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Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow

North American box art

Developer(s) Konami Computer

Entertainment Tokyo

Publisher(s) Konami

Director(s) Junichi Murakami

Producer(s) Koji Igarashi

Artist(s) Ayami Kojima

Writer(s) Koji Igarashi

Composer(s) Michiru Yamane

Takashi Yoshida

Soshiro Hokkai

Series Castlevania

Platform(s) Game Boy Advance,

mobile phones, Wii U

Virtual Console

Release date(s) NA May 6, 2003[1]

JP May 8,

2003[1]

EU May 9,

2003[1]

TBA (Wii U Virtual

Console)

Castlevania: Aria of SorrowFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, released in Japan as Castlevania:Akatsuki no Minuet (キャッスルヴァニア ～暁月の円舞曲～),is a side-scrolling platforming video game developed and publishedby Konami for the Game Boy Advance. It is the third and final

installment of the Castlevania series on the Game Boy Advance[2]

and was released in North America on May 6, 2003 and released in

Japan on May 8, 2003.[1] Producer Koji Igarashi, who led theproduction teams for previous Castlevania titles, led Aria ofSorrow's development. Also returning is Michiru Yamane who,along with Takashi Yoshida and Soshiro Hokkai composed musicfor the game. New to the Castlevania series is Junichi Murakamiwho served as director.

Aria of Sorrow is set in the year 2035, where Dracula has long beensealed away from a battle in 1999. The plot follows the journey ofSoma Cruz, a teenager granted occult power as a result of being apotential vessel of Dracula's reincarnation as he battles dark figureswho wish to inherit the undead lord's power. The game incorporatesthe combination of elements from platform games and role-playingvideo games that were initially utilized in the previous game

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.[3] Aria of Sorrowintroduces several new features to the series, such as the "TacticalSoul" system and a futuristic storyline, a contrast to the medieval

setting of many other Castlevania games.[4][5]

Although Aria of Sorrow sold poorly in Japan, selling only 27,000units nearly one month after its release, it was commerciallysuccessful in the United States, with more than 158,000 units sold

three months following its release.[6][7] Aria of Sorrow receivedpraise from several video game publications, with many considering itone of the best games in the Castlevania series since Symphony of

the Night.[3][5] Konami released a sequel to Aria of Sorrow, titled

Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, on August 25, 2005 in Japan.[8] Itincorporates many elements from its predecessor, including the

"Tactical Soul" system featured in Aria of Sorrow.[9] Aria ofSorrow was also re-released as part of Konami's "Konami the Best"line on November 3, 2005 in Japan, and in a dual pack withHarmony of Dissonance, titled the Castlevania Double Pack, in

North America on January 11, 2006.[1][10]

Contents

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Genre(s) side scrolling, platforming

Mode(s) Single-player

An image of gameplay, with the

primary character, Soma Cruz, using

a soul to attack a pair of enemies.

Contents

1 Gameplay

1.1 Tactical Soul

1.2 Additional modes

2 Plot

2.1 Setting

2.2 Characters

2.3 Story

3 Development

4 Reception

5 Sequel and re-release

6 References

7 External links

Gameplay

Aria of Sorrow features a 2D side-scrolling style of gameplay where theplayer controls the onscreen character from a third-person perspective tointeract with people, objects, and enemies. Like previous games in theseries and most role-playing games, characters level up each time theyearn a set number of experience points from defeating enemies; each"level" gained increases the character's statistics, thus improving their

performance in battle.[11] Statistic examples include hit points, the amountof damage a character can receive; magic points, which determine thenumber of times a character can use magical attacks; strength, the powerof a character's physical attacks; and intelligence, the power of a

character's magical spells.[11] Upon encountering an enemy, the playercan use a variety of weapons to attack and defeat the enemy. Despite thegame being set in 2035, the available weapons are largely medieval,

including swords, axes, and spears; though a handgun is available.[5] These weapons differ in their damage output,

the range of the weapon, and the speed of the attack.[5] Items and other accessories can be found by defeating

enemies or by purchasing items from the game's shop.[11]

Similar to previous games in the series, Aria of Sorrow is set within Dracula's castle, which is further subdivided

into several areas that the player traverses.[3] These areas feature different components, such as different enemies,varying terrain characteristics, and a unique piece of theme music. Similar to most platform games, progression

between areas is limited by the abilities the player currently has.[12] While the method in which the playerprogresses through the game is initially linear, the player's options become more diverse as the number of character

abilities increases.[3]

