Quite possibly my favorite series. Koudelka and the first two shadow heart games were great. The third shadow heart game wasn't bad but it just doesn't have the same darker atmosphere and feeling of the first three games. It's awesome seeing more and more people finding this hidden gem.
The problem with koudelka is it turns alot of fans away. That's good for you if you like board style combat systems. Alot of people dont. If a entire series is like that it's fine I just wont play it. When you take a series and change its play style its dumb though. I dont want to play any RPGs that use that board type of gameplay
Shadow Hearts FTNW isn't so much the 3rd game as it is a side game. US:Shadow hearts; JPN: Shadow Hearts US: Shadow Hearts Covenant; jpn Shadow Hearts 2 (there are some versions of the US game that say Shadow Hearts 2 when you load the game.) US: Shadow Hearts From the New world; JPN: Shadow Hearts From the New World. Its similar to how the 3rd Grandia Game isn't Grandia 3, even though its the 3rd grandia released.; How Rockman & Forte isn't Rockman 9, even thoughita the 9th rockman game released.
Don't mind the weird endscreen, I was trying something new and UA-cam's endscreen system was not having it. Next time! Also this took 5+ hours to render so I'm going to save you from having to wait for that for the sake of an endscreen. :p
Best JRPG series ever made. First and second games are just so good and emotional. Gameplay really engages you with the judgement ring mechanic and the original soundtrack is outstanding in every game! I love so much Shadow Hearts
nah it was alright but certainly not the best,i played 3 first ages ago and am currently on 1 and though its alright it certainly isnt the best series ive ever played
Discovered the series near the end of the PS2 life cycle when my, at the time, girlfriend grabbed it from a bargain bin and said "This looks cool" while I was buying some other AAA game that I can't even remember. Binged the entire series with her. Such a fantastic series!
The only one i played as a kid was the one with the blonde kid and the busty native girl who can shape into the different gods and stuff. It was such a fun jrpg
I ran into this game by accident when I was younger. I bought it when it was cheap because I wanted a jrpg to play so I took a chance. My brother and I loved it, toughed out Koudelka (the prequel) and enjoyed the absolute hell out of Covenant. This was the greatest gem on PS2. Also, we don't talk about Shadow Hearts 3.
I actually enjoyed the way Sea Mother told Li Li's story. To me this sounds exactly like the style and voice an old grandmother would use when entertaining the little ones with a ghost story whilst also keeping them laughing :)
omg 😄😄😆😭thank you very much for taking the time to cover this beautiful saga, I really enjoyed your video thanks for doing it justice, shadow hearts has a very special place in my heart it is one of my favorite games, it hurts me a lot that it has been forgotten and not be recognized as you deserve it
I'm always here to listen anyone talk about my favorite game, Shadow Hearts. I remember my older brother playing it when we were young, and I tried to play it but was too scared (the cannibals man.....they scare me). I did play it again during my pre-Nursing school days and I remember how much I loved the characters and their interaction (the villians too), the monster designs, the music, etc. ahhh...I never finished the game since my computer kept crashing, but hopefully I'll finish it
Agree with you 100%. Finish it! Figure it out with the right emulator settings for the right version of Windows 10. Last I heard there was a stable way to run it in version 1903 Get used to it all over again and do it to it :)
This was one of my favourites growing up. Never realised how awkward and goofy the voice acting was. I always remember it as a super serious and dark horror jrpg. This was a real trip down memory lane. Amazing video. I dont remember if i ever saved Alice in the graveyard fight. But i do remember following a playstation magazine guide to get the Seraphic Radiance Fusion. Cant imagine how anyone would ever know how to do some of these things other than by accident 😅 Edit: I do remember loving Covenant as well, and how the characters and game connects... Never got a chance to play the 3rd game or Koudelka.
There's a certain pastiche of games from this era that always gave me a similar vibe to what you described in the end. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, Dark Cloud, Drakengard... I'd even throw in the Kingdom under Fire series, because of their dark story, rich characters, and open-ended design. Indeed, this style is harder to find nowadays, Nier Automata being the first and only to spring to mind easily, but I hope we'll get some new games in this shadow genre soon.
Ah, I remember this game! A very fun, very weird JRPG. I played it on rental in the olden times, but I don't recall ever finishing it. The ring attack mechanic was pretty unique, but not completely original. Legend of Dragoon had a similar combat mechanic of timed attacks both in normal combat; you would hit square or triangle with specific timing, and enemies could occasionally try to parry; in which you'd hit circle. Then you had a Dragoon mode, which had attack timing rings much more similar to Shadow Hearts. Offhand I don't know which game came first, but one or the other had reminded me of the other.
Shadow Hearts is a perfect encapsulation of the PS1/PS2 era where you could pick a random game out of a shelf that you never heard of and end up with a classic (or shovelware). Shadow Hearts is absolutely my all times favorite JRPG, and while this might not be the popular opinion, the first game is my favorite. Lovecraftian/Fantasy Horror RPG's are a niche genre that I'd love to see more of. I'm glad I own the entire franchise, Koudelka included. The creator is supposedly making a new game, can't wait to see what that will be.
