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But there's no release date from that publisher (I think it's Chuang-Yi or something) for Vol. 33. I know, we'll get Wily to make them do it! He's the closest!
![[objection!]](http://forum.rockmanpm.com/Smileys/default/objection.gif "Objection!")
You remember that new Castlevania trademark you heard about and thought was for Nintendo DS? Well, it's not called Harmony of Despair for nothing.
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair (aka Castlevania HD) is an Xbox Live Arcade mashup featuring all of your favorite past Castlevania protagonists, made to work together in full Metroidvania fashion. We have obtained the first screenshots from this amazingly different kind of Castlevania game, as well as some vague information regarding gameplay. Hit the jump for the full story.
From what little we've seen of Castlevania HD, it's difficult to describe exactly what kind of Castlevania game this is most akin to. As you can tell from the screenshots, it's a 2D game using sprites instead of 3D polygons and looks very similar to the post-Symphony of the Night style Metroidvania GBA\DS games. You load into a game and can play with up to 6 friends on a single map, all at the same time. You're given a boss target that you must reach and destroy, helping your friends along the way to the same goal. Known playable characters at this point are Soma Cruz, Alucard, Jonathan Morris, Shanoa and Charlotte Aulin. We've only seen Soma, but we imagine each character will have it's own special abilities (think classes, like Team Fortress 2).
It drops you in with a wide camera angle where you're able to see most of the target area. It's not huge, so there wasn't much of an exploration factor. Clicking the right stick will change the viewing angle to the entire map (where you will see a teeny little Soma in the bottom left), or to the standard, close angle that we're all used to.
Unfortunately, we weren't able to see more than a couple minutes of play, but what we did see got us incredibly excited.
6 people being able to get together and play a giant game of party-Castlevania? I knew Konami was a smart company, but it's like they hooked up a machine to me at night while I'm sleeping...so they can record my dreams.
Although this region is known for its hot weather, that night was all but hot. Sometimes, strong winds were even blowing…
Indeed, what woke Chizuru Kagura was not heat; it was more of an evil presence feeling.
“…”
She took a look at the Shoji facing the garden. Beautiful shining blue-ish light of the full moon were illuminating the room.
Suddenly, a long thin silhouette drew up in the shoji. Noticing it, Chizuru’s went completely alarmed.
“Huh! Who’s there?”
Chizuru realized her inexperience as she asked for the person’s identity in a concealed voice. Quickly thinking back the situation, this familiar silhouette that went unnoticed through the garden. Before seeing him, she had already figured it out.
Chizuru felt ashamed of her own inexperience as it seemed obvious who the mysterious visitor was.
“…you’ve become such a coward, Kagura”
A small derisive laughter briefly showed.
“You too…”
Chizuru closed her white summer undershirt that partially exposed her chest, and then sat on her futon.
“You too, you lost your flames, didn’t you?”
“So what?”
Before that arrogant answer, Chizuru remained silent.
Even though his purple flames were lost, his strength definitely is not. The Kagura residence is extremely well guarded place with countless strong bodyguards… Just the fact that he is standing before her right now, means there is no doubt about his strength.
For Chizuru, whose self-confidence was greatly affected when she lost the powers of the mirror, it was clear that it was not the case for him. Thinking about that, she was biting her lips in anger…
“I came here to see whether you regained your powers yet… As I thought, it seems that brat will just have to be taken care of.”
Said the man as he turned to take his leave. Chizuru reached for him in confusion.
“Wait, Yagami! This might be your only chance!”
“…What chance?”
“For the last 660 years, the Yagami flames you wield have been affected by Orochi’s evil power. But, now that the flames and the Magatama were lost… now… now, maybe it’s your only chance to free your family from Orochi’s curse.”
“Nonsense!”
Chizuru’s complaint made the man laugh.
“… I’m who I am. I don’t give a damn about the Yagami family line whatsoever!”
“Yagami---”
Chizuru was intending to talk him on it, only then did she realize how inconsistent her request was.
The Yagami Family flames, which power come from the Yasakani Magatama--- If these flames are bonded to the Orochi blood, then freeing himself from Orochi would inevitably mean abandoning his flames forever.
But it also means that one of the 3 sacred treasures, used to seal Orochi, would be lost forever.
Chizuru’s face turned pale with such a dilemma.
“Rest assured. Your mirror will get back to you soon.”
Chizuru remained silent, and the man greeted her while taking his leave.
“… However, next thing to be lost is the Sword”
“Stop, Yagami!”
