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Shadow Hearts
PlayStation 2
Released On: Dec 11, 2001
73
8.6
All Platforms
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 24 Critic Reviews
73
58% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
42% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 24 Critic Reviews
73
58% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
42% Mixed
10 Reviews
10 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Shadow Hearts is in turn tragic and comic, deeply philosophical and completely fluffy, and overall a great gaming experience that I was sorry to see come to an end.
It's got an engaging storyline, interesting characters, lots of plot twists, and a host of nifty options and gameplay features.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 95 User Ratings
8.6
84% Positive
80 Ratings
80 Ratings
8% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
7% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 95 User Ratings
8.6
84% Positive
80 Ratings
80 Ratings
8% Mixed
8 Ratings
8 Ratings
7% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
Very underrated game in my opinion and the game-play time is high, you have to think about your moves, it's not that easy, it's challenging.
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PlayStation 2
Incredibly unique JRPG that combines innovative battle mechanics, alternative history, Lovecraftian horror, and fantasy to create something wholly original, even nineteen years after its initial release. Music is astoundingly eclectic, almost experimental, in its instrumentation, cresting some truly haunting melodies. Graphics are mixed, which is somewhat excusable, given the games seemingly lower budget. Character modeling is decent, even good in places, but textures are sometimes muddy and ill-defined. Animations are janky, but in a way that oddly lends to the games surreal aesthetic. Much of the titles graphical shortcomings are made up for, in part, thanks to its excellent art direction. Story is strange, sometimes obtuse, but also compelling and engaging. Gameplay is fun and unique, thanks to the games use of an action-time prompt called the judgement ring, which permeates every aspect of the gameplay and encourages careful play due to its purposefully fickle nature. Overall, this is a must play for anyone looking for something to break up the mold of JRPG tropes and staleness.
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PlayStation 2
The game is nothing if not involving. A story with real depth, actual humor and pathos, and some dramatic and frightening moments is something you don't see everyday - and even more rare in RPG's.
If only the battle system, so integral to the enjoyment of a game, wasn't so blasé, Shadow Hearts could have easily jumped up into one of the best surprise games of the year.
Shadow Hearts has its share of flaws, no doubt. The graphics are weak and the battle system grows monotonous quickly. Fortunately, the unique setting and above-average storyline makes this one worth checking out.
This game grabbed me from its opening scenes and didn't let go of me DESPITE its average graphics, quirky golf-like control scheme and plain-vanilla soundtrack.
The product as a whole just feels recycled and re-hashed from other, more superior products.
This is the first video game I ever fell in love with, in my opinion, it's absolutely amazing.
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PlayStation 2
Best RPG I have ever played. Story, ambient, characters, combat system, music... all of it are perfect.
My favorite game of all time, RPG or not RPG. A must play for everybody.
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PlayStation 2
I played this while i was literally a kid, so i could not beat it. But i loved the ambiance, the style and the combat mechanics.
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PlayStation 2
Shadow Hearts is a decent RPG in an era of excellent RPG's.
The overall story is not very unique but the atmosphere and world-building within that story is what sets Shadow Hearts apart from other games. The main characters are enjoyable and have some decent dialogue but the rest of the characters that make up your team are essentially just there to fill the roles in the party, with the exception of one who helps tie the game to it's predecessor, Koudelka.
The battle system is unique and requires the player to actively press the X button to connect all of their attacks (similar to The Legend of Dragoon) with the Judgement Wheel. There are various pieces of equipment and usable items that affect the wheel in different ways, which adds an interesting layer to the battles that is unique to Shadow Hearts.
Where the game may turn some people off is the fact that it is 90% linear and you move from point to point on the world map when the game allows you too. There are a few side quests to be had near the end of the game but they don't offer much, if anything, to the story and characters they involve. There are also some missable quests that give you the chance to improve your main character, as well as get the 'good' ending but you have no way of knowing about these quests, or when you've gone too far to complete them, which can be frustrating. Additionally, the game clocks in between 30-40 hours. I was personally fine with this, I felt like the game was ready to end and wasn't outstaying it's welcome but some people may be looking for more length (which is where better side-quests can help).
Lastly, there is a bit of an imbalance when it comes to improving your gear in the game, specifically the weapons. There is an upgrade system where you can pay to improve your weapons but it quickly becomes very costly to do this and you generally replace the weapon with a better one within a few hours of playing anyway, leading to the player either ignoring the mechanic until the end of the game or constantly being broke trying to keep the weapons upgraded, which costs a fortune and requires a lot of grinding to do.
Overall, Shadow Hearts is a decent game on the Playstation 2 and worth playing if you're an RPG fan who can appreciate the older generation of games with all of their shortcomings. I recommend it primarily because the battle system is fun and keeps the player involved and the 'real world' setting with fantasy elements to it is unique and makes Shadow Hearts feel different than other RPG's of this generation.
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PlayStation 2
While beeing short the story really succeds beeing the best story of the entire SH Franchies having nice twists in it. The dark touch doesnt do the game bad either but the graphics could be better when you think about that this actually is a PS2 game. The SH Franchise has one of the best main protoganists ever.
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PlayStation 2
Summary The Time For Judgment Has Come. A hero with a mysterious past. A young girl holding the key to world domination. A villain who will stop at nothing to unlock the path to unlimited power. [Midway]
Rated M
for Mature
Platforms:
- PlayStation 2
Initial Release Date: Dec 11, 2001
Developer:
- Sacnoth
Publisher: Midway
Genres:
