Symphony of the Night (1997)
Today, we have more Metroidvanias than you can shake a stick at, and so many of them struggle to stand out from the crowd. When Symphony of the Night arrived on the scene in 1997, however, it made a very strong impression, in some ways redefining our collective notions of what was possible in the genre of 2D action games. Going in without pre-defined expectations, many players of the time–myself included–found ourselves absolutely astounded by the game’s richness and depth. Just when we thought the castle couldn’t possibly have more to give, we’d find our exploration rewarded yet again with still more areas, secrets, and bosses. For my money, the game’s second half may represent the single biggest surprise in all of gaming, a secret the likes of which may never be topped. — Carolyn Petit
