“Prologue” from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, by Michiru Yamane and released in 1997.

This piece has so many aspects that I’ve loved from music throughout my life: Music, 80s guitar, Romantic Era-esque arpeggios overtop of thick choral and string chords… it’s like my whole musical career wrapped into one piece.  All it needs are cadential resolutions to IVadd9 chords and we’ll be set.

(I really, really need to stop using that cadence).

When I had a PS1, it wasn’t really cool to have a PS1 anymore.  I’ve always been painfully behind on the times.  I finally picked it up when I was in university in 2002 (about five years after its release) and, after hearing SO much about this game, the disc was scratched.  That’s what I get for picking it up second-hand.

In 2006, I tried again.  My PS1 had since brokedown, but I acquired another copy of the disc, so I thought that I would rip the disc image and play it on my Mac.  I mean, I purchased it legally, I just wanted to play it! Then my gamepad screwed up and Alucard would keep walking left… no matter which direction I tried to make him go.  A broken analog stick, you see…

Then finally in 2009 (I think), the Dracula X Chronicles came out with an unlockable feature of Symphony of the Night.  I really had to work to unlock it… many an hour put into this venture.

But it was worth it: I finally got it.   And I loved it.  Ugh, Metroidvania makes me so happy…

And Alucard is just so awesome 🙂

Okay, this is getting too long.  Please play this game.  Hopefully you’ll have better luck getting it to work than I did!

Happy VGM Wednesday… err, Thursday,
Kenley