It’s inherently funny for a song to have the word “silent” in its name, but either way I wanted to feature one of my favorite spooky gaming songs for the Song Spotlight for October: Silent Madness from Castlevania 64 and Legacy of Darkness.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Castlevania 64?! That game is terrible!”

Actually, I’m a fan of Castlevania 64. Before you stop reading this post in anger, at least appreciate the song. Bad game or not, it has it’s moments. This is definitely one of its moments. So click here or continue reading to check out this moment.

This song plays on the fourth level and is basically the point where the game branches out depending on which character you’re playing as. The beginning of the Villa is initially a silent outdoor courtyard, but as soon as you enter the main building, this song plays and creeps the hell out of you. Almost immediately thereafter, a vampire crawls across the walls and attacks you, and while that encounter has nothing to do with the song, it’s all part of the same presentation that makes the Villa creepy. There are more unsettling encounters throughout the level, particularly if you’re playing as Reinhardt or Carrie.

A lot of people criticize this game for not being very interesting, but I always thought it did pretty good with the world-building, and unlike a lot of Castlevania games, actually set up a realistic world outside of Castlevania itself, and showed the effects Dracula had on the landscape. The Villa is the biggest depiction of this theme, and it wouldn’t have been nearly as effective without Silent Madness playing. It’s a quiet song, but a very unmistakably eerie one. Maybe its sound is stereotypical, but if it’s a cliche, it’s an effective one. The song also displays the other big strength Castlevania 64 has: atmosphere.

Nearly devoid of enemies aside from the unsettling special encounters, populated with a shady demonic merchant and a widow trying to make sure her son is safe from her vampire husband before she kills herself, and a mysterious child who is totally inconspicuous with a name like Malus, this song fits the Villa’s feel. The name, despite its irony, fits the Villa and song as well; the building is quiet and it gives a false sense of security, but twisted things are happening within. One of my favorite areas of the game and a great spooky moment.

Tell me what you think of the song and the surrounding moments in the comments! I invite all haters of Castlevania 64 to rip my face off!