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goodman · Nov 10th, 2003, 06:05 PM

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PUMPKIN AND LEON
Truth be told, Pumpkin plays almost exactly like Leon. Same whip action, same
abundance of healing items to get you through boss fights, same same same...I
mean, even Rinaldo is back, selling you stuff left and right!! So basically,
except for a few key differences which I shall catalogue in excruciating detail
below, just imagine you're going through the game with Leon (again).

- Unlike Leon, Pumpkin starts the game with only 100 HP (upgradeable to 200).
The only thing this means is that you can take fewer hits, which, earlier on in
the game, may or may not mean something. On the other hand, healing potions
restore a much greater percentage of your HP, which means that so long as you
don't get careless you should romp through the game with Leon's
Devil-may-care-if-I-get-hit attitude.

- Also unlike Leon, Pumpkin starts the game with 110 MP, 130 Hearts, a natural
Defense of 10 (before putting on any armour - so with Solar Plate your Defense
goes to 40), and - drum roll, please - Vampire Killer. Which, combined with his
natural prowess, gives Pumpkin an attack stat of 40 right from the get-go.

This is probably the biggest gameplay change of all (and what makes Pumpkin so
easy to play - perhaps contrary to the game designers' intent!). With an attack
stat that high (and with Vampire Killer) you don't need any strategy at all.
Just move forward, mash Triangle and on occasion jump/dash away (or just block)
if you feel like you need some exercise. I mean, really, there are only a few
enemies in the entire game that required anything but button-mashing, and even
then not terribly much. [Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit after playing through
with Joachim - but Ye Gods can Pumpkin dish out loads of damage with
contemptuous ease...]

- Pumpkin starts with all whip combos unlocked. Not like he needs any...

- This is just a curiosity, actually - whenever Pumpkin pulls himself up on a
ledge, he doesn't actually touch the ledge. I suspect it's because the game
uses Leon's motion model for that (and Leon's graphical representation is big
enough for the hands to actually be touching the ledge - while Pumpkin's is
not). But it's just a curious thing to watch, I think.

- Pumpkin gets no FMVs. Not even at the end of the game (he does get a few
interesting background illustrations during the credits, but nothing beyond
that). I suppose we shall never know his true identity or motivations...

- Pumpkin is sooooooo much better looking than Leon. I mean, just look at that
homicidal grin...

- Pumpkin cannot use any special weapons (e.g. axe, cross) except the one that
he comes "naturally" with. Which is, unsurprisingly, a pumpkin. This weapon can
be upgraded with Orbs as normal, so there is some variety to his special
attacks. I mean, not that he needs any special weapons (due to his natural
damage potential), but one wonders how Pumpkin became so proficient with the
whip yet can't handle a simple dagger/stone/etc. Oh well...in any case, for the
sake of completeness here is a somewhat-detailed description of his Specials
(to avoid confusion - Pumpkin with a capital "P" refers to the character,
pumpkin with a small "p" refers to the weapon):

1. Default (no orb) - Pumpkin throws out a normal-sized pumpkin that either
explodes on contact or slowly bounces around a few times before exploding.
Costs 2 Hearts.

2. Shock Pumpkin (Blue Orb) - a huge pumpkin drops down somewhat in front of
Pumpkin, doing damage to anything it lands on and then exploding (the ratio of
drop to explosion damage is something like 5/1 by the way). Costs 8 Hearts.

3. Large Pumpkin (Red Orb) - same as his default attack (tosses a pumpkin bomb
forward) except that it's a bigger...pumpkin. Costs 3 Hearts.

4. Pumpkin Missile (Purple Orb) - summons a bunch of small (fist-sized, in game
terms) pumpkins that hover around for a second then launch themselves at nearby
enemies. Has potential, but still can't compete with the Triangle x3
combo...Costs 8 Hearts.

5. Grand Pumpkin (Yellow Orb) - Pumpkin hovers in mid-air and summons 4 giant
pumpkins that spiral upwards around him (kinda like that Cross Special). Costs
12 Hearts.

6. Rampage Pumpkin (Green Orb) - Pumpkin turns into a giant...yes, pumpkin, and
blazes directly forward smashing anything in his way. Costs 5 Hearts.

7. Spread Pumpkin (White Orb) - launches a projectile directly forward that
proceeds to explode. Costs 6 Hearts.

8. Pumpkin Serpent (Black Orb) - launches a giant floating serpent made
of...you guessed it...pumpkins. Said serpent then floats around the room for
some seconds smashing into multiple enemies. There ya go, X!