I wish some PS2 JRPG series’ would make a comeback in either sequel, spiritual successor or remake form - games like the aforementioned, Radiata Stories, Rogue Galaxy come to mind
I'm so happy that you covered this game! Hands down, to this day, it's still one of my favorite JRPGs of all time, so much so that, every few years, I come back to it and play through the whole thing again.
This was such a great structure of explaining the game and telling the story. I loved loved loved these games so much and you definitely did this one justice. Great video, I wouldn't change a thing.
Saw the advertisement for the first Shadow Hearts game on the TV screen at a Gamestop in 2002. it was being advertised for the PS2, which was still in it's early days then. It was the opening cinematic, with not only stellar animation that was ahead of it's time, but actual voiceovers. It took me another 8 months to learn the name of the game. It was the fifth PS2 game I ever bought, and gave me a lot of fun adventures when I was at my first duty station. Those were the days!
Ahh yes, when Jinzee was just a little bird, her & her birdbro did indulge in the purchase of a PlayStation 2, and furthermore the purchase of Shadow Hearts.
Usually, I don't watch these kinds of videos, but I was searching for Shadow Hearts video while trying to help someone find an old obscure game on reddit and all I can think of is Shadow Hearts, mostly because of the sewer stage description they gave. And I never see any youtubers talking about this game, hell, I'm not even sure lots of people know this game even exist in the first place. Not gonna lie, I cried a bit. This is my first "weird" games as well, and the first and last game I played with my brother, well he played and I watched. It's such a shame we can't get at least a remake or port of this game I'm sorry for the long-ass comment and thank you for the video, you just got yourself a new subscriber
I have beaten Koudelka and SH 2 in the past. I never got a chance to finish the first game, but I found a copy recently and I am about halfway through finishing it. I love this series and your video was great!
This is a game that I, sadly, missed out on. The character designs, the world, monsters, everything seems different from other JRPGs. I'd love to play it. Honestly, hearing the cheesy voice acting makes it seems even more fun to me. The anime humor is a major selling point as well.
I'm loving this series tbh! I would love for you to talk about other ps1/ps2 jrpgs in the future (I'm especially partial to Legend of Legaia but thats just me)
I rented this when I was about 12 years old when it first came out and fell in love with the game. I played all the shadow hearts games several times as a teenager. I was able to grab a copy on eBay a couple years ago and I’ve since played it twice through as an adult. The game was dark and adult with really good black humor in it too. Super underrated and game and I really enjoyed hearing your take on the game. I’ve never met anyone else in real life who’s ever played these gems
Subscribed after two minutes. This is a dream come true... I can't wait to watch the rest of this (Shadow Hearts 1&2 are some of my most beloved jrpgs and games in general, and they are so underappreciated), so far I love everything about your style, especially the accent.... lol just overjoyed to have found your channel, I'm sure I will watch a lot more than just this video : ) edit: Yes that was great fun... I love the little dress-up skits, reminds me of Counterpoints, lol. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. It is really wonderful to find someone who connects to this game like I do... I just watched Majuular's recent video on it and was very confused by his lack of appreciation for so much of it... and trying to watch SuperButterBuns playthrough is a nightmare because she latches onto a few of the anime-esque jokes and writing at the very beginning and plays the rest of the game with insane "Yuri is an incel" goggles on and can't appreciate anything good that is happening... I suppose I can take solace in knowing that not everyone can connect with and appreciate what this game and its sequel and prequel do... and it's wonderful to have found a lovely girl who does appreciate all the good things about it.
I love this seires i still play to this day at times.So glad more youtubers/streamers are covering this hidden gem. It was just ahead of its time and maybe just maybe if we can get the hype up enough we just might see a true sequel to shadow hearts 2.
Glad to see a well-made, thorough video on this game! I have always been curious about Shadow Hearts, but never got around to playing it. Great video, thanks!
The one thing I wanted to mention. During the voiceover in Shanghai burning cutscene, I always thought it was kawashima doing the voice over. Because she didn’t see yuri again and died sometime after the event. Plus the voice seemed more fitting for kawashima than for Alice, it was more aged/experienced instead of high and innocent. Just my 2 cents.
I remember buying this game when I saw a review of it in the PSM magazine waaaay back in the day (well, 2003). I played it and instantly fell in love with it; I loved the mature but whimsical vibes of it, and I loved the horror vibes that it gave off. It was one of the first games where I actually wanted to 100% it and complete every side quest. It and the 2nd game are on my top 5 favorite JRPGs off all time. I still haven't played Koudelka though, I don't know if I want to from what videos I've seen of the battles.
My first rated M game. This game is very special to me since its different from your usual JRPG. The horror and dark elements is what made it unique I also love yuri's relationship with alice. Its written very well
I'm really glad you went over this game. Its one of my favorite games of all time and I still play it every year! Beautiful video for a beautiful game. :)
Thank you so much for making a video about this very special series (minus From the New World)! If I may request...please make one about Covenant and how the ending and the first game may connect! Great work, also love the deadpan sarcastic humor. More of this combo of humor needs to be done!
And this is why i absolutely love UA-cam. There is no way I would have learned any of this stuff. Thank you and I am now subscriber. I love everything about this video. Thank you.
