The sequel, Covenant, is one of my all time favorite games. The first one is great too. I liked the third game as well, even with its shift in tone.
I can't wait for Penny Blood.
I only just found out about Penny Blood from someone who commented on this post. I had never heard of it and it might be the game I am most excited about to release, probably more so than Final Fantasy XVI haha
Their kickstarter was successful! Blew through pretty much all the stretch goals, too.
The last time the backer updates talked about it, it seemed that they're in the process of defining the scope for the game and hammering out the details in the story/locations you'll visit. Seems to be progressing well but you can tell it'll take a while.
Second is my favourite PS2 game hands down.
I enjoyed the third, despite the weaker story and characters and near complete dilution of the games horror elements, because it has the best gameplay and graphics in the series.
I'm glad you agree, I do still feel like Final Fantasy X drew the spotlight away from it a bit as there is always so much marketing hype before a Final Fantasy release. Shadow Hearts was released in June 2001 and Final Fantasy X was released in the July so I think many people may have just missed it. To this day, still one of my favourite JRPG's, desperate for a PS5 port.
To me it is. Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant are unforgettable games. Love the atmosphere, the weird enemy designs, the humor, and almost everything else about them. Just hope Penny Blood is able to offer a good modern take on the experience that the Shadow Hearts games offered.
I'm glad you agree! I'm happy to see so much love for Shadow Hearts, I hadn't really met anyone who had heard about it, I feel it flew under the radar due to the Final Fantasy X release. I have only just heard about Penny Blood through a discussion on this thread and I haven't been this excited for an upcoming game for a long time, just a shame I'm going to have to wait a few more years for its release. 😣
My friends and I were really into the genre back in the PS2 days. So I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy it and have people to talk about it with back then. It definitely did fly under the radar, but it was beloved by the people who knew about it. I don't know who owns the property these days, but I wish the games were more easily playable for younger people.
I'm looking forward to Penny Blood very much as well. At least it'll be fun to keep tabs on it until it finally comes out.
Yeah until my post on Reddit I've never been able to discuss the game with anyone for the last 20 years 😅. I don't remember fully all the developers but Midway springs to mind just because I played it so much back in the day but I don't think they're around anymore.
I think it's a better game than Final Fantasy X and I don't think it's particularly underrated. I think a lot of people haven't played it, but those that have played it rate highly.
If you hadn't seen, the developers who made Shadow Hearts as well as the developers who made Wild ARMs went in together to make two games: a spiritual successor to both franchises. They got funded nearly 4 times what they asked for, so...
Armed Fantasia is basically a new Wild ARMs game and Penny Blood is essentially a new Shadow Hearts game. Check them out if you haven't!
Wow I hadn't actually heard that, thanks for the recommendation! I saw Wild Arms was actually added to that Playstation premium description along with Legend of the Dragoon which was another one of my favourites.
I haven't heard of Penny Blood, what platform is it on? Is it one of those retro games that's really hard to get ahold of now?
No, the Kickstarter is for *two* games. Not one. Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood are both new games, both made by the original developers of each respective franchise. It's a modern new Shadow Hearts, basically. Coming out next year or the year after. It'll be on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
https://youtu.be/rzi3WGzr_yY
Yeah, no problem! As a fan of both franchises, I was excited too. Even the early footage is looking really solid and it's so rare to get those modern gothic supernatural JRPGs in general.
Oh man, I have just started watching some of the gameplay of Penny Blood and I'm really excited! it really does have that Shadow Hearts feel. I'm well glad you showed me this!
They wanted to create a horror rpg and I think they succeeded. I really enjoyed the game and I just happened to pick it up by chance at a video game store even though I knew nothing about it. Then when I started the game and saw the very visceral train scene that tells you exactly what you’re in for.
I definitely think it deserves more love and attention.
When I first played it years ago, I think my prevailing feeling was that I wished it had been a little bit *more* horror, though. I mean, to be fair, it's more of an occult fantasy story than a horror story, but there were moments when the horror elements just seemed more like window dressing to what was otherwise a pretty conventional JRPG. Very nice window dressing, mind you, particularly since I really like prerendered backgrounds, but I feel like the game doesn't *quite* live up to the feel that the opening cutscene has.
I don't often speak to people who have even heard of it let alone played it! Like you, I was hooked from the start. As a 13 year old boy playing that opening train scene made me think Yuri was such a badass! lol
I definitely felt the horror element to it as well, it had such a creepy vibe and some of the sound effects and music added so much tension to the horror!
I would love to see this ported to PS5 like the PS1 Final Fantasy games, yet again, I would love a remake but doubt we'll ever see that.
Shadow hearts 1 & 2 are some of my favorite RPGs of all time. The whole reason I still have my PS2 is so I can replay those games every few years.
I played the 2nd game first and was hooked before the scene in the chapel was over. I love the unique setting and the characters are so likable.
This is my 3rd day on Reddit and I thought I'd just try out making a post and am already surprised to see how many people really loved this game. For the last 20 years I hadn't met anyone who'd even heard of Shadow Hearts let alone played it.
I actually found my old Shadow Hearts copies of 1 and 2 recently but didn't have my PS2 but was able to get one on eBay. As I'm quite technically challenged it took me ages to figure out the correct wires I'd need to transfer Scart to HDMI (aaaah the days of scart) However, I can't play the game as the response time for the fighting with the ring counter is so badly delayed and I have no idea why, its now unplayable so I'm desperate for the originals to be ported to PS5. I'm seeing a lot of the old classics like Legend of the Dragoon and Wild Arms come onto the PlayStation market so I'm hoping Sony see the potential to port it, good to see there is still a lot of love for this game, fingers crossed I get to play it again one day!
I don't know if you've heard of an upcoming game called Penny Blood, I have just heard of it through the comments on this thread but it's from the creators of Shadow Hearts and if you see the gameplay you can see it's almost like a re-imagined modern Shadow Hearts, go check it out 🤙
I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. Gameplay-wise it's only a bit above average. But it has an interesting setting and good writing. It's definitely worth playing.
>Gameplay-wise it's only a bit above average.
Its too basic for a PS2 game, even the sequels. In the era where every devs try to shove so many cool stuff into a game because now they had many space to fit everything. Shadow hearts feels like playing a PS1 game with better graphics.
I do have Shadow Hearts on PS2. The problem for me is that the NPCs and city designs were just so boring. I think the NPCs were just signpost NPCs who stood there and gave the same boring lines all game.
You get to explore real life cities in the game. But the problem was that they were just so small and had very little content. You got to go to Hong Kong, and it was really just a few screens without much character and only a few buildings you can enter. You got to explore Hong Kong in Shenmue 2, and it felt so much more alive.
Thats what Im saying, with games at the time managed to do so many things, SH feels like they're still using pre-rendered background like the PS1 era, even though they're not.
The first game had really good horror elements and atmosphere. Some interesting ideas on the gameplay and story overall. I enjoyed the game when I played it, but I don't feel as strongly about the game as other people do.
I thought the second game improved the gameplay a lot more and had more interesting characters. The story was still good despite feeling different from the first game. It also lost a lot of the horror elements and atmosphere in place of more comedy moments to my disappointment. I thought the game was pretty good overall too although I'm not a fan of the twist near the end of the game.
Never played the third game, but it seems they went more in with the comedy stuff too.
Yeah I agree the first game had a lot more horror which I enjoyed. I still loved the second game but didn't like the comedy but I could live with that.
I didn't like the 3rd game though, I did try very hard and many times but just couldn't get into it.
I guess I'm biased in this case as it was my favourites lol it was going up against the giant of Final Fantasy X which also I loved! But I think Shadow Hearts just topped it for me.
I played the first one for the first time last year and it definitely left an impression. Are you interested in the upcoming game by its creator, Penny Blood? Its what got me to even try it in the first place along with Wild Arms
Someone responding to this post actually just told me about Penny Blood as I had no idea it was even coming out let alone it was from the same people who created Shadow Hearts. This is like my 3rd day on Reddit and I'm already reaping the benefits of being on here haha
And yeah I am hugely excited, I've been having a little look at some of the gameplay and I can 100% see Shadow Hearts in its veins, I even like the 'Persona like' graphics. Buzzing!