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Nov 10th, 2003, 06:05 PM	#37
goodman Senior Member Joined: Jan 2002 Location: the great state of TX Posts: 948	DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PUMPKIN AND LEON Truth be told, Pumpkin plays almost exactly like Leon. Same whip action, same abundance of healing items to get you through boss fights, same same same...I mean, even Rinaldo is back, selling you stuff left and right!! So basically, except for a few key differences which I shall catalogue in excruciating detail below, just imagine you're going through the game with Leon (again). - Unlike Leon, Pumpkin starts the game with only 100 HP (upgradeable to 200). The only thing this means is that you can take fewer hits, which, earlier on in the game, may or may not mean something. On the other hand, healing potions restore a much greater percentage of your HP, which means that so long as you don't get careless you should romp through the game with Leon's Devil-may-care-if-I-get-hit attitude. - Also unlike Leon, Pumpkin starts the game with 110 MP, 130 Hearts, a natural Defense of 10 (before putting on any armour - so with Solar Plate your Defense goes to 40), and - drum roll, please - Vampire Killer. Which, combined with his natural prowess, gives Pumpkin an attack stat of 40 right from the get-go. This is probably the biggest gameplay change of all (and what makes Pumpkin so easy to play - perhaps contrary to the game designers' intent!). With an attack stat that high (and with Vampire Killer) you don't need any strategy at all. Just move forward, mash Triangle and on occasion jump/dash away (or just block) if you feel like you need some exercise. I mean, really, there are only a few enemies in the entire game that required anything but button-mashing, and even then not terribly much. [Maybe I'm exaggerating a bit after playing through with Joachim - but Ye Gods can Pumpkin dish out loads of damage with contemptuous ease...] - Pumpkin starts with all whip combos unlocked. Not like he needs any... - This is just a curiosity, actually - whenever Pumpkin pulls himself up on a ledge, he doesn't actually touch the ledge. I suspect it's because the game uses Leon's motion model for that (and Leon's graphical representation is big enough for the hands to actually be touching the ledge - while Pumpkin's is not). But it's just a curious thing to watch, I think. - Pumpkin gets no FMVs. Not even at the end of the game (he does get a few interesting background illustrations during the credits, but nothing beyond that). I suppose we shall never know his true identity or motivations... - Pumpkin is sooooooo much better looking than Leon. I mean, just look at that homicidal grin... - Pumpkin cannot use any special weapons (e.g. axe, cross) except the one that he comes "naturally" with. Which is, unsurprisingly, a pumpkin. This weapon can be upgraded with Orbs as normal, so there is some variety to his special attacks. I mean, not that he needs any special weapons (due to his natural damage potential), but one wonders how Pumpkin became so proficient with the whip yet can't handle a simple dagger/stone/etc. Oh well...in any case, for the sake of completeness here is a somewhat-detailed description of his Specials (to avoid confusion - Pumpkin with a capital "P" refers to the character, pumpkin with a small "p" refers to the weapon): 1. Default (no orb) - Pumpkin throws out a normal-sized pumpkin that either explodes on contact or slowly bounces around a few times before exploding. Costs 2 Hearts. 2. Shock Pumpkin (Blue Orb) - a huge pumpkin drops down somewhat in front of Pumpkin, doing damage to anything it lands on and then exploding (the ratio of drop to explosion damage is something like 5/1 by the way). Costs 8 Hearts. 3. Large Pumpkin (Red Orb) - same as his default attack (tosses a pumpkin bomb forward) except that it's a bigger...pumpkin. Costs 3 Hearts. 4. Pumpkin Missile (Purple Orb) - summons a bunch of small (fist-sized, in game terms) pumpkins that hover around for a second then launch themselves at nearby enemies. Has potential, but still can't compete with the Triangle x3 combo...Costs 8 Hearts. 5. Grand Pumpkin (Yellow Orb) - Pumpkin hovers in mid-air and summons 4 giant pumpkins that spiral upwards around him (kinda like that Cross Special). Costs 12 Hearts. 6. Rampage Pumpkin (Green Orb) - Pumpkin turns into a giant...yes, pumpkin, and blazes directly forward smashing anything in his way. Costs 5 Hearts. 7. Spread Pumpkin (White Orb) - launches a projectile directly forward that proceeds to explode. Costs 6 Hearts. 8. Pumpkin Serpent (Black Orb) - launches a giant floating serpent made of...you guessed it...pumpkins. Said serpent then floats around the room for some seconds smashing into multiple enemies. There ya go, X!