Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Areas 2 | chapelofresonance.com

Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow Areas Continued

Clock Tower

his is my favorite Clock Tower of the series. Cool blues and grays are washed over everything, producing a lunar ambience. The actual design of the place is undoubtedly the most demanding of the game - enemies crowd almost every room, as do the well-known cogs and spikes. Part of the tower is reserved for a recondite water system that could possibly be powering some of the gears.

The overall layout is quite linear, yet still dizzyingly winding. A variety of helpful items can be found here, if the player is willing to risk extra danger. Death awaits Soma at the highest position, right in front of the clock's face.

Aria's Clock Tower succeeds wonderfully in giving the feeling of "clockwork." A myriad of things are all working towards some end, and you're caught up in the motion.

KCET's team does a great job on implementing animalistic statuary in
their games. I can only imagine how imposing these would actually be.

Like the top of the spires in Symphony's Royal Chapel, the Clock Tower's annexes provide a history to the castle with objects jutting out of the randomly stacked boxes.

The serene backdrop belies the ironic struggle going on between the unknowing Death and his reincarnated master. Dracula's throne room can be seen to the right.

The winding staircase to the left isn't interactive - yet it provides an extra dimension that makes going up the wooden platforms a more palpable event.

Enemies:

Bomber Armor
Medusa Head
Needles
Lightning Doll
Valkyrie
Gremlin
Harpy
Devil
Siren
Great Armor
Disc Armor
Golem

Boss:

Death

Music Track:

Clock Tower

Underground Reservoir

Below the castle, as some of the ones before it had, there exists a massive cavern, rich with tributaries, waterfalls, luminescent tunnels, and creatures that thrive in darker locations. The one here, though, happens to have much evidence of prior usage. The natural formations are melded with artificially crafted mazes and innumerable aqueducts. Switching between the Skula and Undine souls will be heavily required to move on top of and underneath water. The Reservoir is one of the two areas that doesn't contain a boss - might there be something lurking even deeper below?

Judging from the backdrop, this is the most expansive cave yet. There's no music here - only the crashing sound of the waterfall. What a view!

A breakable wall at the bottom of a deeply submerged shaft originally blocked this gorgeous, aquatic cave. Its edges shimmer from the light of the frigid, glowing water.

With no one to guide them, a seemingly never-ending number of boats follow the courses of water in this massive room to their doom. Pesky imps will hamper your progress if you don't take care of them.

Platforming your way up this chamber could be a challenge, as it is host to a swarm of Medusa Heads, Mermen, and a rather powerful demon.

The fossil of an ancient creature can be made out in the distance. Cylindrical structures line this natural corridor, holding torches with buffeted flames in the weird brightness.

Enemies:

Tiny Devil
Bat
Skeleton
Killer Fish
Merman
Needles
Man-Eater
Cagnazzo
Ukoback
Giant Worm
Nightmare
Une
Slime
Mandragora
Arc Demon
Medusa Head
Dead Crusader
Triton
Fish Head
Imp
Flesh Golem
Une
Big Golem
Disc Armor
Gorgon
Sky Fish
Poison Worm
Gargoyle
Dryad

Music Track:

Underground Reservoir

Underground Cemetery

In the vein of SotN, the Cemetery is a bunch of catacombs below the cavernous environments. Here, you'll be treated to the biggest lead-up to a boss fight in the game – endless streams of the undead march towards the center of the place, where the persistent Legion awaits your presence. Despite its simplicity, the area's sparse, delicate touches are rather arresting, and at the same time almost slumberous. The Cemetery is optional for basic progress, but you'll need to go here if you want to 100% the quest.

The Cemetery begins with a beautiful crystalline hallway. The rare Flame Demon guards the entrance to this entombment chamber.

The uncanny room where Legion is encountered reminds me of some of the abnormal settings in Harmony of Dissonance.

Again, I'm reminded of Harmony. This is sort of reminiscent to the elevator shaft found in HoD's Castle Top Floor.

Maniacal, murderous Rippers overrun one of the corridors here.

The ultimate prize for braving the deepest portion of Castlevania is the silver Galamoth soul, which allows Soma invulnerability to time freezing.

The Arena

Far beneath the Castle Corridor is the Arena. It is a mostly brown area that is obviously a derivative of Symphony of the Night's Coliseum. It seems that the Castlevania development teams were quite fond of that area, because each of the Gameboy Advance Castlevania games have something that is an offshoot of it.