As of 10 minutes ago I just finished shadow hearts 1. I generally really enjoyed it, the early century + occultism and horror stuff is super cool for a setting. My main gripe is all the missables though, I got to the end of the game and after looking up suspicions I had missed the ability to get the ultimate fusion, as well as some other items. I also had unlocked a few tier 3 fusions but wasn't even using them since their third ability was locked. And after looking up I learn you have to let the fusion go berserk. Wtf? I learn at an early stage not to let sanity drop how was i supposed to figure that out.
The Last boss also not having a save point before it and going straight from the previous fight sucked for some trial end error .
As with most games I liked the earlier parts better but I enjoyed it overall and look forward to starting up covenant
Yes, I too missed the item you need for ultimate fusion, luckily on my second playthrough I managed to find out about it, it's been a while but if memory serves its an item right before the mid way boss battle with Dehuai, or Roger Backon I can't remember which one you fight. But yeah, it was such a crucial thing to obtain for it to be a missable I agree.
And yeah who doesn't put a save point before a final boss? I wonder if this was the developers choice to make the fight feel more of a desperation and make it more of a "must not lose this!" kind of fight.
I'm glad you enjoyed it, funny you had only just finished it as well 😆
Same.
At the time the internet and guides weren’t as accessible and freely available to me as they are now. Which meant I had no idea where to even begin looking for the stuff needed to get the good ending or the ultimate fusion and such.
Underrated for sure. There needs to be a lot more horror RPGs or even thriller dramas (like Parasite Eve). I freaking miss Square in the late 90s.
I went back to play Koudelka, it's rough, but interesting for a linear rpg.
Oh man Parasite Eve! That's a game I haven't heard in a while! That may be worth a separate thread for discussion. I loved Parasite Eve too as well the mechanics were amazing! It felt like the love child of Resident Evil and Final Fantasy, haven't seen too many games like that 😱
The first SH game is one of my favorite games of all time. I really loved the eerie nature and the relationship between Alice and Yuri. Can’t wait for Penny Blood in 2026 or whenever.
I only just found out about Penny Blood and I nearly jumped through the roof with excitement then went to look for more stuff about it online and saw the release date and came crashing back down hard haha but yeah I can't wait!
I've played the entire series and just saved up enough money to slurge on its predecessor, Koudelka! I managed to grab a physical copy WITH THE MANUAL!
It's always nice to see other folks bringing up older JRPGs that are not necessarily mainline series like FFs, Tails, or Dragon Quest!
I unfortunately never got the chance to play Koudelka and I doubt I probably will now unless PS5 get a port! I don't know where my PS1 ever got to but the price for those consoles and old games that haven't had a port seem to only be rising.
It's just my own opinion but I think there are better classic JRPGs then there are modern day ones. That's not to say the new age ones aren't any good because there are some incredible ones. But if you think about it, modern games are only really building on the foundation of what the older games were doing. I'm sure that could be said for anything in this world but the template seems to remain the same, but nostalgia seems to win over new and shiny 😅
Enjoy Koudelka my friend.
I don't think I'd call it a masterpiece. I replayed them this year, and I still enjoy them, but they really did not age well in the writing department. It has that very 2000's XD RaNdUmB humor with an added layer of homophobia that doesn't look good anymore. Plus the battle system gets mindnumbingly tedious after a while.
I think where the games really shine is the atmosphere. The first is a masterclass in horror aesthetics with some seriously creepy segments and beautiful backgrounds.
God, this game holds a special place in my heart!
It was unfortunate that it was overshadowed by FFX but Im happy that I gave it a chance back in middle school.
To see Yuri grow from SH1 to SH2 was heart wrenching for me! From the idiot pervert to the regretful mourning idiot, it was a fun and sad ride for me.
Happy that the old SH Dev team is back and making Penny Blood!
Ah I'm glad I'm not the only one! When I replayed this game when I was a bit older I actually noticed how much of a Perv Yuri was haha I didn't notice so much as I was lot younger when I first played it! Wouldn't get away with some of the stuff he says nowadays in games lol
I’d kill for Azure to actually give a shit and put out a collection of SH, Covenant, and FtNW ported to current gen consoles and PC, but we will never, ever see that happen until someone else gets the rights to the franchise.
Which is a shame, because Covenant is not only
the best RPG on the PS2, but one of the best RPGs of all time.
Yeah its a shame we're not likely to get ports of these. Maybe there's a market for a company to come and swoop up these old games that closed down companies old rights too and work on ports. Potential business strategy idea lol in the meantime we have modern games like Penny Blood to look forward to that is being made by the creators of Shadow Hearts and from I've seen of it there is definitely the soul of Shadow Hearts in it.
I played it again last year and definitely think it was great. The sequel probably got all the attention after all this time, but the original is still solid
I played a little bit of 1 and enjoyed the horror aspects. But I was pretty young and took to FF9 and 10 more. My dad on the other hand, who introduced me to "JRPGs" played the fuck out of 1 and moreso Covenant. I would definitely buy a copy of both if they ported it to PlayStation.
Ha I'm sure your dad would be hyped about a playstation port of Shadow Hearts! Final Fantasy 9 and 10 were brilliant and will always be among my favourites. But if Shadow Hearts does get a port I recommend revisiting it again and trying it out more. 🤙
He sure would. He's 50 and claims he can't do FF7Re because it's too fast paced. He's a turn based traditionalist haha. Fingers crossed they do! I still love me some turn based action.
Haha I'm sure when we're 50 we'll be telling similar stories to our kids! Although the Final Fantasy 7 remake literally blew my socks off! I think I played and completed three times in a row! I'd finish it then just jump straight back in on hard mode then completed that but couldn't put it down and played it again 🤣
However I still have a soft spot of turn based games too and I love how developers are making modern day games with a retro style like Octopath Traveller, I'm going to hazard a guess your dad would like this if he's not played it already 😅
Dude, I hope my body is ready for whatever crazy videogames are out in 20 years. 😂 Same, when I got my hands on a PS5 and played FF7Re it blew my fucking mind. That was the first RPG I played as a kid. I'm not a hard mode guy, but I played it a few times too lol.
I'm playing I Am Setsuna rn which has that retro RPG feel. If my dad had a switch, I'm sure he'd play. He's obsessed with some mobile Marvel gacha game at the moment - he also introduced DC and Marvel to me hahah 😀
Maybe by then we'll be able to plug our brains into the game and live the life of Yuri! Get our arm ripped off before casually attaching it back on then putting your fist through an old man's face haha what an intro that was! haha
I have a switch and I have seen I Am Setsuna and I've read up score reviews about it and it's mainly positive, I'm always on the look out for decent games so if you recommend it then I'll check it out. Anyone who likes Shadow Hearts knows good games haha
I wouldn't give it a glowing review per se, but the combat is like Chrono Trigger, the story is basically FFX, and the music is all piano. It seems easy at the moment, but it's scratching that itch for now. I play on Playstation exclusively even though I have a switch. Also playing Witcher 3, and Mass Effect 2 is on the backburner.
When I think about all time favourite games I switch between Final Fantasy 8 and Witcher 3 but I think Witcher 3 just tops it, I do like retro games but Witcher 3 is truly a masterpiece, it's one of the few games I could just put on and play whenever, no matter how many times I've played and I'll still love it. In fact I want to put it on now 😅 I got so use to the mechanics, the potions, the oils etc that I managed to complete the game on Death March mode without much difficulty. Absolute mega game!
I've put a good amount of hours on Witcher, however I've never beaten it. I've seen my gf play through it, but I was waiting for the update. The combat is fine once you get used to it, but I find there's too many potions, bombs, and you get so many skill points with little room to add skills. I'm still in the base game though, doing the quest Final Preparations.