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Tactical Soul

Aria of Sorrow introduces a new ability system, Tactical Soul system, to the Castlevania series. It involves

absorbing the souls of enemies in order to gain additional abilities.[13] Except for human enemies and the game's

final opponent, all souls can be absorbed by the player.[14] The rate at which enemies' souls are obtained varies

between enemies.[15] Players can trade souls between two Aria of Sorrow cartridges using two Game Boy

Advance consoles and a link cable.[3]

Souls provide a variety of effects, and are separated into four categories: Bullet, Guardian, Enchant, and Ability

souls.[16] The player can only have one type of Bullet, Guardian, and Enchant soul equipped at any given time.Bullet souls are Soma Cruz's replacement for Sub Weapons in this game, and enable the player to consume a set

amount of magic points to use an ability, often some form of projectile.[16] Guardian souls provide continuous

effects, including transforming into mythical creatures and summoning familiars.[14] Guardian souls continually drainmagic points so long as they are activated. Enchant souls are continuously active so long as they are equipped, and

provide increases in statistics or other innate abilities—such as the ability to walk on water.[4] Ability souls give the

player innate abilities, which are often required to traverse certain areas of the castle.[16] Because the souls areautomatically activated and stay active unless the player specifically disables them, they do not consume magic

points.[5]

Additional modes

Aria of Sorrow includes additional modes of play that display elements not seen in the game's primary scenario.The New Game+ option allows a player that has completed the game to replay the game with all equipment and

souls the player had acquired in a previous file.[17] Additionally, the player can opt to start the game in Hard Mode,

offering the same gameplay at a higher difficulty level.[17] Two other modes offer alternatives to the standardgameplay. Boss Rush mode involves the player facing all of the game's bosses in quick succession, and is unlocked

after the player completes the game once.[18] Julius Mode is an additional mode of play unlocked with the same

method.[18] The player takes control of Julius Belmont, the member of the Belmont clan featured in the game.[18]

Plot

Setting

Aria of Sorrow takes place in the fictional universe of the Castlevania series. The series' premise is the conflictbetween the vampire hunters of the Belmont clan and the immortal vampire Dracula. Thirty-six years before thestart of Aria of Sorrow, Dracula was defeated once and for all by the Belmont clan, and his powers sealed into a

solar eclipse.[19][20] Shortly after Dracula's death, a prophecy was made that Dracula's reincarnation would come

to his castle in 2035 and inherit all of Dracula's powers.[19] This prophecy acts as the driving force behind the plot

of Aria of Sorrow, and is the primary motivation of the supporting characters to be present.[17] The game takesplace in Dracula's castle, the most common setting for the series, with the castle divided into numerous areas that

the player traverses over the course of the game.[3]

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Characters

Main article: List of Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow characters

The protagonist and primary playable character of Aria of Sorrow is Soma Cruz, a transfer student studying inJapan who possesses the "power of dominance", which allows him to absorb the souls of monsters and use their

abilities.[21][22] He is initially accompanied by his childhood friend, Mina Hakuba, the daughter of the priest of the

Hakuba shrine.[23] Over the course of the game, Soma meets additional characters that aid him in his quest: Genya

Arikado, an enigmatic government agent and disguise for Alucard, the son of Dracula;[24][25] Yoko Belnades, a

witch and member of the Belnades clan;[21] J, an amnesiac man drawn to Dracula's castle;[26] and Hammer, asoldier of the United States Army ordered to investigate the events occurring at Dracula's castle, although heabandons this mission and sets up a shop to sell Soma equipment (potions, weapons and the like). Graham Jones, a

missionary who believes he is Dracula's reincarnation, serves as the game's antagonist.[27]

The characters were designed by Ayami Kojima, who had previously worked on the characters in Castlevania

games such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance.[28] Due to thegame being set in the future, Kojima's designs are notably more contemporary, utilizing modern clothing, in contrast

to the medieval attire that characters from previous games wore.[21]

Story

The story begins in the year 2035, when Soma Cruz is visiting Japan as a transfer student and living near theHakuba shrine. During a solar eclipse, he visits the Hakuba shrine with his longtime childhood friend Mina

Hakuba.[23] He and Mina are then drawn into the eclipse, landing in a mysterious castle, where they meet Genya

Arikado. Arikado reveals that they are in Dracula's castle.[29] After a group of monsters appear and are dispatchedby Arikado, one of the monsters' souls is absorbed by Soma. Arikado explains this as the awakening of Soma's

"power of dominance".[22] Arikado then directs Soma to enter the castle and seek "the master's chamber".

