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.
I liked 3 a lot more than most people. Still like 2 more, but 3 is nowhere near as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. I mean, yeah, I could have done without Shania's ridiculous fanservice, and sure Frank was a poorman's Joachim. But the game was just fun. Plus magic is definitely overpowered in 2 and 3, so having a magic focused character for a main was a pretty great idea.
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.
I liked 3 a lot more than most people. Still like 2 more, but 3 is nowhere near as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. I mean, yeah, I could have done without Shania's ridiculous fanservice, and sure Frank was a poorman's Joachim. But the game was just fun. Plus magic is definitely overpowered in 2 and 3, so having a magic focused character for a main was a pretty great idea.
Yes I loved 3 the most (I have the soundtrack and now I have to bust it out). I was silly and cheery yet the music was still very badass. The only that would have made it perfect is if it took place in the 21st Century, because half the stuff in it was not correct. (The Al Capone subplot can die forever.)
I played through that piece of shit in preparation for SH 1. What a chore that was. The final boss was a nightmare.
When I finally got SH 1 I was mezmerized. I loved that game, even the SHLOOP SHLOOP part. Then I found out I had missed the chance to go to the Dollhouse, and I never played it again. That shit should be part of Sony's certification process. That was ages ago, so maybe I should give it another try once I have time
Cherrn on
All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
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.
I liked 3 a lot more than most people. Still like 2 more, but 3 is nowhere near as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. I mean, yeah, I could have done without Shania's ridiculous fanservice, and sure Frank was a poorman's Joachim. But the game was just fun. Plus magic is definitely overpowered in 2 and 3, so having a magic focused character for a main was a pretty great idea.
Yes I loved 3 the most (I have the soundtrack and now I have to bust it out). I was silly and cheery yet the music was still very badass. The only that would have made it perfect is if it took place in the 21st Century, because half the stuff in it was not correct. (The Al Capone subplot can die forever.)
And Johnny is awesome, because he is a dork
Whereas before From the New World, the series made sure to adhere strictly to historic fact.
Edit: Koudelka is a great story wrapped in a horrible game.
Blackjack on
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
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cj iwakuraThe Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered Userregular
edited March 2009
So I'm back to playing SH3 now.
Just when I thought Mao was the most deranged thing to ever happen to an RPG, Hilda shows up.
And Roger's back too. I should have guessed.
This is probably the flat-out strangest RPG I've ever played.
As awesome as Mao is, why does 'she' have a male VA? O_o
I knew I liked this place. Any forum where folks sing the praises of Shadow Hearts years after the fact is obviously a great place to hang your hat. I loved the series (have to confess that I still have to finish up the first game) and recommend them to anyone looking for a very unique, very rewarding take on JRPG's.
In fact, a couple of years ago I noticed my brother-in-law over micro-managing in Fable, in his second play through, and asked him why it was again he had never played another RPG, where you can often micro-manage to ridiculous levels if you're so inclined. After racking my brain as to which game series I should let him borrow to sink his teeth into, I decided to go with Shadow Hearts 2 (high on my own Top-Ten list) as I thought he'd enjoy the zany characters, humor, and the horror elements. The judgment ring took him some getting used to at first, and I didn't know if he was going to stick with it until he called me up a couple of weeks later and cursed my existence for recommending something so fun, if addicting. Some 200+ hours later he had pulled off 100% in the game, had beaten the boss with his eyes closed, and thought he had better give it back before he fired it up to level anymore. One of these days maybe I'll let him borrow SH3.
It's a crying shame we'll likely never see a 4th installment but, dangit, here's hoping!
...
[Edit: I actually hunted down Koudelka a few years ago, but haven't played it yet. I hear good, and bad things about it so I'd love to hear if its worth me spending some time playing from fellow SH fans.
I kind of want to start up 2 again. I remember leveling up the Earth form late-game and discovering that it was completely awesome and would have helped me throughout the game.
If I didn't have such a huge backlog of games I've never played I'd go back and play SH3 again since it's the only one I haven't played at least twice. Especially with New Game + type stuff. Playing 1 and 2 again with every fusion and whatnot the second time around is just so fun. Although 3 doesn't have nearly enough fusions unfortunately...
CorporateLogoThe toilet knowshow I feelRegistered Userregular
edited March 2009
Fire form level 2 and on with the Enrage self buff plus an attack buff on top of that lets you lay waste to everything in SH2. I did that with an Eternal Key on the last boss and one-shotted him.
