In 1993, three "Castlevania" games were in parallel development, which included "Akumajō Dracula", "Rondo of Blood" and "". Directed and produced by Toru Hagihara, "Rondo of the Blood" was the first installment made for a CD-ROM and also the first to be fully voiced. Hagihara would go on to direct a sequel, "Symphony of the Night" (1997) for the Sony PlayStation, with Koji 'IGA' Igarashi joining him as the assistant director and story writer. Also joining the staff was artist Ayami Kojima, who was hired to introduce a new look for "Castlevania". She would be the character designer for several future "Castlevania" titles. Igarashi said it began development as "something of a side story series". From the outset, the game was supposed to take the franchise in a new direction. The gameplay took a departure from the original platforming entries, instead adopting non-linear exploration and role-playing game elements, which were last seen in "Simon's Quest". The critical reaction to "Simon's Quest" and its gameplay allowed them to pitch "Symphony of the Night" to Konami. Igarashi was eventually asked to finish the game as the assistant director after Hagihara was promoted to head of the division. On release, "Symphony of the Night" was well-received and became a sleeper hit, but its commercial performance was mediocre, particularly in the United States where it was meagerly publicized.