I read about this game years ago but never take the time to investigate about it, guess it's kind of a micracle to see your video of koudelka as a recommendation (THANKS A LOT UA-cam) and now after seen all the video and of course the spoiler parts I stil want to play this game sooo much, thank you for bringing us this hidden gems jinzee, i would like to see a video of shadow hearts 2
my favorite game since the original released. picked it up randomly at a store after the case cover spoke to me and fell in love instantly. can't wait for Penny Blood!!!!
Good thing that Shadowhearts is very easy to emulate on most computers and readily available on the internet to play!! That's how I've been playing it and it's such a hoot. I'm playing it on 1440p at 60fps and I absolutely love the experience. Incredible game!! Thanks for highlighting this game! It deserves to be played more 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Shadow hearts is my favorite JRPG. The fusions, The judgement ring, story, Characters everything about this game was great. I got my copy from a cousin then picked up covenant and from the new world as they came out. I am super excited for the spiritual successor Penny Blood. Everyone should play it emulate it if you cant afford it.
I loved this game and the second one. Just delightful from beginning to end. Can we talk about how amazing the soundtracks are too? Hoping you do videos on the second and third games!
I played this for the first time several years ago and played it 3 Octobers in a row. Some knock it for kind of simple gameplay outside of the JR, and graphics, but I actually love the prerendered graphics. Great review and stoy summary! After 3 playthroughs, there were still a couple of things I didn't fully pick up on that you pointed out and wrapped up for me!
This game, like DEFINED my childhood-- I'm sure you couldn't tell by my name. I'm glad its been getting the recognicition it has deserved all these years later. I'm like the Uber Shadow Hearts fan and I'm still holding out for the day I could have have remake or a remaster of this precious game.
I've heard about this game a lot but never did the research for it, however after this video it definitely piqued my interest ! The PS2 genuinely had so many underrated gems and seeing a remaster of this and games like Kuon by From Software would be great. Love the atmosphere and mechanics in this despite it being somewhat dated to play lol. Regardless amazing work as always Jinzee !
I was part of the QA team for the American release for part 1 and 2. I loved the judgement ring mechanic. Fun fact, the train scene when top hat buy gets punched in the face, Yuri's fist actually went through his face. For some reason they wanted to sensor it for the state's so you don't see it happen. That's why there's that white flash. Japan version still shows it correctly.
Thank you SO MUCH for covering Koudelka and Shadow Hearts! These games came to me at a very dark time in my life and I definitely wouldn't be here today without Shadow Hearts 1. This series has influenced my beliefs and who I became-- and it will always have a very special place in my heart. I hope you cover Covenant eventually (although I didn't love it as much as SH1) as I'd love to hear your thoughts. P.S. Shout-out to everyone who was in the Shadow Hearts LiveJournal community in like... 2005/2006. xD
Even with the spoilers you sold me on this game, I would try it immediately if I wasn't overburned with RPGs right now! This is a series I saw being mentioned and I wanted to try it! PS2 Era has so many charming games! They were really open in new ideas and mechanics! 😭
+1 game to my infinite backlog, ah well XD As for the ring system, only game I can thing of that did something similar is Lost Odyssey, it was rather simple compared to the one in SH though.
I *LOVE* the 1st two Shadow Hearts games. One of my favorite series of all time (see my channel's cover photo). I also "love" the story/writing of Koudelka (& the voice acting), which I *still* have to pop in & beat. I put it aside a few times over the years, after a few hours, 'cuz I can't stand breaking weapons in games, so I watched the cutscenes instead. But seeing as one doesn't truly need to use weapons, I'm going to restart this with a fresh mind. (eagerly awaiting Penny Blood)!
This is one of many my favorite games! Anyway i just finished this game AGAIN last week(for nostalgia). For who not been ever play this game before, i recommend you, and try to get Seraphic Radiance fusion! It's super cool!
I actually think this one is better than Covenant; the atmosphere is great, the story is a bit more "contained", so to speak, and it also has a kinda Buffy/X-Files monsteroftheweekiness to it. Koudelka is my favourite, though!
New here, enjoying your videos and I'm subscribed. Love your sens of style! Lol Played this game as a child, a very young child lol, only got so far as the village, and I could never remember much of this game, bit it never left me. Flew In the face of everything I know, and possibly had a very large impact on my personality. This game is very 'me' lol
I finish replaying Shadow Hearts after last playing it in 2017 or so, I enjoyed the game so much more now that I'm older, even if I did love it too as a kid I wasn't mature enough to truly appreciate it. I also wasn't the one playing it, I watched my Mom play it back in the early 2000s. lol It's such a same the creator doesn't have the rights to the game's IP, so seeing a remake or more sequels or a prequel seems impossible. I hope Penny Blood can somehow change that.