As Soma proceeds through the castle, he confronts several characters, each present due to a prophecy related toDracula's powers. Graham Jones, a missionary that has come to the castle, befriends Soma. Graham explains the

nature of the castle[30] and reveals that Dracula, long thought to be immortal, is truly dead, and that his powers will

be passed down onto his reincarnation.[19] When Soma proceeds further into the castle, he meets the witch YokoBelnades, who is present on the orders of the Roman Catholic Church. Yoko is looking for Graham, who she

believes is dangerous and the inheritor of Dracula's powers.[31] She clarifies the nature of Soma's powers, revealing

that they are not necessarily evil, but inherent to Soma himself.[32] Later, Soma encounters Hammer, a member ofthe United States Army ordered to come to the Hakuba shrine. He has forfeited his mission, however, in favor of

selling goods.[33] He becomes Soma's vendor, selling numerous goods to aid Soma's quest. A mysterious man thenaccosts Soma, asking about the nature of Soma's dark power. When Soma continues to converse with him, the

man reveals that he has amnesia, and the only thing he remembers is his name starts with "J".[26]

Soma meets Graham again, and questions him on Yoko's suspicions. Graham claims he will receive Dracula's

powers, as he is Dracula himself.[27] Graham inquires as to the nature of Soma's powers, to which Soma responds

that he has "the power to rule," sending Graham into a panic.[34] Concerned, Soma confides this incident to Yoko,

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Producer Koji Igarashi, who led the

production teams for previous

Castlevania titles, led Aria of

Sorrow's development.

who recommends that Soma join her in stopping Graham.[35] As Soma proceeds further through the castle, hecomes upon a scene of Graham stabbing Yoko with a knife. Graham retreats, and Yoko warns Soma of Graham's

power.[36] Arikado arrives, promises Soma he will look after Yoko, and demands that Soma pursue Graham.[37]

Soma meets "J" again, who reveals he is Julius Belmont, the man who defeated Dracula in 1999.[20] As he leaves,

he remarks that he knows something about the current situation, but does not elaborate.[38]

Soma ascends to the castle's keep and confronts Graham in the throne room. Although Soma's sole desire is to

leave the castle, Graham is convinced that Soma must be killed for binding the souls of the castle's demons.[39]

Soma manages to defeat Graham, even after Graham uses his newfound powers to assume a demonic form. As

Graham falls in defeat, Soma absorbs his powers, and realizes he is Dracula's reincarnation.[40] Arikado arrives and

reveals a way for Soma to save himself by halting the flow of chaos into the castle.[41] Soma proceeds to the

Chaotic Realm, but Julius attacks him, believing that Soma is Dracula.[42] Julius allows Soma to defeat him, as he

sensed Soma's soul fighting against Dracula's influence.[43] Before he leaves, Soma elicits a promise from Julius to

kill him if he fully becomes Dracula.[44] Soma travels through the Chaotic Realm and finally locates the source ofchaos. Soma manages to defeat the manifestation of chaos and is sent congratulations by Yoko, Hammer, Julius,and Arikado. Soma awakens outside the castle with Mina, pleased that the conflict is over.

Development

Aria of Sorrow was first unveiled at a press conference in San Franciscoby executive producer Koji Igarashi on January 16, 2003. Igarashi hadworked on previous Castlevania games such as Castlevania:Symphony of the Night and Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance.Aria of Sorrow was placed in production alongside Harmony ofDissonance, resulting in both games sharing similar programming engines

and gameplay elements.[45] Aria of Sorrow 's Ability souls, for example,provide the protagonist with innate abilities like the Relic items in

