Castlevania: Harmony of Despair

Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (a play on "HD") is a multiplayer Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network game featuring characters, sprites and locations from several different Castlevania titles.
The story, such as it is, involves a cursed book called the Grimoire, in which the story of the evil citadel Castlevania is recorded. However, the cursed castle comes to life within the pages of the book, taking various forms from previous incarnations –and the heroes of the past, also recorded in the book and coming to life within its pages– must once again fight to put an end to the curse. This story allows characters from eras ranging from 1691 to 2036 to come together in the same castle to fight evil.
There is up to six-players online cooperative play, and while it is beneficial to stick together, as characters can perform powerful combo attacks, players have the ability to wander the castle freely, regardless of the location of the other players. There is no local co-op for the 360 version, but the PS3 version does have four-players local co-op. Downloadable content include new characters and stages.
In December 2012, Harmony of Despair won the PlayStation Store Special Prize in Japan.http://news.dengeki.com/elem/000/000/567/567494 Koji Igarashi in PlayStation Awards. On March 2019, the game has been added to the Backward Compatibility program, therefore, allowing it to be playable on Xbox One.
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==Playable characters==
==Chapters==
==Music==
:Note: For more information about music, please see Castlevania: Harmony of Despair Original Soundtrack.
===Base game music===
The game contains arrangements from various games of the series and a few new original tracks. Below is a list of the songs found in the game sound test. Other songs can be found in the game, but aren't added in the sound test.
#Ruined Castle Corridor (Aria of Sorrow)
#After Confession (Dawn of Sorrow)
#PHANTOM OF FEAR (original track)
#Into the Dark Night (Dawn of Sorrow)
#Piercing Battle Fury (Dawn of Sorrow)
#Tanz mit einem Clown (Dance with the Clown) (original track)
#Hail from the Past (Portrait of Ruin)
#Gaze Up at the Darkness (Portrait of Ruin)
#Piercing Silence (Portrait of Ruin)
#Esquisse of Violence (Portrait of Ruin)
#CRIMSON BLOOD (original track)
#Ebony Wings (Order of Ecclesia)
#The Colossus (Order of Ecclesia)
#Symphony of Battle (Order of Ecclesia)
#Order of the Demon (Order of Ecclesia)
#Dance of Illusions (Rondo of Blood, particularly ripped from The Dracula X Chronicles)
#Ein Weltherrscher (One World Ruler) (original track)
===Downloadable music===
====Music set 1====
Xbox Live - Released 10/13/10PSN - $2.00
#Pitiful Scion / The Tragic Prince (Symphony of the Night)
#Pitch-Black Intrusion (Dawn of Sorrow)
#An Empty Tome (Order of Ecclesia)
#Invitation of a Crazed Moon (Portrait of Ruin)
#The Hidden Curse (Portrait of Ruin)
====Music set 2====
Xbox Live - Released 11/10/10PSN - $2.00
#Heart of Fire / Don't Wait Until Night (Haunted Castle)
#Aquarius (Castlevania III)
#Slash (Rondo of Blood)
#Divine Bloodlines (Rondo of Blood, the Portrait of Ruin mix)
#Simon's Theme (Super Castlevania IV)
====Music gained with Chapter 8====
Xbox Live - Released 1/12/11PSN - Included with Chapter 8
#The Lost Portrait / Lost Painting (Symphony of the Night)
#Poetic Death / Death Ballad (Symphony of the Night)
====Music gained with Chapter 9====
Xbox Live - Released 1/19/11PSN - Included with Chapter 9
#Castle Dracula / Dracula's Castle (Symphony of the Night)
#The Horde's Festival / Festival of Servants (Symphony of the Night)
====Music gained with Chapter 10====
Xbox Live - Released 1/26/11PSN - Included with Chapter 10
=====Arrangements=====
#Vampire Killer (Castlevania)
#Nothing to Lose (Castlevania)
=====Original NES tracks=====
#VAMPIRE KILLER (Castlevania, original NES version)
#STALKER (Castlevania, original NES version)
#WICKED CHILD (Castlevania, original NES version)
#WALKING ON THE EDGE (Castlevania, original NES version)
#HEART OF FIRE (Castlevania, original NES version)
#OUT OF TIME (Castlevania, original NES version)
#NOTHING TO LOSE (Castlevania, original NES version)
#POISON MIND (Castlevania, original NES version)
#BLACK NIGHT (Castlevania, original NES version)
====Music gained with Chapter 11====
Xbox Live - Released 2/2/11PSN - Included with Chapter 11
#Go! Getsu Fuma (Getsu Fuma Den)
#Ryukotsuki (Getsu Fuma Den)
==Xbox 360 December, 2011 patch==
In December of 2011, the game was given a patch which rebalanced the games. Some of the changes include:
*The MP consumption rates of Jonathan, Julius, Richter, Maria, and Yoko's sub-weapons/spells was reduced
*The strength of many of Alucard's and Soma's strongest weapons of a class was increased (Alucard Sword, Heaven's Sword, Daybreak, Moon Rod, Mjollnjr, Holbein Dagger, Muramasa, Nebula)
*All of Soma's spears increased in attack strength.
*The speed of Yasutsuna was reduced for Alucard
*The attack power of Yoko's Blue Splash went down, while Holy Flame and Holy Lightning went up and now deal Holy damage
*Charlotte's Heal spell was modified to give less health and consume more MP.
*The Miser Ring was made available in Chapter 7.
*Robe Decollete gains a STR, INT, and MP Regeneration boost.
*Skeletons can now duck and slide dash.
*Can obtain gold chest even after death (multiplayer).
*Sprites have been added to the game's files for future downloadable content, namely 8-bit weapons for Simon, new glyphs for Shanoa, new sub-weapons for Jonathan, and the Jewel Sword and Shield Rod for Alucard and possibly Soma.
*Data for additional chapters added, along with new items.
*3 Glitches appeared with the patch.
**1.Death is stuck against a wall and won't die.
**2.After fighting Dracula, first stage does not appear again.
**3.After fighting Dracula, second stage he becomes a big statue.
==Videos==
E3 2010 - Castlevania Harmony of Despair|Official E3 Trailer.
==Trivia==
*Thanks to some in-game voice rips, it was found early that Hammer would have been offered as a downloadable character. However, Konami announced on February 3, 2011 that Chapter 11 and Getsu Fuma would be the last downloadable content pack for the game.
==Related pages==
*Harmony of Despair Bestiary
*Harmony of Despair Inventory
*Harmony of Despair Chapter Selection Maps
*Achievements/Trophies
*Harmony of Despair Gamerpics (category)
*Harmony of Despair Locations (category)
==Related products==
===Related games===
This game features stages and characters from the following games:
*Castlevania
*Castlevania: Symphony of the Night
*Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
*Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin
*Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia
*Getsu Fūma Den
===Related music albums===
*Castlevania: Harmony of Despair Original Soundtrack
*Music from Akumajo Dracula Aka - Contains music from this game on disc 13.
==References==
==External links==
*konami.com (English)
*Konami Japan Product Page
*Destructoid - Interview with Iga
*Silicon Era
*Destructoid
*Destructoid OFLC Lists Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
*OFCL
*IGN FAQ
*GameTrailers video - Interview with John Choon, showcasing downloadable content
*Harmony of Despair Wiki (Japanese)
*Castlevania: Harmony of Despair Now Backward Compatible on Xbox One
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