#19. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (PS1, PSN)
I love everything about this game even the oh so bad voice overs. The game was vastly different from any other Castlevania game I had played before but it never felt out of place in the series (something I cannot say about Lords of Shadows however good that game was). The controls were tight, the enemies were varied, the boss fights were plenty, the music was incredible, Dracula's Castle was huge and just when you thought you had done it all you stumbled into the upside-down castle realizing you had really only crossed the half-way point.
The game featured a Metroid-style environment where you need certain powerups to proceed, yes that meant a lot of backtracking but I think it makes getting a new power much more interesting when you instantly think "I know where I can use this!".
Site note: Crissaegrim + 2 Rings of Varda = death to all who oppose you.
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