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

[uzo]

I think affinity's claim that the monsters might spill different colors of blood is wrong, but now I'm even more confused as to what those streaks could be.

Paint.

[affinity]

Good news!  Some people who got it early shared some information.  

*Hard mode uses different and more difficult enemies along with speeding up traps.

*A lot lot lot of replay value. Tons of intricate level design stuff that will take several run-throughs to figure out.  Including some secrets and parts that make use of teamwork!

*Soma has a skill proficiency meter that levels up the more it is used. The more it's leveled, the more effective damage the spell does.

there is more to see and learn!  

Oh this just in!

"if you hold select (Back) a communication wheel pops up with ten or so sayings. They're simple but probably all you need for basic non-verbal communication; "over here, sorry, it's a trap!, etc, stuff like that." It'll be a life saver with no mic people as the chat bubble shows in game as well as the dialogue""

Very neat feature!    More online gaming should have features for those, it could connect mic and non-mic users at least a little closer without needing to pull up the messaging screen.   

[Aridale]

its called a usb keyboard... Monster Hunter Tri would like a word with you Konami

[affinity]

yes but usb keyboards still have to require pulling up the software screen keyboard to send messages to players, and they won't be able to defend themselves while doing that.  Yes it's true they could have added a real-time text system like Serious Sam Next Encounter on PS2 (online)  But to a lot of players that may seem disruptive to the HUD and too mmorpgish (which looks like a mess with chat logs always on screen.
But a Castlevania mmorpg in the future could be very very exciting! especially if it has towns and an open world like CV2 for thousands of hunters to enjoy.      )   

ahem.  anyways someone who has the game shared more info on the communication wheel:

"clockwise from the top;

Thanks/
Oops/
Sorry/
Good-bye/
Here/
All yours/
Good Work/
Hello
and in the middle of the wheel: "Got it."

Hmm, a "Follow Me" would really help. But I think "Here" could also be used to call the attention of teammates to follow them, as in "Here, this is the way."  Instead of meaning "Here, I have arrived."
yes it could also guide players to something they found. 

So yes one word could have multiple uses.   ^_^

[thernz]

I wish it was like Diablo II where you could spam saying "Die, Die, Die."
That was the best.

[Super Waffle]

Every game needs a NEED A DISPENSER HERE button.

Every game.

[affinity]

a player said they checked the shop and these are all items available for Soma at the store after beating Normal, most of them carry over for Alucard. (note these are shop items, there are hundreds of more stuff to find in the castles.)

ITEMS
Potion
/High Potion /Super Potion /Mind up /High Mind up /Mana Prism /Remedy/Uncurse Potion/Anti-Venom
WEAPONS (Soma and Alucard)
Long Sword / Damascus Sword / Gladius/ Hrunting/ Joyeuse/ Laevatain/ Claymore /Great Sword
Dainslef/ Estoc/ Combat KNife/ Axe /Battle Axe /Great Axe /Blunt Sword /Katana /Kunitsuna/ Lance
Trident/ Cestus / Morning Star/ Handgun/ Silver Gun/ RPG
HEAD
Glasses/Bandana / Thick Glasses / Ballroom Masque / Sunglasses / Combat Beret / Traveler's Hat
CHEST
Casual clothes/ tailcoat/leather plate/ copper plate/ justaucorps/ surcoat / silver plate /
mirror cuirass
LEGS
Sandals/Engineer boots/Iron Leggings
BACK
Cape/Hero's cape/ cloth cape/ traveler cape/ assassin's cape/ elven cape
ACCESSORIES
Pendant/ Lucky Charm/ Pearl Ring/ Crystal Necklace/ Power Belt/ Flame Necklace/ Blessed Ring/ Immunity Ring / Black Belt/ Soul Eater Ring


the RPG is said to be Soma exclusive, They've been saving up all day trying to afford it.  It's the most expensive Item they seen so far; three times the cost of the second most expensive.
They have yet to beat it on Hard and currently they are getting their ass kicked.

More info people have found!


Treasure Chests: Myriad treasure chests can be found throughout Castlevania. The type of chest determines what sort of helpful item you’ll find inside, from health-replenishing food to rare weapons. In Co-op Mode, you receive items from the chests your allies open, too.

Skeleton Form: If you perish in Online Co-op Mode, a grave will appear where you died, but you continue to fight in skeleton form. Skeletons have limited abilities and cannot use items. If your whole team is reduced to bones, it’s Game Over.

