Release Date: 05/06/2003

Developer: Konami

Publisher: Konami

Genres: Action

Co-op: No

ESRB: T - Teen

Aria of Sorrow features a 2D side-scrolling style of gameplay where the player controls the onscreen character from a third-person perspective to interact with people, objects, and enemies. Like previous games in the series and most role-playing games, characters level up each time they earn a set number of experience points from defeating enemies; each "level" gained increases the character's statistics, thus improving their performance in battle. Statistic examples include hit points, the amount of damage a character can receive; magic points, which determine the number of times a character can use magical attacks; strength, the power of a character's physical attacks; and intelligence, the power of a character's magical spells. Upon encountering an enemy, the player can use a variety of weapons to attack and defeat the enemy. Despite the game being set in 2035, the available weapons are largely medieval, including swords, axes, and spears; though a handgun is available. These weapons differ in their damage output, the range of the weapon, and the speed of the attack. Items and other accessories can be found by defeating enemies or by purchasing items from the game's shop. Similar to previous games in the series, Aria of Sorrow is set within Dracula's castle, which is further subdivided into several areas that the player traverses. These areas feature different components, such as different enemies, varying terrain characteristics, and a unique piece of theme music. Similar to most platform games, progression between areas is limited by the abilities the player currently has.[12] While the method in which the player progresses through the game is initially linear, the player's options become more diverse as the number of character abilities increases.