Game Boy Advance

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance

The result is a very playable title and in spite of the questionable combination of Gothic terror and Japanese art style, the two seem to be a fait accompli. Totally alien in their respective rights, combined together, they synthesize the best traits from each other to create a gripping and engrossing game that few in the action category have approached in quality thus far. While it may be rather premature to make the following judgment, especially since the holiday season has yet to start, this is the one action platform game you'll want to pick up for Nintendo's handheld. Most people have the conception that Game Boy Advance titles are compromises, compared to buying a full-fledged title on a mainstream console. Dissonance, in its detail, execution and style truly transcends its platform and for now, it's the best seat in the house for a trip to eerie Castlevania.

It's almost a no-brainer to learn that a new 2D Castlevania ends up being one of the best games on the system, but hey, it has to be said: Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is really great. The gameplay techniques, the graphics, the length of the quest, all top-notch. The music isn't quite as bad as importers have made it out to be, but yes...the tunes aren't nearly as nice as they have been in past Castlevania adventures.

Subtle details like a floating eyeball lingering behind a curtain or a corpse hanging in the background are examples of the game's rich visuals. Each stage is a work of art, decorated with ornate architecture and huge sculptures. Initially I got lost in the endless corridors and stairways, but once I obtained the map, the gameplay improved dramatically. The more powers you amass, the more enjoyable Harmony of Dissonance becomes. This game is a winner, and it's one of three Castlevania games available for the Game Boy Advance.

When all is said and done, This is the Castlevania sequel (prequel?) that everyone was waiting for after Symphony of the Night. If you have already been amazed at what your GBA can do, prepare to be amazed again.

Despite its unevenness, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is a quality adventure that represents the best attempt yet made at miniaturizing the brilliance of Symphony of the Night. That said, this is definitely Symphony-lite, with a much smaller explorable area and somewhat less compelling map design. I also began to notice the tell-tale signs of rehashing; if this series is to continue in a respectable fashion, Konami should stop trying to recreate a past hit and get back to innovating more in the gameplay. But hey, that's just me being a stodgy critic. Original or not, Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is a great game. Go buy it.

The focus of the game is to collect the fragmented body parts of Dracula’s corpse in order to prevent his return to reincarnated un-life. Throughout this quest, you will collect a slew of other relics, which will expand your abilities and allow you to access otherwise impossible to reach sections of the castles. Unfortunately, we have all done this in the past, some of us multiple times over the course of multiple Castlevania games. There is nothing truly flawed in Harmony of Dissonance’s technical execution of these elements, the game is just lacking a certain freshness. Perhaps because Circle of the Moon was headed by a separate team, the game succeeded in creating a unique, difficult experience that was, at the time, unimaginable on a handheld system. Sure it drew some influence from Symphony, but its own legs to stand on. Harmony of Dissonance simply lacks the crucial element that made the previous game so rewarding to play.

Sin duda, se está hablando de uno de los mejores juegos en el catálogo de la consola, pues tiene elementos de sobra para demostrar este punto. Sobre si es mejor que Simphony of the Night, la respuesta es un rotundo no, pero se le acerca, pues el nivel gráfico es muy alto y todo lo que rodea el juego a nivel de jugabilidad está realmente conseguido.

Véritable symbole de l'apogée de la série Castlevania depuis ses origines, Harmony of Dissonance reprend dignement le flambeau légué par l'excellent volet PSX, et compose à la perfection les qualités d'un jeu alliant une mise en scène époustouflante à un gameplay hors pair. Le challenge est moins difficile que celui proposé dans Circle of the Moon, mais le plaisir de jeu est une fois de plus inoubliable.

The new CastleVania game is still a great game with the same addictive gameplay that we all know and love but it's not perfect and some may actually prefer the older Circle of the Moon to the newer Harmony of Dissonance. I miss all the cool secret stuff like randomly hitting a wall and finding some hiding goodies, that's not really in this game for some reason. I also miss the mystery of the Card system from before and there are very little surprises in this magic system which is kinda disappointing as well. Despite some minor problems it's still a very good game for the Gameboy Advance and it's definitely one of the better GBA games to arrive in awhile.

Nintendon ikivanhalla NES-konsolilla alkanut Konamin Castlevania-toimintatasoloikka on löytänyt sopivan kodin Gameboy Advancesta, sillä edellinen Gameboy Advance -osa Circle of the Moon oli masiinan julkaisupelien parhaimmistoa. Harmonyn tarina sijoittuu aikaan ennen Circle of the Moonin tapahtumia, mutta juoni Draculan tappamisineen on edelleen sama.

If you love the Castlevania series or just want to play a great action game with some RPG elements and a nice variety of spell and weapon attacks then Harmony of Dissonance is a must have title for every GBA owner. The unique “Spell Fusion” system is a refreshing nuance to an established gameplay model, and the overall game length and post-game bonuses make this title a great value and a perfect addition to your GBA library.

Harmony of Dissonance is in some ways a simpler game than last year's Castlevania. Juste mostly relies on his whip to deal with his enemies, and though you can upgrade it, the whip's attack itself remains basically the same throughout the game--you don't have access to other main weapons like you did in Circle of the Moon. That game also featured a surprisingly robust magic system that allowed you to combine pairs of special cards for dozens of different effects. It was strange that seemingly so much effort went into the system, many of whose effects were either too subtle or more interesting than useful. Harmony of Dissonance streamlines things by giving you the chance to discover just a handful of different not-so-secret elemental magic books that imbue your secondary weapons with their powers.

Overall, Harmony of Dissonance is, for the most part, a nice little sequel to Symphony of the Night. Its game design and style are much more in tune with that PSX classic than last year’s Circle of the Moon, though it’s arguable as to whether that makes HoD the superior handheld Castlevania. Regardless, this is a very fun game that should provide a great fix for Castlevania junkies or a pleasant introduction for anyone new to the series. Symphony of the Night still reigns supreme in my book, but Harmony of Dissonance is money well spent.

While Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is far from a terrible game, it lacks the touches that made the rest of the series instant classics. It is a shame that a game which has all the hallmarks of being the spiritual sequel to one of the most beloved adventure games, Symphony of the Night, falls short of its goal.

Is Harmony of Dissonance a bad game? No, not necessarily. Could it have been better? Absolutely. This game had the potential to be something truly great, like its other Castlevania brethren on the GBA. It has the massive map and explorative elements of the other current installments in the series, and it has a few new takes on old items to put on the facade of something new and fresh. Yet there’s something missing here. Maybe it’s the stale gameplay, or the lack of difficulty. Or maybe it’s the possibility that the minds behind this game wanted to show off the GBA’s capabilities, thus sacrificing the usually high gameplay standards in favor of something a bit more flashy and appealing to the eyes. In the end, Harmony of Dissonance falters where others have persevered, the weak link in the trio that make up the Castlevania GBA series.

HOD is one of the better games on the GBA. Some touches in the game will make you smile, like the skeletons in mirrors that mimic your actions and the incredible use of enemies in some of the puzzles. It's just a shame that this great open structured adventure has taken some steps backwards for the series rather than ahead.

Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance is an original title in the series that follows the charming 2D style of Circle of the Moon, the last GBA game. With nothing but a whip and some frilly clothing by his side, Juste is charged with exploring Dracula’s revitalized manor with his friend Maxim to track down Lydie, a female acquaintance who was abducted earlier.

Even though Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance suffers from some flaws, it's still more playable than a majority of the portable software currently on the market and worth a look for gamers starving for an action/RPG that'll provide around 10 hours of gameplay. People looking for the second coming of Alucard, though, will be in for a disappointment.