Konami developed and published Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on March 20, 1997, first for the PlayStation and later for the Sega Saturn. It is a main entry in the Castlevania franchise, and it hands the whip to the dhampir Alucard, who storms Dracula’s castle alone to put his own bloodline to rest. What he finds is a vast, labyrinthine keep whose every corridor hides something hungry.

The game is remembered as the work that fused action platforming with role-playing growth, giving birth to the style fans simply call Metroidvania. Explorers gather experience, weapons and relics, and the castle only opens for those patient enough to learn its secrets. Its atmosphere, soundtrack and inverted second half are spoken of to this day, and it set the shape of Castlevania for years to come.