.gif)
Shadow Hearts (video game)
Encyclopedia
is a console role-playing game developed by Sacnoth
and published by Aruze
Corp in Japan and in the United States and Europe by Midway
in 2001. It is the first official game in the Shadow Hearts series and is the sequel to Koudelka
. Shadow Hearts follows the adventures of Yuri Hyuga, a Harmonixer
guided by a mysterious voice in his head. He finds himself thrown into the conflicts prior to World War I
where he must save the woman he loves and the world from destruction.
) with the previous game's data saved to allow for completion of the monster library, to attain further collectible items or equipment, and for a statistical side-by-side comparison of the first playthrough.
character in the submap, a 2D
pre-rendered
background representing the environment. Many items are found in the submap, typically in the form of chests, while others are marked with a shining dot. There are also items noticeable only when the player is directly in front of them. To change locations in Shadow Hearts, the player can choose from a world map. The world map is a stylized map of Europe and China with locations indicated by dots.
The party is made up of three characters and can be changed, with the exception of Yuri, by speaking with the NPC
Meiyuan. Characters can be positioned either in the back row or front row. The back row is suited for characters with lower physical defense and attack while the front row is suited for characters with higher physical defense and attack. Another aspect of the battle is the character's base statistics. There are the traditional Hit Points (HP) and Magic Point
s (MP) plus the new Sanity Points (SP). Like many other RPGs, the character's HP will decrease every time they receive damage and their MP decreases when a skill is used. SP decreases every turn and dictate how long a character can last in a battle before they become 'mentally unstable'. When SP decreases to zero, the character automatically goes into a state of Berserk and the player will lose control of that character. At the end of every battle all the character’s SP is replenished. Each character gains HP, MP, and SP every time they gain a level and there are many items which help restore lost HP, MP, and SP. There are also items which alleviate status ailments as well as revival items.
s, and even shopping. The success of the characters actions is dependent on the outcome of the Judgment Ring. Essentially, the Judgment Ring is a circle with different colored segments and a rotating needle which is stopped by the player's input. When an action is chosen, the Judgment Ring is presented on the screen. Players then have to watch the rotating needle carefully as it rotates and hit the colored segments.
in Shadow Hearts is the vengeance of the enemies that the party has killed. Malice accumulates every time the player finishes a battle. Most enemies give one point of malice while bosses give higher amounts. Yuri possesses an accessory called a Talisman
that can display how much malice has accumulated. It changes color from Dark Blue (lowest) to Red (maximum). Once it has reached the maximum, the door to the dark side opens and the Grim Reaper is summoned to the real world. The Grim Reaper manifests itself as the one Yuri fears the most. Once this occurs, the party will randomly encounter the Grim Reaper forcing Yuri to fight him alone.
To clear the malice the player must go into the Graveyard in Yuri’s mental realm. Once inside, there are four masks (Sword, Grail, Staff, and Gold) that will allow the player to fight a monster to clear the malice. This monster is a manifestation of the accumulated malice. Depending on the amount of malice, the monster will be different.
s. The player can buy items or equipment using the in-game currency
, Cash. The element that sets shopping in Shadow Hearts apart from other games is the use of the Judgment Ring. Throughout the course of the game, the player can collect certain Guild Cards to attain different ranks. Once the player has a card, they are automatically given an option to get a discount when buying or a price rise when selling. By collecting different guild cards, the player can receive different privileges.
Once the player chooses to receive a discount a ring with three Hit Areas is presented. To be successful, all three hit areas must be hit. Depending on the item being bought or sold, the size of the hit areas and the speed of the needle changes. When the player aims for higher discount or price raise rates, they must complete individual rings for each level.
is a vampire
believed to be over 400 years old. He occupies Blue Castle, the home of his ancestors, and had been asleep for a long time before he met Yuri and party. Bored, Keith decides to join Alice and Yuri. Keith performs Ritual
s during battle allowing him to heal himself while simultaneously dealing damage to enemies. His weapons are swords. Keith also appreciates other types of rituals and powers.