Loved the video and the enthusiasm, watched till the and and subbed. Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 are some of my favourite games of all times. And Yuri is the best protagonist I could ask for. I actually played the second first and after some hours in I looked after the first one so to have the full experience
I love these games, finally playing From the New World. The series definitely has its up and downs but I have enjoyed it over all. Wish more people knew about it
JRPGs are my bread and butter. I’ve played some amazing ones (Final Fantasy, Megaten, Tales of, Grandia etc) but Shadow Hearts is and will always be my favorite JRPG. Also the item you mentioned is Mind’s Eye 😉
Great video. Makes me want to go back and replay shadow hearts again. I tried going through the whole series again recently, and ended up stopping midway through covenant because the writers just...really hated the female lead, and it was painful to watch. We don't really need the full series though. Honestly the first game is amazing as a standalone game, and it holds up shockingly well for a game with as many perverted jokes as it has.
The new spiritual successor of Shadow Hearts series is in development by Shadow hearts creator, and is called Penny Blood. Potentially this could open up the doors to a Shadow Hearts remake or remaster HD in the future.
I forgot this game was a thing, I remember borrowing it from a friend for a while but never finished it. Its was surprisingly good but also remember very little about it
Another series in the current game developer arc of 'Fuck It, I'll do it Myself!'. Wild Arms and Shadow Hearts guys doing a Kickstarter for Spiritual Successors to both. In one Kickstarter.
Shadow hearts, sold my copy way back, but some years back i got lucky and my sister found it at the game store which was selling it for €20,-. If only that store knew what the game was worth. This game actually stood the test of time considering its already 20 years old.
(Reposted my earlier comment on a different channel) I think it's interesting to see, that so far no ytube reviewer/ analyst of SH1 realized that Margarete is actually Mata Hari (Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (née Zelle)), though different in appeareance and demeanor
Going into this video, all I know about this game is 1. It has a historical setting, I think? 2. Its music was written by Yasunori Mitsuda, who's more famous for the soundtrack to a little game called Chrono Trigger.
I know it, I was a bit late discovering it at a time but thanks to a friend I got all 3 games. 1 and 2 were great then 3 was ... there (seriously) what the hell happened there?), overall a great series, just sad it’s been so overlooked in favour of Final Fantasy 🙁🙁🙁 Thanks for the video PB, really need it today, and go hug your animal friends folks 💙🐱💙
It's really nice to see this game getting some attention for once. I absolutely love this game if the screen name wasn't already a dead give away on that lol
I loved it when my brother and I were wondering how to unlock the last ability for the final forms of the transformations for Yuri and you had to let yourself go insane and your demon form will use the skill and it would be unlocked permanently. It was nuts. Sadly our first play through we missed the chance to unlock the most powerful transformation Dark Seraphim
Shadow hearts.... Man, I miss that game. My brother picked it up full price when it first came out. He had *no idea* what it was, but he thought I'd like it. I kinda blew it off initially, but I eventually gave it a shot a few weeks later and I was hooked. Honestly, that first haunted village was really striking. When I confronted Dehui, I thought the game was over and I was like "Eh, that was kinda short". But the game continues and, I think, get's even better in the second act. Shadow hearts two, I was less fond of. Structurally, over all, it was probably better- but I miss the heavy horror elements.
![The JRPG Everyone Forgot [Shadow Hearts: From the New World]](/img/n.gif)
Quite possibly my favorite series. Koudelka and the first two shadow heart games were great. The third shadow heart game wasn't bad but it just doesn't have the same darker atmosphere and feeling of the first three games. It's awesome seeing more and more people finding this hidden gem.
The problem with koudelka is it turns alot of fans away. That's good for you if you like board style combat systems. Alot of people dont. If a entire series is like that it's fine I just wont play it. When you take a series and change its play style its dumb though. I dont want to play any RPGs that use that board type of gameplay
Shadow Hearts FTNW isn't so much the 3rd game as it is a side game.
US:Shadow hearts; JPN: Shadow Hearts
US: Shadow Hearts Covenant; jpn Shadow Hearts 2
(there are some versions of the US game that say Shadow Hearts 2 when you load the game.)
US: Shadow Hearts From the New world; JPN: Shadow Hearts From the New World.
Its similar to how the 3rd Grandia Game isn't Grandia 3, even though its the 3rd grandia released.;
How Rockman & Forte isn't Rockman 9, even thoughita the 9th rockman game released.
Don't mind the weird endscreen, I was trying something new and UA-cam's endscreen system was not having it. Next time!
Also this took 5+ hours to render so I'm going to save you from having to wait for that for the sake of an endscreen. :p
Penny blood is spiritual successor to shadow hearts series subscribe to their channel
Best JRPG series ever made. First and second games are just so good and emotional. Gameplay really engages you with the judgement ring mechanic and the original soundtrack is outstanding in every game! I love so much Shadow Hearts
nah it was alright but certainly not the best,i played 3 first ages ago and am currently on 1 and though its alright it certainly isnt the best series ive ever played
@@random_an0n "TROLL PATROL" yeah your opinion doesn't matter
Discovered the series near the end of the PS2 life cycle when my, at the time, girlfriend grabbed it from a bargain bin and said "This looks cool" while I was buying some other AAA game that I can't even remember.
Binged the entire series with her. Such a fantastic series!
