Shadow Hearts: From the New World
by Crave Entertainment
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Category: Video Games
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Product Summary
Brand: XSEED GamesRelease Date: 2006-09-08
Platform: PlayStation2
Model: 853466001025
Publisher: Crave Entertainment
Product features:
- Travel to real-world locations like Chicago, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and New York
- Improved Judgment Ring System, adding even more excitement and strategy
- Gripping and inspirational storyline with up to 60 hours of gameplay
- Easy to navigate, visually-stunning backgrounds, special lighting and illumination effects
Video Game Reviews of Shadow Hearts: From the New World
Customer Review: A nice continuation,but a bit too far into left field (minor spoilers)
Summary: 4 Stars
So, with the X-box 360 becoming affordable even proud retro geezers like me will move on soon. However that is not to say the ps-2 is useless or obsolete especially when it comes to worthwhile RPGS. One of the best and most sadly under appreciated rpg franchise is Shadow-Hearts. With adult themes, an alternate history set in our world, slap stick humor, weird allies, and references that the characters actually think about "sex" it was sort of the "anti-final fantasy". It also introduced the judgement ring system, an exciting slice of probability that made you time each button press on the wheel of fortune carefully. The ring of fate added an exciting twist to the usual turn based formula and you did have to pay attention a lot more instead of just punching in a command. The judgement ring was also used for bartering with merchants for discounts and starting with SH Covenant you could string combos together between characters.
From the New-World is the newest in the series. How does it stack up? I'd say its' definitely worth having and a charming odd gem just like its' predecessors. However those of us that loved the tragic yet bitter sweet relationship between Yuri and Alice Elliot do feel a bit sad to see them go. It had to happen, Yuri cannot fight evil forever and the good ending from covenant suggested he found a way to change fate and be with Alice at long last. A hero deserves to "retire" after two lengthy quests of fighting his own inner demons and the forces of malice around him.
The immediate problem I had with ftnw was I couldn't relate to the young spirited detective Johnny Garland as much as I could to Yuri. Yuri was a man. He'd swear, he'd drink, and before he was even in love with Alice he wanted to get in her pants. He was a nice guy sure, but he was a realistic nice guy. Johnny on the other hand is only 16 (hard to believe a 16 year old would be a detective) and he was definitely tailored for younger players. This is not "bad" entirely. Its' just people that were fans of the other two slightly more serious and mature games might be put off at first.
If anything ftnw gives you a few unexpected surprises. First of all Johnny is not a harmonixer. That honor belongs to Shania and I kept debating if in fact she was the lead. She is also a better fighter so Johnny seems weaker by comparison.
So what is all this about? Johnny was in a tragic accident and lost his father and twin sister in a nasty blaze. Though he could have lived off his father's inheritance he chose to be a detective instead. Why? Apparently Johnny has lost many of his memories and he surmises being a super sleuth will dig something up. In the mean-time Shania and her stoic gun toting warrior companion Natan spend time as bounty hunters hunting malice creatures. As expected Johnny's first case to find someone that evaded paying his bail turns into a terrifying encounter with the denizens of the abyss. Shania and Natan save Johnny and things grow from there.
Is this story as strong as Covenant's? While I can say it does get better it is definitely more "cliche" though not on an entirely negative note. As before ftnw is a fan of weaving an alternate history and this time the time line is set during the great depression. You will help Al Capone escape from prison, interact with Elliot Ness the detective, trek through the Grand Canyon to help Shania get another fusion form and to help Natan capture big foot, save everyone's favorite little eccentric wizard Roger Bacon from Area 51, and confront mad college professors that create "monsters" in their spare time just for kicks. As you see there are subtle nods to the first two games.
Perhaps the thing that upset me the most is the most enigmatic alluring characters are the bad guys or npcs. Al Capone's younger sister Edna is soft spoken, kind hearted, and sexy as hell in her tight red dress yet though she could have been a great healer akin to Alice she is reduced to nothing more than a plot piece. Killer is a red haired Yuri look-alike but disappointingly he is not tied to Yuri in any way. Lady likewise looks exactly like Alice Elliot yet she is opposed to you during every step of your journey and likewise is not tied to the other games save for very obscure references. I'm not saying that the characters you do get are crap, but the most interesting and well thought out ones pitch for the other team. Basically you will feel like you are the "under dog coach" left with the people no one else wanted and you are expected to make them into a formidable fighting force.
While Ricardo the guitar-gun toting musician, Natan, and Shania all are pretty serious and have decent motivations to stay with you the other half of the team is comic relief. There is Old Frank the vigilante American ninja, Mao a drunken master giant cat, and Joachim's cute yet unruly little vampire sister Hilda that unlocks different abilities by using "calories" to become "thin" or "fat". If you thought the previous cast was "odd" suffice it to say you have not seen nothing yet!
Luckily even the silly characters have beneficial abilities in battle and everyone has their own side missions to power up their abilities.
The play mechanics add charging stocks but other-wise the judgement ring system is near identical. To me, stringing combos together was much easier this time and I enjoyed how you had to think about what types of attacks would temporarily knock down and disable enemies.
In the end ftnw is still fun to play and keeps you curious about what is around the next bin. While I do think Nautilis/X-seed were a bit over excessive with the cheesy humor that alone does not warrant calling ftnw a bad game. Unless you are a jaded elitist that expects every incarnation of the series to be like the first two games you should enjoy this one immensely!
Pros.
+ An interesting new alternate history set during the great depression.
+ Ring system keeps the game play as fun and addictive as ever.
+ Interacting with historic icons such as Al Capone and Elliot Ness.
+ The out-door level designs are beautiful.
+Mostly great voice acting and music throughout.
+ Shania is drop dead sexy. Say what you will but for us guys that is a great incentive!
Cons
- Not as many fusion forms. Luckily they can all be upgraded through totem fetishes.
- Some of the characters could have been "subtly humorous" instead of "outright ridiculous".
- Story line may seem a bit weaker to serious fans.
- Johnny while lovable in his own right has a very difficult time filling Yuri's shoes.
- Towns are as small and cramped as ever. This doesn't make sense in places such as Chicago and New York that should be sprawling metropolises.
Description of Shadow Hearts: From the New World
Shadow Hearts: From The New World is the 3rd and latest installment of the critically acclaimed role-playing game series. Johnny Garland lost his father, sister and his memory in an accident. The criminal responsible for this has escaped custody, and young Johnny goes after him. Just when Johnny catches up to him, a strange monster come from a green light & swallows him. When he meets a young Native American bounty hunter named Shania, he learns these "windows" have been opening in every major city. Together, they'll learn the secret behind this supernatural mystery.All Games
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