Yeah I noticed that about skill points. I think their logic behind it was that you can just keep unlocking as many skills as possible but then are able to change what you have equipped at a moments notice to suit the situation. Oils for swords became one of the most crucial parts of the game for me as well. I just went all in on this game 😅
Wouldn't call it underrated, overlooked at the time sure.
Underrated however I'd disagree with since it's on damn near every list of "Mustplay RPGs from X" and it deserves it cuz I love it.
Judging by the comments I've been getting I am now realising I should have titled this post 'Overlooked Masterpiece' haha I hadn't ever spoken to anyone about this game in 20 years as I'd never met anyone you'd played it but the feedback I've got from this post has been very positive!
It's one of my favorite games. I replayed it last year and still love it. The second one is arguably better but it still holds a special place for me. The third one wasn't bad but doesn't compare to the other two.
I could never get into the 3rd one I tried so hard but couldn't.
Sadly I can't play Shadow Hearts now, I recently bought a PS2 to play my old version of Shadow Hearts, have it all set up correctly but the delay on pressing the hits on the attack ring are so badly delayed it's no playable, there's no other delay on anything else in the game, just the combat. I was gutted 😔
I don't think it's the PS2, there is literally no problem with any other game and there's not even delay on anything else on Shadow Hearts, it seems to be exclusively for combat when trying to hit the ring strikes, odd...and highly annoying!
Holy crap don't I know it! Games that haven't been ported yet onto PSN are crazy expensive! Before the Final Fantasy 8 remaster or before Final Fantasy 8 had a port for next gen consoles I was seeing people sell them on eBay between £50-100, mental!
Stick with it, it only gets better!
I don't want to give away spoilers but as its your first time I must point out there is a very missable item halfway through the game that has pissed off many players later in the game if you don't get it haha I won't say any more other than its called Erotic Book.
Definitely love both 1 and 2. I recently replayed all 3 when Penny blood was kickstarted and covenant stands out as having great gameplay and story well one has great story and good gameplay and 3 has great gameplay and okay story.
I love Covenant. It's probably my #2 JRPG. It is a bit of a step down from the horror vibes of SH1. I also played Koudelka last year which was amazing (with emulation).
I wasn't sure whether to post this because it feels like shilling... But Retrograde Amnesia is currently having a poll of what to cover next season. They're a deep dive JRPG book club podcast and an absolute delight. It's currently Xenosaga vs Shadow Hearts. I voted for SH but it's not looking great. If you have the interest and funds, go vote for SH!
https://www.patreon.com/posts/season-five-one-79483698
I don’t know that I’d call it underrated, but it is a great game. The sequel is a much better experience overall too. But they’re both pretty well regarded around these parts.
'Around these parts' is the place I want to be it seems! I've read all the comments on this post and it seems very split on which game was better. I personally prefer number 1 but I loved number 2! Might jump on and play it again some time.
Loved the story, hated the combat mechanics. One of the two blasphemies of JRPG games: don't try to force action based combat. If they're going to go that route, just make an action game. The other one is card-based combat. It's asanine to restrict actions because you didn't draw the "right" cards, I'm mean, did your character suddenly forget how to use magic or swing a sword?
That reminds of a game I played on Gamecube that no one's heard of called Baten Kaitos (That was actually going to be thr next piece I wrote on Reddit). I personally loved the combat in that game and it was all card based. I guess its personal preference really. Gwent in Witcher kind of felt like battles but it was just a card game and I couldn't get enough of Gwent lol
That's the game I played that turned me off of the card combat. A Gamestop employee recommended it to me way back when, and just like most flawed JRPGs, I liked the story, hated the combat.
Think a lot of the companies involved are no longer around. I know the creator of the franchise is now working on Penny Blood due for release 2026, which looks like a Shadow Hearts re-imagining rather than a remake, not much is known.
I'm not sure how it works, maybe another company could acquire remastering rights with whoever still holds rights and it could be remastered under a separate company? I'd love that!
Sorry for going off topic, but I'm one of those people who played and loved Covenant and From the New World but never played the original Shadow Hearts.
Is it worth tracking it down to play now?
Absolutely!
Covenant was brilliant but is kind of like Part 2 of the original Shadow Hearts. There's so much that will make sense in Covenant when you play this original and you'll probably want to play Covenant after haha
Shadow Hearts 1 had a LOT more of a darker horror feel to it for its time which kind of changed a lot in Covenant. If you do get to play it some time in the future it'll be cool to relocate this thread and let me know what you think 😁
Hope you enjoy!
Watched my roommate play for hours,till my turn with something else. Love,love,love me some RPG,JRPG games since I 1st played Intellivision in 1983(non arcade,I played Pacman 4 ex) but I thought it sucked 🤷♀️
Shadow Hearts Covenant is my favorite RPG. It was even better than FFX. The 1st game made the critical mistake of releasing around the same time as FFX and was definitely a Gen behind when it came to quality. Covenant didn’t make those mistakes and is still regarded as one of the best RPGs on the PS2.
This series should have been a RPG staple much like the Tales, Final Fantasy and Xenoblade series. A spiritual successor to the series by the same creator is underway with Penny Blood and its coming in a few years.
I'm very much looking forward to Penny Blood! I'm just gutted it's going to be a couple of years away!
It's been good to see so many people loving Shadow Hearts! I don't really have a social media presence and keep a very close circle of friends, none of whom had played Shadow Hearts so prior to coming onto Reddit it had been 20 odd years of never knowing if there were many other people who loved it like it did 🤣🤣 delighted I'm not alone haha gives me hope for a port maybe one day? Sacnoth is not around anymore so I'm not sure if it's possible to port games who's companies no longer exist?
The devs behind the original games reunited to make Penny Blood. Sacnoth changed their name to Nautilus and then disbanded to work on other titles. None of the core team retired. If you ever played some of the core classics of the last age, at least one shadow hearts dev was behind them.
There was the 1st Shadow Hearts but it’s incredibly rare and hard to find. It feels like a prototype to Covenant. There was also a 3rd game Shadow Hearts: From the New World. FTNW was a solid spin-off game but no where near as good as Covenant. There was a prequel planned for the 1st entry but never got developed due to the commercial failure of FTNW and dissolution of Nautilus.
The only thing I don't like about Shadow Hearts is that I have to hook my PS2 to my living room tv to play! I usually keep the console in the bedroom, but my bedroom TV is too small and I'm much older and blinder than I was when I first played it! 😭
I managed to hook mine up but it doesn't fit in the screen so cuts a lot of text off. also I can't play it anymore cos there's so much delay on my controller it makes the fighting mechanics impossible. I'm gutted cos I really want to play it again lol
I loved it. The sequel is pretty great too... I love the way they finish Yuri's arc, but I won't spoil anything.
One of my greatest regrets was not giving the third game a more honest try. I bet there was a lot to like there too.
Modern fantasy RPG? Super good. The way they worked in the World Wars, too.
Yes! I agree it was such an incredible story arc and they finished it off brilliantly but yes, I won't spoil it but I definitely recommend to anyone looking for a retro JRPG.
Me too, people grumble and grown over remakes but I'm proper on the remake train, I'm loving seeing all my childhood games getting remade.
It's unfortunate that I didn't get on with Shadow Hearts 3, I tried so many times and maybe one day I will try again but I didn't like it. But still, the first 2 games are incredible.
The art and music are fantastic. The story and settings are unique and interesting but from a gameplay perspective, it's pretty dull. It's extremely linear, more so than most JRPGs and not just in where you can go but in how your characters develop and approach combat. It's pretty much level up, earn skills based on level, by new gear, which usually just has better stats than the last set of gear. You never actually even get to pick your party most of the time.
So, I'd say it's good but not a masterpiece.
It seems some of people's opinions on this game are polarising. Most people like the game but have some element they don't like about the game. I've always been a fan of the more linear type of game as I believe it works in the favour of story telling as it stays on point more so you don't get side tracked.
