Okay, so Aria of Sorrow is one of those GBA games that just nails the Castlevania vibe—dark, weird, and packed with secrets. You play as Soma, this guy who wakes up inside Dracula’s castle with zero clue how he got there. Classic setup, right? But here’s the twist: instead of whipping everything like Belmonts do, you steal enemy souls and use their abilities. Some are useless (looking at you, bat transformation), but others completely change how you explore. Found a soul that lets you walk underwater? Suddenly that flooded corridor isn’t a dead end anymore.

The castle’s this massive, interconnected maze—you’ll backtrack constantly, but in a good way, like when you finally get that double-jump soul and realize oh, that ledge was taunting me for a reason. Boss fights are brutal until you figure out their patterns (or grind a bit—no shame). And the music? Absolute bangers, especially the clock tower theme. It’s got that perfect mix of gothic and GBA-era synth.

Seriously, if you like Metroidvanias at all, this one’s a must-play. Just don’t expect to put it down once you start mapping out the castle in your head.