Castlevania: Harmony of Despair combines a cast of characters from earlier games in the franchise with traditional 2D platformer gameplay. The emphasis is on cooperative gameplay, with up to six vampire hunters working together to destroy the citadel Castlevania. This mode is similar to previous games’ Boss Rush mode, but there is also a Versus mode where players compete for points. The game can also be played alone in a single-player story mode. It comprises six big maps that may be viewed while playing. There are three distinct zoom levels (without halting the game), and while the closest one is the only one suitable for play, the others allow you to observe the whole level layout on a single screen to plan a path and find the treasure. Each level has a boss to defeat, and old foes such as Gergoth, Dullahan, the Puppet Master, Death, and Menace return. Bosses can sometimes assault players before they reach the finish area. Multiple players begin in various portions of the level and act independently. Still, because each character has a unique set of talents, they can assist one another by dousing fire to clear a route or pushing a lever to raise a platform for another player.
The emphasis is on RPG aspects, like in previous games in the series. For example, using a weapon frequently increases its skill, making it more effective. The protagonists have health and magic bars, and the damage caused is displayed as a floating number when fighting opponents. Players can raid treasure boxes and acquire loot to equip offensive and defensive gear and get skill benefits. Mid-game training is frequently only feasible when a magical book called The Grimoire is found. The significant statistics of the character are organized into seven categories: ATK, DEF, STR, CON, INT, MND, and LCK. However, unlike some of the older games, there is no experience point system, and the game is solely centered on better equipment and weaponry. Money accumulated in a level is carried over even when the player dies. Items from individually looted chests are distributed to all players when they play together. When one of them dies, a grave forms where the character dies, allowing him to battle in skeleton form with limited powers. Other players can utilize Water of Life to resurrect a character, but the game ends when all characters are in skeleton form. Levels must also be finished in under 30 minutes. There are several phrases accessible to send a message to the players.
All characters share a set of abilities, a few hunter skills, and a personal skill. They can double leap, utilize two attacks, back dash, and cast spells. Other elements are restricted to specific characters. Shanoa uses glyphs near a magnet to adhere to it, generate tension, and then leap away at rocket speed, while Alucard can shift forms. Enemy powers are occasionally freed in spirit form. Soma can employ them in three categories: Bullets (collect up to four bullet souls), Guardians (used as a personal skill), and Enchantment (activated instantly when equipped). Magic scrolls are used to acquire spells, and there are four sorts of black magic, while martial arts scrolls provide new physical abilities for Jonathan Morris. Charlotte Aulin can also learn magic by using the Book of Binding to lock missiles and enemy spells or by absorbing the mystical sigils that appear when adversaries use magic.
Five characters are initially available, with six more available through downloadable material. Eight alternative palettes are available in multiplayer to change the appearance of identical ones. *Alucard (from Castlevania: Symphony of the Night) is one of the selectable characters.
Charlotte Aulin (from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin)
Shanoa (from Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia)
Soma Cruz (from Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow)
Jonathan Morris (from Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin)
(DLC) Julius Belmont (from Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow)
(DLC) Yoko Belnades (from Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow)
(DLC) Richter Belmont (from Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo)
(DLC) Maria Renard (from Akumajō Dracula X: Chi no Rondo)
(DLC) Simon Belmont (from Castlevania)
(DLC) Getsu Fuma (from Getsu Fūma Den)
Julius Belmont, Yoko Belnades, and the stage Love, Desire, Situation Dire are all included for free with the PlayStation 3 edition. There’s also a single-screen offline multiplayer mode and minor balance tweaks.