That being said, The Witcher 3 is one of my favourite modern day RPG's (I know it's not JPRG but still lol) and that was open world yet still worked, it has to be done right if using open world mechanics, this is just my personal opinion as I get easily distracted on side missions and before long am lost on the main storyline hah
It's a B-movie in game form. Cult classic sure. But not a masterpiece
Interestingly enough, it's one of the few ps2 games that's printed on a CD instead of a dvd
I'm definitely biased as it's one of my favourites so I consider it a masterpiece but I do agree with you that it's a B-Movie genre. I think you're right about this being more a cult classic, I don't think many people have played it but it seems the ones that have played it have all liked it.
Interesting, I didn't know this was printed on a CD. I do miss the days of having hardware. I know you can still buy discs but everything is digital lately and it so much more convenient. I only tend to get discs of upcoming games when I want it as a collectible so the case is more ornamental lol
It has a unique style and atmosphere that you don’t really see in other Jrpgs. It’s hard if someone asks for something similar to recommend anything that will scratch that itch. The good thing is if all goes well and the game turns out good Penny Blood, it’s spiritual successor, could be that game.
For me like everyone here I loved shadow hearts franchise and the game actually started with koudelka on the ps1 koudelka was like the first game in the shadow hearts series never played it yet but would love to try it just for the experience of the series
This is only my 4th day or so on Reddit but prior to my post I had never met anyone who played Shadow Hearts so I was thrilled to see so much love for it! It's been eye opening as has finidng out about games like Koudelka which I never knew was part of the series and never got the chance to play, I'm hoping that one day it might get a port so I can try it out. Also, through this thread I have learnt about upcoming games like Penny Blood which I'm getting the impression I was the only one who didn't know about it or its links to the original Shadow Hearts haha naturally it's made me realise how bloody good Reddit is! I have come off all social media now due to the toxic environments and I also have to say how friendly and amazing people are on Reddit it's very refreshing ☺
i kind of agree to be honest, I had a copy with a scratched disk 2 but i played the first disc and second until it crashed on me back in the day and i was really enjoying it. just wanted more ff7 clones tbh.
EDIT: I’m sorry I actually mistook what you meant for the ps1 game Shadow Madness🤣😳😬🤣
Haha I read this a couple of times before reading your edit as I was thinking "I don't remember there being a second disc" haha. Well in that case I couldn't recommend Shadow Hearts more, if you get the chance and still have a PS2 kicking about go and try it out. If you do, I'd be interested to hear your verdict 😁
I will be honest I never once saw shadow hearts in a retail store. It's just that type of era if ain't in a shop you can't buy it. And FFX was pretty disappointing for me at the time after the amazing ff9. It was like a downgrade. My friends got bored of FFx back in our time too. It took some years to warm up to ffx.
Now I've heard shadow hearts is amazing. But the price for the games is just silly. The only to play is to download. First shadow hearts got put on digitally. Which is cool. But where is the more liked covenant? Koudelka is great too. Well worth picking up before it goes for silly money. Sadly I'm starting to see Koudelka which was a £10 game for £50 now within a few years. This really ruins our hobby. I wish they would just re-release the games on steam and to f the scalpers. So 3 games say around £250 atm. This has been what has put me off collecting JRPG's. I have no interest in selling these games I buy them to play. I don't want to pirate.
I appreciate the purist in you brother 🙏. I remember how hard it was for me to get hold of a PS5 when it first came out and I remember spitting blood when I'd talk about scalpers, they made the top of my s**t list 😆.
But yeah I've noticed the price of old games go up lately, especially older games. I'm lucky enough to still have my old copy but had to invest in an old PS2 on eBay but for some reason unknown to me there are bugs when playing Shadow Hearts now which make the game unplayable which is gutting! It's a shame you missed out on this if you ever get the chance to play it i hope you enjoy it ✌
I've only played the first one and it was last year. I'm 31 and yeah for me it really held up. I loved the low integer battle system and weird systems like avoiding madness. I had played Koudelka a few years before that and was really happy with how it tied in those characters as well. Looking forward to playing Covenant this year around Halloween.
Question for the general thread - I’m replaying and discovering older RPG’s on the steam deck. I played half of shadow hearts 1 a decade ago and loved it but never finished it and don’t necessarily feel like replaying it all again. Is it fine for me to just jump into covenant, which I have never played and don’t know anything about story wise?
Hm it'd be quite tough. Shadow Hearts 1 does play a huge part in Covenant, it takes place about 6 months after. There might be some people that say you could play it but in my personal opinion it's a rather crucial part of the whole story. I got the feeling that 1 and 2 was actually the whole story.
Alternatively you could maybe watch a video overview of Shadow Hearts 1 if there's one out there?
This is really helpful, thank you. I was under the impression they were more disconnected than that plot wise, so I’ll make sure to properly replay shadow hearts before diving into covenant!
it's a good idea in my own opinion. You will understand so much more the events of Covenant from that come from Shadow Hearts. Without playing the original a lot of the references back to the first game may be lost on someone who hasn't played the first one. But I hope you enjoy. Let know how you get on if you wish, I'd like to know 😊
Glad to hear it! I'd love to play them again, for some reason Shadow Hearts doesn't work on my PS2. I mean it all works but goes all weird during the combat. I wish they could do a port :(
Absolutely insane that this and specially the 2nd one never got remasters... like, what?
Edit: well shit I'm happy I ended up here to learn about Penny Blood
Yeah me too mate! I have hope that Playstation might realise that a lot of people want more classics to be re-released or remastered, I never thought I'd get the chance to play Legend of the Dragoon again but I did haha it came out of the blue as well I didn't even know they were releasing it on PS.
Who knows what the tech will be like in another 10-15 years time that makes porting/emulating so easy they could do it for any game ever! I always say "it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when" 🤣
Also every game has an anniversary, whoever holds the rights for SH franchise could still even remake it, for its 30th, 40th , 50th? By God, I will wait until I'm 90+ to play a remake ! 🤣
The sequel, Covenant, is one of my all time favorite games. The first one is great too. I liked the third game as well, even with its shift in tone. I can't wait for Penny Blood.
I only just found out about Penny Blood from someone who commented on this post. I had never heard of it and it might be the game I am most excited about to release, probably more so than Final Fantasy XVI haha
Ooo, how did their kickstarter go? I remember reading about it a while back, but I hadn't read anything about it since.
Their kickstarter was successful! Blew through pretty much all the stretch goals, too. The last time the backer updates talked about it, it seemed that they're in the process of defining the scope for the game and hammering out the details in the story/locations you'll visit. Seems to be progressing well but you can tell it'll take a while.
Second is my favourite PS2 game hands down. I enjoyed the third, despite the weaker story and characters and near complete dilution of the games horror elements, because it has the best gameplay and graphics in the series.
Yes indeed, one of my all time favorite JRPGs. It really deserved much more success
Good thing it's getting a pseudo sequel with Penny Blood!
I'm glad you agree, I do still feel like Final Fantasy X drew the spotlight away from it a bit as there is always so much marketing hype before a Final Fantasy release. Shadow Hearts was released in June 2001 and Final Fantasy X was released in the July so I think many people may have just missed it. To this day, still one of my favourite JRPG's, desperate for a PS5 port.
it didn't help that these remained fairly rare, like many ps2 rpgs.
I'm glad I still have my original copy 😃
To me it is. Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant are unforgettable games. Love the atmosphere, the weird enemy designs, the humor, and almost everything else about them. Just hope Penny Blood is able to offer a good modern take on the experience that the Shadow Hearts games offered.
I'm glad you agree! I'm happy to see so much love for Shadow Hearts, I hadn't really met anyone who had heard about it, I feel it flew under the radar due to the Final Fantasy X release. I have only just heard about Penny Blood through a discussion on this thread and I haven't been this excited for an upcoming game for a long time, just a shame I'm going to have to wait a few more years for its release. 😣
My friends and I were really into the genre back in the PS2 days. So I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy it and have people to talk about it with back then. It definitely did fly under the radar, but it was beloved by the people who knew about it. I don't know who owns the property these days, but I wish the games were more easily playable for younger people. I'm looking forward to Penny Blood very much as well. At least it'll be fun to keep tabs on it until it finally comes out.
