All good things must come to an end, and that time has come for DLC additions to
Konami's
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.
Getsu Fuma Den was released this week for
320 Microsoft Points ($4) and is a nod to the Japan-only Famicom game of the same name. Much like the
Origins DLC that was released in January,
Getsu Fuma Den is a faithful 8-bit conversion in terms of visuals, with a cleaner look. The map for
Getsu Fuma Den is an amalgamation of the screens that made up a complete stage of the 1987 Konami-published title and the final boss has several forms that will challenge any player's endurance and skills.
In addition,
Getsu Fuma is also available for download to add a new ally to a player's forces that stand against Dracula and his minions. That download will run
160 Microsoft Points ($2).
If nothing else,
Harmony of Despair has been a fun (but very challenging) bit of fan service. The game pays respects to many of the signpost titles in the history of the series, from the first NES
Castlevania title to
Bloodlines for the Genesis to
Symphony of the Night and beyond. In spite of the punishing solo difficulty,
Harmony of Despair is an XBLA title that should be given a second look if you somehow missed out on it last summer. The game costs
1200 Microsoft Points ($15), and, as always with XBLA titles, there's a free trial for consumers on the fence.