Too bad the other.... er "series" wasn't so good
The dollhouse was such a fun side quest too, I love this game
Shadow Hearts was and is my favorite game. It's such a unique take on the turn-based RPG, and both this and Covenant have such a beautiful story
The only one i played as a kid was the one with the blonde kid and the busty native girl who can shape into the different gods and stuff. It was such a fun jrpg
I ran into this game by accident when I was younger. I bought it when it was cheap because I wanted a jrpg to play so I took a chance. My brother and I loved it, toughed out Koudelka (the prequel) and enjoyed the absolute hell out of Covenant. This was the greatest gem on PS2.
Also, we don't talk about Shadow Hearts 3.
We basically bought Shadow Hearts for the same reason I see! :p
I actually enjoyed the way Sea Mother told Li Li's story. To me this sounds exactly like the style and voice an old grandmother would use when entertaining the little ones with a ghost story whilst also keeping them laughing :)
Adding to the conversation like this years after these games were released is really cool and hard to pull off, great video as always
omg 😄😄😆😭thank you very much for taking the time to cover this beautiful saga, I really enjoyed your video thanks for doing it justice, shadow hearts has a very special place in my heart it is one of my favorite games, it hurts me a lot that it has been forgotten and not be recognized as you deserve it
I'm always here to listen anyone talk about my favorite game, Shadow Hearts. I remember my older brother playing it when we were young, and I tried to play it but was too scared (the cannibals man.....they scare me). I did play it again during my pre-Nursing school days and I remember how much I loved the characters and their interaction (the villians too), the monster designs, the music, etc. ahhh...I never finished the game since my computer kept crashing, but hopefully I'll finish it
Agree with you 100%.
Finish it! Figure it out with the right emulator settings for the right version of Windows 10. Last I heard there was a stable way to run it in version 1903 Get used to it all over again and do it to it :)
This was one of my favourites growing up. Never realised how awkward and goofy the voice acting was. I always remember it as a super serious and dark horror jrpg.
This was a real trip down memory lane. Amazing video.
I dont remember if i ever saved Alice in the graveyard fight.
But i do remember following a playstation magazine guide to get the Seraphic Radiance Fusion. Cant imagine how anyone would ever know how to do some of these things other than by accident 😅
Edit: I do remember loving Covenant as well, and how the characters and game connects...
Never got a chance to play the 3rd game or Koudelka.
There's a certain pastiche of games from this era that always gave me a similar vibe to what you described in the end. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, Dark Cloud, Drakengard... I'd even throw in the Kingdom under Fire series, because of their dark story, rich characters, and open-ended design. Indeed, this style is harder to find nowadays, Nier Automata being the first and only to spring to mind easily, but I hope we'll get some new games in this shadow genre soon.
Oh Shadow Hearts. The game with terrifying monsters and even more terrifying voice acting
The only thing more powerful than seraphic radiance..._ the voice acting 's power to destroy you at a try not to laugh challenge
I had no idea this game occurred after the events of Koudelka. Thank you again for such a brilliant analysis.
I absolutely love Shadow Hearts. The second game's ending moved me to tears, it was definitely an unforgettable experience.
Would love to see the other two Shadow Hearts games done in this style. Thanks for this! Shadow Hearts is so underappreciated.
Ah, I remember this game! A very fun, very weird JRPG. I played it on rental in the olden times, but I don't recall ever finishing it.
The ring attack mechanic was pretty unique, but not completely original. Legend of Dragoon had a similar combat mechanic of timed attacks both in normal combat; you would hit square or triangle with specific timing, and enemies could occasionally try to parry; in which you'd hit circle. Then you had a Dragoon mode, which had attack timing rings much more similar to Shadow Hearts.
Offhand I don't know which game came first, but one or the other had reminded me of the other.
Shadow Hearts is a perfect encapsulation of the PS1/PS2 era where you could pick a random game out of a shelf that you never heard of and end up with a classic (or shovelware). Shadow Hearts is absolutely my all times favorite JRPG, and while this might not be the popular opinion, the first game is my favorite. Lovecraftian/Fantasy Horror RPG's are a niche genre that I'd love to see more of. I'm glad I own the entire franchise, Koudelka included. The creator is supposedly making a new game, can't wait to see what that will be.
I love that reading item descriptions unlocks things. That is amazing.
playstation 2 have so many hidden gems, like drakengard, or valkyrie profile.
I LOVE this game and the sequel Covenant (haven't played the 3rd one yet). So glad it's getting more attention!!!
I wish some PS2 JRPG series’ would make a comeback in either sequel, spiritual successor or remake form - games like the aforementioned, Radiata Stories, Rogue Galaxy come to mind
Facts. I never finished valkyrie profile but of what I've played its good.
Best console of all time. Sooo
And gems like Chaos Legions and God Hand such a comedy gem
I can't believe you're not in the 100k subs range, your content is well written, funny, interesting and edited, thank you for your work!
I'm so happy that you covered this game! Hands down, to this day, it's still one of my favorite JRPGs of all time, so much so that, every few years, I come back to it and play through the whole thing again.
Shadow hearts and covenant are some of my favourite games of all time!
This was such a great structure of explaining the game and telling the story. I loved loved loved these games so much and you definitely did this one justice. Great video, I wouldn't change a thing.
