Games Exhuminator has beat in 2015...
Shadow Hearts (PS2 | 2001 | JRPG) 8/10
Shadow Hearts did not make a big splash on the Western PS2 scene when it was released in 2001. This may have had to do with the game being released all of five days before Final Fantasy X. But it's just as likely that most gamers would be put off by the very nature of this experience. Shadow Hearts is a seriously dark and unusual game, a continuation of the themes brought on by being a sequel to Koudelka. Yes it is true that Shadow Hearts is a sequel to the sinister JRPG Koudelka, although it's not until late in Shadow Hearts' plot that it's apparent just how much of a sequel it is. Regardless, even those who've never played Koudelka would be fine starting things off with Shadow Hearts. That is if the player can enjoy such a macabre ride as this.
Shadow Hearts' plot is very unique for a JRPG. It takes place in our own world for starters, although during the time period just before World War I. The story involves a protagonist who can fuse into demons alongside an exorcist who casts away demons, and your party's cast only becomes more varied from there. The plot takes you from China to England, and dungeons exist in a wide variety of locales... everything from a runaway train to a haunted dollhouse becomes a dungeon in Shadow Hearts. Truly if you are looking for themes, characters, and locations that do not fit the cookie cutter JRPG mold; you'd be hard pressed to find a more esoteric entry in the genre than this one. Shadow Hearts is named aptly, this game definitely has a dark heart. It deals with subject matter that is often brutal and even at times obscene, yet also has a romance element and laugh out loud humor. With a better localization, I'm sure the idiosyncratic plot would be even more enjoyable. But what's here is highly enjoyable nonetheless.
Gameplay itself is more typical of the genre however, with one big caveat. The Judgement Ring. Every time you perform an action in Shadow Hearts, a ring appears onscreen with a spinning pointer. Your job is to stop the point on specific parts of the ring. When done successfully, you will properly attack, or when done with high precision, your attacks or item usage will have bonus stats applied. This simple system constantly keeps the player engaged during battles, and adds an element of arcade reflex skill to boot. It's pretty impressive how many different ways Sacnoth found to utilize the Judgement Ring system. One other unique aspect of the gameplay is that Yuri (the main character) expands his demon transformation abilities by first having to fight said demons as mini-bosses.
Graphically Shadow Hearts is a mixed bag. There are some really nice prerendered backgrounds and CG cutscenes to be seen here, but the actual 3D character models are lackluster. Honestly the 3D characters and monsters only marginally look better than what could be done on a PS1. However, I was very impressed in seeing that every single item or piece of equipment has its own hand drawn art to view upon examination. Musically, Shadow Hearts is simply astounding. This JRPG has a seriously fantastic OST, with lots of uniquely instrumented songs that are well outside the typical symphonic generics most JRPGs exude. Sound effects are pretty crazy too, with monsters making all manner of unearthly gasps, moans, and squeals. Voice acting though is a mixed bag. Some of it is actually decent, but no one will ever forget the infamous "Sea Mother's Tale" once they cringe through it.
Ultimately if you're a JRPG enthusiast, you've likely gone through the big hitters of the PS2 era. But it's also likely you glossed over Shadow Hearts as many did. If that is the case, I implore you to go back and give this gem of a bygone fruitful era a fair chance. While this JRPG has some issues (unskippable slow battle animations, inferior 3D models, spotty localization, sidequests that need a guide to even find them), its pure uniqueness and horrific atmosphere make up for its few flaws with gusto. There are so many labor of love touches (such as the most entertaining beastiary I've ever seen) it's quite obvious that Sacnoth truly cared about their creation. If you think you've seen it all in JRPG land but haven't played this yet, you're dead wrong. There may be some shadows on this old heart, but it still beats strong and true.