This area features large rooms with colossal weapons in the backdrop, most likely meant for ornamental purposes. There are also blood-splattered torture chambers, and a series of demanding rooms that will test the mettle of whomever walks through them. Only the most hardened, skillful warriors will reap the rewards that wait after the trials.

A battered trolley-like elevator rests dormant and stuck in a vertical shaft.

This is a familiar setting within Castlevania. Here is where the Lord and his guests watch bloody conflicts between warriors for sadistic entertainment.

What appear to be inanimate statues are possessed by some sort of spirit, and will attack any trespassers.

Gruesome rooms lined with bloody weapons and booby traps contain many valuable prizes for those who are able to withstand the tests.

Out of all of Count Dracula's champions, perhaps Balore is the fiercest.

Enemies:

Gargoyle
Beam Skeleton
Dead Crusader
Killer Mantle
Skull Millione
Gladiator
Weretiger
Bael
Giant Skeleton
Succubus
Lilith
Red Minotaur
Lubicant
Erinys
Medusa Head
Arc Demon

Boss:

Balore

Music Track:

The Purgatory Arena

Forbidden Area

The Forbidden Area is a secret treasure trove that is hiding below the Castle, linking with other subterranean areas like Underground Reservoir and the Study. This place is like a sodden grotto with its glowing, muddy passageways and innumerable cascades flowing incessantly in the far scenery. Much of the area is submerged, and Soma will have to work his way through underwater pathways to later arise in other areas with more ill-gotten gains to be had. This whole section is what is beyond the surging waterfall in the Underground Reservoir. Equip the Devil or Curly souls to break on through it.

Alura Une is a tempting but deadly girl that lives within a giant rose. They are usually found in damp caverns such as this.

There is an extraordinary ghost ship immobilized within this cave.

Where are many treasures to be had here. One of which is the Claimh Solais; a weapon of immense power that is hidden inside a secret aquatic alcove.

The Ghost ship, treasure chests, underground lakes and brooks, and overall atmosphere of this area give off the impression of a place that pirates would be hunting for. Pretty cool!

The booty here is the valuable Joyeuse sword, a one of a kind blade of pure, shimmering gold.

Enemies:

Enemies

Dryad
Mudman
Werejaguar
Gargoyle
Alura Une
Poison Worm
Harpy
Killer Fish
Fish Head
Cagnazzo
Flame Demon
Mimic

Music Track:

Sacred Cave

Top Floor

This is the first "final area" to appear in one of Iga's games - and it absolutely looks the part. Soma needs to fight his way around foes, like the monstrous, unflagging Final Guards, in sometimes dim, sometimes blazing chambers. Following a segment that seemingly references Super Castlevania 4, you can explore the generous
space underneath the throne room, including an oddly placed garden. Progress will be mostly vertical from a certain point. It is at the paramount Top Floor that Soma will confront Graham and his own hidden identity.

After the stillness of the room below, it's startling to suddenly have flames erupting behind you. Even the helmets of the suits of armor have changed - cyclopean features instead of the traditional knight look.

One could read these intimidating dragon statues' inclusions as
allusions to Dracula's name. The impressive anatomy of this creation, combined with the disorienting arches, concocts an arresting space.

You must be sure to get your priorities straight in some spots of the Top Floor. Otherwise, Soma is sure to be overwhelmed.

With an army of bats swarming past him, making a reference to the beginning of the journey, Soma strides up the legendary staircase. The flickering moon heavily hangs in the dead sky.

This climactic battle fittingly occurs in Dracula's throne room. The massive Mary statue behind the curtains has somehow cried blood onto the floor. She is lacking any clothing beyond her head, making for a nearly vulgar presentation.

Enemies:

Gargoyle
Erinys
Succubus
Final Guard
Lubicant
Stolas
Basilik
Bael
Iron Golem
Red Minotaur

Boss:

Graham

Music Track:

Holy Floor Cursed By the Moon

Chaotic Realm

This is a sealed off area where only Dracula is allowed entry. The source of his power is here, and apparently of all chaotic things. The Chaotic Realm is even more removed from the physical realm than the Castle within the eclipse. Its structure makes no sense, and everything seems to be frozen in time. Everything but the hostile enemies, that is. Some of the most powerful servants of Dracula reside here, continually guarding the foundation of his dark powers with dire vigilance.

This is the only place where the elite group of Shadow Knights resides. They are the most dominant knights who have gained such power by selling their own souls to the Devil.