Saw the advertisement for the first Shadow Hearts game on the TV screen at a Gamestop in 2002. it was being advertised for the PS2, which was still in it's early days then. It was the opening cinematic, with not only stellar animation that was ahead of it's time, but actual voiceovers. It took me another 8 months to learn the name of the game. It was the fifth PS2 game I ever bought, and gave me a lot of fun adventures when I was at my first duty station. Those were the days!
Ahh yes, when Jinzee was just a little bird, her & her birdbro did indulge in the purchase of a PlayStation 2, and furthermore the purchase of Shadow Hearts.
Ayyy i cant believe you talked about this gem, it suits your content really well too :)
Great video! Subscribed!
Usually, I don't watch these kinds of videos, but I was searching for Shadow Hearts video while trying to help someone find an old obscure game on reddit and all I can think of is Shadow Hearts, mostly because of the sewer stage description they gave. And I never see any youtubers talking about this game, hell, I'm not even sure lots of people know this game even exist in the first place. Not gonna lie, I cried a bit. This is my first "weird" games as well, and the first and last game I played with my brother, well he played and I watched. It's such a shame we can't get at least a remake or port of this game
I'm sorry for the long-ass comment and thank you for the video, you just got yourself a new subscriber
I like the atmosphere of this game so much. Horror, creepy, mythology, gothic.. and the battle system rocks! that was 17 yrs ago lmao
I have beaten Koudelka and SH 2 in the past. I never got a chance to finish the first game, but I found a copy recently and I am about halfway through finishing it. I love this series and your video was great!
This is a game that I, sadly, missed out on. The character designs, the world, monsters, everything seems different from other JRPGs. I'd love to play it. Honestly, hearing the cheesy voice acting makes it seems even more fun to me. The anime humor is a major selling point as well.
I'm loving this series tbh! I would love for you to talk about other ps1/ps2 jrpgs in the future (I'm especially partial to Legend of Legaia but thats just me)
I rented this when I was about 12 years old when it first came out and fell in love with the game. I played all the shadow hearts games several times as a teenager. I was able to grab a copy on eBay a couple years ago and I’ve since played it twice through as an adult. The game was dark and adult with really good black humor in it too. Super underrated and game and I really enjoyed hearing your take on the game. I’ve never met anyone else in real life who’s ever played these gems
Subscribed after two minutes. This is a dream come true... I can't wait to watch the rest of this (Shadow Hearts 1&2 are some of my most beloved jrpgs and games in general, and they are so underappreciated), so far I love everything about your style, especially the accent.... lol just overjoyed to have found your channel, I'm sure I will watch a lot more than just this video : )
edit: Yes that was great fun... I love the little dress-up skits, reminds me of Counterpoints, lol. Looking forward to watching more of your videos. It is really wonderful to find someone who connects to this game like I do... I just watched Majuular's recent video on it and was very confused by his lack of appreciation for so much of it... and trying to watch SuperButterBuns playthrough is a nightmare because she latches onto a few of the anime-esque jokes and writing at the very beginning and plays the rest of the game with insane "Yuri is an incel" goggles on and can't appreciate anything good that is happening... I suppose I can take solace in knowing that not everyone can connect with and appreciate what this game and its sequel and prequel do... and it's wonderful to have found a lovely girl who does appreciate all the good things about it.
I love this seires i still play to this day at times.So glad more youtubers/streamers are covering this hidden gem. It was just ahead of its time and maybe just maybe if we can get the hype up enough we just might see a true sequel to shadow hearts 2.
Things get pretty confusing with the time travel with the ending of shadow hearts 2 especially if you get the good ending.
Glad to see a well-made, thorough video on this game! I have always been curious about Shadow Hearts, but never got around to playing it. Great video, thanks!
The one thing I wanted to mention. During the voiceover in Shanghai burning cutscene, I always thought it was kawashima doing the voice over. Because she didn’t see yuri again and died sometime after the event. Plus the voice seemed more fitting for kawashima than for Alice, it was more aged/experienced instead of high and innocent. Just my 2 cents.
I remember buying this game when I saw a review of it in the PSM magazine waaaay back in the day (well, 2003). I played it and instantly fell in love with it; I loved the mature but whimsical vibes of it, and I loved the horror vibes that it gave off. It was one of the first games where I actually wanted to 100% it and complete every side quest. It and the 2nd game are on my top 5 favorite JRPGs off all time. I still haven't played Koudelka though, I don't know if I want to from what videos I've seen of the battles.
My first rated M game. This game is very special to me since its different from your usual JRPG. The horror and dark elements is what made it unique
I also love yuri's relationship with alice. Its written very well
Amazing. The perfect followup to the Koudelka vid. Thank you! ^^
I'm really glad you went over this game. Its one of my favorite games of all time and I still play it every year! Beautiful video for a beautiful game. :)
loved this series- I'm surprised at the lack of people talking about it.
Thank you so much for making a video about this very special series (minus From the New World)!
If I may request...please make one about Covenant and how the ending and the first game may connect! Great work, also love the deadpan sarcastic humor. More of this combo of humor needs to be done!