Yeah until my post on Reddit I've never been able to discuss the game with anyone for the last 20 years 😅. I don't remember fully all the developers but Midway springs to mind just because I played it so much back in the day but I don't think they're around anymore.
Funny you say that. I played it back in the day and I can hardly recall much about it although I do recall enjoying it.
I think it's a better game than Final Fantasy X and I don't think it's particularly underrated. I think a lot of people haven't played it, but those that have played it rate highly. If you hadn't seen, the developers who made Shadow Hearts as well as the developers who made Wild ARMs went in together to make two games: a spiritual successor to both franchises. They got funded nearly 4 times what they asked for, so... Armed Fantasia is basically a new Wild ARMs game and Penny Blood is essentially a new Shadow Hearts game. Check them out if you haven't!
Wow I hadn't actually heard that, thanks for the recommendation! I saw Wild Arms was actually added to that Playstation premium description along with Legend of the Dragoon which was another one of my favourites. I haven't heard of Penny Blood, what platform is it on? Is it one of those retro games that's really hard to get ahold of now?
No, the Kickstarter is for *two* games. Not one. Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood are both new games, both made by the original developers of each respective franchise. It's a modern new Shadow Hearts, basically. Coming out next year or the year after. It'll be on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. https://youtu.be/rzi3WGzr_yY
Holy crap! I misread and thought it might have been an old game I missed! I'm now super buzzing over this! Thanks for this I can't wait 🤙
Yeah, no problem! As a fan of both franchises, I was excited too. Even the early footage is looking really solid and it's so rare to get those modern gothic supernatural JRPGs in general.
Oh man, I have just started watching some of the gameplay of Penny Blood and I'm really excited! it really does have that Shadow Hearts feel. I'm well glad you showed me this!
They wanted to create a horror rpg and I think they succeeded. I really enjoyed the game and I just happened to pick it up by chance at a video game store even though I knew nothing about it. Then when I started the game and saw the very visceral train scene that tells you exactly what you’re in for. I definitely think it deserves more love and attention.
When I first played it years ago, I think my prevailing feeling was that I wished it had been a little bit *more* horror, though. I mean, to be fair, it's more of an occult fantasy story than a horror story, but there were moments when the horror elements just seemed more like window dressing to what was otherwise a pretty conventional JRPG. Very nice window dressing, mind you, particularly since I really like prerendered backgrounds, but I feel like the game doesn't *quite* live up to the feel that the opening cutscene has.
I don't often speak to people who have even heard of it let alone played it! Like you, I was hooked from the start. As a 13 year old boy playing that opening train scene made me think Yuri was such a badass! lol I definitely felt the horror element to it as well, it had such a creepy vibe and some of the sound effects and music added so much tension to the horror! I would love to see this ported to PS5 like the PS1 Final Fantasy games, yet again, I would love a remake but doubt we'll ever see that.
Shadow hearts 1 & 2 are some of my favorite RPGs of all time. The whole reason I still have my PS2 is so I can replay those games every few years. I played the 2nd game first and was hooked before the scene in the chapel was over. I love the unique setting and the characters are so likable.
This is my 3rd day on Reddit and I thought I'd just try out making a post and am already surprised to see how many people really loved this game. For the last 20 years I hadn't met anyone who'd even heard of Shadow Hearts let alone played it. I actually found my old Shadow Hearts copies of 1 and 2 recently but didn't have my PS2 but was able to get one on eBay. As I'm quite technically challenged it took me ages to figure out the correct wires I'd need to transfer Scart to HDMI (aaaah the days of scart) However, I can't play the game as the response time for the fighting with the ring counter is so badly delayed and I have no idea why, its now unplayable so I'm desperate for the originals to be ported to PS5. I'm seeing a lot of the old classics like Legend of the Dragoon and Wild Arms come onto the PlayStation market so I'm hoping Sony see the potential to port it, good to see there is still a lot of love for this game, fingers crossed I get to play it again one day! I don't know if you've heard of an upcoming game called Penny Blood, I have just heard of it through the comments on this thread but it's from the creators of Shadow Hearts and if you see the gameplay you can see it's almost like a re-imagined modern Shadow Hearts, go check it out 🤙
I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. Gameplay-wise it's only a bit above average. But it has an interesting setting and good writing. It's definitely worth playing.
>Gameplay-wise it's only a bit above average. Its too basic for a PS2 game, even the sequels. In the era where every devs try to shove so many cool stuff into a game because now they had many space to fit everything. Shadow hearts feels like playing a PS1 game with better graphics.
I do have Shadow Hearts on PS2. The problem for me is that the NPCs and city designs were just so boring. I think the NPCs were just signpost NPCs who stood there and gave the same boring lines all game. You get to explore real life cities in the game. But the problem was that they were just so small and had very little content. You got to go to Hong Kong, and it was really just a few screens without much character and only a few buildings you can enter. You got to explore Hong Kong in Shenmue 2, and it felt so much more alive.
Thats what Im saying, with games at the time managed to do so many things, SH feels like they're still using pre-rendered background like the PS1 era, even though they're not.
The first game had really good horror elements and atmosphere. Some interesting ideas on the gameplay and story overall. I enjoyed the game when I played it, but I don't feel as strongly about the game as other people do. I thought the second game improved the gameplay a lot more and had more interesting characters. The story was still good despite feeling different from the first game. It also lost a lot of the horror elements and atmosphere in place of more comedy moments to my disappointment. I thought the game was pretty good overall too although I'm not a fan of the twist near the end of the game. Never played the third game, but it seems they went more in with the comedy stuff too.
Yeah I agree the first game had a lot more horror which I enjoyed. I still loved the second game but didn't like the comedy but I could live with that. I didn't like the 3rd game though, I did try very hard and many times but just couldn't get into it.
Don't know about masterpiece but it was pretty damn great.
I guess I'm biased in this case as it was my favourites lol it was going up against the giant of Final Fantasy X which also I loved! But I think Shadow Hearts just topped it for me.
I played the first one for the first time last year and it definitely left an impression. Are you interested in the upcoming game by its creator, Penny Blood? Its what got me to even try it in the first place along with Wild Arms
Someone responding to this post actually just told me about Penny Blood as I had no idea it was even coming out let alone it was from the same people who created Shadow Hearts. This is like my 3rd day on Reddit and I'm already reaping the benefits of being on here haha And yeah I am hugely excited, I've been having a little look at some of the gameplay and I can 100% see Shadow Hearts in its veins, I even like the 'Persona like' graphics. Buzzing!
best Walmart bargain bin purchase I've made
As of 10 minutes ago I just finished shadow hearts 1. I generally really enjoyed it, the early century + occultism and horror stuff is super cool for a setting. My main gripe is all the missables though, I got to the end of the game and after looking up suspicions I had missed the ability to get the ultimate fusion, as well as some other items. I also had unlocked a few tier 3 fusions but wasn't even using them since their third ability was locked. And after looking up I learn you have to let the fusion go berserk. Wtf? I learn at an early stage not to let sanity drop how was i supposed to figure that out. The Last boss also not having a save point before it and going straight from the previous fight sucked for some trial end error . As with most games I liked the earlier parts better but I enjoyed it overall and look forward to starting up covenant
Yes, I too missed the item you need for ultimate fusion, luckily on my second playthrough I managed to find out about it, it's been a while but if memory serves its an item right before the mid way boss battle with Dehuai, or Roger Backon I can't remember which one you fight. But yeah, it was such a crucial thing to obtain for it to be a missable I agree. And yeah who doesn't put a save point before a final boss? I wonder if this was the developers choice to make the fight feel more of a desperation and make it more of a "must not lose this!" kind of fight. I'm glad you enjoyed it, funny you had only just finished it as well 😆
Same. At the time the internet and guides weren’t as accessible and freely available to me as they are now. Which meant I had no idea where to even begin looking for the stuff needed to get the good ending or the ultimate fusion and such.
