《月下夜想曲》是《惡魔城》系列歷史上的轉折點，既是《惡魔城 Dracula X 血之輪迴》的直接續篇，也是重新定義系列玩法的一作。雖然形式上仍屬動作遊戲，但本作加入大量RPG要素，讓玩家在龐大的惡魔城中自由探索、升級、蒐集、解謎，建立後來為人熟知的「類銀河惡魔城（Metroidvania）」標準模式。

主角是粉絲熟悉的阿魯卡多。他初次登場於FC《惡魔城傳說》，在《月下夜想曲》中以截然不同、更為冷峻華麗的形象重新亮相。他的血統特殊，是吸血鬼獵人與吸血鬼的混血，前作中也曾與貝爾蒙多家族並肩作戰。這次他的覺醒，象徵著惡魔城再次復甦，也揭開新的陰謀序幕。

故事發生在《血之輪迴》五年後。上一作的英雄里希特·貝爾蒙多在那場戰役後再次踏入傳說，但不久後便離奇失蹤。就在此時，本應消滅的惡魔城突然重現於夜色之中。為了尋找失蹤的義兄，馬利亞·拉內德獨自前往惡魔城，而同時，在沉眠深處的阿魯卡多感受到黑暗氣息，也從長眠中甦醒。他心知父親—德古拉伯爵—的力量不應再出現，於是展開新的旅程，追尋惡魔城背後的異變。

故事雖然不複雜，但透過零散的對話、劇情觸發點與場景氛圍堆疊，塑造出濃厚的哥德式悲劇感。阿魯卡多面對血脈、命運與身分的掙扎，也是系列中最具魅力的敘事核心之一。

玩法將橫向動作、RPG 成長系統與大型迷宮式地圖融合。玩家從阿魯卡多弱小的基礎狀態出發，透過擊倒敵人獲得經驗、蒐集武器、防具、戒指、披風、護符等裝備，並習得魔法指令與變身能力，使探索能力逐步提升。

整體操作十分靈活，除了基本的跳躍、攻擊、滑步外，還有需要「格鬥遊戲式」指令輸入的魔法招式，例如火球衝擊、劍技或吸血攻擊，並能變身成狼、蝙蝠、霧氣等形態，使移動與戰鬥都更加立體。每種武器類型—單手劍、雙手劍、杖、拳套等—皆有不同手感與攻擊方式，有些甚至具備特殊指令招式，讓每一次取得新武器都像開到新角色般新鮮。

SS版本與PS版本在內容上略有差異。SEGA Saturn版追加新地帶（如地下花園）、額外道具與可操作角色馬利亞，但SS 版存在運行速度較慢與讀取問題，因此評價不如PS版高。本作的風格完全擺脫早期略帶陽剛冒險感的形象，而是以細膩的哥德式美學重新包裝。小島文美的角色設計成為本作的象徵，柔美、蒼白、神秘的筆觸讓阿魯卡多成為系列史上最受粉絲崇拜的主角之一，也為之後整個《惡魔城》系列奠定美術基調。

背景與像素美術極為精緻，從禮拜堂、地下墓地、時鐘塔到華麗的王座間，場景密度與質感遠超同時期許多 2D 遊戲。音樂則由山根ミチル主導，曲風涵蓋哥德、古典、爵士、搖滾與電子等多樣風格，既契合場景又極具旋律性。許多曲目常年名列「最佳遊戲音樂」榜單，是遊戲魅力的重要部分。

本作的惡魔城是一座巨大的迷宮，地圖可逐步填滿。透過找到新能力來開拓更多區域，從而解鎖遺跡、隱藏房間與寶物室。中期的「上下顛倒的逆城」更是本作最經典的驚喜之一。當玩家以為旅程將近尾聲，其實只是整座城的前半，後半則以倒置形態呈現，難度與威脅提升，使探索深度加倍。

