20-Aug-2002 Drac's back and he's mad Drac's back and he's mad
The Belmonts have to be one of the unluckiest families in videogaming history. Ever since the 1987 release of Castlevania on NES they've been forced toe-to-toe with Dracula, battling through his monster-filled castle for what seems like an eternity. And they just keep bouncing back for more. But despite the bundles of Castlevania titles over the years, Harmony Of Dissonance proves the series still has lashings of addictive platform action up its sleeve.
NEW MR WHIPPY This time round you play 18-year-old Juste Belmont, equipped with the trusty whip and the funky skills and powers that have been passed down through Juste's badass bloodline.
Similar to the first Castelvania game on GBA, the action sees you exploring huge labyrinthine areas and twatting the hell out of endless crazy creatures and gargantuan bosses to gain experience points and level up. The role-playing elements work fantastically well; powering up, equipping spells and setting abilities is now very comprehensive. So whether you played the last game or not, you'll be able to tuck into the action straight away.
Overall, this adventure is much easier than its predecessor, which might miff hardcore fans. For the rest of you though, the difficulty level is well-balanced and the standard maiming action is just about right.
BACKTRACK BACKLASH More enemies, new weapons and awesome original spells appear in this sequel. Plus, now you can collect gold on your travels, which can be traded in to buy handy potions and goodies. However, for all these new additions, a couple of annoying elements remain. For example, you have to backtrack far too frequently to progress and often discover new areas only through chance.
What's more, the visuals are still nothing to rave about. Okay, they're brighter and the sprites are bigger, but the backgrounds look dull. Don't be too disheartened though, because Harmony Of Dissonance's top-class gameplay ranks it as one of the best adventures on GBA.
Michael Cooper
// Overview
Verdict
A hugely enjoyable role-playing platform adventure.
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