Shadow Hearts

"What Square Can't Create Anymore"

Poor Shadow Hearts, if only Final Fantasy X had come out later, it might have been a bigger hit! (Which is deserves!)

Introduction:

SACNOTH… ever heard of them? Most people haven’t. But I will say honestly that they are probably the best RPG company next to Square in this point in time. Although they haven’t made many other games, all the ones that I have played by them have been surprisingly good (like Koudelka and Dive Alert!). Anyways, Shadow Hearts is their latest RPG game… and definitely one of the best out there!

Characters & Story: 10+/10

Shadow Hearts is a darkening game that takes place in the early 1900's in Europe (and later on in parts of China). The game itself is really hard to review because so much happens during the game that it would be incredibly hard not to spoil any part of it. There are countless numbers of turning points, plot-twists, story-shifts, and other climatic spoilers that can ruin the game if learned too quickly. I won't spoil anything throughout my review... but then again I won't be able to tell you much about the plot without doing so... um... don't base your knowledge of the ENTIRE game from my little review... ^^;

*clears throat*

Yuri Hyuga is a bad-ass teenager who has inherited the power of 'Fusion' (a unique, yet mysterious ability to turn into demon-like creatures). Yuri seems rough but he actually has a soft spot for hot looking chicks and little kids (lol)... He’s the main character in this twisted game. But! Then there's Alice Elliot - a weakling whose father was recently killed by a wicked English man by the name of 'Roger Bacon'.

After her father's death, Roger kidnaps her, claiming that she is the 'key of light' or something to that manner and that she has the power to bring humanity's ways to a bitter end. Yuri just so happens to be on that same train (because a voice in his head led him to do so) so he interferes with the Roger’s ‘evil’ plans. Using his keen fighting skills (along with the desire to 'meet this fine lookin lady’), Yuri makes a daring escape from the train, taking Alice with him and leaving Roger with a scornful first impression.

So after that all happens in the first scene, Yuri and Alice find themselves lost in a random sort of forest (fun fun). From there, things start to get very interesting. New characters being to pop up, the story beings to brew, Yuri beings to question his dark past and abilities, and everyone begins to find out the truth about themselves, their destiny, their apocalyptic fate, and the sealed emotions hidden deep within them. (Sounds interesting, ne?)

Sound: 9/10

The ghostly and semi-creepy music definitely help the game's overall appeal. A lot of the music stays with you for parts of the game, which creates a neat gaming atmosphere. The game’s music was composed by the same person who did Secret of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 2)… so no wonder it’s so good!! ^_^ Let’s see… oh yeah, the dub. The only time you hear the characters talk are in the CGs. But from the little you hear of their voices, I’d say the dub is pretty good. The sound effects are amazing and there are a whole lot of them. Be sure to open your ears for all the little details. Also, the ending theme “Shadow Hearts” has got to be one of my favorite game pieces. It’s quite rewarding after playing the game for so long.

Graphics: 8/10

Most of what saves the only decent game graphics of Shadow Hearts are the CGs! Most of them are breathtaking… while the in-game graphics look quite Playstation-y. The magic effects are really neat though. Be sure to look carefully at all of them when in battles. Probably one of the neatest attacks is a spell called ‘Revelation’. Look forward to seeing it.

Game Play: 10/10

There is a lot of game play in Shadow Hearts… including many unique features. One of them is a groovy add-on to the boring turned-based battles found in most RPGs. Every time you want to attack, you have to hit certain areas of 'the Judgement Ring'. 'The Judgement Ring' is a ring that appears at the top of the screen that rotates once… and judging on where you hit inside 'the Judgement Ring' determines how successful/powerful/accurate your attack is. I've heard it's sort of like a feature in 'the Legend of Dragoon', but I've never played that game so I don't know... Oh! Also 'the Judgement Ring' plays another role in the game... but it's a spoiler! ^_~ When you find out about it though, it makes a lot of sense and ties in with some a part of the 'theme' in Shadow Hearts... So play the game and you'll find out! Also, Shadow Hearts is about a 30-hour game. This, in my opinion, is the perfect length for a game because it doesn’t drag out to much.

Overall: 10+/10

Wow… compared to other RPG games like the Final Fantasies and the Grandias, Shadow Hearts is God. I haven’t played a game this good since Secret of Mana and Chrono Trigger! And that was back in the days of Super Nintendo~! After beating Shadow Hearts, I became very interested in Koudelka (the prequel to Shadow Hearts… which ties in a lot with certain areas of the game!). Be sure to check out both if you can. At least rent Shadow Hearts (if not buy it immediately) because a lot of people are missing out on one of today’s best RPG games. ^_^

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/18/03, Updated 01/18/03