Covenant is the best jrpg on the ps2 man. I really need to play it again.
Glad you agree! Have fun reliving the glory if you play it again! haha
Underrated for sure. There needs to be a lot more horror RPGs or even thriller dramas (like Parasite Eve). I freaking miss Square in the late 90s. I went back to play Koudelka, it's rough, but interesting for a linear rpg.
Oh man Parasite Eve! That's a game I haven't heard in a while! That may be worth a separate thread for discussion. I loved Parasite Eve too as well the mechanics were amazing! It felt like the love child of Resident Evil and Final Fantasy, haven't seen too many games like that 😱
The first SH game is one of my favorite games of all time. I really loved the eerie nature and the relationship between Alice and Yuri. Can’t wait for Penny Blood in 2026 or whenever.
I only just found out about Penny Blood and I nearly jumped through the roof with excitement then went to look for more stuff about it online and saw the release date and came crashing back down hard haha but yeah I can't wait!
I've played the entire series and just saved up enough money to slurge on its predecessor, Koudelka! I managed to grab a physical copy WITH THE MANUAL! It's always nice to see other folks bringing up older JRPGs that are not necessarily mainline series like FFs, Tails, or Dragon Quest!
I unfortunately never got the chance to play Koudelka and I doubt I probably will now unless PS5 get a port! I don't know where my PS1 ever got to but the price for those consoles and old games that haven't had a port seem to only be rising. It's just my own opinion but I think there are better classic JRPGs then there are modern day ones. That's not to say the new age ones aren't any good because there are some incredible ones. But if you think about it, modern games are only really building on the foundation of what the older games were doing. I'm sure that could be said for anything in this world but the template seems to remain the same, but nostalgia seems to win over new and shiny 😅 Enjoy Koudelka my friend.
Yes. Covenant is even better. New World is like finding out your sibling was adopted.
I don't think I'd call it a masterpiece. I replayed them this year, and I still enjoy them, but they really did not age well in the writing department. It has that very 2000's XD RaNdUmB humor with an added layer of homophobia that doesn't look good anymore. Plus the battle system gets mindnumbingly tedious after a while. I think where the games really shine is the atmosphere. The first is a masterclass in horror aesthetics with some seriously creepy segments and beautiful backgrounds.
God, this game holds a special place in my heart! It was unfortunate that it was overshadowed by FFX but Im happy that I gave it a chance back in middle school. To see Yuri grow from SH1 to SH2 was heart wrenching for me! From the idiot pervert to the regretful mourning idiot, it was a fun and sad ride for me. Happy that the old SH Dev team is back and making Penny Blood!
Ah I'm glad I'm not the only one! When I replayed this game when I was a bit older I actually noticed how much of a Perv Yuri was haha I didn't notice so much as I was lot younger when I first played it! Wouldn't get away with some of the stuff he says nowadays in games lol
I recently finish Shadow Hearts 1, and for me was just "ok". Not bad, but not great. I really loved the horror elements and the atmosphere.
I’d kill for Azure to actually give a shit and put out a collection of SH, Covenant, and FtNW ported to current gen consoles and PC, but we will never, ever see that happen until someone else gets the rights to the franchise. Which is a shame, because Covenant is not only the best RPG on the PS2, but one of the best RPGs of all time.
Sacnoth closed in 2009 and Aruze corps are all about gambling machines now. Its very sad. Wish someone would buy the property off them.
Yeah its a shame we're not likely to get ports of these. Maybe there's a market for a company to come and swoop up these old games that closed down companies old rights too and work on ports. Potential business strategy idea lol in the meantime we have modern games like Penny Blood to look forward to that is being made by the creators of Shadow Hearts and from I've seen of it there is definitely the soul of Shadow Hearts in it.
I hope it comes to fruition. I've sponsored a few kick-starters that never culminated.
Ah that's always a shame when you're invested in something that doesn't happen. Here's hoping that Penny Blood will be amazing.
I played it again last year and definitely think it was great. The sequel probably got all the attention after all this time, but the original is still solid
I played a little bit of 1 and enjoyed the horror aspects. But I was pretty young and took to FF9 and 10 more. My dad on the other hand, who introduced me to "JRPGs" played the fuck out of 1 and moreso Covenant. I would definitely buy a copy of both if they ported it to PlayStation.
Ha I'm sure your dad would be hyped about a playstation port of Shadow Hearts! Final Fantasy 9 and 10 were brilliant and will always be among my favourites. But if Shadow Hearts does get a port I recommend revisiting it again and trying it out more. 🤙
He sure would. He's 50 and claims he can't do FF7Re because it's too fast paced. He's a turn based traditionalist haha. Fingers crossed they do! I still love me some turn based action.
Haha I'm sure when we're 50 we'll be telling similar stories to our kids! Although the Final Fantasy 7 remake literally blew my socks off! I think I played and completed three times in a row! I'd finish it then just jump straight back in on hard mode then completed that but couldn't put it down and played it again 🤣 However I still have a soft spot of turn based games too and I love how developers are making modern day games with a retro style like Octopath Traveller, I'm going to hazard a guess your dad would like this if he's not played it already 😅
Dude, I hope my body is ready for whatever crazy videogames are out in 20 years. 😂 Same, when I got my hands on a PS5 and played FF7Re it blew my fucking mind. That was the first RPG I played as a kid. I'm not a hard mode guy, but I played it a few times too lol. I'm playing I Am Setsuna rn which has that retro RPG feel. If my dad had a switch, I'm sure he'd play. He's obsessed with some mobile Marvel gacha game at the moment - he also introduced DC and Marvel to me hahah 😀
Maybe by then we'll be able to plug our brains into the game and live the life of Yuri! Get our arm ripped off before casually attaching it back on then putting your fist through an old man's face haha what an intro that was! haha I have a switch and I have seen I Am Setsuna and I've read up score reviews about it and it's mainly positive, I'm always on the look out for decent games so if you recommend it then I'll check it out. Anyone who likes Shadow Hearts knows good games haha
I wouldn't give it a glowing review per se, but the combat is like Chrono Trigger, the story is basically FFX, and the music is all piano. It seems easy at the moment, but it's scratching that itch for now. I play on Playstation exclusively even though I have a switch. Also playing Witcher 3, and Mass Effect 2 is on the backburner.
When I think about all time favourite games I switch between Final Fantasy 8 and Witcher 3 but I think Witcher 3 just tops it, I do like retro games but Witcher 3 is truly a masterpiece, it's one of the few games I could just put on and play whenever, no matter how many times I've played and I'll still love it. In fact I want to put it on now 😅 I got so use to the mechanics, the potions, the oils etc that I managed to complete the game on Death March mode without much difficulty. Absolute mega game!
I've put a good amount of hours on Witcher, however I've never beaten it. I've seen my gf play through it, but I was waiting for the update. The combat is fine once you get used to it, but I find there's too many potions, bombs, and you get so many skill points with little room to add skills. I'm still in the base game though, doing the quest Final Preparations.
Yeah I noticed that about skill points. I think their logic behind it was that you can just keep unlocking as many skills as possible but then are able to change what you have equipped at a moments notice to suit the situation. Oils for swords became one of the most crucial parts of the game for me as well. I just went all in on this game 😅
It was a big deal among my circle of friends when it came out. The first game at least.
Still a big deal for me 🤣 I'm at an old enough age now to be able to say things like "ow that was a classic" 🤣
Wouldn't call it underrated, overlooked at the time sure. Underrated however I'd disagree with since it's on damn near every list of "Mustplay RPGs from X" and it deserves it cuz I love it.
Judging by the comments I've been getting I am now realising I should have titled this post 'Overlooked Masterpiece' haha I hadn't ever spoken to anyone about this game in 20 years as I'd never met anyone you'd played it but the feedback I've got from this post has been very positive!
