Shadow Hearts 2: What the fuck is this?

Xeno

Alright, picked up Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 a little while ago after playing 3. I really liked 3 so I thought I'd check out it's roots.

Shadow Hearts 1- Pretty good game. A really early PS2 game, you can tell. Pretty standard fare combat wise. Story was not bad; I enjoyed the fact that it was humorous at times in a semi-dark story. I also liked the fact that dungeons were small and contained. Dungeons were just a few screens sometimes but you would run around in it solving puzzles. I enjoyed that. Anyways, I beat it and enjoyed my playthrough, albeit a short one.

Shadow Hearts 2- Popped this one in eagerly to continue Yuri's and co. story. Apparently (story spoiler)

Alice died after getting off the train? But I got the good ending dammit! Ah well....

.
Anyways, graphics got a great upgrade, more VO's which is nice, and combat seems to have improved.

But holy fuck at the difficulty increase. Firstly, enemies do a fuck ton more damage! Sometimes a single enemy will do 1/4, verging on 1/3 of damage. I mean, my God. Add this to the fact that there are WAY more enemies on screen now.
But my BIGGEST gripe is that dungeons are now mazes. It started off slowly with the forest. A lot of branching paths but it wasn't too bad. Then I get to the underground subway. Dear fuck. I enter it.
3 paths to choose from. I choose one and start running down it. MORE alternate paths. I choose one, I swear to God I was running down this corridor for a good 5 minutes. Thats not including the HP draining battles.

So I'm running and running, not knowing where the fucking I'm going and I finally reach the end. A dead end of course with a treasure chest with a useless item which I'll waste battling all the random encounters getting back to my starting position.

As soon as I got to this chest, I turned off my PS2.

I have a problem now. I don't know if I wanna continue playing this game. I genuinely had fun up until that dungeon, but that part just really pissed me off. Are all the dungeons like this? Did anyone have the same attitude about this game like me but just kept going? Whats your opinion?

Lanrutcon

Z'ok, I did what you did: me and some friends spent a few weeks doing the Shadow Heart games in order. If you're into jrpgs then the difficulty curve shouldn't bother you because it's pretty mild. However, if you just do the story skipping optional bits and not grinding worth a damn you're making life hard for yourself. Get a walkthrough to consult on rare drops/optional dungeons (or you _will_ miss shit) and spend some time upgrading Yuri's forms, getting some levels and grinding the cash for the best gear you can buy. With some minor grinding and mastery of the ring mechanic life is easy. Also, SH1 & 2 each had an item which made one character god.

Think the SH item was something that made the ring invisible but doubled damage. So you just memorize the hit locations and bam, you're a freight train. Can't remember what the SH2 item was but I distinctely remember abusing something into the ground.

Stick with it. The writing in SH2 is fucking gold.

Xagarath

Sadly, yes the dungeons stay like that. The difficulty, however, does not. Once you get the hang of the battle system, Shadow Hearts 2 is probably the easiest of the trilogy, provided you abuse combo attacks and Mind's Eye (equipped to Yuri, obviously) like there's no tomorrow.
Level 2 earth fusion, in particular, will kill most things in the game fairly easily.

Bartholamue

I think that's the part where I stopped playing as well.

Gilder

If you really want to make the game damn frustrating your first time through, there's an item you get for having a 90% perfect hit rate on the ring about 3/4's through the game. That'll make every fight a pain in the ass.

Lanrutcon

Xagarath wrote: »

Sadly, yes the dungeons stay like that. The difficulty, however, does not. Once you get the hang of the battle system, Shadow Hearts 2 is probably the easiest of the trilogy, provided you abuse combo attacks and Mind's Eye (equipped to Yuri, obviously) like there's no tomorrow.
Level 2 earth fusion, in particular, will kill most things in the game fairly easily.

The Mind's Eye! that was it. That thing makes for absolute smackdown.

"That is one giant pussy! " - Yuri

Glenn565

Don't worry, the subway is unusually hard for a second dungeon. It gets much easier after that.

Xeno

Yeah, this fucking subway dungeon is a stupid idea for a beginning dungeon. I despise doing this, but I think I'm gonna use a FAQ for dungeon maps. I hate using them, but I guess I have to.

