Topic: Harmony of Despair (The next Castlevania game?)

[shelverton.]

I love how there is just speculation of a new, likely 2D, Castlevania and the Lords of Shadow discussion drops dead instantly.

I just don't know what to say about LoS right now. It's one of my most anticipated Castlevanias since, well, Circle of the Moon (which didn't live up to my expectations, but that's another story).

The most interesting thing about Harmony of Despair right now is that it's most likely being developed by the IGA team. If it's a sequel to Dissonance or not is less important - I just wanna see what IGA's been up to. Will he use the same engine as in DoS, PoR and OoE? Or will this be something completely different? Maybe it's a fullfledged console Castlevania. For example, a new Wii game would not really interfer with LoS. And IGA would be a fool to go down the Judgment path again, so a new Wii Castlevania could be more in the lines of Twilight Princess or something. Then again, IGA might have nothing whatsoever to do with this... that would definitely come as a shock to me.

[DingusBelmondo]

I think the DS will be around for at least 2 more years, even 3 years. Side by side with 3DS.
The DS has a HUUUGE fanbase and won't go down easily, especially since Nintendo has recently put out a new version, the XL one.

the relase of the XL really doesn't tell us much seeing how the DS came out shortly after the release of the GBA micro. Furthermore, if there is that big of a fanbase, Nintendo probably knows just as many people will by the 3DS

[shelverton.]

the relase of the XL really doesn't tell us much seeing how the DS came out shortly after the release of the GBA micro. Furthermore, if there is that big of a fanbase, Nintendo probably knows just as many people will by the 3DS

Maybe. Or they think many people will buy the 3DS. Nintendo has unfortunately made terrible mistakes in the past. People didn't buy the Virtual Boy, the N64 was kinda butchered by the Sony Playstation, and the Gamecube was completely overshadowed by the PS2. The fanbase from the past abandoned Nintendo before. I definitely hope they're going for the regular DS with this new Castlevania cause I honestly don't trust Nintendo that much anymore. I also believe that the DS is more popular than the GBA was at the time of the DS release. But you never know..

[angevil]

To everyone who is saying this might be for DS and not 3DS, you are being unrealistic. Nintendo is smart. They want to sell the new system. I would also prefer that the game is for DS, so I don`t have to buy the new handheld. But this is highly improbable. Most likely 3DS will be released in the Q4 2010 and this will be one of the launch titles.

[Reinhart77]

that and "thou shalt not exceed three Castlevania games on any one console".

[Kingshango]

You know I never noticed that untill now. There have been 3 Castlevania's on the original Gameboy, 3 on the GBA and 3 on the DS, so if Harmony of Despair is coming out for any handheld, it's certaintly coming out for the 3DS.

[shelverton.]

Then it's quite possible that this will be the first CV that I might just pass on. I know absoluely nothing about the 3DS but I bet it's gonna be expensive and gimmicky. Hope I'm wrong.

[Profbeanburrito]

I bought Dawn of Sorrow before I had a DS so I'll definitely buy this even if I don't have the system its for. My main concern is that it is not a downloadable game. I'd much rather have a physical copy of a game for my collection then it just be on my console.

I got a PSP for Dracula X Chronicles and I found more games that I loved for the PSP, so if it is for the 3DS, then I'll buy one for this, and any future games that are going to be great on the system

[Dark Nemesis]

I got a PSP for Dracula X Chronicles and I found more games that I loved for the PSP, so if it is for the 3DS, then I'll buy one for this, and any future games that are going to be great on the system

The same goes for me!!

[kadosho]

If the tradition continues.. (sigh) I really picked up a DS late.
I did however manage to complete Dawn. (but not Julius mode yet)
With the news of Harmony returning.. why can't Konami brake tradition and release a new CV on the current DS?

As promising that the 3DS might be, I just don't know about "jumping ship" so quickly.
I still have yet to obtain "Order of Ecclestia" and "Portrait of Ruin".

I'm going to be on the "wait & see" side

[shelverton.]

The "No more than 3 games on each console" is more a coincidence than a tradition made up by Konami. The DS games have been well recieved by critics and players, and there could easily be another Castlevania on the DS. It's in fact more likely than on any other handheld or console before it! Yes, the PS2 was the most popular console ever, but LoI and CoD were not. So there.

Nintendo is definitely pulling the strings here, not Konami. Nintendo want a new handheld, even though the DS could definitely stay alive for MANY years to come. They're deliberately forcing players to move on to the next handheld, which is odd since no one is really asking for it. At least not yet. It would make more sense if the competition was doing all kinds of amazing things in the handheld market, but right now the DS has no real competition.

[crisis]

I'd say the iPhone/Touch is becoming a worthy competitor to the DS. More and more companies are releasing games for it, and there's vast room for potential that game companies are actually taking advantage of. Capcom porting Street Fighter IV to the iPhone, for example.

[Gunlord]

I have a PSP and a DS, so either platform is fine by me when it comes to hosting Castlevania.

[nsideus]

2010 is the year of new platforms for Castlevania.  We haven't seen a new mobile Castlevania in a while, and now there is a mobile platform out there that can handle decent games...

[The Silverlord]

2010 is the year of new platforms for Castlevania.  We haven't seen a new mobile Castlevania in a while, and now there is a mobile platform out there that can handle decent games...

It's interesting news.  e1shw posted a link on the Gamespot forums to CTM-ONLINE:
http://oami.europa.eu/CTMOnline/RequestManager/en_Result_NoReg

Let's compare with the last DS game:

"Order of Ecclesia"

Nice Classification: 9
List of goods and services Video game software, video game programs, computer game software, computer game programs, electronic game programs. 
   
Nice Classification: 41
List of goods and services Entertainment services, namely, providing on-line video games. 


"Harmony of Despair"

Nice Classification: 9
List of goods and services Video game software; video game programs; computer game software; computer game programs; electronic game programs.

Nice Classification: 41
List of goods and services Entertainment services, namely, providing computer games to video game machine, mobile phones and computers; providing online computer games via network between communications networks and computers; providing information to game players about the ranking of their scores of games through the web sites; providing information, images, music and/or sound regarding games; entertainment services, namely, arranging, organizing and conducting game tournaments. 
   


The first classification (9: Goods, includes Transmission or Reproduction Sound/Images) is the same, however the second (41: Services, Entertainment) reveals a bit more besides.  Mobile phones and computers, online computer games via network, ranking of scores, organizing and conducting game tournaments . . .