Twenty-nine years. That is how long we’ve been obsessing over a half-vampire with flowing silver hair and a serious case of daddy issues. When Konami dropped Symphony of the Night back in '97, they didn't just change how we explore digital castles; they fundamentally shifted how we view Castlevania Symphony of the Night characters. Before this, you were mostly a buff guy with a whip jumping over Medusa heads. Suddenly, you were Alucard—fast, elegant, and deeply conflicted.
It’s weird looking back. The game was actually a bit of a "sleeper hit" in the West. People were too busy losing their minds over early 3D polygons to care about a 2D side-scroller. But the writing, the sprite work, and the sheer personality of the cast kept it alive. You aren't just looking for a "win" state here. You're watching a family tragedy unfold in a building that is, quite literally, a sentient creature of chaos.
Alucard is the Blueprint
Adrian Farenheights Tepes. Talk about a mouthful. Most of us just call him Alucard because it's "Dracula" backward and, honestly, it sounds cooler. He is the heart of the Castlevania Symphony of the Night characters roster. Unlike Simon Belmont, who feels like a heavy-duty truck, Alucard moves like liquid. He’s the son of Dracula and a human woman, Lisa, which puts him in the ultimate "stuck in the middle" scenario.
His motivation isn't glory. It’s a promise. His mother's dying words were for him not to hate humans, even though they were the ones who executed her. That’s heavy for a PS1 game. Most protagonists back then just wanted to save a princess or get their gold back. Alucard is actively trying to commit patricide to save a race of people that his father views as literal cattle.
His gameplay reflects this. He starts at max power, gets stripped of his gear by Death (more on that jerk later), and has to claw his way back. It’s a metaphor for his internal struggle. He has the dark metamorphosis, the soul steal, and the ability to turn into mist. He’s a monster who chooses to be a man. That’s why he works.
The Tragedy of Richter Belmont
Richter is a bit of a controversial figure if you really dig into the lore. He’s the guy who's supposed to be the hero. He’s a Belmont! He has the Vampire Killer whip! But when you find him in the heart of the castle, he’s sitting on the throne acting like he owns the place.
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Wait. Why?
It’s easy to blame Shaft—the dark priest, not the movie character—for brainwashing him. And yeah, that happened. But there’s a deeper layer to Richter that often gets overlooked. Being a Belmont is a curse. You only have a purpose when Dracula is alive. If the dark lord is gone, what is a monster hunter supposed to do? Richter’s fall from grace is one of the most interesting arcs among all Castlevania Symphony of the Night characters. He was manipulated because of his own desire for a "forever war." He didn't want to be obsolete.
When you fight him, the music "Theme of Richter" kicks in, and it's high energy, but the vibe is all wrong. You're fighting a hero who's lost his way. If you kill him, you get the bad ending. The game literally punishes you for not looking deeper into his situation. You have to wear the Holy Glasses. You have to see the truth.
Maria Renard: Not Just a Sidekick
If you played Rondo of Blood, you remember Maria as a little girl who threw owls at people. In Symphony, she’s grown up. She’s probably the most capable person in the entire game, honestly. She’s searching for Richter, and she’s the one who provides Alucard with the tools he needs to actually save the day.
She’s skeptical. She’s sharp. She doesn’t trust Alucard initially, and why should she? He’s the son of the guy her family has been killing for centuries. But she’s also the emotional glue. Without Maria, Alucard would likely have just killed Richter and went back into his coffin forever. She represents the human persistence that Alucard is trying to protect.
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The Supporting Cast of Nightmares
- The Master Librarian: He’s a vibe. Living in a hole, surrounded by books, and willing to sell gear to the son of his boss as long as the price is right. He’s a traitor to Dracula, technically, but he’s mostly just a businessman. Pro tip: Gravity jump into his floor repeatedly. He’ll give you a Life Apple and eventually the Rare Ring. Poor guy.
- Death: Every game needs a hype man. Death is Dracula's right hand. In this game, he’s basically a cosmic mugger. He takes your gear because he knows Alucard is too powerful with it. It’s a brilliant way to handle a tutorial. He’s smug, he’s bony, and his boss fight is one of the most iconic "wall" moments for new players.
- Lisa: She only appears in a vision (the Succubus fight), but she is the most important character in the lore. Her execution by humans is what sent Dracula over the edge. She is the reason the world is ending, and the reason Alucard is trying to save it. Her appearance in the Succubus's nightmare is a cruel, brilliant narrative beat.
The Lord of the Castle
Dracula isn't just a boss. He’s a presence. You feel him in every room, every marble corridor, and every weirdly placed meat-wall. By the time you reach him at the center of the Inverted Castle, you’ve spent hours dismantling his home.
His dialogue is legendary. "What is a man? A miserable little pile of secrets!" It’s become a meme, but in the context of the story, he’s making a valid philosophical point—from a nihilistic vampire’s perspective, anyway. He’s grieving. He’s been grieving for centuries. He’s turned his sorrow into a literal fortress of demons. When he finally speaks to Alucard at the end, it’s not just a fight; it’s a family intervention with fireballs.
Why the Character Design Sticks
Ayami Kojima. That’s the name you need to know. Her art direction for these Castlevania Symphony of the Night characters is what moved the series away from the "80s action movie" aesthetic and into something more Gothic and ethereal.
The long coats. The frills. The heavy shadows.
It gave the game a sense of dignity. Even the sprites have an absurd amount of detail. When Alucard stands still, his cape flows. When he turns into a bat, it's seamless. The visual language tells you who these people are before they even open their mouths. It’s a masterclass in character-driven environmental storytelling.
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The Secret Layers of the Inverted Castle
Most people think they’ve finished the game when they beat Richter. They haven’t. The "True" characters only really shine once you flip the world upside down. The Inverted Castle is where the difficulty spikes and the lore gets weirder.
This is where you realize that the castle itself is a character. It's an entity. It reacts to Alucard's presence. The enemies get more desperate. The bosses—like Galamoth, who is technically from a different game series entirely—feel like they’re trying to fill the power vacuum.
If you're looking for the deepest dive into these characters, pay attention to the item descriptions. The "Crissaegrim" or the "Mourneblade" aren't just weapons. They have histories. They are artifacts of a world that is obsessed with death and rebirth.
Mastering the Roster
If you want to truly experience these characters, don't just rush to the end. Talk to the Librarian. Find the secret rooms where Alucard remembers his past.
- Find the Holy Glasses: Don't kill Richter. It’s the biggest mistake a first-time player can make. Talk to Maria, get the glasses, and see the orb controlling him.
- The Secret Playable Characters: Did you know you can play as Richter? Or Maria (depending on the version)? Inputting "RICHTER" as your name after beating the game changes everything. It turns the game into a pure action-platformer, removing the RPG elements and letting you see the castle through the eyes of a Belmont.
- The Saturn and PSP Versions: There are actually "extra" bits of characterization in the different ports. The PSP version (found in The Dracula X Chronicles) has a re-translated script that is technically more "accurate" but loses some of the campy charm of the original.
The brilliance of the Castlevania Symphony of the Night characters is that they aren't static. They are all defined by what they've lost. Alucard lost his mother. Richter lost his purpose. Dracula lost his humanity.
To get the most out of your next playthrough, try the "Luck Mode" (Name: X-X!V''Q). It makes you fragile but increases your drop rate. It forces you to play Alucard as he truly is—a man on the edge, relying on his wits and the relics of his past to survive a nightmare of his own father's making. Stop treating it like a map to be cleared and start treating it like a family tree to be pruned.