Renzo

Don't feel bad about using maps for the dungeons. They really are mazes. I remember drawing my own maps because I didn't want to use a FAQ for the game. But if I were to play it now, I'd use a FAQ no question.

Scosglen

I don't recall SH2 being that rough. The subway dungeon is a little stupid but I seem to remember things cool down a bit after that. Just tackle it like a slightly more unforgiving JRPG like your dragon quests or personas and make sure you've got good gear and lots of restorative items. SH2 is worth finishing.

Tcheldor

The game is well worth your time. It's one of my favorite games of all time (couldn't stand the first one mind you), and it's one of the few RPGs I tried to replay.

Judge-Z

This was a fun series. Too bad there's been no news of a SH 4 for the current generation of machines.

Gilder

Renzo wrote: »

Don't feel bad about using maps for the dungeons. They really are mazes. I remember drawing my own maps because I didn't want to use a FAQ for the game. But if I were to play it now, I'd use a FAQ no question.

The worst dungeon is

The floating fortress Rasputin makes or something, it's been a while. Holy shit I hated that place. I got lost all the damn time looking for treasure and then when I got a map, it turns out to just be a big diamond. How could they make such a simple shape so confusing?

Renzo

Judge-Z wrote: »

This was a fun series. Too bad there's been no news of a SH 4 for the current generation of machines.

I think the whole developer ended up getting dissolved. Most of the employees went to work for feelplus, where they created Lost Odyssey for the 360 in conjunction with Mistwalker.

Dragkonias

Gilder wrote: »

Renzo wrote: »

Don't feel bad about using maps for the dungeons. They really are mazes. I remember drawing my own maps because I didn't want to use a FAQ for the game. But if I were to play it now, I'd use a FAQ no question.

The worst dungeon is

The floating fortress Rasputin makes or something, it's been a while. Holy shit I hated that place. I got lost all the damn time looking for treasure and then when I got a map, it turns out to just be a big diamond. How could they make such a simple shape so confusing?

Because for some reason RPGs developers think it's cool when they make an adjusting camera in a game that has had a static one up until that point.

Wingo

SH2 is actually pretty easy. Too easy, if you ask me. The beginning is harsh because you don't have access to good healing, but later on, you essentially fight every single battle the same way. What will get you aren't the enemies, its the dungeon layout. Plus lots of random encounters. And to top it of, SH2 has one of the lowest random encounter rates I've ever seen; now what does that say about dungeon design...?

Anyway, I wen't 100% for this little gem. Yes. Even this 3/4 perfect bullshit. The writing will carry you through everything, it's incredible.

Strangely enough, it was kinda the other way around in SH3... except for the sidequests, they were still gold.

Dammit, now I want SH4.

Xagarath

Much as I like the SH trilogy, they did get progressively less well-written.
I'm not sure we needed SH4.

Wingo

SH2's writing, worse than the first? Seriously?

Well, I do agree on SH3, anyway. It kinda shows when the character's motivation is at some point "We have nothing better to do".
Although it had boatloads of potential. It's a shame, really.

Xagarath

Wingo wrote: »

SH2's writing, worse than the first? Seriously?

Yeah.
The first one actually managed an air of genuine gothic horror, and I miss it in the sequals.

Gilder

Xagarath wrote: »

Wingo wrote: »

SH2's writing, worse than the first? Seriously?

Yeah.
The first one actually managed an air of genuine gothic horror, and I miss it in the sequals.

SHLOOP SHLOOP

I think the writing is better in 2 but atmosphere in 1 is way better than 2. 2 and 3 combined don't make up anything like what 1 had. That one optional dungeon you could do for answering all those torture questions right? Creepy as hell.

Xagarath

Gilder wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

Wingo wrote: »

SH2's writing, worse than the first? Seriously?

Yeah.
The first one actually managed an air of genuine gothic horror, and I miss it in the sequals.

SHLOOP SHLOOP

I think the writing is better in 2 but atmosphere in 1 is way better than 2. 2 and 3 combined don't make up anything like what 1 had. That one optional dungeon you could do for answering all those torture questions right? Creepy as hell.

And, of course, all the monster descriptions where they ate the skins of drowned children, or similar.

