For this month's "Maps Of The Month" featurette, I wish to draw your attention to TerraEsperZ's Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow (GBA) maps.
While in Japan, high school exchange student Soma Cruz goes to see the first full solar eclipse of the 21st century. But when he and his friend Mina reach the gate of the Hakuba shrine, his senses dim. The next thing he knows, they're in Castlevania, the home of the immortal Dracula. Not only that, but Soma can absorb the souls of enemies and use their powers! Now he must fight his way through Castlevania and, according to a mysterious man named Genya Arikado, make it to the master's chamber to be able to leave this castle within the eclipse. But what secrets will he discover on his journey?
Even in the future (the game is set in 2035), the Castlevania series is mostly familiar. Sure, there's soul-absorbing in this one, but it's still Super Metroid-inspired power-collecting, castle traversal gameplay. But, one thing you can always count on to be different is the layout of Castlevania! The castle hasn't let the trends of the future affect its mostly gothic design and architecture, but it's still quite different, as it is every time. It doesn't have duality as in Harmony Of Dissonance, but this time it has an underground coliseum, a pirate ship, a large waterway system, floating gardens, and a gate to the Chaotic Realm! Did I mention that it's inside an eclipse?
And what more could you ask for? Why, maps to get around Castlevania, of course! Multiple Mapmaker Of The Month TerraEsperZ always seems to have a number of ambitious projects on the go, but one that we are glad he has finished is the complete map of the third GBA Castlevania game. As is almost tradition here on VGMaps.com, the month of October is a good one to revisit the halls of Castlevania, so if you find yourself lost in this castle of the future (and in an eclipse!) then count on TerraEsperZ to be your guide. He's even labelled the items and bosses, and mapped out the Chaotic Realm and the Boss Rush challenge!
So to recognize the effort put into mapping the only work of architecture to be caught within the alignment of the sun and moon, TerraEsperZ's Castlevania: Aria Of Sorrow maps will be known as VGMaps.com's Maps Of The Month for October 2010.