Though it was released a couple weeks ago, we're still going to review Castlevania: Harmony of Despair, because we can. The game, though fun, is very limited in its execution and will mainly appeal to diehard fans of the franchise.
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| Hurray for Teamwork! |
In a nutshell, Castlevania, Harmony of Despair (HD. So clever Konami.) is essentially a fanservice. A multiplayer adventure that brings some of the more popular protagonists of the recent Castlevania titles into one game. You and five other players are given the opportunity to explore an expansive and labyrinthine level, fighting familiar enemies and bosses to reach a showdown with Dracula, vampire-lord of Castlevania.
The gameplay is a mix between the classic "Simon Belmont"-era games and the more recent "Metroidvania" stuff. You can explore the level anyway you choose, granted your character has the ability to pass certain obstacles, but they end in a straightforward boss fight. Each of the five playable characters have unique abilities and drawbacks, which serves to keep things somewhat fresh. Smart character choice is integral, especially in single-player, the game has a rather cruel difficulty, especially on boss battles. The game makes it a requirement that you play with more than one person. Character development is fairly basic, you can gather money and items when exploring parts of the level, which you can equip to your character and increase stats. Though the gameplay is rather tight, the lack of characters and variety in levels (As of it's initial release, there are only six) really sap the title's replay value, the simple character development system also has it's limitations, and you have no real reason to replay levels beyond achievements.
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| The zoom function is handy in the maze-like levels. |
Visually, the game is fantastic. The sprites are ripped right from the latest incantations of the series and given a nice coat of high-definition. The various levels are just as well-detailed as the sprites. Many of the vile creatures that lurk the halls will be instantly recognizable to fans of the franchise. The game also enables you to zoom out to view the entirety of a level, which a neat and sometimes helpful feature, a first for Castlevania. The audio also happens to be pretty awesome as well. The voice acting, though limited, is clear and solid, as are the sound effects. The soundtrack is your typical Castlevania fare, which isn't to say it's a bad thing. It's exciting Japanese Speed metal with some interesting and haunting symphonic elements. Really sets the mood for Vampire slaying.
Overall, you're getting a package that's fantastic presentation-wise, but limited in actual gameplay content. Konami promises DLC with new characters and chapters, but due to the rather limited elements already contained in the core game, there should be a lot more, especially for the $15 (1200 Microsoft Points) price tag. It's hard to recommend this for anyone who isn't a hardcore fan of Castlevania already. If you're looking to get into the series, there's a plethora of other Castlevania titles to choose from. This one is meant for the existing fanbase.
- Kyle K.
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