is the son of Koudelka Iasant, the main character of Koudelka
. He was separated from his mother in London
when she was taken away in a witch hunt. A big brother to the orphans in London, Halley is aided by Yuri to rescue kids at an orphanage. There they discover Jack's plan to use the Émigré Manuscript to revive Jack's mother. Halley's surname was incorrectly romanised for the English language release. Brancket should have been written as Plunkett (the katakana ブ (bu) and プ (pu) having been confused), the last name of his father, Edward
. Like his mother, Halley has the ability of ESP
. However, he has difficulty controlling his powers. Halley uses slingshot
s in battle.
of the game and very little is known about him. At the beginning, he uses his past teacher's identity, Roger Bacon, to deceive everyone. His birthplace and date is unknown but it is believed that he might be older than Roger Bacon. In order for his plans to work he must use Alice's powers. It was revealed in Shadow Hearts: Covenant
that he is residing as a spirit in Yuri's soul. Furthermore, he reveals that the events of Shadow Hearts were a misguided attempt to stop Sapientes Gladio and Rasputin (the main antagonists in Shadow Hearts: Covenant) from destroying the world. Simon helps Yuri make a pact with the demon Amon so that Yuri can defeat Rasputin. Albert Simon is probably about 400 years old.
is an alchemist
who discovered a way to keep himself alive for over 600 years. He was present in Koudelka and aided Koudelka Iasant in Nemeton Monastery. In Shadow Hearts the party finally meets Roger and he reveals Albert Simon's real identity and goals to them.
, also was sent in to investigate the incident in the train at the Trans-Siberian Railroad and pursues Alice to discover how the men escorting her were slaughtered. It is revealed that Kawashima planned Alice’s capture and was sending her as a gift to her father. She was also planning to take Alice because she knew Dehuai required her to destroy Japan. She used her power and status to make sure nobody could defeat Japan. Because of this, Kawashima does not trust people very easily and will eliminate anyone who, to her eyes, are not trustworthy. Kawashima never reported back any details of her actions to the Capitol. This caused an investigation to be done and coupled with her father deserting her, eventually led to her assassination.
plays a small role in Shadow Hearts. She is the mother of Halley but was separated from him due to a witch hunt. Roger Bacon reveals to the party that Koudelka is the opposite, in terms of her power, of Alice and could replace Alice as a key for his goal. Although unknown at first, it is revealed later in the game that Koudelka is the source of the mysterious voice who has been guiding Yuri on his various quests, including the one seen at the game's beginning that eventually led him to save Alice from Roger Bacon.
of the real world in the year 1913. The major areas that are visited include many real locations in China
and Europe
.
Shadow Hearts starts in late 1913 on a branch of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in Manchuria
. The game begins with Yuri hearing a voice in his head telling him to rescue a girl named Alice Elliot, whose priest father was recently murdered in a most brutal fashion in Rouen
, France
. After a British gentleman by the name of Roger Bacon
attempts to abduct Alice from the Imperial Japanese Army
himself, Yuri saves her, and starts a quest through China
, and eventually Europe
, to discover Alice's importance, Bacon's intent, the identity of the mysterious voice, and his own relevance.
Throughout their journey in China they meet Master Liu Zhuzhen, an adept. They also meet Margarete Gertude Zelle, an American spy who is trying to hinder the Japanese invasion of Shanghai. Along the journey they discover that Dehuai, a warlock, is behind all of the demonic happenings that they have encountered so far. Dehuai reveals his plans - to perform the Demon Gate Invocation to summon the Seraphic Radiance, a powerful entity to destroy Japan. He kidnaps Alice for this and the group faces him off at Kuihai Tower. The group manages to defeat Dehuai but is unable to stop the summoning of the Seraphic Radiance. In the end, Yuri and the group are separated.
