Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance Areas continued...
Sky Walkway
his area and the next (Chapel of Dissonance) are my personal favorites. The Sky Walkway is located in the upper section of Castlevania's right side. After being in the grit, grime, and hell of the nightmare castle's lower segments, there is a drastic difference to be seen here. Sky Walkway is heavenly in appearance. Classical sculptures, paintings, and brickwork beautify this entire area magnificently. The scrolling cloud effects compliment everything flawlessly. Have a look for yourself.
The beginning of Sky Walkway has a series of very large paintings in the background. I've seen fans debate over what they are pictures of. I still have no idea, but whatever it is, it looks bloody.
It's touches like this fountain on a corridor floating in mid air that gives Harmony of Dissonance an exceptional artistic grace.
A large, charmingly aged pipe organ rests high in the heavens within one of Sky Walkway's towers.
The lower segment of Sky Walkway has hallways with drapes and mirrors. That's not Juste's reflection.
The room where Juste battles the heavenly yet profane Legion is remarkable and something we do not see often in Castlevania. It seems to be an antiquated astronomical observatory.
Enemies:
- Balloon
- Big Balloon
- Flying Bone
- Bone Archer
- White Dragon
- Ruler Sword Lv.3
- Aribaki
- Ruler Sword
- Axe Armor Lv.2
- Spriggan
Boss:
- Devil
- Legion (Saint)
- Shadow
Music Track:
Maps
Chapel of Dissonance
The Chapel of Dissonance is a wonderful area that is celebrated amongst the fans. It is akin to Symphony of the Night's Royal Chapel, but unlike it in enough ways to keep it from being too parallel. The Chapel rests high in the sky, connecting to the Sky Walkway and Castle Top Floor. It has a sequence of airborne hallways that are guarded by skeletons of different sorts and Axe Armor enemies. These corridors unite with towers that lead to even higher altitudes. You will eventually come upon a massive room with large, intricate stained glass windows. Like Sky Walkway, the structural design in Chapel of Dissonance is awe-inspiring.
Settings like these may seem familiar to fans of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, yet Harmony of Dissonance adds its own flavor to it, giving it a unique air.
Things that seem minute, such as the joinery in the floors, or the thatch on the roof really go a long way in establishing this environment.
The craftsmanship of the stained glass is breathtaking. It's heads above anything to be seen in Harmony's forerunner, Circle of the Moon. I wonder what sort of story the glass tells?
The Chapel darkens and fills with Specters as the sky turns to a sickly green hue in Castle B.
The shadows of ghouls are occasionally displayed in windows during a fierce lightning storm while in this attic like setting. It's an eerie effect.
Enemies:
- Bone Archer
- Fleaman
- Bone Thrower
- Flying Bone
- Bone Pillar
- Axe Armor Lv.2
- Skeleton Spear
- Specter
Music Track:
Aqueduct of Dragons
This area is a murky gutter filled with Fishmen, Mermen, and other slimy creatures. Like Luminous Cavern, it's somewhat nondescript, but there are some interesting things about it. It sinks ever deeper into the castle, eventually linking with the reservoir beneath the castle, the Luminous Cavern. Presumably, the purpose of this aqueduct is to serve as a channel from the water caverns to the Clockwork Tower, supplying it with water in order for the gears to function. It seems to be a gathering place for the more undesirable creatures that thrive in gunk and mucky water.Those who visit and discover this waterway's secrets will be handsomely rewarded.
The Fishmen are fiercely territorial and will attack any hunter who treads through their sewer.
Watch the ceiling. Bloodstained traps lay in wait.
This is the room where the boss fight takes place. It has a rather nice background, which displays giant mermaid statuettes and the arched aqueduct.
The fortified Boomerang Armor defends a hidden secret in the room with the goddess statue. The transparency effect on the water was good in this area.
This area is also home to the sickening Melty Zombies.
Enemies:
- Fishman
- Merman
- Slime
- Tiny Slime
- Bat
- Boomerang Armor
- Melty Zombie
- Arabaki
- Bone Liquid
- White Dragon
Boss:
- Giant Merman
Music Track:
Maps
Clock Tower
This is one of the more fun areas to play through, for me. The things that you would come to anticipate from a Castlevania Clock Tower are all here. There are revolving gears for you to jump on, swinging pendulums to ride, flying Medusa Heads to contend with and much more. It has a few unique interactions, one of them being where Juste can whip an armored knight into a mechanism to obtain its armor. Be sure to keep an eye on your map, this area is rather labyrinthine. The swarming flocks of Harpies don't make the situation any easier. The Clock Tower is positioned in the upper rightmost area of Castlevania. It connects with Sky Walkway and the Aqueduct of Dragons. It also signifies a turning point in the game. It is here that Juste has a revealing conversation with Death, which enlightens him about the mysteries taking place within the castle.
When you first arrive at the Clock Tower, expect a challenge. The Harpies are very violent and refuse to let up. Try and fight them one on one. If they manage to outnumber you, it can spell doom for Juste Belmont.
The Paranthropas from Dracula X return, but this time under the name Big Skeleton. What else is of interest is that painting in the backdrop. The blood from the painting is leaking out of its canvas. This is yet another example of Harmony's creepy touches.
There are small rooms set off to the side in the Clock Tower. Be sure to explore everything, lest you leave behind valuable treasure. Some of the rooms are wonderful and full of ambiance. This seemingly quaint upper chamber is a good example.
The room of grandfather clocks from Symphony returns in HoD. In Castle B, this room suffers from neglect and is full of cobwebs.
Lava waterfalls flow in Castle B's Clock Tower. Harmony doesn't limit itself to the dark, creepy moonlit environments that most of the series does. Instead, it takes a step further by having extremely demented, hellish locales as well.
Enemies:
- Harpy
- Gold Medusa Head
- Fleaman
- Disc Armor
- Bone Pillar
- Big Skeleton
- White Dragon
- Specter
- Arabaki
- Guardian Armor
- Ruler Sword Lv.2
- Feather Demon
- Peeping Eye
- Medusa Head
- Skeleton Blaze
- Skeleton Rib
- Fleaman Armor
- Disc Armor Lv.2
- Ghost
- Bronze Guarder
- White Dragon Lv.2
- Rare Ghost
Boss:
- Max Slimer
- Peeping Big
Music Track:
Castle Top Floor
This is it, the Top Floor of the soaring Castlevania! This area is located in the central part of the castle. It is comprised of sophisticated foyers and two colossal towers that scale from the Treasury to the utmost heights of the castle. You can infiltrate this area from the Castle Treasury and investigate a great deal of it from there. However, you will be isolated from the Dark Lord's Throne Room. You must enter from the Chapel of Dissonance to reach Count Dracula's chamber.
Like the Treasury, the Top Floor has an elevator to make navigation a bit easier.
You must work your way through Dracula's Lizard Men in order to ascend to the peak. The sky darkens as Juste gets closer and closer to the top.
Count Dracula's Minotaur returns with a bloody ball and chain weapon.
The cloud effects are incredible at one of Castlevania's uppermost towers.
This is a familiar scene to Castlevania fans. As usual, the Clock Tower is visible from here. This staircase leads to the Throne Room and to Lydie Erlanger. Count Dracula was killed fifty years ago, but will reaching Lydie be that easy?
Enemies:
- Skeleton Blaze
- Ectoplasm
- Disc Armor
- Skeleton Spear
- Bone Thrower
- Big Skeleton
- Arabaki
- Poison Lizard
- Peeping Eye
- Rare Ghost
Boss:
- Minotaur
- Pazuzu
- Minotaur Lv.2
Music Track:
Maps:
