Really unique, fun RPG experience

User Rating: 9.8 | Shadow Hearts II PS2
By captaink24 | Review Date:
This RPG really caught me by surprise. Not being a Square title, I just assumed it would be missing that magical touch. In reality, it had more than enough magic to make it a classic and a huge favorite of mine. The story is really unique, with magic and your cast of character being thrown directly into the events surrounding WW I, like they always belonged there. The chacters are all very unique, humerous, though at times the story is very mature, either with its sexual undertones, or dark themes. I really thought that it was a perfect fit though.

The best part of this game has to be the battle system, with its Judgement Ring. Bacially you have to stop the cursor in various zones along a wheel to execute attacks and use abilites. Right at the end of the zones is a very thing "Strike" zone that increases your attacks. This wheel is used in basically every aspect of the game, including a fun little mini game that yeilds some nice rewards.

It is nice too that your protagonist can fusion into various Demon forms, similar to a Breath of Fire game. However, I found myself mostly using 2-3 fusions throughout the game, and wished there were more special opportunities to use them all.

All in all this game is a great mix of mature story, interesting characters, fun battles, and enough extras to keep it fun. I reccomend it to anyone looking for a fresh take on the RPG genre.

Other Helpful Reviews for Shadow Hearts II

Load Comments (0)