Midway offers Shadow Hearts preorder bonus

Today, Midway announced it will bundle a free copy of the first Shadow Hearts with preorders of its sequel, Shadow Hearts: Covenant. Like the 2001 original, the follow-up is set in a magic-filled, alternate-history Earth during World War I. The main characters, Yuri and Karin, must defeat the evil Rasputin and his plans for world domination.

Returning to Covenant is the judgment ring combat system from the original game, where players have to stop a moving marker inside an area to determine the strength and effects of their character's attacks. The sequel updates the judgment ring by adding team attacks and defensive formations, and it also features an updated magic system.

Shadow Hearts: Covenant is scheduled to ship on September 27. For more information, see GameSpot's preview of the Japanese version of the game.