video version of this article has also been added, showcasing all ten games from the list!

10 Metroid Dread

Metacritic Score: 88

Despite being a part of the Metroid franchise, the other series responsible for the creation of the Metroidvania style, Metroid Dread is a fantastic modern example of how the shared elements of both franchises can still work as a brilliant AAA game.

The first completely original entry in the franchise in almost twenty years, Metroid Dread does a great job of reintroducing Samus Aran to fans while telling a satisfying story within the larger Metroid Universe. All this while managing to bring some of the best and most inventive gameplay, music, and graphics to a nearly dead franchise, completely reinventing the wheel while keeping the retro elements fans of games like Symphony of the Night will be looking for.

9 Axiom Verge

Metacritic Score: 84

Another game that takes a lot of inspiration, both from Metroid and Castlevania, with the creation of a fantastic sci-fi world filled with story, Axiom Verge is one of the best indie-developed Metroidvania games released in the last ten years. This game, having already released a sequel, has proven to be one of the shining lights of the genre modern-day.

About a scientist called Trace, who awakens on an alien world filled with heightened technology, Axiom Verge is fantastically addictive, forcing many players to search out every nook and cranny for extra items and enemies to fight. Featuring over sixty different items and power-ups, the style of this Metroidvania makes it one that players will want to come back to over and over again, a style somewhat pioneered by Symphony of the Night.

8 Child Of Light

Metacritic Score: 82

Considered by some to be part of the Metroidvania genre, this RPG from Ubisoft was one of the gaming giant’s strangest creations over the years. Featuring side-scrolling gameplay, a medieval story about saving a kingdom, and plenty of great action, Child of Light is definitely for fans of games like Symphony of the Night.

Despite the turn-based combat system, there are many similarities to other Metroidvania games. The platforming elements and atmosphere of the game are the strongest elements that will call fans of classic Castlevania entries. Players will find themselves deeply invested in attempting to save the beautifully designed kingdom of Lumeria before they finish their time there.

7 Hollow Knight

Metacritic Score: 90

Hollow Knight is one of the best-known examples of a game that follows the style of games like the Castlevania series. Released in 2017 to enormous, worldwide acclaim, Hollow Knight follows a silent knight who explores an underground world filled with bugs and other creatures whom the knight must destroy over a surprisingly long game time.

Between the side-scrolling 2D style and the aesthetic, Hollow Knight has been described as a Metroidvania. Both the platforming elements and the difficult combat have received huge praise and have drawn fans in for the great replayability of Hollow Knight.

6 Timespinner

Metacritic Score: 84

An admitted inspiration for Timespinner, particularly the mechanics of the game, was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Released in 2018, Timespinner follows Lunais, who is a timespinner, in a 2D world that is hugely reminiscent of 90s platformers including Castlevania.

Timespinner follows Lunais trying to get vengeance against an empire responsible for the death of her family. The combat and visuals of this indie adventure have been greatly received, and though the game remains a lesser-known take on Castlevania’s style, it deserves high praise for recreating much that fans loved about those games modern-day.

5 Castlevania Requiem

Metacritic Score: 74

CastleVania Requiem is an option for fans looking to remember the joys of their CastleVania adventures by actually relieving them. An updated collection containing both Symphony of the Night and Rondo of Blood, Requiem is a fun update that was praised on release in 2018 and can give players the chance to experience these games on the latest platforms.

Players may have played through these adventures so many times that they are looking for something else with a similar style. But Requiem gives new life to these old games and shouldn’t be overlooked as an option for a fun playthrough.

4 Blasphemous

Metacritic Score: 77

Blasphemous is a Metroidvania where players control the Penitent One, who is on a pilgrimage across the land of Cvstodia. Using both his sword and spells in combat across a dark world makes Blasphemous feel similar in some respects to Dark Souls games as well as Castlevania.

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Winning awards as one of the best indie games of the year in 2019, Blasphemous gives players a dark world inspired by Spanish history and the Roman Catholic Church while adding fun combat and level design that is reminiscent of old Castlevania games without directly copying the style.

3 Chasm

Metacritic Score: 72

A Metroidvania which was directly inspired by Symphony of the Night, Chasm follows an aspiring knight who wishes to prove their capabilities in a world map that changes with every adventure. This ensures great replayability for players, who have praised the style of combat in particular in the game since its release in 2018.

Chasm is another fun indie adventure that harkens back to the style of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night while bringing something new to the table as far as the Metroidvania style goes. Players looking for a new challenge in the vein of these old games will love this one.

2 Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night

Metacritic Score: 83

If Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night sounds like it should be similar to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, that’s because it is considered a spiritual successor to the Castlevania series and was created by the former producer of those games, Koji Igarashi. Released in 2019, the game used Kickstarter to get funded after Igarashi left Konami in 2014.

Players take control of Miriam, who explores a labyrinthine map of areas and fights various monsters on her way. Revisiting areas that were previously inaccessible is one of the notable inclusions that make Bloodstained reminiscent of older games in the Metroidvania style.

1 Record of Lodoss War – Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

Metacritic Score: 74

Even with Bloodstained having been made by the same man who previously made other Castlevania games, Record of Lodoss War might have the honor of being the modern game that takes the most inspiration from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Based on a series of novels, players take control of the high elf Deedlit as she journeys through a labyrinth filled with enemies and friends from her past.

Backtracking to previously inaccessible areas, finding secrets, learning magic, and finding new items that can help defeat enemies, many aspects of this game are inspired by Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. The style is perfect for fans of that game as this entire game is as much in love with Symphony of the Night as the players trying it out have been in the past. While critics didn’t approve of some aspects, they generally praised the simplistic storyline and aesthetic, as well as many of the boss battles in which players find themselves throughout the game.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Released

October 2, 1997

Genre(s)

Metroidvania , Action RPG