And this is why i absolutely love UA-cam. There is no way I would have learned any of this stuff. Thank you and I am now subscriber. I love everything about this video. Thank you.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! ^^
Extremely Underrated I agree!
Shadow Hearts is a thing of Beauty indeed!
I read about this game years ago but never take the time to investigate about it, guess it's kind of a micracle to see your video of koudelka as a recommendation (THANKS A LOT UA-cam) and now after seen all the video and of course the spoiler parts I stil want to play this game sooo much, thank you for bringing us this hidden gems jinzee, i would like to see a video of shadow hearts 2
Im really glad that you made this video. Can't wait to watch the next
my favorite game since the original released. picked it up randomly at a store after the case cover spoke to me and fell in love instantly.
can't wait for Penny Blood!!!!
Good thing that Shadowhearts is very easy to emulate on most computers and readily available on the internet to play!! That's how I've been playing it and it's such a hoot. I'm playing it on 1440p at 60fps and I absolutely love the experience. Incredible game!! Thanks for highlighting this game! It deserves to be played more 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Shadow hearts is my favorite JRPG. The fusions, The judgement ring, story, Characters everything about this game was great. I got my copy from a cousin then picked up covenant and from the new world as they came out. I am super excited for the spiritual successor Penny Blood. Everyone should play it emulate it if you cant afford it.
I loved this game and the second one. Just delightful from beginning to end.
Can we talk about how amazing the soundtracks are too?
Hoping you do videos on the second and third games!
Awesome video about one of the greatest games(series) ever created! 👏👏👏
I played this for the first time several years ago and played it 3 Octobers in a row. Some knock it for kind of simple gameplay outside of the JR, and graphics, but I actually love the prerendered graphics. Great review and stoy summary! After 3 playthroughs, there were still a couple of things I didn't fully pick up on that you pointed out and wrapped up for me!
I'm still a sucker for pre-rendered graphics too, I can't even explain why it just sits well with me.
Wow! You look amazing! Love the top. Would absolutely buy that for myself. As usual, the skits are life. I never get tired of your sense of humor. 👍😁🥰
This game, like DEFINED my childhood-- I'm sure you couldn't tell by my name. I'm glad its been getting the recognicition it has deserved all these years later. I'm like the Uber Shadow Hearts fan and I'm still holding out for the day I could have have remake or a remaster of this precious game.
I've heard about this game a lot but never did the research for it, however after this video it definitely piqued my interest !
The PS2 genuinely had so many underrated gems and seeing a remaster of this and games like Kuon by From Software would be great.
Love the atmosphere and mechanics in this despite it being somewhat dated to play lol.
Regardless amazing work as always Jinzee !
I was part of the QA team for the American release for part 1 and 2. I loved the judgement ring mechanic. Fun fact, the train scene when top hat buy gets punched in the face, Yuri's fist actually went through his face. For some reason they wanted to sensor it for the state's so you don't see it happen. That's why there's that white flash. Japan version still shows it correctly.
Love the formats of your more recent videos!
I loved the combat system in this game! It mixed it up which was refreshing after so many JRPG excursions.
Hell yeah this is my 4 a.m snack, watching a recent Shadow Hearts review
What an awesome review! Thank you so much!
Thank you SO MUCH for covering Koudelka and Shadow Hearts! These games came to me at a very dark time in my life and I definitely wouldn't be here today without Shadow Hearts 1. This series has influenced my beliefs and who I became-- and it will always have a very special place in my heart. I hope you cover Covenant eventually (although I didn't love it as much as SH1) as I'd love to hear your thoughts.
P.S. Shout-out to everyone who was in the Shadow Hearts LiveJournal community in like... 2005/2006. xD
Glad you're still with us buddy. ❤️
my favourite game ever made, great video~!
Even with the spoilers you sold me on this game, I would try it immediately if I wasn't overburned with RPGs right now!
This is a series I saw being mentioned and I wanted to try it!
PS2 Era has so many charming games! They were really open in new ideas and mechanics! 😭
+1 game to my infinite backlog, ah well XD
As for the ring system, only game I can thing of that did something similar is Lost Odyssey, it was rather simple compared to the one in SH though.
Fun fact, when Sacnoth disbanded a good chunk of the team moved to Feelplus where they helped develop Lost Oyssey!
@@ProperBird Had no idea.No wonder mistwalker games were so awesome then, the creative minds behind them were god tier.
I *LOVE* the 1st two Shadow Hearts games. One of my favorite series of all time (see my channel's cover photo). I also "love" the story/writing of Koudelka (& the voice acting), which I *still* have to pop in & beat. I put it aside a few times over the years, after a few hours, 'cuz I can't stand breaking weapons in games, so I watched the cutscenes instead. But seeing as one doesn't truly need to use weapons, I'm going to restart this with a fresh mind. (eagerly awaiting Penny Blood)!
This is one of many my favorite games! Anyway i just finished this game AGAIN last week(for nostalgia). For who not been ever play this game before, i recommend you, and try to get Seraphic Radiance fusion! It's super cool!
