Topic: Castlevania harmony of despair coming this week !

[Sonic_Reaper]

I appreciate the effort Kusanagi, but it just doesn't work.  You can like the designs, fine.  Obviously I can't stop someone from liking something, nor should it be my prerogative.  However, that doesn't change the fact that from a design perspective (color, composition, balance, harmony, and so on), most of the designs in PoR are just a mess.  To be honest, Johnathan is the only half decent one, mostly because his colors work well together.  Charlotte is just trash slutty, like Stella, and the typical anime jail bait garbage that I'm so sick of seeing.  Another level is the time period.  Bloodlines references the first World War, taking place in 1917.  It seems strange that Loretta and Stella (though with a big emphasis on Loretta) seem to be referencing some sort of bastardized colonial/Victorian period from America or possibly Britain, which existed several hundred years earlier.  It just doesn't work.  It makes the characters end up looking like they were created in a vacuum, with one key word being the only determinant of their visual appearance (Johnny boy:  edgy!  Charlotte:  schoolgirl!  Loretta:  colonial! and so on).

[KaZudra]

I meant Campy as in your not really supposed to take it too Seriously.

My Main Nit-Pick is with Jonathan's Clothes, He's a young American man in the lat 1940's Wearing a Japanese Fashion made popular in the mid 2000's

Charolette wears the whole school girl thing which at least got popular in the same century.

[Kusanagi]

I appreciate the effort Kusanagi, but it just doesn't work.  You can like the designs, fine.  Obviously I can't stop someone from liking something, nor should it be my prerogative.  However, that doesn't change the fact that from a design perspective (color, composition, balance, harmony, and so on), most of the designs in PoR are just a mess.  To be honest, Johnathan is the only half decent one, mostly because his colors work well together.  Charlotte is just trash slutty, like Stella, and the typical anime jail bait garbage that I'm so sick of seeing.  Another level is the time period.  Bloodlines references the first World War, taking place in 1917.  It seems strange that Loretta and Stella (though with a big emphasis on Loretta) seem to be referencing some sort of bastardized colonial/Victorian period from America or possibly Britain, which existed several hundred years earlier.  It just doesn't work.  It makes the characters end up looking like they were created in a vacuum, with one key word being the only determinant of their visual appearance (Johnny boy:  edgy!  Charlotte:  schoolgirl!  Loretta:  colonial! and so on).

Well, anime styles tend to be more hit or miss with some designs, I find them as more an acquired taste vs them being exactly fitting for Castlevania. OoE's artwork I felt captured Castlevania in terms of artwork and design a lot better than the first two, but because I also watch anime from time to time, the designs of those games work for me just as well. Aria/Dawn of Sorrow hinted at the anime artstyle and personality a bit, and since those two games were received well enough they tried to take it a step further (For better or worse for PoR). This comes into relation with what Kamui Zero brought up as the "campy" Castlevania (but I'll get to that later). Different artists have different tastes, and as an artist I can say the designs work alright based on the character's personalities and the style they were going for (won't say they are perfect, but passable at least). After taking a look at the designs, I can see the complaint you have against Loretta/Stella, but again they're alright in my opinion, but they're not perfect. In a sense I can agree with what you've said, but it got the job done for the most part. Konami took the hint from PoR and went back to a more serious Castlevania with the artstyle and design to suit it.

We do need to take into account the main villain of PoR, and how old he is. If he saw Loretta and Stella in the image of his daughters, then he could have just dressed them up that way vs what they would have been wearing at the time. Once I do get around to playing PoR, I can judge the game more fairly, but for now Im taking neutral stance on it (gameplay matters more than design for me, so yeah xD). Your opinion I can respect as well because I can see where you're coming from; its just another thing to keep in mind when I do play the game.

I meant Campy as in your not really supposed to take it too Seriously.

My Main Nit-Pick is with Jonathan's Clothes, He's a young American man in the lat 1940's Wearing a Japanese Fashion made popular in the mid 2000's

Charolette wears the whole school girl thing which at least got popular in the same century.

Now back to the campy part xD as I said earlier, the anime art style and personality I felt is what they were going for. Konami I can guess, assumed that from the sales Aria/Dawn of Sorrow had, that anime blending in more might work well for the game. So the typical anime esk personalities they gave those to the protagonists. It was a nice change for me personally, but for those who have been playing Castlevania for years can find it somewhat of a turn off due to the general seriousness the series has shown. But perhaps they were trying to appeal to other audiences asides from the fans of the Castlevania series (OoE probably was made with the fans in mind). Whether that tactic was a good choice or not I can't say for sure (even if I were to say something, some bias would be there as I appreciate anime for what it is).

Did the game ever establish what Johnathan does/goes in his pass time or when he's working with Charlotte? well, even if we were to consider either, that could take him to many different parts of the world (including Japan where he may have gotten the clothes). In no part in the game I can assume explains anything to either justify or negate this claim, so its just all speculation on my part. Story aside, the anime art style would be the one to blame again for the design choice. Anime tends to do that with the designs, despite the time period they are in. Though personally I liked both his and Charlotte's design (there being some bias, but that's just my taste xD). Nit pick is a nit pick, but Im still looking forward to my playthrough to see how well the gameplay is.

[shelverton.]

From my assumptions on the time period, they probably were using Brittan's fashion sense, since those styles of clothing didn't go out of style as fast as it did in America.

