Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is an action RPG released in 1997 by Konami for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn. Directed and produced by Toru Hagihara, with Koji Igarashi as assistant director, the game serves as a direct continuation of Castlevania: Rondo of Blood, taking place four years later. Players take on the role of Alucard, Dracula’s half-human son, who awakens from his slumber to investigate the reappearance of Dracula’s castle following the mysterious disappearance of Richter Belmont.

Breaking away from the linear structure of earlier titles in the series, Symphony of the Night reintroduced open-ended exploration, nonlinear level design, and RPG mechanics—elements that had previously appeared in Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest.

Although its initial launch saw modest sales, the game grew in popularity over time thanks to strong word-of-mouth. It eventually achieved cult status and went on to sell more than 700,000 copies in Japan and the U.S. Critics widely praised the game’s innovative mechanics, immersive atmosphere, detailed visuals, and memorable soundtrack, although some noted shortcomings in its voice acting.

Today, Symphony of the Night is regarded as one of the greatest video games ever made. It helped define the “Metroidvania” genre—named in part after it—and influenced a generation of exploration-driven action games. Its legacy shaped the future of the Castlevania series, with many later titles adopting its gameplay style.