I've literally put a Seraphic Radiance walkthrough in this video using my own footage. :p
I actually think this one is better than Covenant; the atmosphere is great, the story is a bit more "contained", so to speak, and it also has a kinda Buffy/X-Files monsteroftheweekiness to it. Koudelka is my favourite, though!
Omg I forgot all about this game. It was super dark but I liked the story and characters.
New here, enjoying your videos and I'm subscribed.
Love your sens of style! Lol
Played this game as a child, a very young child lol, only got so far as the village, and I could never remember much of this game, bit it never left me. Flew In the face of everything I know, and possibly had a very large impact on my personality. This game is very 'me' lol
One of my favorite JRPGs of all time. It has the same status for me as legend of dragoon. I have only love for that treasures.
I finish replaying Shadow Hearts after last playing it in 2017 or so, I enjoyed the game so much more now that I'm older, even if I did love it too as a kid I wasn't mature enough to truly appreciate it. I also wasn't the one playing it, I watched my Mom play it back in the early 2000s. lol It's such a same the creator doesn't have the rights to the game's IP, so seeing a remake or more sequels or a prequel seems impossible. I hope Penny Blood can somehow change that.
Loved the video and the enthusiasm, watched till the and and subbed. Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 are some of my favourite games of all times. And Yuri is the best protagonist I could ask for. I actually played the second first and after some hours in I looked after the first one so to have the full experience
I love these games, finally playing From the New World. The series definitely has its up and downs but I have enjoyed it over all. Wish more people knew about it
I'm glad I played this game. What an experience indeed
Omg the memories they coming back , this game i never finishes it i rented it from xtra vision 5 times but could never finished it
JRPGs are my bread and butter. I’ve played some amazing ones (Final Fantasy, Megaten, Tales of, Grandia etc) but Shadow Hearts is and will always be my favorite JRPG. Also the item you mentioned is Mind’s Eye 😉
Great video. Makes me want to go back and replay shadow hearts again. I tried going through the whole series again recently, and ended up stopping midway through covenant because the writers just...really hated the female lead, and it was painful to watch. We don't really need the full series though. Honestly the first game is amazing as a standalone game, and it holds up shockingly well for a game with as many perverted jokes as it has.
The new spiritual successor of Shadow Hearts series is in development by Shadow hearts creator, and is called Penny Blood. Potentially this could open up the doors to a Shadow Hearts remake or remaster HD in the future.
Shadow Hearts is a masterpiece. It's thanks to this game that I found my soul mate and now have a baby boy.
gameplay 10
graphics 10
story Superb
Porbably my fav SH1 review so far. :)
Hell yes. This game is such a wonderful gem. I loved all its installments
I forgot this game was a thing, I remember borrowing it from a friend for a while but never finished it. Its was surprisingly good but also remember very little about it
Another series in the current game developer arc of 'Fuck It, I'll do it Myself!'.
Wild Arms and Shadow Hearts guys doing a Kickstarter for Spiritual Successors to both.
In one Kickstarter.
Shadow hearts, sold my copy way back, but some years back i got lucky and my sister found it at the game store which was selling it for €20,-. If only that store knew what the game was worth.
This game actually stood the test of time considering its already 20 years old.
(Reposted my earlier comment on a different channel)
I think it's interesting to see, that so far no ytube reviewer/ analyst of SH1 realized that Margarete is actually Mata Hari (Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (née Zelle)), though different in appeareance and demeanor
Going into this video, all I know about this game is
1. It has a historical setting, I think?
2. Its music was written by Yasunori Mitsuda, who's more famous for the soundtrack to a little game called Chrono Trigger.
I know it, I was a bit late discovering it at a time but thanks to a friend I got all 3 games. 1 and 2 were great then 3 was ... there (seriously) what the hell happened there?), overall a great series, just sad it’s been so overlooked in favour of Final Fantasy 🙁🙁🙁
Thanks for the video PB, really need it today, and go hug your animal friends folks 💙🐱💙
It's really nice to see this game getting some attention for once. I absolutely love this game if the screen name wasn't already a dead give away on that lol
YES! SHADOW HEARTS FORERVER! did you hear about the Penny Blood Kickstarter by the creator of Shadow Heart!?
Great video, enjoyed it!
I loved it when my brother and I were wondering how to unlock the last ability for the final forms of the transformations for Yuri and you had to let yourself go insane and your demon form will use the skill and it would be unlocked permanently. It was nuts. Sadly our first play through we missed the chance to unlock the most powerful transformation Dark Seraphim
Shadow hearts.... Man, I miss that game. My brother picked it up full price when it first came out. He had *no idea* what it was, but he thought I'd like it.
I kinda blew it off initially, but I eventually gave it a shot a few weeks later and I was hooked. Honestly, that first haunted village was really striking. When I confronted Dehui, I thought the game was over and I was like "Eh, that was kinda short". But the game continues and, I think, get's even better in the second act.
Shadow hearts two, I was less fond of. Structurally, over all, it was probably better- but I miss the heavy horror elements.
Shadow Hearts was such a good series. There needs to be a fan remake
Man... Shadow Hearts... I miss these type of Rpgs.
Although I totally forgot how creepy Yuri was at the beginning of the game.
Awesome work keep it up 👍