Harmony of Dissonance.[46] Nevertheless, Igarashi claimed he wishedto try a "different route" for the series with Aria of Sorrow via placing the

game in a futuristic setting.[21] Ayami Kojima, who had previouslycollaborated with Igarashi on the designs for the characters of Symphonyof the Night and Harmony of Dissonance, was brought into the

project.[21] Following the "different route" motif, the character designswere made more contemporary, using modern clothing over the more

medieval look of the previous Castlevania installments.[21] In developingthe game's back story, Igarashi partially based it on Nostradamus'sprediction of a "big evil lord in 1999" and the 1999 solar eclipse in

Eastern Europe.[47]

One of Igarashi's prominent concerns during development was addressing the criticism expressed concerningHarmony of Dissonance. Igarashi noted that the music in Harmony of Dissonance had not been well receivedand Michiru Yamane, who had previously worked on the acclaimed music for Symphony of the Night, was hired

in order to compose for Aria of Sorrow.[48] The development team worked on the game's audio cycles, as well as

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Aggregate scores

Aggregator Score

GameRankings 88%[54]

Metacritic 91 of 100[53]

Review scores

Publication Score

1UP.com B+[15]

Allgame 4.5 of 5[49]

Eurogamer 9 of 10[50]

Famitsu 36 of 40[51]

Game Informer 9.25/10[52]

GameSpot 8.6 of 10[4]

GameSpy 4.5 of 5[3]

IGN 9.3 of 10[5]

RPGFan 90 of 100[16]

RPGamer 4.5 of 5[17]

Reception

delegating more cartridge space and processor cycles for the sound.[45] Maintaining the visual quality of Harmonyof Dissonance was a chief objective during development, as many reviewers had felt that Harmony of Dissonance

had excelled in graphics at the cost of the audio.[48] Furthermore, the staff tried to improve the series' gameplay

system while retaining fan-favorite elements.[46] Certain aspects that were missing in Harmony of Dissonance,

such as hidden rooms, were incorporated into Aria of Sorrow.[21] Igarashi added Soul trading via a link cable toassist players with collecting every soul in the game, which he believed would be cumbersome to accomplish

alone.[46]

Reception

Aria of Sorrow has received favorable reviews from severalvideo game publications, with many comparing it toCastlevania: Symphony of the Night, widely considered the

best game in the Castlevania series.[3][16] Famitsu,considered to be one of the most respected video game news

magazines in Japan,[55] gave Aria of Sorrow a 36/40, thehighest score any game in the Castlevania series has received

from Famitsu.[51] It was rated by Nintendo Power as the22nd best game made on a Nintendo System in their Top 200

Games list.[56] In Japan, the game sold only 27,000 units onemonth after its release, considered to be a poor showing for a

major video game franchise.[6] Conversely, the game wassignificantly more successful in the United States, with more

than 158,000 units in sales three months after its release.[7]

As the third installment of the Castlevania series on theGame Boy Advance, many reviewers made note of thegame's differences as versus its predecessors, Castlevania:Circle of the Moon and Castlevania: Harmony ofDissonance, with many considering it the definitive

Castlevania game for the Game Boy Advance.[5][17]

GameSpy noted that Aria of Sorrow "managed to get justabout everything right" as versus its predecessors, and lauded

it as "the best portable Castlevania game yet created."[3]

RPGFan claimed that Aria of Sorrow "[showcased] the true art of game development: to adapt and change as

necessary yet remain consistent."[16] RPGamer considered Aria of Sorrow one of the best games ever released for

the Game Boy Advance.[17]

In 2007 IGN ranked it as the second best Game Boy Advance game of all time. [57] Game Informer's Tim Turiranked it among the best Castlevania games on the Game Boy Advance. He praised its gameplay and visuals for

setting a standard for future Castlevania games.[58] GameZone ranked it as the seventh best Castlevania title and

the best of the Game Boy Advance Castlevania titles.[59]

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The gameplay, specifically the Tactical Soul system, was a frequent subject of acclaim amongst reviewers. RPGFancalled the Tactical Soul system "addictively [sic] fun", and GameSpot lauded the simplicity and depth of the

gameplay.[4][16] RPGamer considered the gameplay "one hundred percent solid," lauding the game's controls and

interaction with enemies, as well as the Tactical Soul system.[17] RPGFan asserted that the game had "a chance tobe the most revered installment of the series, hardly caught in the shadow of Symphony of the Night like its

predecessors."[16] The game's length and difficulty were brought into question by several reviewers. GameSpotnoted that a single play through the game would only last ten hours, and that the player grew "practically

unstoppable" over the course of the game.[4] RPGamer echoed this assessment, deriding the fact that the game