Chizuru quickly got out of her futon, opened the Shoji and rushed out of the room.
However, there was only a silent garden bathed in the shining light of the full moon. The figure of the redheaded man was nowhere to be seen.
◆◇◆◇◆
The old bridge was shaking considerably every time a truck was passing by the road under it.
Endlessly exposed to wind and rain, its coating wore off all over and its rusty spikes smelled as like the remains of some huge dead animal.
Walking slowly past a spike, Iori Yagami stopped for a while and gazed up at the moon.
“….”
The cigarette in his right hand was slowly burning out… Suddenly, burnt out ashes fell on the ground.
“… What business do dead-like people have with me?”
With a cool-headed look, he lowered his head from the sky towards a spot at the ground next to the bridge where was gathering a deep black shadow.
“Holding a grudge against me? Or is it going to be “Kill me please” once again?”
After Iori said that, the dark shadow responded.
“Such a greeting, Yagami… Although it’s been a long time since we last met”
“Staring at the sky once again… Didn’t we say it before? That we shall meet someday again in a full moon night.”
“-----”
Hearing those charming women voices, Iori didn’t move a single eyebrow.
As Iori was watching, the shadow was writhing in agony. Quietly, but surely, it started to gradually take shape.
Finally, once it stood out from a 2D world to a 3D one, the shadow had shaped into two beautiful ladies. (Now, I am raising an eyebrow)
The man tossed his cigarette. He narrowed his eyes then muttered.
“…Then it must be some sort lingering affection that made come out”
“Affection? There’s no such a thing”
The redheaded Vice grandly twisted her stretched body, as she talked. The shape of her body concealed in black pants was completely reminiscent of that of a large snake.
“---- Originally we weren’t planning to come out.”
“Then, why are you here?”
“Well, I wonder why… Couldn’t it be because you guys were disappointing beyond expectations?”
A distinctive eye patch showed on Mature’s clear face. The blonde lady moved her shiny red lips to answer Iori’s sarcasm.
-----------------
“… What are talking about?”
“After Kagura, it was Yagami’s turn… It seems even you got tricked, weren’t you? Deceived by that Ash Crimson boy!”
“And on top of that, it looks like his strange colleagues are aiming at Orochi’s power. You know, the ones who call themselves “those from the distant land”“
“… Whatever, I don’t care”
“That sure sounds like you. Because, all you ever care about is yourself, right?”
“However, it does matters for us. We can’t let it happen!”
“We can’t possibly allow Orochi’s power to be helplessly exposed, now can we?”
“And that’s why we came back.”
Burdened in darkness, their 3 eyes (Vice’s 2 + Mature’s 1) were suspiciously shining. Vice and Mature, both are supposed to have been killed at Iori’s own hands.
Iori put his hands in his pockets, and then spoke.
“It’s nice of you to bear the consequences of Kagura’s mistake. … Still, what the hell the two of you can do?”
“Weeeeeell…However if we join forces, then there must be something we can do. Right?”
“Your aim is the boy; ours is the other guys… If we keep advancing in the tournament, we will run into them sooner or later.”
“…The same ridiculous mockery again!”
“Indeed. But, using that ridiculous mockery is the fastest way to find them. And for this to work we’ll need to be teammates, even if it’s for the mere formalities. Get it, Yagami-kun?”
“Hmph---”
With that sound, Iori walked away indifferently. Passing next to Vice and Mature, he continued his way down the bridge.
Without stopping to speak, he added.
“I’ll warn you in advance. If it turns out to be useless for me---”
““Then I’ll have no more use for you!” Right? ………..we’ll keep it in mind.”
Vice’s suppressed laugh was slowly fading out.
“We’re excited as well! Excited about the extents of your strength after losing your flames. -----But since it’s you, we probably won’t be disappointed.”
“…Even dead, it seems you’re as smooth talker as ever”
At the bridge exit, he stopped then looked back over his shoulder.
The two ladies’ shadowy shapes were nowhere, and all Iori could see was the blue moon shining in the clear dark sky.
“…………………”
Iori took out another cigarette, and lit it up with his lighter that he has been using for a while.
The thin smoke of the tossed cigarette rose up towards the full moon night sky, while a red flickering light was glowing from the silhouettes lurking in the dark.
I'm already holding a pencil since I was a baby.
You do realize the whole purpose of Operate Shooting Star was fanservice, right?
You sure must be good at fighting games then. Becuase I barely understood that the first time.
This guy sure knows how to do weird attack things.