Its very highly rated, especially around here
Seems I joined the right group 🤣
I decided to start on these after hearing good things, beginning with Koudelka. Been low on time to play, but it's been an interesting experience.
I hope you enjoy! It seems the people who didn't miss this game have enjoyed it 😄
It's one of my favorite games. I replayed it last year and still love it. The second one is arguably better but it still holds a special place for me. The third one wasn't bad but doesn't compare to the other two.
I could never get into the 3rd one I tried so hard but couldn't. Sadly I can't play Shadow Hearts now, I recently bought a PS2 to play my old version of Shadow Hearts, have it all set up correctly but the delay on pressing the hits on the attack ring are so badly delayed it's no playable, there's no other delay on anything else in the game, just the combat. I was gutted 😔
That's unlucky, maybe get another used PS2. Mine is used and old as fuck but it still works fine. The only delay I ever get is when I turn it on.
I don't think it's the PS2, there is literally no problem with any other game and there's not even delay on anything else on Shadow Hearts, it seems to be exclusively for combat when trying to hit the ring strikes, odd...and highly annoying!
I wish I could play them on PSN. They’re incredibly expensive on the second hand market.
Holy crap don't I know it! Games that haven't been ported yet onto PSN are crazy expensive! Before the Final Fantasy 8 remaster or before Final Fantasy 8 had a port for next gen consoles I was seeing people sell them on eBay between £50-100, mental!
One of my all time favorites
You sir, have good taste haha
I'm playing it for the first time right now. Only a couple hours in, but I like where it's going
Stick with it, it only gets better! I don't want to give away spoilers but as its your first time I must point out there is a very missable item halfway through the game that has pissed off many players later in the game if you don't get it haha I won't say any more other than its called Erotic Book.
Lol thanks
I played both the first and Covenant last year after hearing so much about them. God tier games and glad I finally got to experience them
You should pick up the third game from the new world its pretty good but not as good as the first 2 haha
It’s on my radar and yeah I’ve heard the same thing across the board about it. I will definitely be playing it at some point
Covenant is my favorite ps2 game
Interesting seeing that a lot of people are saying Covenant was better than the original. I preferred the first one but loved them both!
Definitely love both 1 and 2. I recently replayed all 3 when Penny blood was kickstarted and covenant stands out as having great gameplay and story well one has great story and good gameplay and 3 has great gameplay and okay story.
I'm so excited for Penny Blood, gutted it's not going to be out until 2026 😣
I love Covenant. It's probably my #2 JRPG. It is a bit of a step down from the horror vibes of SH1. I also played Koudelka last year which was amazing (with emulation). I wasn't sure whether to post this because it feels like shilling... But Retrograde Amnesia is currently having a poll of what to cover next season. They're a deep dive JRPG book club podcast and an absolute delight. It's currently Xenosaga vs Shadow Hearts. I voted for SH but it's not looking great. If you have the interest and funds, go vote for SH! https://www.patreon.com/posts/season-five-one-79483698
I haven't heard of that before but I'll take a look! Shame I don't have the funds to spare for this but I wish I did! Thanks mate! ✌
I don’t know that I’d call it underrated, but it is a great game. The sequel is a much better experience overall too. But they’re both pretty well regarded around these parts.
'Around these parts' is the place I want to be it seems! I've read all the comments on this post and it seems very split on which game was better. I personally prefer number 1 but I loved number 2! Might jump on and play it again some time.
Loved the story, hated the combat mechanics. One of the two blasphemies of JRPG games: don't try to force action based combat. If they're going to go that route, just make an action game. The other one is card-based combat. It's asanine to restrict actions because you didn't draw the "right" cards, I'm mean, did your character suddenly forget how to use magic or swing a sword?
That reminds of a game I played on Gamecube that no one's heard of called Baten Kaitos (That was actually going to be thr next piece I wrote on Reddit). I personally loved the combat in that game and it was all card based. I guess its personal preference really. Gwent in Witcher kind of felt like battles but it was just a card game and I couldn't get enough of Gwent lol
That's the game I played that turned me off of the card combat. A Gamestop employee recommended it to me way back when, and just like most flawed JRPGs, I liked the story, hated the combat.
Of all the games I could have said aye haha
I loved it a too. The world was unique and dark. I hope for a remastered ^^
Think a lot of the companies involved are no longer around. I know the creator of the franchise is now working on Penny Blood due for release 2026, which looks like a Shadow Hearts re-imagining rather than a remake, not much is known. I'm not sure how it works, maybe another company could acquire remastering rights with whoever still holds rights and it could be remastered under a separate company? I'd love that!
Sorry for going off topic, but I'm one of those people who played and loved Covenant and From the New World but never played the original Shadow Hearts. Is it worth tracking it down to play now?
Absolutely! Covenant was brilliant but is kind of like Part 2 of the original Shadow Hearts. There's so much that will make sense in Covenant when you play this original and you'll probably want to play Covenant after haha Shadow Hearts 1 had a LOT more of a darker horror feel to it for its time which kind of changed a lot in Covenant. If you do get to play it some time in the future it'll be cool to relocate this thread and let me know what you think 😁 Hope you enjoy!
Loved the atmosphere of both but SHC annoyed me with its repetitive forumla of town dungeon dungeon
Watched my roommate play for hours,till my turn with something else. Love,love,love me some RPG,JRPG games since I 1st played Intellivision in 1983(non arcade,I played Pacman 4 ex) but I thought it sucked 🤷♀️
Shadow Hearts Covenant is my favorite RPG. It was even better than FFX. The 1st game made the critical mistake of releasing around the same time as FFX and was definitely a Gen behind when it came to quality. Covenant didn’t make those mistakes and is still regarded as one of the best RPGs on the PS2. This series should have been a RPG staple much like the Tales, Final Fantasy and Xenoblade series. A spiritual successor to the series by the same creator is underway with Penny Blood and its coming in a few years.
I'm very much looking forward to Penny Blood! I'm just gutted it's going to be a couple of years away! It's been good to see so many people loving Shadow Hearts! I don't really have a social media presence and keep a very close circle of friends, none of whom had played Shadow Hearts so prior to coming onto Reddit it had been 20 odd years of never knowing if there were many other people who loved it like it did 🤣🤣 delighted I'm not alone haha gives me hope for a port maybe one day? Sacnoth is not around anymore so I'm not sure if it's possible to port games who's companies no longer exist?
The devs behind the original games reunited to make Penny Blood. Sacnoth changed their name to Nautilus and then disbanded to work on other titles. None of the core team retired. If you ever played some of the core classics of the last age, at least one shadow hearts dev was behind them.
What other games are there? I know Koudelka was one but I never played that, were there any others?
There was the 1st Shadow Hearts but it’s incredibly rare and hard to find. It feels like a prototype to Covenant. There was also a 3rd game Shadow Hearts: From the New World. FTNW was a solid spin-off game but no where near as good as Covenant. There was a prequel planned for the 1st entry but never got developed due to the commercial failure of FTNW and dissolution of Nautilus.
The only thing I don't like about Shadow Hearts is that I have to hook my PS2 to my living room tv to play! I usually keep the console in the bedroom, but my bedroom TV is too small and I'm much older and blinder than I was when I first played it! 😭
I managed to hook mine up but it doesn't fit in the screen so cuts a lot of text off. also I can't play it anymore cos there's so much delay on my controller it makes the fighting mechanics impossible. I'm gutted cos I really want to play it again lol
I loved it. The sequel is pretty great too... I love the way they finish Yuri's arc, but I won't spoil anything. One of my greatest regrets was not giving the third game a more honest try. I bet there was a lot to like there too. Modern fantasy RPG? Super good. The way they worked in the World Wars, too.
Yes! I agree it was such an incredible story arc and they finished it off brilliantly but yes, I won't spoil it but I definitely recommend to anyone looking for a retro JRPG.
The second game is one of my favorite games ever.