"never [offered] much of a challenge", but noted that the "simplistic fun" of the gameplay rectified this.[17]

The game's graphics and audio were widely praised by reviewers. RPGFan extolled the game's environments as"gorgeous and well layered," and noted while the game did not achieve the level of graphical quality set by

Symphony of the Night, it "made a damn good attempt at it."[16] GameSpy called the graphics "crisp, clear and

colorful," with "good animation on easily viewable sprites."[3] GameSpy additionally noted that the game's audio, aparticularly lambasted feature of Harmony of Dissonance, was "fitting and well-composed." Prior to the game's

release, IGN commented that the music was "pretty darn good."[45] GameSpot, although labeling the music as"mostly forgettable," noted that it was far better than the audio of Harmony of Dissonance, and celebrated the

individual audio used for enemies.[4]

In terms of storyline and characters, RPGamer welcomed the characters' depth, and the emphasis placed into thepersonalities and development of supporting characters, asserting that previous Castlevania games ignored the

development of the supporting characters in exchange for concentrating on the protagonist.[17] IGN called thegame's ending "incredibly unfulfilling and disappointing," but lauded the change from the conventional plot of aCastlevania game, in which a member of the Belmont clan defeats Dracula with the aid of a host of supporting

characters.[5] GameSpy criticized the presence of a "weak female who needs protection" and an "effeminate-looking man who does all the slaying" as stereotypical Castlevania elements, but noted that the "powerful and

compelling scenario" the game had was the best in the series since Symphony of the Night.[3]

Sequel and re-release

Due to the success of Aria of Sorrow, the production of Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, a rare sequel in the

Castlevania series, was announced on January 6, 2005.[60] In an interview, Koji Igarashi noted that he felt that theTactical Soul system used in Aria of Sorrow, as well as the storyline with Soma Cruz, were a waste to use in only

one game, and contributed to his desire to make a sequel.[13] As such, the Tactical Soul system was reintroduced inDawn of Sorrow, as well as several new developments, such as an anime character design, as Ayami Kojima was

not part of the production staff for Dawn of Sorrow.[9][61] Though Aria of Sorrow was successful, its sales figuresfailed to meet expectations and prompted the switch to anime-style designs. In 2005, Igarashi expressed a desire todevelop a game centered on the battle between Julius Belmont and Dracula, but commented that the project would

be dependent on available production time.[62] Aria of Sorrow was re-released in both Japan and in the United

States. On November 3, 2005, it was re-released as part of Konami's "Konami the Best" line in Japan.[1] Aria ofSorrow was re-released, along with Harmony of Dissonance, in the Castlevania: Double Pack in North

America on January 11, 2006.[10]

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19. ̂a b c Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: So...you

are trying to tell me now that Dracula has been resurrected? / Graham: No. Dracula perished in 1999. You do

know of the prophecy of 1999, don't you? / Soma: Nostradamus' great prophecy? / Graham: That's right.

Dracula resurrected exactly as he predicted. But vampire hunters destroyed him completely. They ended his

regeneration cycle by sealing his castle...the symbol of his demonic power, inside the darkness of an eclipse. /

Soma: And that eclipse is where we are now? / Graham: Yes, but there's still more to the story. / Soma: There's

more? / Graham: In the year 2035, a new master will come to the castle, and he will inherit ALL of Dracula's

powers."

20. ̂a b Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Julius: My real

name is JULIUS BELMONT. I am a descendant of a clan that has fought against Dracula for ages. / Soma: And

that person who destroyed Dracula in 1999 was... / Julius: Yes. It was me..."

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(http://web.archive.org/web/20041216040309/http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/castlevania-aria-of-

sorrow/5542p1.html). GameSpy. Archived from the original (http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-

advance/castlevania-aria-of-sorrow/5542p1.html) on 2004 12 16=.

22. ̂a b Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Arikado: So it

has awakened. / Soma: What? What has? / Arikado: The spirit of the creature you killed has just entered your

body. You have the power to absorb the abilities of the monsters you kill."

23. ̂a b Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: I live near

the Hakuba shrine, an ancient shrine with strong ties to Japanese mythology. Mina Hakuba, the only daughter of

the shrine's caretaker, is both my classmate and my only childhood friend.""

24. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: Arikado said

he'd put up a protective barrier...and while we're on the subject. Just who is Arikado?. / Mina: I'm not sure. I

heard he does something related to national intelligence."

25. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Yoko: You've met

Aluca... um, I mean, Genya Arikado right"

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26. ̂a b Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "J: I can't give you

my name, but people call me J." / Soma: People call you 'J'? Why hide your real name? Are you a criminal? / J:

No. I have amnesia. I'm told that I was in an accident in 1999. When I woke up in the hospital, I had forgotten my

name and my past."

27. ̂a b Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Graham: I was

born on the very day that Dracula was destroyed...so, in short, that means I AM DRACULA!"

28. ^ Bozon, Mark (2007-01-18). "IGN: Castlevania: The Retrospective"

(http://web.archive.org/web/20070121173204/http://ds.ign.com/articles/756/756726p9.html). IGN. Archived from

the original (http://ds.ign.com/articles/756/756726p9.html) on 2007-01-21.

29. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Arikado: Why have

you come here? / Soma: Why? Well, Mina and I...Hang on where are we? / Arikado: We're in Dracula's castle."

30. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: Is it true that

this is Dracula's castle? / Graham: It most certainly is. / Soma: But isn't Dracula's castle in Europe somewhere? /

Graham: In theory yes. But his TRUE castle exists somewhere else."

31. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Yoko: I'm not used

to being thanked by people. Oh I forgot to ask you. Have you seen a man named Graham? / Soma: Graham? Yes,

I met him earlier. / Yoko: Be wary of that man. I believe that he will inherit Dracula's powers. / Soma: No way!

He did not look like a bad guy. / Yoko: Right, and I've got a bridge to sell you! Don't be fooled by his appearance!

He's not who you think he is."

32. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Yoko: Oh, no...did I

say something...I...well...what's said is said. Essentially, you have the power to rule over and command monsters.

/ Soma: Rule over monsters? I have no desire to do that... / Yoko: It comes as naturally as breathing for you, so

you may not realize it yet. And although I called it a 'dark power' it doesn't mean its evil. It's like a weapon. Its user

decides whether to use it for good or evil."

33. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Hammer: I thought I

was inspecting a shrine. But suddenly I was in a castle. Don't ya think that's a mean thing to do to a guy? So I just

bailed on my mission. / Soma: What do you mean? / Hammer: There were a bunch of strange people gathered at

the shrine. I thought they'd be good customers, so I opened up a shop. / Soma: Ah...good for you... / Hammer:

There are weapons all over this castle and no monsters at the front gate. Good place for a shop! Come on by! I'll

give ya a good deal."

34. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Graham: I sense a

power within you. Do tell me...what kind of power has awoken within you? / Soma: ...The power to rule... /

Graham: WHAT?! You foolish boy! That's impossible! / Soma: HUH? / Graham: I can't remain here any longer.

I must get to the throne! Your name is Soma right? You are wrong Soma! I will not allow you to rule!"

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35. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Yoko: But it's better

this way. / Soma: What is? / Yoko: The fact that he sees you as an enemy means you're my comrade. / Soma:

Does it? / Yoko: What? You don't want to be on my side? / Soma: No...that's not what I meant... / Yoko: It's so

much fun to tease you. But this is not the time to be fooling around. Your presence here has thrown Graham into a

panic. This is our chance."

36. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: Graham that

bastard! What has he done?! / Yoko: He has...absorbed this castle's power...and he's gotten much stronger. Oww

ahh...my plan has...failed..."

37. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: Graham went

to the throne. What's there? What are you hiding from me?! / Arikado: I cannot say. You must go there yourself

and if you don't...you will lose Mina...and Yoko as well! Their fate is in your hands..."

38. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: You haven't

met a man named Graham yet, have you? / Julius: Graham? Uh, you mean that missionary right? I met him a little

while ago. But when he saw my face, he turned and ran. / Soma: He told me that he was Dracula. / Julius: I did

sense Dracula's powers at work within him... But it's difficult to believe that he's Dracula...rather...I think...No,

forget it. It is nothing more than a hunch."

39. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: I came here

to find a way out of this castle. / Graham: With my new abilities, I can get you out of here quite easily...You,

however, have some property of mine in your possession. The souls of MY demons are under YOUR control. Can

I forgive such a crime? NO! NEVER! / Soma: If I knew how, I'd return them all to you right here and now! /

Graham: Even if you return them, you have still committed the crime of stealing. Don't you know that? It's only

right that thieves receive the punishment they deserve. / Soma: You are one selfish bastard! / Graham: You're

guilty of grand theft. Therefore, I sentence you to death!"

40. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: Finally...I

clearly understand...everything. I am...Dracula."

41. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Arikado: The evil in

this spirit comes from those who seek chaos and destruction. So we need to cut off the source of the chaos

influencing the spirit. / Soma: Is that possible? / Arikado: This castle is a product of Dracula's magic. It's a

spiritual world. My point is this...a stream of chaos exists within this castle as well. There is a place where you,

Dracula, can go. That's where the chaos is!"

42. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Julius: I must

destroy Dracula at any cost. That is my destiny. / Soma: NO WAIT! I don't want to fight against you. / Julius:

Nothing you say will stop me! Prepare to die!"

43. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: You took it

easy on me. I could tell. The strength of a Belmont...No...the strength of a vampire hunter is greater than this. /

Julius: ...When I fought you, I felt the evil spirit within you. But there's more...I also sensed Soma's spirit. And

that's more than enough to stop me."

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44. ^ Konami (2003-05-06). Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow. Game Boy Advance. Konami Tokyo. "Soma: ...I've got a

favour to ask of you. / Julius: What is it? / Soma: From here. I will set off to fight against my own fate. If I lose

the battle...and I become reincarnation of evil, I want you to kill me. / Julius: ...I will...I promise."

45. ̂a b c IGN Staff (2003-01-16). "IGN: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow"

(http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/382/382951p1.html). IGN. Retrieved 2007-11-02.

46. ̂a b c "Previews: Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow". Game Informer (GameStop) (119): 71. March 2003.

47. ^ Ashby, Alicia; Wilde, Thomas (2005). "Fan Interview". Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Official Strategy Guide.

DoubleJump Publishing. p. 248. ISBN 0-9741700-7-0.

48. ̂a b Varanini, Giancarlo (2003-01-16). "Hands-onCastlevania: Aria of Sorrow"

(http://www.gamespot.com/gba/adventure/castlevaniaariaofsorrow/news.html?sid=2908967&mode=all).

GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-02.

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p=agg&sql=1:42501). Allgame. Retrieved 2008-06-16.

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(http://web.archive.org/web/20070617141640/http://www.eurogamer.net/game.php?game_id=2234). Eurogamer.

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51. ̂a b Wollenschlaeger, Alex (2003-04-25). "RPGamer > Japandemonium - Skank Now, Apocalypse Later"

(http://www.rpgamer.com/news/japan/aw042503.html). RPGamer. Retrieved 2008-01-10.

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advance/castlevania-aria-of-sorrow). Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-12-07.

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Rankings. Retrieved 2008-02-06.

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(http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/rpg/finalfantasy12/news.html?sid=6145598). GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-11-03.

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04-17.

58. ^ Turi, Tim (2012-04-04). "Ranking The Castlevania Bloodline"

(http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2012/04/04/ranking-the-castlevania-bloodline.aspx). Game

Informer. Retrieved 2013-12-05.

59. ^ Workman, Robert (2011-09-27). "Happy 25th Birthday Castlevania: The Ten Best Games in the Series"

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ds/castlevania/577802p1.html). GameSpy. Retrieved 2014-04-17.

5/6/2014 Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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External links

Official Aria of Sorrow site (http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/CV02/index.html) (Japanese)

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Castlevania:_Aria_of_Sorrow&oldid=607289577"

Categories: 2003 video games Castlevania games Game Boy Advance games

Side-scrolling role-playing video games Single-player-only video games Video games developed in Japan

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61. ^ Sheffield, Brandon (2005-08-15). "Gamasutra - Interview - "Whip Smart: Konami's Koji Igarashi On Mastering

Castlevania"" (http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20050815/sheffield_01.shtml). Gamasutra. Retrieved 2007-12-

18.

62. ^ Ashby, Alicia; Wilde, Thomas (2005). "Fan Interview". Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow Official Strategy Guide.

DoubleJump Publishing. pp. 249–250. ISBN 0-9741700-7-0.