Reviving: Use Water of Life to revive an ally who has been reduced to skeleton form. In online Co-op Mode, Water of Life can be found in blue treasure chests, but only the player who opens the chest receives it. Any unused Water of Life will be returned at the end of the chapter.

Mastery: Use the same subweapon continually and your mastery of that subweapon will increase, powering it up over time. As characters gain mastery of subweapons, their base weapon stats will grow in kind.

Soul: Any of a number of enemy abilities which are sometimes released in spirit form at the moment of a foe’s demise. Souls can be loosely grouped into three categories:

-Bullets: You cans et up to four Bullet Souls, which are activated by holding the Hunter Skills button and pressing up, down, left or right on the directional pad.

-Guardians: Once you have a Guardian Soul equipped, you may use it with a press of the Personal Skill button.

-Enchantments: The power of an Enchantment Soul is harnessed simply by equipping it.

Dark Magic: Spells which are mastered by collecting magic scrolls. You can set up to four types of Dark Magic, which are activated by holding the Hunter Skills button and pressing up, down, left or right on the directional pad.

Martial Arts: Physically demanding skills which are mastered by collecting martial art scrolls, and performed using a combination of the directional pad and other buttons.

Bound Spells: Magic acquired by locking projectiles and other enemy spells within the pages of the Book of Binding. If you succeed, the magic becomes your own. You can set up to four types of Spells, which are activated by holding the Hunter Skills button and pressing up, down, left or right on the directional pad.

Glyph: Magical sigils which appear when adversaries cast magic; by absorbing these symbols (holding down the up button), you can sometimes learn their magic. You can set up to four Gylphs, which are activated by holding the Hunter Skills button and pressing up, down, left or right on the directional pad.

Magnes: A Glyph which grants Shanoa extra mobility using the Personal Skill button. Press the button while near a magnet to attach to it. Next, press the directional pad opposite your destination to build up tension. Lastly, release the button and you will spring back the other way at rocket speed.

Dual Crush: In Online Co-op Mode, if you and another player are near each other and certain conditions are met, you can press the Confirm action button to signal the other player that you want to execute a Dual Crush. If the other player pressed the Confirm action button within the time limit, you will join forces to perform this powerful move.

[RegalX7]

Since Affinity hasn't mentioned these things, I guess I will.

No drop in and out coop, everyone who joins in the lobby is in the game, and if anyone leaves you have to re-do the lobby to get more people.

While coop is not required, there are a lot of shortcuts that you can't do by yourself. If anything solo play makes the game substantially harder. In one instance, I was lowered by a friend into a pit below a boss to clear out some enemies. If I was alone, with no one to work the elevator I would have had to deal with the boss and the enemies at the same time.

spoilers

THE infamous staircase?? WHOA!!!!!!! This is ******* BEYOND AWESOME! -imagines six players going up the legendary staircase together- BEYOND EPIC!!!!!!!!!!! Is the 6th castle the largest out of all of them? Or does it kind of has some of the most rooms in the entire game? Well don't spoil exactly how it looks or what's in it (besides the staircase), but yeah this is freaking awesome, and it's good we have no idea what Stage 5 will be like. Yeah yeah yeah this is crazy badass!!!!!!!!

It seems Dracula's staircase is in... But that was obvious the second the game was first announced. Also, I respect his right to be hyped, but goddamn.

[Reinhart77]

i see many of the weapons are shared by Alucard and Soma.  i wonder what versions of these weapons they'll have?  will Alucard have SotN's version and Soma have DoS's version?  will there be all new versions of these weapons that both players will use?  a lot of the weapons had the same names in the Japanese versions of SotN and AoS, but different names in the English versions.

[DingusBelmondo]

Why do i really not want to pay $15 for this?

[Jorge D. Fuentes]

That'd make more sense if they were in Brauner's stage.

[uzo]

Why do i really not want to pay $15 for this?

Haha, you're not the only one.

[Little Dracula]

Eurogamer review.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/castlevania-harmony-of-despair-review

Don't have time to read, but the score is pretty low. 4/10.

[shelverton.]

Eurogamer review.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/castlevania-harmony-of-despair-review

Don't have time to read, but the score is pretty low. 4/10.

LOL. that review was funny. Single player sounds like a complete waste of time which leaves us with the multiplayer which seems to be poorly executed. How exciting. I bet the 4/10 score is pretty accurate, but I'm gonna try it anyway just because it's Castlevania..

[Kingshango]

Yikes, looks like Limbo is getting my 1200 points.

Sorry IGA