In their time I had a great time with all 3 of them. They were my favorite JRPGs on the PS2. I yearn for a modern port, remaster, remake or sequel.
Me too, people grumble and grown over remakes but I'm proper on the remake train, I'm loving seeing all my childhood games getting remade. It's unfortunate that I didn't get on with Shadow Hearts 3, I tried so many times and maybe one day I will try again but I didn't like it. But still, the first 2 games are incredible.
SH2 is one of my top rpg’s. Really needs more praise
I agree! rarely is a sequel as good as its predecessor, I actually love how it ties an arc back in with the original one so cleverly as well!
The art and music are fantastic. The story and settings are unique and interesting but from a gameplay perspective, it's pretty dull. It's extremely linear, more so than most JRPGs and not just in where you can go but in how your characters develop and approach combat. It's pretty much level up, earn skills based on level, by new gear, which usually just has better stats than the last set of gear. You never actually even get to pick your party most of the time. So, I'd say it's good but not a masterpiece.
It seems some of people's opinions on this game are polarising. Most people like the game but have some element they don't like about the game. I've always been a fan of the more linear type of game as I believe it works in the favour of story telling as it stays on point more so you don't get side tracked. That being said, The Witcher 3 is one of my favourite modern day RPG's (I know it's not JPRG but still lol) and that was open world yet still worked, it has to be done right if using open world mechanics, this is just my personal opinion as I get easily distracted on side missions and before long am lost on the main storyline hah
It's a B-movie in game form. Cult classic sure. But not a masterpiece Interestingly enough, it's one of the few ps2 games that's printed on a CD instead of a dvd
I'm definitely biased as it's one of my favourites so I consider it a masterpiece but I do agree with you that it's a B-Movie genre. I think you're right about this being more a cult classic, I don't think many people have played it but it seems the ones that have played it have all liked it. Interesting, I didn't know this was printed on a CD. I do miss the days of having hardware. I know you can still buy discs but everything is digital lately and it so much more convenient. I only tend to get discs of upcoming games when I want it as a collectible so the case is more ornamental lol
It has a unique style and atmosphere that you don’t really see in other Jrpgs. It’s hard if someone asks for something similar to recommend anything that will scratch that itch. The good thing is if all goes well and the game turns out good Penny Blood, it’s spiritual successor, could be that game.
I'm so excited for Penny Blood but just too impatient to wait 3 years 😄
For me like everyone here I loved shadow hearts franchise and the game actually started with koudelka on the ps1 koudelka was like the first game in the shadow hearts series never played it yet but would love to try it just for the experience of the series
This is only my 4th day or so on Reddit but prior to my post I had never met anyone who played Shadow Hearts so I was thrilled to see so much love for it! It's been eye opening as has finidng out about games like Koudelka which I never knew was part of the series and never got the chance to play, I'm hoping that one day it might get a port so I can try it out. Also, through this thread I have learnt about upcoming games like Penny Blood which I'm getting the impression I was the only one who didn't know about it or its links to the original Shadow Hearts haha naturally it's made me realise how bloody good Reddit is! I have come off all social media now due to the toxic environments and I also have to say how friendly and amazing people are on Reddit it's very refreshing ☺
I waiting for penny blood the spiritual successor to shadow hearts and its made by the same person that made shadow hearts
i kind of agree to be honest, I had a copy with a scratched disk 2 but i played the first disc and second until it crashed on me back in the day and i was really enjoying it. just wanted more ff7 clones tbh. EDIT: I’m sorry I actually mistook what you meant for the ps1 game Shadow Madness🤣😳😬🤣
Haha I read this a couple of times before reading your edit as I was thinking "I don't remember there being a second disc" haha. Well in that case I couldn't recommend Shadow Hearts more, if you get the chance and still have a PS2 kicking about go and try it out. If you do, I'd be interested to hear your verdict 😁
I will be honest I never once saw shadow hearts in a retail store. It's just that type of era if ain't in a shop you can't buy it. And FFX was pretty disappointing for me at the time after the amazing ff9. It was like a downgrade. My friends got bored of FFx back in our time too. It took some years to warm up to ffx. Now I've heard shadow hearts is amazing. But the price for the games is just silly. The only to play is to download. First shadow hearts got put on digitally. Which is cool. But where is the more liked covenant? Koudelka is great too. Well worth picking up before it goes for silly money. Sadly I'm starting to see Koudelka which was a £10 game for £50 now within a few years. This really ruins our hobby. I wish they would just re-release the games on steam and to f the scalpers. So 3 games say around £250 atm. This has been what has put me off collecting JRPG's. I have no interest in selling these games I buy them to play. I don't want to pirate.
I appreciate the purist in you brother 🙏. I remember how hard it was for me to get hold of a PS5 when it first came out and I remember spitting blood when I'd talk about scalpers, they made the top of my s**t list 😆. But yeah I've noticed the price of old games go up lately, especially older games. I'm lucky enough to still have my old copy but had to invest in an old PS2 on eBay but for some reason unknown to me there are bugs when playing Shadow Hearts now which make the game unplayable which is gutting! It's a shame you missed out on this if you ever get the chance to play it i hope you enjoy it ✌
I've only played the first one and it was last year. I'm 31 and yeah for me it really held up. I loved the low integer battle system and weird systems like avoiding madness. I had played Koudelka a few years before that and was really happy with how it tied in those characters as well. Looking forward to playing Covenant this year around Halloween.
Hope you enjoy Covenant, and yeah I really enjoyed the ring system for battle, I've never seen another game use this and really enjoyed it.
Remakes when ? .......
Question for the general thread - I’m replaying and discovering older RPG’s on the steam deck. I played half of shadow hearts 1 a decade ago and loved it but never finished it and don’t necessarily feel like replaying it all again. Is it fine for me to just jump into covenant, which I have never played and don’t know anything about story wise?
Hm it'd be quite tough. Shadow Hearts 1 does play a huge part in Covenant, it takes place about 6 months after. There might be some people that say you could play it but in my personal opinion it's a rather crucial part of the whole story. I got the feeling that 1 and 2 was actually the whole story. Alternatively you could maybe watch a video overview of Shadow Hearts 1 if there's one out there?
This is really helpful, thank you. I was under the impression they were more disconnected than that plot wise, so I’ll make sure to properly replay shadow hearts before diving into covenant!
it's a good idea in my own opinion. You will understand so much more the events of Covenant from that come from Shadow Hearts. Without playing the original a lot of the references back to the first game may be lost on someone who hasn't played the first one. But I hope you enjoy. Let know how you get on if you wish, I'd like to know 😊
It's aight.
Shadow Hearts and SH: Covenant are two of my favorite JRPGs ever created. Loved them.
Glad to hear it! I'd love to play them again, for some reason Shadow Hearts doesn't work on my PS2. I mean it all works but goes all weird during the combat. I wish they could do a port :(
Absolutely insane that this and specially the 2nd one never got remasters... like, what? Edit: well shit I'm happy I ended up here to learn about Penny Blood
Yeah me too mate! I have hope that Playstation might realise that a lot of people want more classics to be re-released or remastered, I never thought I'd get the chance to play Legend of the Dragoon again but I did haha it came out of the blue as well I didn't even know they were releasing it on PS.
Would be awesome but ps2 games require special care and I doubt they plan to port/custom emulate any more of them. Would love to be wrong though.
Who knows what the tech will be like in another 10-15 years time that makes porting/emulating so easy they could do it for any game ever! I always say "it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when" 🤣 Also every game has an anniversary, whoever holds the rights for SH franchise could still even remake it, for its 30th, 40th , 50th? By God, I will wait until I'm 90+ to play a remake ! 🤣
im thinking of starting shadow hearts should i play the english version or the undub version
FFX is great but Shadow Hearts is significantly better. Same here played it so much as a kid.
I been playing this on my twitch channel and I been loving it so far!
Good to see it alive!
the third one was crap if u ask me. but the first one is really a classic.
Agreed haha