Xbox One Backwards Compatibility Adds Co-Op Classic

Xbox One has gotten another bloody addition to its backwards compatibility line-up today, with the addition of Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. The Xbox 360 game is now playable on Xbox One. If you don't already own it, it's now for $15, along with several character packs for a few bucks apiece.

The 2010 game was part of that year's Summer of Arcade lineup, with an emphasis on co-op play that remains unique to the series. To that end it featured several of the series' most well-known protagonists, including Alucard, Soma Cruz, and Julius Belmont. The DLC packs added other heroes like Simon Belmont and Maria Renard, along with extra stages.

In GameSpot's review, critic Giancarlo Varanini suggested that the co-op play was a unique twist, but some areas required it too much for it to live as a single-player experience.

"There are some instances where Harmony of Despair caters more to the multiplayer cooperative experience than the single-player," he said. "For instance, most of the secret areas can be accessed only with other players, but in reality, that's the best way to experience this new Castlevania. And it's the optimal way to experience what may be a new and fun potential direction for the series to take."

As always, the game will be ready to download on your Xbox One if you already own it. This was a digital-only release, but disc-based ones can be played if you still own the disc as well. Check out our full list of every backwards compatible game to see if some of your nostalgic favorites are ready to play.