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!"
having played 1 recently, I really agree with this. I think B movie describes it perfectly, and i'm always thrown off when i see people here praising the "creepy" atmosphere of SH1
FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
edited March 2009
I used Light and Dark level 2 a whole bunch, as I recall. Also, I hate maze dungeons, because you have to go to all the wrong paths first to get the treasure at the end of each of them, so if you find the correct path, you have to backtrack anyways. But yeah, the subways were a bitch and a half. The only other dungeon that pissed me off so much was the Japanese destroyer, but that's mostly because I hadn't used half the characters at all, and I had to grind them for a very long time.
Also, Gepetto and the brothers who bought the "magazines" off you were all totally creepy.
Okay, Shadow Hearts 3 questions... I'm in the endgame, Brooklyn.
Are there multiple endings? Because in 1 and 2 alike, I always got the bad one, and I'm trying to avoid it here.
Also...
So Johnny's father got to succeed where Yuri didn't with the Emigre? That's just wrong, somehow.
Not that I actually remembered, but to get the "good" ending you have to get all 4 of Shania's fusions and level them all to max, level 5.
About the other thing, and I had to look that up too, but yeah, basically. It seems that all the accumulated Malice in the Garland mansion was what anyone else lacked in order to give the dead spirit a new body. However, it was still only through Grace giving her entire Will to Johnny that Johnny was able to come back to life not as a monster or whatnot. So then the accumulated Malice turned Grace's body into Lady to do bad stuff.
I should play this again eventually but I have so many other games to catch up on.
Posts
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Yes I loved 3 the most (I have the soundtrack and now I have to bust it out). I was silly and cheery yet the music was still very badass. The only that would have made it perfect is if it took place in the 21st Century, because half the stuff in it was not correct. (The Al Capone subplot can die forever.)
And Johnny is awesome, because he is a dork
Good.
I played through that piece of shit in preparation for SH 1. What a chore that was. The final boss was a nightmare.
When I finally got SH 1 I was mezmerized. I loved that game, even the SHLOOP SHLOOP part. Then I found out I had missed the chance to go to the Dollhouse, and I never played it again. That shit should be part of Sony's certification process. That was ages ago, so maybe I should give it another try once I have time
Edit: Koudelka is a great story wrapped in a horrible game.
3DS: 1607-3034-6970
Just when I thought Mao was the most deranged thing to ever happen to an RPG, Hilda shows up.
This is probably the flat-out strangest RPG I've ever played.
As awesome as Mao is, why does 'she' have a male VA? O_o
In fact, a couple of years ago I noticed my brother-in-law over micro-managing in Fable, in his second play through, and asked him why it was again he had never played another RPG, where you can often micro-manage to ridiculous levels if you're so inclined. After racking my brain as to which game series I should let him borrow to sink his teeth into, I decided to go with Shadow Hearts 2 (high on my own Top-Ten list) as I thought he'd enjoy the zany characters, humor, and the horror elements. The judgment ring took him some getting used to at first, and I didn't know if he was going to stick with it until he called me up a couple of weeks later and cursed my existence for recommending something so fun, if addicting. Some 200+ hours later he had pulled off 100% in the game, had beaten the boss with his eyes closed, and thought he had better give it back before he fired it up to level anymore. One of these days maybe I'll let him borrow SH3.
It's a crying shame we'll likely never see a 4th installment but, dangit, here's hoping!
...
[Edit: I actually hunted down Koudelka a few years ago, but haven't played it yet. I hear good, and bad things about it so I'd love to hear if its worth me spending some time playing from fellow SH fans.
But I would want to play it with a guide.
having played 1 recently, I really agree with this. I think B movie describes it perfectly, and i'm always thrown off when i see people here praising the "creepy" atmosphere of SH1
Also, Gepetto and the brothers who bought the "magazines" off you were all totally creepy.
The good ending of SH2 actually choked me up a bit. Games don't do that very often.
Are there multiple endings? Because in 1 and 2 alike, I always got the bad one, and I'm trying to avoid it here.
Also...
About the other thing, and I had to look that up too, but yeah, basically. It seems that all the accumulated Malice in the Garland mansion was what anyone else lacked in order to give the dead spirit a new body. However, it was still only through Grace giving her entire Will to Johnny that Johnny was able to come back to life not as a monster or whatnot. So then the accumulated Malice turned Grace's body into Lady to do bad stuff.
I should play this again eventually but I have so many other games to catch up on.
*goes destroy World.
Koudelka
SH1
SH2
SH3
And the serie ends.
Becos the company closed down.
SH 2.