25 PlayStation Games You Must Play Before You're 25

21. Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night

One of those franchises that always feels a though more people should play it than do, Castlevania helped popularise the whole "Can't get through this area, need item, get item later then return" framework that everything from Axiom Verge to Batman: Arkham Asylum would crib from.

Revisiting Symphony of the Night though, you can tell precisely why it's such a highly-regarded entry in the series. Playing as the fantasy-power imbued Alucard, you'll venture through Dracula's Castle and many others, with an overall presentation that's just straight-up cool.

Enemy designs are all hyper-detailed, and expert flourishes of 3D modelling make background elements in the world pop amongst an otherwise 2D landscape. Alucard himself glides and warps around the levels with ease, and every step towards finding a new weapon, piece of armour or item feels deserved, as you slowly unravel the correct path through the castle itself.

A timeless masterpiece that hit the ground sprinting, considering the series would go on to completely reinvent itself and then be forgotten about altogether by Konami, your first port of call should always be right here.