Blackjack

I kind of just O_o at anyone that says the first was better than the second. The first one was great, but I mean come on.

Schide

Oh hey, I dunno what's going on in here because I don't have time to read through, but all I'm going to say for now is this is one of the best games on the PS2.

Oh, difficulty? Yeah, it's not that hard. You probably just need practice with the judgement rings. Or just stick near a save point and level up some. You really need to play this game to see the story and characters and sidequests and awesome combat and humor and item descriptions and fun.

Xagarath

Blackjack wrote: »

I kind of just O_o at anyone that says the first was better than the second. The first one was great, but I mean come on.

Atmosphere.
All the polish and graphics and better voices in the world can't compensate for the loss of it.

Robos A Go Go

I just used the Gamble Ring. By the time I got the Mind's Eye, I was so used to things that I could land hits the vast majority of the time.

Furthermore, the great thing about the Gamble Ring is that even using a Key item requires only one hit on the Judgment Ring. If you ever use the Eternal Key in combination with the Gamble Ring and Mind's Eye, you'll probably do enough damage to one-shot the final boss.

Anyway, while Shadows Hearts 2 might be the funniest RPG I've ever played, I do have to second the claim that the first game in the series had a unique horror vibe that is lost with subsequent entries in the series.

Once the gay wrestler vampire and dress makers are introduced, things become a whole lot campier, and it becomes nearly impossible to take anything else that happens in the game seriously.

Blackjack

Xagarath wrote: »

Blackjack wrote: »

I kind of just O_o at anyone that says the first was better than the second. The first one was great, but I mean come on.

Atmosphere.
All the polish and graphics and better voices in the world can't compensate for the loss of it.

Except...it's not gone at all, so I reiterate: O_o

Robos A Go Go

Blackjack wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

Blackjack wrote: »

I kind of just O_o at anyone that says the first was better than the second. The first one was great, but I mean come on.

Atmosphere.
All the polish and graphics and better voices in the world can't compensate for the loss of it.

Except...it's not gone at all, so I reiterate: O_o

Compare the creepiest part of Shadow Hearts 1 with the creepiest part of Shadow Hearts 2.

It's been a while since I played either game, so I can't really nominate any segment (perhaps a comparison of the Dollhouses would work), but I'm sure the former would win. For one thing, I can't remember anything from the latter game as being at all unnverving. The first, meanwhile, has fucking cannibals in the first town.

Xeno

Alright guys, you've convinced me to plow through. I will try it once again.

Also, I hope SH2 has the same humour as SH.

One moment was especially funny. When

you kill Dehuai and Yuri is merging with that fusion and Roger Bacon is laughing and everything is so tense and serious, then as he's flying away, he gets hit in the head and goes "D'oh!". It was just so random and out of nowhere. Good stuff.

Blackjack

Robos A Go Go wrote: »

Blackjack wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

Blackjack wrote: »

I kind of just O_o at anyone that says the first was better than the second. The first one was great, but I mean come on.

Atmosphere.
All the polish and graphics and better voices in the world can't compensate for the loss of it.

Except...it's not gone at all, so I reiterate: O_o

Compare the creepiest part of Shadow Hearts 1 with the creepiest part of Shadow Hearts 2.

It's been a while since I played either game, so I can't really nominate any segment (perhaps a comparison of the Dollhouses would work), but I'm sure the former would win. For one thing, I can't remember anything from the latter game as being at all unnverving. The first, meanwhile, has fucking cannibals in the first town.

I dunno, if the cannibals weren't so cheesy, MAYBE you'd have a point (Maybe!) but as it was, it had a great B-Movie feel. Everyone all "WE MUST HAVE YOU FOR DINNER!" and Yuri's "If anyone'll eat her, it's gonna be me!"

Robos A Go Go

Yeah, maybe I'm remembering that segment as being slightly more eerie than it really was.

Still, there weren't any giant pink cats in Shadow Hearts 1.

Blackjack

Robos A Go Go wrote: »

Yeah, maybe I'm remembering that segment as being slightly more eerie than it really was.

Still, there weren't any giant pink cats in Shadow Hearts 1.

UNFORTUNATELY.