The second part of the journey takes part in Europe. Alice and the gang continue on their search for Yuri. They are eventually reunited while meeting new friends along the way which includes, Halley, the son of Koudelka and Keith Valentine, a vampire. A shocking truth is revealed as they continue the journey - the man who named himself Roger Bacon is actually Albert Simon, a disciple of the real Roger Bacon. They also discover that Albert's true intention is to raise the Neameeto Float, which is a beacon capable of drawing God to Earth so that it can cleanse the world. He was originally attempting to capture Alice to raise the float, but then changes tack and captures Koudelka instead, and raises the float with her power. The group is teleported to the float by Roger Bacon, and they fight their way through it to find Albert at the pinnacle, where they engage him in battle. He repents for his misdeeds and uses the last of his power to send Yuri and company to intercept God before it can reach Earth. The group manages to destroy God and the world is saved. The real clue is Dracula (Keith Valentin).
, and defeats Atman, the protector of the Four Masks. The "bad" ending occurs when Alice fights an impossible battle against Atman and "dies" in the dream.
The difference between the two endings is only seen when the game credits are rolling after one has completed the game. Alice and Yuri are seen sleeping on a train back to her hometown, Zurich
. In the good ending, Alice wakes up on the train after a while. In the bad ending, Alice does not wake up since she has sacrificed her soul to Atman to protect Yuri's life. Shadow Hearts' sequel, Shadow Hearts: Covenant
, dictates that the bad ending of this game is canon.
as the president of Sacnoth. It marks the introduction of the "Judgment Ring" system as well as Sanity Points.
s. Most of the game consists of written dialogue accompanied by emoticon
s to display emotions or reactions. In the North American and PAL versions, some of the battle cries for spells and item use remain in their original Japanese.
n and PAL
versions of the game are as follows http://www.mobygames.com/game/ps2/shadow-hearts/credits:
ese version of the game are as follows:
s under the name of Shadow Hearts Original Soundtracks Plus1 by Scitron
in Japan
on July 18, 2001. It was composed and arranged by Yoshitaka Hirota
and Yasunori Mitsuda
and recorded at TwinTail Studios. While this was Hirota's first major video game music compositional work, Mitsuda is a veteran video game music composer having previously worked on Chrono Trigger
, Chrono Cross
and Xenogears
.
The OST packaging was a small hardcover book with the CDs contained in cardboard sleeves serving as the first and last pages. The soundtrack was later re-released on January 19, 2005 in a regular plastic CD case and having an altered cover.
The ending theme, titled Ending Theme ~ Shadow Hearts, was composed by Hirota and the lyrics were written by James H. Woan. It features vocals by Hiroko Kasahara and Kyoko Kishikawa.
The 'plus1' in the OST title refers to a bonus track titled Bonus Track ~ true voice. The track was composed by Hirota with lyrics written by Kishikawa who also performed the song.
has Shadow Hearts at 76%. Metacritic
rates Shadow Hearts at 73/100.
Sacnoth
Sacnoth was a small Japanese based video games developer.Sacnoth’s high profile games include Koudelka for the PlayStation, the three Shadow Hearts games for the PlayStation 2, and Faselei! for the Neo Geo Pocket Color...
and published by Aruze
Aruze
, is a Japanese manufacturer of pachinko, slot machines, arcade games and other gaming products, and a publisher of video games. Aruze possesses licenses to both manufacture and distribute casino machines in the American states of Nevada, Mississippi and New Jersey. The company's corporate...
Corp in Japan and in the United States and Europe by Midway
Midway Games
Midway Games, Inc. is an American company that was formerly a major video game publisher. Following a bankruptcy filing in 2009, it is no longer active and is in the process of liquidating all of its assets. Midway's titles included Mortal Kombat, Ms.Pac-Man, Spy Hunter, Tron, Rampage, the...
in 2001. It is the first official game in the Shadow Hearts series and is the sequel to Koudelka
Koudelka
is a role-playing game developed by Sacnoth for the Sony PlayStation. The game was released on December 16, 1999, in Japan, June 29, 2000, in North America and September 29, 2000, in Europe.- Gameplay :...
. Shadow Hearts follows the adventures of Yuri Hyuga, a Harmonixer
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
guided by a mysterious voice in his head. He finds himself thrown into the conflicts prior to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
where he must save the woman he loves and the world from destruction.