Hm. I've never heard anything like that. Do you have a source? If anything, Europe was always in the forefront of fashion movements.

[Rugal]

Just a quick question: Is HoD region locked? Meaning, can I play with my friends in Europe?

[Kusanagi]

Hm. I've never heard anything like that. Do you have a source? If anything, Europe was always in the forefront of fashion movements.

Haha, well it was on assumptions only xD So at the moment no I don't (what happens when I wake up too early in the morning then head to school with lack of sleep). I had only guessed because it seemed more apparent in Brittan those outfits more than America. Anyways, scratch that point ^^"

Just a quick question: Is HoD region locked? Meaning, can I play with my friends in Europe?

Well if it runs similar to how X Box Live does things then no. There shouldn't be a region lock, although I haven't heard anything about the PSN release for Europe or Asia yet...

[KaZudra]

Did the game ever establish what Johnathan does/goes in his pass time or when he's working with Charlotte? well, even if we were to consider either, that could take him to many different parts of the world (including Japan where he may have gotten the clothes). In no part in the game I can assume explains anything to either justify or negate this claim, so its just all speculation on my part. Story aside, the anime art style would be the one to blame again for the design choice. Anime tends to do that with the designs, despite the time period they are in. Though personally I liked both his and Charlotte's design (there being some bias, but that's just my taste xD). Nit pick is a nit pick, but Im still looking forward to my playthrough to see how well the gameplay is.

Problem about going to Japan in Post-WW2 time is that there technically wasn't a Japan in the Post-WW2.
but then again, since SoTN Belmonts have been wearing designer fashion clothes...
by all means it looks cool, but that adds to the whole "dont take it serious" thing.

[Kusanagi]

Problem about going to Japan in Post-WW2 time is that there technically wasn't a Japan in the Post-WW2.
but then again, since SoTN Belmonts have been wearing designer fashion clothes...
by all means it looks cool, but that adds to the whole "dont take it serious" thing.

Probably what they were going for in that game (the anime style certainly didn't give off any seriousness for PoR, the design just followed the style). By a technicality there wasn't a "Japan" and was being occupied by the Americans (if I remember my history right). Even still the place was there and could have been visited by Johnathan. Though it is questionable how WW2 events happened in Castlevania's universe, or if they even happened at all.

But we're putting too much logic into where they got their costumes from 

[Kusanagi]

Well, just bought the game and wouldn't you know it all the DLC are already available.

Hmm... Guess that shot the whole "DLC in waves" claim. Unless that means new DLC...

ah well, Imma go enjoy the game first, talk about it later xD

[Colin B.]

Anyone else pissed as shit that all of the DLC's were not included? It's $15 for a game that wasn't received well, plus several dollars for add-ons. Oh, and it's a year late for PS3 folk.

Damn it all...

[knightmere]

Some of the dlc is included free and all of it is cheaper then when it came out on the 360 so stop your bitching?

[Reinhart77]

I will always be grateful to Portrait of Ruin for bringing back the whip option for a main character.  Been missing that in DoS and OoE.  Though now that there's four whip users in Harmony of Despair, I'm missing Jonathan's ability to use something else.

[KaZudra]

I will always be grateful to Portrait of Ruin for bringing back the whip option for a main character.  Been missing that in DoS and OoE.  Though now that there's four whip users in Harmony of Despair, I'm missing Jonathan's ability to use something else.

I swear if Konami didn't update Jon so that Players don't have to spend 3 eternitys to max him out I really won't buy this game until I get a savefile editor.

[whitedragon_nall]

The DLC is available? I didn't see it when I looked, but I didn't really look to hard. I hardly played it last night and didn't even do any multiplayer, but I had fun. I'll give it more time once I beat Ico/SotC HD.

[Kusanagi]

The DLC is available? I didn't see it when I looked, but I didn't really look to hard. I hardly played it last night and didn't even do any multiplayer, but I had fun. I'll give it more time once I beat Ico/SotC HD.

Yeah, just start up the game then there should be an option to check for DLC (and all of it is there, though it didn't appear under the new releases section of the PSN where I found Harmony of Despair.

Anyways, I started out on single player with Richter, did well enough. Though that ended once I reached the chapter 2 boss xD So I gave multiplayer a shot and it was a lot of fun. Currently have all of Richter's martial arts and enjoying the whip + spin kick combo xD Funny enough I ran mostly into Somas, Shanoas, Fumas and Simons. rarely ran into any other characters (particularly Johnathan and Charlotte). Oh yeah, lemme know if you need a party member for online xD Can't be online all the time, but hopefully we'll manage something.

I swear if Konami didn't update Jon so that Players don't have to spend 3 eternitys to max him out I really won't buy this game until I get a savefile editor.

What did you have to go through to max out Johnathan anyways? Im guessing leveling up all of his sub weapons (and he has a lot...).

I will always be grateful to Portrait of Ruin for bringing back the whip option for a main character.  Been missing that in DoS and OoE.  Though now that there's four whip users in Harmony of Despair, I'm missing Jonathan's ability to use something else.

Yeah that would be nice if Johnathan had that option, but then again that might outbalance him from the other characters (because he has a variety of sub weapons already). But if he did have that option, that would make him the most varied of the lot (and would outclass Soma in collectable stuff xD).