Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

The System

Here I pretend to explain how the game works. But it's still in progress...

Your objective in the game is to find out why did the Castle appeared and to destroy it. In the process, you'll find various types of enemies between animals, undead, demons, ghosts and beasts. When you defeat an enemy, you get EXP and it may drop items like 'Hearts' (necessary to use sub-weapons), GOLD (used at the Master Librarian shop to buy items) or a rare item which may be GOLD, a sub-weapon, a equipment or a [use] item (that can be used only once).

Accumulating a specific amount of EXP, Alucard gains a Level. When it happens, his attributes grow and Alucard gets more powerful.

Attributes

LV:(Level) Represents the evolution level of the character. Attribute which best represents his power.
HP:(Hit Points/Health Power) It's the vital energy, represents the amount of damage the character can withstand. The damage taken is deducted from HP. It may be restored using items, spells or entering a 'Save Orb'. When the character gets much damage and his HP reaches zero, he dies.
MP:(Magic Points/Mind Power) It's the mental energy. Necessary to use spells. Each spell requires a specific amount of MP to be realized. For each executed spell, its respective amount of MP is deducted. After consumed, MP slowly regenerates within time or may be instantly restored using a Manna Prism or entering a 'Save Orb'. When Alucard's MP is completely restored, a blue aura is emitted from his body. If Alucard don't have enough MP for a spell, it can't be executed.
STR:(Strength) It's added to the ATT of weapons to calculate the damage done by Physical attacks. When Alucard is unarmed, the damage done by his attack is equal the difference between his STR and enemy's DEF.
CON:(Constitution) The character's resistance. Determines the defense and the effect time of curses and poisoning. The amount of DEF is influenciated by this attribute.
INT:(intelligence) Determines the damage inflicted by spells and 'Sub-Weapons'.
LCK:(Luck) Determines the chances to find items and realize 'Critical Attacks', which when occur, causes double damage.
ATT:(Attack) Determines the damage an attack can cause. An attack with a weapon is equal the weapon's ATT added to the character STR and some ATT bonus from other equipment.
DEF:(Defense) Represents the ability to resist damage. Each DEF point nulls one enemy's ATT point. Is equal the sum of the DEF of all armors and DEF bonus given by CON.

Menu Screen

This picture is from Alucard's status screen'. It shows his condition and attributes.
Point to the fields to view its description.

Character Picture. Character Name. Level: Represents the evolution level of the character. Attribute which best represents his power. Actual Level: Represents the actual evolution level of the character. HP (Hit Points/Health Power): It's the vital energy, represents the amount of damage the character can withstand. When the character get much damage and his HP reaches zero, he dies. Current HP: Represents the current amount of HP the character have. Max HP: Represents the maximum amount of HP the character can have. Status: Inform the current condition the character is like: 'Poison', 'Stone', 'Curse' etc. MP (Magic Points/Mind Power): It's the mental energy. Necessary to use spells. Each spell requires a specific amount of MP to be executed. Current MP: Represents the current amount of MP the character have. Max MP: Represents the maximum amount of HP the character can have. Hearts: Necessary to use 'Sub-Weapons' like 'Dagger', 'Axe', 'Holy-water', etc. Each 'Sub-Weapon' requires a specific amount of 'Hearts' to be used. Current Hearts: Represents the current amount of 'Hearts' the character have. Max Hearts: Represents the maximum amount of HP the character can have. STR (Strength): Added to ATT to calculate damage done by physical attacks. Base STR: Informs the strength (and the ATT) of the character without equipment. STR Bonus: Informs the strength bonus from equipment and relics. CON (Constitution): The character's resistance. Determines the defense and the effect time of curses and poisoning. Base CON: Informs the constitution of the character without equipment. CON Bonus: Informs the constitution bonus from equipment and relics. INT (intelligence): Determines the damage inflicted by spells and 'Sub-Weapons'. Base INT: Informs the intelligence of the character without equipment. INT Bonus: Informs the intelligence bonus from equipment and relics. LCK (Luck): Determines the chances to find items and realize 'Critical Attacks'. Base LCK: Informs the luck of the character without equipment. LCK Bonus: Informs the luck bonus from equipment and relics. EXP (Experience): Acumulating a specific amount of EXP, Alucard gains a level. When it happens, your attributes grow and Alucard gets more powerful. Current EXP: The current battle experience the character have. Next: The amount of EXP necessary to reach the next level. Current Next: The current amount of EXP necessary to reach the next level.. Gold: Symphony of the Night currency. Necessary to buy items at Librarian's Shop. Current Gold: Informs the current amount of Gold the character have. ATT (Attack): Determines the damage a attack can cause. Right ATT: Informs the damage the right hand attack causes. Left ATT: Informs the damage the left hand attack causes. DEF (Defense): Represents the ability to resist damage. Each DEF point nulls one enemy's ATT point. Current DEF: Informs the current amount of defense the character have. Rooms: The number of "screens" visited in within the Castle. Current Rooms: Informs the current amount of "screens" visited in within the Castle. Kills: Number of enemies killed. Current Kills: Informs the current number of enemies killed. Time: Game Time. Current Time: Informs the current Game Time.
Menu Screen

When Alucard gains a level, some of his attributes growth randomly. STR, CON, INT and LCK, can rise by 0, 1 or 2 points, however, if one of them rises 2, the others will rise 0. The other attribute that grows randomly is the MP which rises 4 or 5 points. So the best results for a level up are STR, CON, INT and LCK to rise 1 point and MP to rise by 5. Hearts always rises 2 and HP rises as described in the next table along with the amount of EXP necessary to reach each level.


