KnockBack, Episode 36: Castlevania (Symphony of the Night) (Patreon)

For a decade, Castlevania fans knew their beloved series as something traditional. You'd go through a stage full of bad guys, you'd fight a boss at the end, and you'd move on to the next level, where you'd do it all again. But then, in 1997, Symphony of the Night came to PlayStation (and Saturn!), and changed the formula forever. Widely considered one of the very best games ever created, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night took influence not only from Castlevania II: Simon's Quest on NES, but Super Metroid on SNES, and fused RPG and non-linear elements with the atmosphere, characters, and story Castlevania fans were so familiar with. The result was -- and is -- something totally unforgettable. So let's take some time and talk about Alucard's famous adventure, one he undertakes on behalf of a family hellbent on killing his own father.