Is PSX Symphony of the Night still the definitive version?

[Retrogamer0001]

I still like the argument about playing a game on the original hardware for which is was intended to be played. Sure, it isn't always the case that the original is the best, but for a game with this kind of significance (it changed the way all further Castlevanias would be played), and popularity, I say stick with the PS1 release (hell, get the black label version while you're at it). I'm not saying don't try them all yourself and see what you prefer, but for my money, I'm going with an original release every time.

[Menegrothx]

If you REALLY want to play the original, emulation is always an option. It would be more accurate than a botched port (generally speaking) is the way I see it.

Yeah, I guess I could play it on an emulator and then buy the PC Engine version for my collection later on. It's one of the biggest reasons why I'm trying to get in to PC Engine/CD stuff anyways.

[isiolia]

That said I heard the PSP port is pretty good... however the original game is an unlockable after you beat the "enhanced graphics" version(!)

I don't think you need to actually beat it, right? Just collect the orb for it, same as you need to for SoTN. (quick Googling for this page describing unlocks).

Currently I'm leaning toward the PSP version of it (given that I already have it and it is unlocked), mostly because it will be nice to have another version of Maria. And it is on a handheld. And I probably will prefer to have it on Japanese with subtitles and it seems the PSP version allows this?

I can look up the funny original English dub on youtube later as well (I already saw the classic Prologue - it is indeed funny). That is I think the main advantage the PS1 version has.

Does anyone really see a major flaw in this strategy? Would it be best to run PS1 + Saturn, or even PS1+PSP version and why?

I would say to play the PSP version then see what you feel like doing. While I've only played/beaten the PS1 and PSP versions, most of the differences when actually playing through as Alucard are fairly minor. If it becomes a game you want to play a hundred times over, then decide which version you care for most.

[Ivo]

I can confirm that you don't need to beat the remake to get the originals unlocked, and it is not really very hard to get to either (you can rescue Maria and then use her to get the Discs).

Personally just having played both the remake and the original of Rondo, I really liked the remake more. The original graphics have their charm but the remake also looks very good (for example I prefer the Dogether of the original but the Dullahan of the remake). Similarly there are some parts where the original is harder (in general), and a few where the remake is harder (namely on some bosses, and on the hardest levels). I would say the easy parts are harder in the original and the hardest parts are harder in the remake, it more or less evens out unless you want to get 100% on the remake which I would say is harder enough in total to make a significant difference.

Currently I'm leaning toward the PSP version of it (given that I already have it and it is unlocked), mostly because it will be nice to have another version of Maria. And it is on a handheld. And I probably will prefer to have it on Japanese with subtitles and it seems the PSP version allows this?

I can look up the funny original English dub on youtube later as well (I already saw the classic Prologue - it is indeed funny). That is I think the main advantage the PS1 version has.

Does anyone really see a major flaw in this strategy? Would it be best to run PS1 + Saturn, or even PS1+PSP version and why?

I would say to play the PSP version then see what you feel like doing. While I've only played/beaten the PS1 and PSP versions, most of the differences when actually playing through as Alucard are fairly minor. If it becomes a game you want to play a hundred times over, then decide which version you care for most.

Yes, I'm thinking that minor differences such as some bugs being fixed or not and general difficulty level to not matter to me (I expect either the "Japanese" difficulty and the "American" one to be quite easy anyway, SotN is reputedly quite on the easy side). The dub as I say would be a more significant difference but I think I can look up those on youtube or something.

Ivo.

[Ivo]

I finished the PSP (yesterday) and Saturn (today) with Alucard.
I'm being a bit vague to avoid any spoilers.

As expected the difficulty level was on the easy side (with both).

In both versions, the 2nd half of the game seemed much better balanced for difficulty. The 1st half of the game quickly became trivially easy with only a very small number of enemies (usually bosses) capable of posing a credible threat to Alucard. It bothers me that I could defeat bosses (and have lots of HP to spare at the end) by basically just attacking and not needing to worry much (if at all) about dodging attacks. That applied to basically every boss in the 1st half with 2 or 3 exceptions.

Because it was my first go at it and I guess I backtracked (and leveled) more in the PSP version, I noticed this more, but I wasn't intentionally grinding and it also was the case in the Saturn version, so I think it is fair to claim this is a real design issue the game has. I don't know if the difficulty being too low was partly intended to establish Alucard as a hugely powerful character, but balancing the game properly is more important than such narrative considerations (and he would still be destroying legions of monsters anyway, so it is not like having proper balance would pass him off as a powerless wimp).

The 2nd half requires less backtracking to uncover all of it, so it is easier to balance for someone that isn't intentionally grinding at least. I don't know if it was due to that or not while it was still on the easy side, the better balance made it far more satisfying to play through it.

In any case, I played a few Castlevania GBA and DS games of this type before, and I remember those having far better balance throughout.

There were parts where the Saturn version appeared easier but one of the last fights of the first half was quite differently and for me a good bit harder on the Saturn.

Another fight that seemed different and harder on the Saturn was the toughest boss: a big guy in the very top of the 2nd half. In the PSP version I defeated this boss hitting the legs, but in the Saturn I got only 1 damage by hitting the legs, and needed to consistently hit the head (much harder) to get real damage in. It was particularly noticeable as this boss can take ridiculous amounts of damage compared to any other boss.

The Japanese voice acting seemed to be better quality than the remade version on the PSP, but I felt the PSP was quite decent and I could follow the (serious) story. From what I saw in youtube, hilarious and memorable as it may have been, the voice acting in the PS1 version does not fit the game "properly" (I mean the tone of the game). I think Konami did well to remake it for this "definite" version that ties it closely together with the official English version of Rondo. I think they kept the original dub in the XBox live version, so people which have nostalgia for the ridiculous version (which does have memorable lines) have that as a good alternative option. I'm glad the PSP option exists with another English dub with a different tone.

Ivo.

[Betamax001]

The only reason I have the XBLA version is because it came free when I got a copy of Lords of Shadow. I haven't played it in forever though. I wish the coupon was for either PS3 or XBLA, though that doesn't really make sense to include a PSN game with a 360 game now does it?