random favorite rpg: Shadow Hearts 2
After being depressed by playing Suikoden Tierkeis, Eternal Sonata, and Chrono Trigger DS's new content (I love Chrono Trigger, but the new area? Not so much), I decided that I will slowly talk about some of my favorite RPGs in no particular order. Due to recent events regarding Midway, I think I'll talk about the last game I bought that was published by them, and it was an rpg.
This game is simply known as Shadow Hearts 2 in japan and released in the states as Covenant thanks to Midway (also the last game I ever bought published by Midway). My bro picked this up only because the first game of the series was offered when you pre-ordered the game. After I tried it, I got so consumed with the game that I had to buy it for myself.
What I loved:
Judgment Ring - The Ring is what makes every action possible in Shadow Hearts. It is pretty much everywhere, but it never becomes annoying. In battle each character has their own ring. You only use the ring with characters the same exact way for the use of items. Everywhere else it is completely different. The Ring can be customized for each character to increase their power (making them harder to use) or to change the style of the ring to go along with your play style.
Battle System - Besides the ring, there is a lot of depth. The Sanity Point gauge keeps players from prolonging the battle. The longer you take, the more likely this gauge will drain causing a character to be berserk. Being berserk in this game is being berserk in traditional rpgs with the combination of being confused (AKA not a good thing). There is a combo system in battle and you can combine the attacks with other players which, if successful, will allow you to cast strong magic at the end of a combo.
Fusions - Yuri and Kurando are the only two characters with the abiliy. The video above explains the gist of it. It is awesome to fuse as long as you don't become berserk!
Characters - If there is one thing that this series should be known for, it should be the wide variety of allies you gain in the game and their giant personalities. Each have their own sidequests that vary in absurdity. When the personalities of characters crash (which often occurs) get ready for some enjoyable dialogue.
stat tracker - the game records a lot of stats in the game. There are only two purposes though. First, if you maintain a high hit % in the game on your second play-through, you can get an impressive item. It will also show the pairs of characters who have combo-ed off each other the most. These characters have an affinity with each other which results in increased damage if they combo off each other in the future.
Wolf Bout - Each character has their own side quest to perfect themselves. Some are of the typical rpg fetch quest affair and some are just plain absurd. Wolf Bout is the most absurd and awesome side-quest in the game. It is only absurd in that when you encounter the wolves to fight in Wolf Bout, it is the only time you hear a voice actor for Blanca and it makes me think of the Menchi episode of excelsaga. This video also gives a good representation of the battle system (and the enemies abusing the combo system against the player).
Story - As comical as the game gets, I have to say I really enjoyed the emotional parts of the story. At the very core, you get to see how two different characters on the side of good change drastically after losing the one they loved the most. Even if you haven't played the first game, I think it is explained well enough. The side plots are completely ridiculous though, yet they keep you interested in the game as the plot slowly leaks out.
What I hated:
Exploits - after playing through the game a few times, you can find a few exploits to make the game ridiculously easy.
Linear (compared to old-school rpgs) - The layout of this game is very FFX-2 in the way you always physically travel from place to place and instead rely on a map. It is really only a bad thing to old school rpg players like myself though.
The battle system is SH3 (From the New World) is superior to SH2, but I found SH2 to be the better overall package. However the only drastic difference is between SH and SH2 as SH is a more traditional rpg. If you are interested in the entire series though, I would advise to start with SH, otherwise after playing the first hour of SH2 or SH3, you'll never want to touch the first.
This game is simply known as Shadow Hearts 2 in japan and released in the states as Covenant thanks to Midway (also the last game I ever bought published by Midway). My bro picked this up only because the first game of the series was offered when you pre-ordered the game. After I tried it, I got so consumed with the game that I had to buy it for myself.
Click to viewWhat I loved:
Judgment Ring - The Ring is what makes every action possible in Shadow Hearts. It is pretty much everywhere, but it never becomes annoying. In battle each character has their own ring. You only use the ring with characters the same exact way for the use of items. Everywhere else it is completely different. The Ring can be customized for each character to increase their power (making them harder to use) or to change the style of the ring to go along with your play style.
Battle System - Besides the ring, there is a lot of depth. The Sanity Point gauge keeps players from prolonging the battle. The longer you take, the more likely this gauge will drain causing a character to be berserk. Being berserk in this game is being berserk in traditional rpgs with the combination of being confused (AKA not a good thing). There is a combo system in battle and you can combine the attacks with other players which, if successful, will allow you to cast strong magic at the end of a combo.
Fusions - Yuri and Kurando are the only two characters with the abiliy. The video above explains the gist of it. It is awesome to fuse as long as you don't become berserk!
Characters - If there is one thing that this series should be known for, it should be the wide variety of allies you gain in the game and their giant personalities. Each have their own sidequests that vary in absurdity. When the personalities of characters crash (which often occurs) get ready for some enjoyable dialogue.
stat tracker - the game records a lot of stats in the game. There are only two purposes though. First, if you maintain a high hit % in the game on your second play-through, you can get an impressive item. It will also show the pairs of characters who have combo-ed off each other the most. These characters have an affinity with each other which results in increased damage if they combo off each other in the future.
Wolf Bout - Each character has their own side quest to perfect themselves. Some are of the typical rpg fetch quest affair and some are just plain absurd. Wolf Bout is the most absurd and awesome side-quest in the game. It is only absurd in that when you encounter the wolves to fight in Wolf Bout, it is the only time you hear a voice actor for Blanca and it makes me think of the Menchi episode of excelsaga. This video also gives a good representation of the battle system (and the enemies abusing the combo system against the player).
Story - As comical as the game gets, I have to say I really enjoyed the emotional parts of the story. At the very core, you get to see how two different characters on the side of good change drastically after losing the one they loved the most. Even if you haven't played the first game, I think it is explained well enough. The side plots are completely ridiculous though, yet they keep you interested in the game as the plot slowly leaks out.
What I hated:
Exploits - after playing through the game a few times, you can find a few exploits to make the game ridiculously easy.
Linear (compared to old-school rpgs) - The layout of this game is very FFX-2 in the way you always physically travel from place to place and instead rely on a map. It is really only a bad thing to old school rpg players like myself though.
The battle system is SH3 (From the New World) is superior to SH2, but I found SH2 to be the better overall package. However the only drastic difference is between SH and SH2 as SH is a more traditional rpg. If you are interested in the entire series though, I would advise to start with SH, otherwise after playing the first hour of SH2 or SH3, you'll never want to touch the first.