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A Shining Example

In an earlier section of this article, I gave an example of a game which misused Locks. I would like to balance things by providing an example of how Locks were used effectively in another game. This game I will name, if only out of respect to the hard work and skill of the game’s designers.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is a game which was published several years ago by Konami. In this game, the player controls the son of Dracula, and explores Dracula’s Castle. Along the way, the player learns to use his character’s vampiric abilities. What may not be readily obvious, is that these abilities were the Keys to many of the game’s Locks.

The first rule says that Locks and Keys should be varied. In this game, the Locks were things like ledges, holes in the ceiling, cliffs, and cracks in the walls. The Keys were varied as well. These included the ability to jump higher than normal, the ability to transform into a wolf, the ability to fly, etc. So the Locks and Keys were varied nicely.

The second rule says that Keys should be efficient, and that was certainly the case in this game. When the player achieved the ability to jump higher than normal, he was able to gain access to many ledges throughout the Castle. And when the player obtained the ability to fly, many more areas became available. So the Keys were very efficient.

Of course, all of these vampiric abilities were very useful to the player, which is in accordance with the third rule. (And let’s face it, transforming into a bat is just cool!)

The fourth rule says that Locks and Keys should be realistic. The locks were realistic enough: ledges, doors, crumbling walls. Of course, if my neighbor were to transform into a wolf this afternoon, I would find it unbelieveable. But in a game about vampires, this is realistic enough. And the Keys functioned realistically. It is natural to believe that a bat can fly, and therefore reach a ledge which is out of reach to a human.

And of course these Keys were in keeping with the mood of the game, as the fifth rule suggests. But more than this, the Keys in this game actually added a lot to the game experience.

The sixth rule says that Locks and Keys should not be overused. Thanks to careful, creative consideration, the designers were able to implement a great many Locks without overusing them. Because the Keys were so efficient (rule two,) and useful (rule three,) the Keys never got in the way of gameplay.

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