Alucard Spells

This is the list of the spells Alucard can execute. (A red arrow means you have to hold the button for a second.)

SPELLDESCRIPTIONMPCOMMAND
Summon SpiritSummons a fierce spirit5Summons a spirit which chases enemies.
Dark MetamorphosisHeal HP by shedding blood10Alucard is involved by a red aura allowing him to temporarily absorb enemy's blood.
HellfireTeleport and fireball attack15Like his father, Alucard teleports and cast three fireballs or two bigger ones if you hold [up]. It's possible to control the teleportation and to cancel the attack if you hold [down].
Tetra SpiritSummons four spirits20Similar to 'Summon Spirit' but summoning four spirits.
Soul StealSteals HP from nearby enemies50Damages all enemies and restores 8 HP for each hit.
Wing SmashPowerful attack by Wolf8Hold [X], make the command and release. Fly quickly as Bat hitting all enemies in his path.
Wolf ChargePowerful attack by Bat10Runs quickly as wolf hitting all enemies in his path.
Sword BrothersSummons Sword Brothers30Made by the 'Sword Familiar'. Damages all enemies.

Richter Skills

This is the list of Richter Belmont Skills.

SKILLDESCRIPTIONCOMMAND
Brandish WhipControls the whip freelyUse the 'Vampire Killer' to attack in directions normal attack can't and can be used to shield Richter from projectiles.
BackflipExecutes a somersaultJump and while Richter is raising, press jump again.
Hyper JumpMake a high uppercut with a short swordCan be made in mid air.
Blade DashAir dash and short sword slashIt's possible to do another jump after this skill. Can be made in mid air.
SlideSlide and kicks ground enemiesPress jump again, and the slide will turn into a flying kick.

Enemies only have the attributes LV, HP, STR and DEF. These are fixed numbers assuming they don't gain level. Some enemies can have multiple parts with different attributes, can also have weapons and special moves which add damage to his STR when it touches your character
The attack, from enemies and controllable characters, can have the following effects indicated by the respective colors: HIT, CUT, FIR, ICE, THU, HOL, DRK, STN, PSN and CUR. The last three causes status ailments. (there's also a H2O element but there aren't any attack based on it ¬¬).

Status Ailments

Alucard can suffer from the following effects when hit by some special attacks from enemies.

Stone:Alucard turns into stone (sometimes takes a gargoyle form). Quickly Tap the D-pad to break free. A Hammer can be used to do it instantly, but Alucard can't use it on himself; it can only be used by the Faerie Familiar.
Poison:Alucard is poisoned and his attack and defense power is halved for a period inversely proportional to his CON. Use a AntivenomAntivenom to instantly neutralize the poison.
Curse:Alucard is taken by a curse which prevents him to attack (but he can still use spells and 'Sub-Weapons') for a period inversely proportional to his CON. Use a Uncurse to instantly break the curse.

Resistances

The enemies may be strong or immune to some kind of attacks and may absorb others while some equipment makes Alucard resistant, immune or allow him to absorb damage done by attcks based on some elements.

Weak:The damage done by an attack based on the element which the character is weak against is doubled.
Strong:The damage done by an attack based on the element which the character is strong against is halved.
Immune:The Attack based on the element which the character is immune is guarded.
Absorb:The damage done by an attack based on the element which the character absorbs is converted to HP ignoring DEF.

Shield Combos

When Alucard equips Shield rod or Mablung Sword together with a shield and Square + Circle is pressed, a summoning of the shield's powersd is realized.
This is the list of the effects of the summoning effects from each shield.

SHIELD COMBODESCRIPTIONMP
Alucart shield combo - ?Alucart shield?10
Leather shield combo - Raises DEF by 20 for nearly 60 seconds.Leather shieldTemporarily raises DEF by 2010
Medusa shield combo - Medusa Head casts rays from the eyes which damages enemies. ATT 0 (HIT).Medusa shieldCast rays which damages enemies on the screen30
Knight shield combo - Raises ATT by 20 for nearly 60 seconds.Knight shieldTemporarily raises ATT by 2010
Iron shield combo - Summons a giant knight who throws huge swords causing massive damage to enemies. ATT 40 (HIT)Iron shieldSummons a knight who throws huge swords20
AxeLord shield combo - Summons an Axe Knight who attacks the first enemy he finds in its way. ATT 20 (HIT).AxeLord shieldSummons an Axe Knight20
Dark shield combo - Summons a evil head who attacks with meteors damaging all enemies. ATT 30 (HIT).Dark shieldSummons meteors which damages all enemies30
Goddess shield combo - Gives protection against dark attacks for nearly 60 seconds.Goddess shieldBrief protection against Dark40
Shaman shield combo - Raises INT by 20 for nearly 60 seconds.Shaman shieldTemporarily raises INT by 2010
Skull shield combo - Summons a pile of skulls which fires a powerful beam. ATT 100 (HIT)Skull shieldSummons skulls which fires a powerful beam40
Fire shield combo - Summons fire salamanders inspired in the Gradius game which wander on the screen damaging enemies. ATT 70 (FIR).Fire shieldSummons fire salamanders50
Herald shield combo - Grants protection against Fire and Thunder for nearly 60 seconds.Herald shieldBrief protection against fire and thunder10
Alucard shield combo - Confers to Alucard shield the ability to recover 8 HP, 1 'Heart', create a invulnerability time of 3 seconds and cause 255 damage (HIT) when it touch any target.Alucard shieldSummons the power of all shields20


2006 - 2009 Deixadilson - Adilson Adeodato Azevedo
deixadilson@yahoo.com.br