此外，能蒐集掉落物、食物、武器、防具，甚至能養成「使魔（Familiar）」作為同伴，它們會自動攻擊、回復、探索，甚至隨等級提升而變得更可靠。怪物圖鑑也增加收集樂趣，若要完成所有掉落品，更是一場漫長的蒐集挑戰。遊戲破關後，可輸入特殊名稱進入不同模式，例如以里希特·貝爾蒙多作為操作角色，以高速機動技、無限空中連段等誇張能力進行爽快的純動作模式。其他特殊名稱則能以弱化的阿魯卡多開始遊戲，或持有奇特裝備，如巨大的戰斧盔甲等。不同模式提供豐富耐玩性，也成為速通玩家的最愛。

SS版本還追加可操作馬利亞，以完全不同的戰鬥風格進行遊戲，範圍更廣、魔法更豐富，雖然平衡度不高，但十分有趣。敵人數量超過140種，許多都取材自世界神話與傳說。敵人行為模式極具特色，有些巨大得超出一個畫面，有些成雙成對會互相呼應，有些甚至有驚人火力或突然使出大招，讓玩家始終保持緊張。例如「骸骨光束兵」能突發超威力光束，而著名的「軍團（Legion）」則是一個由數百具屍體纏繞而成的球體，既驚悚又壯觀。敵人死亡動畫各有巧思，有些爆散、有些消失於黑洞般的裂縫，令人印象深刻。

上市初期銷量並不算爆炸性，但隨著口碑發酵逐漸成為PS時代的經典之作。它徹底改變《惡魔城》系列的設計方向，而後十多年內的系列作幾乎都採用此種「探索型動作 RPG」結構，被普遍視為類銀河惡魔城的範例作品之一。在玩家與評論家間，本作通常被視為系列最佳或前三名。美術、音樂、操作手感與探索樂趣皆獲高度讚賞。雖然也有玩家批評其難度偏低、里希特的劇情處理偏弱，或部分美術風格太過個人化，但整體評價仍十分正面。SS 版因性能限制遭受批評，但額外內容仍讓收藏家非常珍惜。

《惡魔城 X：月下夜想曲》不只是優秀的2D動作RPG，而是改變整個遊戲界的里程碑。它以精緻美學、深度探索、自由成長與驚人的耐玩度，重塑《惡魔城》系列，並深刻影響之後無數獨立與商業作品。無論在PS或SS平台，本作至今仍被視為最值得重玩的經典之一。

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night marks a major turning point in the history of the Castlevania series. It serves both as a direct sequel to Castlevania: Dracula X – Rondo of Blood and as a reinvention of the franchise’s gameplay philosophy. While still fundamentally an action game, it incorporates extensive RPG elements, allowing players to freely explore, level up, collect items, and solve puzzles within the vast labyrinth of Dracula’s Castle. This combination established what would later become widely known as the “Metroidvania” formula.

The protagonist is Alucard, a character well-known to fans. After first appearing in the Famicom title Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, he returns in Symphony of the Night with a completely redesigned appearance—colder, more elegant, and visually striking. Born of a vampire hunter and a vampire, his mixed heritage sets him apart, and in earlier titles he fought alongside the Belmont clan. His awakening in this game signals the castle’s revival and the beginning of a new conspiracy.

The story takes place five years after Rondo of Blood. Richter Belmont, the hero of the previous game, vanished under mysterious circumstances not long after his legendary victory. At the same time, Dracula’s Castle—supposed to have been destroyed—reemerges beneath the night sky. To search for her missing foster brother, Maria Renard ventures into the castle alone. Deep within his slumber, Alucard senses a surge of darkness and awakens as well, knowing that the power of his father, Count Dracula, must never return. Thus he begins a new journey to uncover the source of the disturbance behind the castle’s rebirth.

Though the narrative itself is not overly complex, scattered dialogues, event triggers, and atmospheric staging come together to create a strong sense of gothic tragedy. Alucard’s struggle with lineage, fate, and identity remains one of the most compelling storytelling themes in the entire series.

Gameplay blends side-scrolling action with RPG growth mechanics and a large, maze-like map. Alucard begins in a weakened state, gradually becoming stronger as players defeat enemies for experience and collect weapons, armor, rings, cloaks, talismans, and other equipment. He also learns magical input commands and gains transformation abilities that steadily enhance his exploration options.

