One of the best RPGs from the PS2's early days, ill fated enough to arrive just days before Final Fantasy X.
User Rating: 7.8 | Shadow Hearts (PlayStation2 the Best) PS2
Let's be truthful: there were a number of great games to come out during the holiday season of 2001 on the PS2. But unfortunately, most were dwarfed by the juggernaut that was Final Fantasy X, since it was by far the most critically acclaimed of the season. Shadow Hearts was one of those games that passed under many gamers' radars, mine included. In fact, I did not actually pick it up until I caught wind of it's sequel (I got both for a mere $50 through a special preorder deal). Shadow Hearts is set in Europe during the early 1900s, and puts us in the shoes of anti-hero Yuri Hyuga. The game picks up with a train en route from China to Japan. It seems the Japanese military has its eyes on a certain prize, and is taking it back with them to the Land of the Rising Sun. What prize, you ask? An innocent looking female by the name of Alice Elliot. Suffice to say, things don't go as planned, which is typical in RPGs. A strange gentleman in a top hat literally slaughters the entire Japanese envoy on the train, seeking to claim this girl for his own. And thus, enter Yuri. But he's no ordinary man, as we soon see when his arm his chopped off by an imp-like familiar, yet he treats it as little more than a mosquito bite and reattaches it. A little further down the road, we discover that his reasons for rescuing Alice are pretty cut and dry: a mysterious voice pops in his head and bids him to protect her. Not your usual protagonist, eh? The story itself takes place on the Eurasian continent, with the first half set in China and the latter half confined to Europe. From Kowloon to Shanghai, then Prague to Wales, the plot takes many turns and interesting twists in a decidely dark manner, rife with demons, curses, and dangers to ones very soul. Personally, I found the first half of the game to be far more entertaining than the latter, with the heavy influences of Chinese mythology and religion adding a distinct flavor to the mix. The characters themselves are nothing you haven't seen before. In addition to Yuri and Alice, there's Zhuzhen the Adept and Margarette the "genius" spy, to name a few without revealing too much. Each has a rather unique personality, which lends to some comedic moments between them. The battle system is typical turn based fare, though the "Judgement Ring" mechanic adds a bit of reflex button pressing. For every action you take, a ring pops up on the screen, and you must successfully stop the indicator in the colored areas to carry out your actions. It's not unlike Legend of Dragoon's "additions", though much more forgiving. The battles themselves are pretty easy, though some boss fights might give you trouble. Once you acquire the more powerful skills and levels, though, battles become ridiculously easy (which is also true for the sequel as well). The visuals aren't too bad, but since the phenomenal Final Fantasy X was released about a week after this title, they seem below average by comparison. That said, while the sound and music are alright on their own, when compared to the aforementioned RPG juggernaut, they don't seem to be up to snuff. it is worth noting though, that it seems those involved with its localization couldn't decide whether to keep the battlecries in Japanese or redo them in English, as there is a mix of the two which seems somewhat rough. All in all, this is a great game that when highly underappreciated due to its fate of being in competition with the highly anticipated Final Fantasy X. While not a long game (I completed it and most of the optional quests in around 25 hours), gamers who are looking for a good RPG to tide them over until their next favorite game arrives should give this one a go. It and its sequel are great RPGs which should appeal to fans of the genre. 
