Shadow Hearts: Covenant

"Shadow Hearts: Covenant - Does great justice to the original, also offering plenty for newcomers"

I'd opt to stay away from opening discussion that compares this game to the first, since it would seem rather cliche.. But I just can't help it. While the first Shadow Hearts may have been a tasty treat for all of us to snack on, Covenant takes everything great about the former and throws some additional goodies on the top. The game now definitely stands a great chance to compete against some of the more heavy hitting console RPG's out there. Showcasing a great amount of production values mixed with a fantastic upgraded version of the original game's Judgement Ring.

STORY
Without giving away any of the original game's plot, this is a direct sequel. It begins as a German Military Lieutenant is sent on a mission with her troops to a church in a small village in Europe. It seems as though a demon has been spotted here, and the army wants nothing more than to eradicate it. Plenty of twists and ties with the original game will a tingling deja vu feeling with veteran Shadow Hearts players. A fairly original tale carries the game a long way. An excellent ensemble of characters has been brought to the table once again. While a minor complaint of mine is that a couple of the characters seem like renditions of other characters (Zhuzen, Geppetto anyone?) in the original game, this is a nit-picky issue that does not detract any of the experience. The original atmosphere returns with slightly less focus on the horror aspect. While Shadow Hearts was definitely not a horror game per se, it offered some creepy moments that really changed things up. Covenant still retains a dark theme, however the creepy moments have been brought down a couple notches. Well fleshed out overall, with wildly unique characters.

9/10

GRAPHICS
To begin, pre-rendered background's have been removed this time. In place we get a fully 3D realization of the Shadow Hearts universe. This is one area the initial game lacked in, that I didn't mind but wish could have been improved slightly. A big part of this sequel is the focus on the presentation aspect and the teams at Nautilus and Midway have definitely done a commendable job of pushing this game to the best of their abilities.

Many more full CG cutscenes are sprinkled throughout the game, offering cinematic sequences which are very well done and really help to push the game's story along. Real time cutscenes also occur frequently enough, and thanks to the great 3D engine they are capable of camera shifts and dramatic angles something I think the first game needed big time. Character models and backgrounds do not push the limits of the Playstation 2 hardware by any means, but they are still high class. There is quite a number of gorgeous areas to observe throughout the quest filled with plenty of interactivity. Battle effects are the usual bag of flashy pyrotechnics and particle effects. A vast and definite improvement over the first Shadow Hearts.

8/10

GAMEPLAY
As with the first Shadow Hearts, the main focus of the gameplay revolves around the all-important Judgement Ring. The Judgement Ring is basically a controlled roll of the dice that allows you to execute actions. The cool thing is that it functions not only in battle but also in the exploration area. When it's time to perform one of these actions, you are presented a circle with different a series of shaded colours divided into segments. A "hand" spins around in a clockwise direction which you must stop inside of the shaded segments. Different parts of the Judgement Ring offer you bonuses. For example, to perform a standard attack you may have to hit 3 medium sized bits of the ring, however beside each of these there will be a very much smaller "Strike" area that when hit properly offers you bonus damage and the chance to complete a Perfect Ring. This same principle applies for spells, character skills, items and basically any action you can think of. A new combo system allows you to team up with your allies in order to link together a series of attacks. This offers bonus damage that accumulates the more combo strings you can obtain. A very welcome addition to an already great battle system.

Outside of battle, the Judgement Ring is used in many interesting ways. Primarily as a function in the shops where you can use the ring to attempt to get discounted purchases, or sell your old gear for a bit more. A Lottery mini game also exists, in which you spend lottery tickets to spin the Judgement Ring to obtain different prizes. Primarily this is a linear game. A world map akin to the first game is in place. You select your destination, and often a sub destination within that. This allows a quick travel route that helps to avoid repetition. Towns in the game tend to usually be rather small, but the dungeons are quite grandiose. Usually presenting a puzzle or offering various multiple paths to explore, each dungeon can sometimes take upwards of 2 and a half hours to complete.

Levelling up is done in traditional fashion with experience points being distributed at the end of a successful fight. Each character has a different method of obtaining new skills, whether it be through collecting items, battling another character, or spending points to raise up new skills. Every one of the game's characters offers a distinct way to play, and really keeps them from becoming carbon copies of one another. A series of crests is available for collection, which allow characters (with the exception of Yuri) the chance to cast spells unique to each crest. There is also a bonus option of placing these crests on a map in a riddle-like way that if done right grants the crests bonus spells. I cannot stress enough the beauty of the gameplay in Shadow Hearts: Covenant. It is deep, unique and most important of all: fun.

10/10

MUSIC/SOUND
I confront a mixed bag in this area. While the music itself is great, it is often used too frequently. For practically the whole first disc, the town music remains the same and the dungeon music remains the same. This brings the variety down a whole bunch. I enjoy every piece of music in the game, but it's just not broken up enough. Sound effects are nothing special. The voice acting however has changed a whole lot in the past 3 years. Most characters and perfectly suited and offer great voice work. There is the odd exception that slightly tends to get on my nerves, but I never really expect perfection when it comes to English voice overs in games.

7/10

REPLAY VALUE
There is plenty to do in Shadow Hearts: Covenant if you allow yourself to get into it enough. The main quest can probably be completed in a good 30 hours if you are the type to just play straight to the end of the game. While unlocking all of your team's special attacks and weapon/armor might take a bit more time. A few sidequests exist, and I believe there is 2 endings from what I have heard on the message board. I am currently at 46 hours into the game, and I expect to play through once again after. So if you're on a rental and want to finish the game quickly, expect 30 hours roughly. If you are like me, and would like to see it all, you've got a good 50-60 hours.

9/10

FINAL VERDICT
This title has remained in my most wanted list ever since I heard of its conception. Most hyped sequels fail to deliver since the expectations are so high. However, Shadow Hearts: Covenant is a brilliant game with a fantastic atmosphere and great gameplay. For fans of the original game, you owe it to yourself to buy this game. If you are new to Shadow Hearts, you should check it out as I cannot see many people being unsatisfied with their purchase. This is definitely my favourite RPG in the past year and a great addition to a wonderful series.

10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/07/04