The controls are exceptionally fluid. Beyond basic jumping, attacking, and sliding, Alucard can execute magic techniques that use fighting-game-style inputs—such as fireball bursts, sword arts, or vampiric attacks—and transform into a wolf, bat, or mist. These abilities add layers of mobility and combat variation. Each weapon type—one-handed swords, greatswords, staves, fists, and more—has its own feel and method of attack, with some even featuring command-based special moves. Acquiring new equipment often feels like discovering an entirely new playstyle.

There are notable differences between the Saturn and PlayStation versions. The SEGA Saturn release adds new areas (such as the Underground Garden), extra items, and Maria as a playable character, though its slower performance and long loading times result in a less favorable reputation compared to the PS version.

Aesthetically, the game abandons the early series’ somewhat rugged adventure style and replaces it with refined gothic elegance. Ayami Kojima’s character designs define the identity of the game; her delicate, pale, and mysterious illustrations turned Alucard into one of the most beloved characters in the franchise and reshaped the artistic direction of all future Castlevania titles.

The backgrounds and pixel art are remarkably detailed—from chapels and catacombs to clock towers and ornate throne rooms—showcasing a level of craftsmanship far beyond most 2D games of its era. The soundtrack, composed by Michiru Yamane, spans gothic, classical, jazz, rock, and electronic styles, all highly melodic and perfectly matched to each environment. Many tracks are consistently ranked among the greatest video game music of all time.

Dracula’s Castle itself is a massive labyrinth whose map is gradually filled in through exploration. By acquiring new abilities, players unlock new zones, hidden rooms, and treasure chambers. The mid-game revelation of the “Inverted Castle” remains one of the series’ most iconic surprises—just when players believe the adventure is nearly over, they discover that the entire game has only reached its halfway point. The inverted second half doubles the scale and increases difficulty, adding tremendous depth to the exploration experience.

Players can also collect item drops, food, weapons, armor, and develop Familiars—companions that attack, heal, or assist automatically and become more useful as they level up. The monster encyclopedia adds further collection incentive, and completing every item drop is a long-term challenge.

After finishing the game, players can enter special names to unlock alternate modes. One allows Richter Belmont to become a playable character, emphasizing blisteringly fast movement and high-powered action with infinite aerial chains. Others provide weakened versions of Alucard or special starting equipment, such as the massive Axe Armor set. These modes offer substantial replay value and are particularly popular among speedrunners.

The Saturn version’s addition of Maria as a playable character introduces a completely different combat style—faster, flashier, and more magical. Though not well balanced, it is highly entertaining.

The game features over 140 enemy types, many inspired by myths and legends from around the world. Their behaviors are distinct: some are larger than the screen itself, some operate in pairs, and others unleash devastating attacks with little warning. They keep players constantly on edge. The “Beam Skeleton” can unexpectedly fire an incredibly powerful laser, while the infamous “Legion” is a massive sphere composed of hundreds of bodies—both horrifying and visually spectacular. Death animations are varied and stylish, from explosive disintegration to collapsing into black voids.

Although initial sales were modest, the game gradually became a PlayStation-era classic through word of mouth. It fundamentally changed the direction of the Castlevania franchise, and nearly every entry produced over the following decade adopted its exploration-focused action RPG structure. It is widely regarded as one of the defining works of the Metroidvania genre.

Among players and critics, Symphony of the Night is frequently considered the best—or one of the top three—entries in the entire series. Its art, music, controls, and exploration depth are consistently praised. While some note its relatively low difficulty, or critique Richter’s limited story presence and certain subjective aspects of the art style, the overall reception remains overwhelmingly positive. The Saturn version faces criticism for technical limitations, though its exclusive content makes it valuable to collectors.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is not merely an excellent 2D action RPG—it is a landmark that reshaped the entire gaming landscape. With its refined aesthetic, deep exploration, open-ended growth, and remarkable replay value, it redefined the Castlevania legacy and deeply influenced countless indie and mainstream titles that followed. Even today, on either PS or SS platforms, it is widely regarded as one of the most replayable classics ever made.