Schide

Robos A Go Go wrote: »

Blackjack wrote: »

Xagarath wrote: »

Blackjack wrote: »

I kind of just O_o at anyone that says the first was better than the second. The first one was great, but I mean come on.

Atmosphere.
All the polish and graphics and better voices in the world can't compensate for the loss of it.

Except...it's not gone at all, so I reiterate: O_o

Compare the creepiest part of Shadow Hearts 1 with the creepiest part of Shadow Hearts 2.

It's been a while since I played either game, so I can't really nominate any segment (perhaps a comparison of the Dollhouses would work), but I'm sure the former would win. For one thing, I can't remember anything from the latter game as being at all unnverving. The first, meanwhile, has fucking cannibals in the first town.

Uh, Shadow Hearts can have all the atmosphere and creepiness it wants, Shadow Hearts 2 is better in absolutely everything else. I still like Shadow Hearts, it just doesn't really hold a candle to SH2.

But then I'm not a huge fan of horror so I dunno.

Dragkonias

IMO, the only part in SH1 that was truly disturbing was the creepy apartment you could do as a sidequest.

Dashui

Argh, the last thing I need is another game to play, but you guys are making me want to pick up Shadow Hearts 1 and 2. They must be hard to find. Shadow Hearts 1 sells for 100+ new, while the second game is 40+. They're about 28 dollars off Amazon's used marketplace. I wish I had the cash.

Robos A Go Go

Dashui wrote: »

Argh, the last thing I need is another game to play, but you guys are making me want to pick up Shadow Hearts 1 and 2. They must be hard to find. Shadow Hearts 1 sells for 100+ new, while the second game is 40+. They're about 28 dollars off Amazon's used marketplace. I wish I had the cash.

I'm seeing far more reasonable prices on eBay.

Dashui

Robos A Go Go wrote: »

Dashui wrote: »

Argh, the last thing I need is another game to play, but you guys are making me want to pick up Shadow Hearts 1 and 2. They must be hard to find. Shadow Hearts 1 sells for 100+ new, while the second game is 40+. They're about 28 dollars off Amazon's used marketplace. I wish I had the cash.

I'm seeing far more reasonable prices on eBay.

Shadow Hearts 2 can be had for 25 new on eBay, but the first game is still about the same as Amazon's marketplace - 50 to 130 dollars. I still don't have the cash now regardless, and I don't have a paypal account. I've never liked paypal for some reason.

Robos A Go Go

Dashui wrote: »

Robos A Go Go wrote: »

Dashui wrote: »

Argh, the last thing I need is another game to play, but you guys are making me want to pick up Shadow Hearts 1 and 2. They must be hard to find. Shadow Hearts 1 sells for 100+ new, while the second game is 40+. They're about 28 dollars off Amazon's used marketplace. I wish I had the cash.

I'm seeing far more reasonable prices on eBay.

Shadow Hearts 2 can be had for 25 new on eBay, but the first game is still about the same as Amazon's marketplace - 50 to 130 dollars. I still don't have the cash now regardless, and I don't have a paypal account. I've never liked paypal for some reason.

This one's $40, but I suppose that's useless without a paypal account.

cj iwakura

I played this series in the most broken order imaginable(2, some of 3, 1), and 2 is my favorite. Maybe if I'd played 1 first, my opinion would be different, but I found the second game to be a lot more enjoyable overall. It has a great mix of comedy and seriousness.

The first has its moments, but it doesn't feel as cohesive as 2 did.

Aroduc

I actually liked 3 the most of all of them. It didn't feel as coherant or as well put together overall, but all the minor upgrades and changes to the battle engine were nice and I liked how relatively well balanced the entire cast was. Johnny nor... fuck... I forget the harmonixer's name... weren't all-consuming gods compared to the others. Also, Frank was awesome. I loved all the general silliness in fact.

Klyka

Shadow Hearts 2 is one of my favourite RPGs of all time.

My favourite segment is

the Metal Gear Solid parody with the dog leaning against walls

Cantido

Klyka wrote: »

Shadow Hearts 2 is one of my favourite RPGs of all time.

My favourite segment is

the Metal Gear Solid parody with the dog leaning against walls

Blanca needs his own game.