Gameplay
With a linear storyline, random encounters, turn-based battles, and traditional elements such as hit points and magic points, Shadow Hearts plays similarly to other console RPGs. The Judgment Ring, designed to incorporate an element of chance in various outcomes based on the player's skill, is unique to the genre. There are also side-quests and an option for an additional playthrough (or New Game PlusNew Game Plus
A New Game Plus is an unlockable video game mode that allows the player to start a new game after they finish the game at least once, where certain aspects of the finished game, such as experience or items, affect the newly started game...
) with the previous game's data saved to allow for completion of the monster library, to attain further collectible items or equipment, and for a statistical side-by-side comparison of the first playthrough.
Environment/world map/submap
The player maneuvers a 3D3D computer graphics
3D computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data that is stored in the computer for the purposes of performing calculations and rendering 2D images...
character in the submap, a 2D
2D computer graphics
2D computer graphics is the computer-based generation of digital images—mostly from two-dimensional models and by techniques specific to them...
pre-rendered
Pre-rendered
Pre-rendering is the process in which video footage is not rendered in real-time by the hardware that is outputing or playing back the video. Instead, the video is a recording of a footage that was previously rendered on a different equipment...
background representing the environment. Many items are found in the submap, typically in the form of chests, while others are marked with a shining dot. There are also items noticeable only when the player is directly in front of them. To change locations in Shadow Hearts, the player can choose from a world map. The world map is a stylized map of Europe and China with locations indicated by dots.
Battle
Shadow Hearts uses a turn-based battle system where the player chooses actions from a menu. The list of actions include many basic commands such as Attack, Items, and Escape. Enemies are encountered randomly and are not visible in the submap. Battle commences in a 3D environment modeled after a section of the current location. The characters and enemies stay in their respective positions and only move from their position when executing an attack. The characters are controlled by the player and the enemies are controlled by the CPU.The party is made up of three characters and can be changed, with the exception of Yuri, by speaking with the NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
Meiyuan. Characters can be positioned either in the back row or front row. The back row is suited for characters with lower physical defense and attack while the front row is suited for characters with higher physical defense and attack. Another aspect of the battle is the character's base statistics. There are the traditional Hit Points (HP) and Magic Point
Magic Point
Magic Point is a coastal headland in Maroubra, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 10 km south of Sydney’s central business district. It is a rugged heathland area with cliffs overlooking the ocean....
s (MP) plus the new Sanity Points (SP). Like many other RPGs, the character's HP will decrease every time they receive damage and their MP decreases when a skill is used. SP decreases every turn and dictate how long a character can last in a battle before they become 'mentally unstable'. When SP decreases to zero, the character automatically goes into a state of Berserk and the player will lose control of that character. At the end of every battle all the character’s SP is replenished. Each character gains HP, MP, and SP every time they gain a level and there are many items which help restore lost HP, MP, and SP. There are also items which alleviate status ailments as well as revival items.
Judgment Ring
The Judgment Ring is a unique element in Shadow Hearts and is used in many aspects of the game including battles, minigameMinigame
A minigame is a short video game often contained within another video game. A minigame is always smaller or more simplistic than the game in which it is contained. Minigames are sometimes also offered separately for free to promote the main game...
s, and even shopping. The success of the characters actions is dependent on the outcome of the Judgment Ring. Essentially, the Judgment Ring is a circle with different colored segments and a rotating needle which is stopped by the player's input. When an action is chosen, the Judgment Ring is presented on the screen. Players then have to watch the rotating needle carefully as it rotates and hit the colored segments.
- Physical Attack Rings possess three Hit Areas coupled with Strike Areas. By hitting all of the hit areas, the character will perform three attacks. If any of the hit areas are missed, the character’s turn will be skipped or their amount of attacks will be reduced depending on which hit area is missed. If the first hit area is missed the turn is automatically skipped. If the player hits the first hit area but misses the subsequent hit areas, the amount of attacks will be reduced.
- Magic Attack/Special Ability Rings differ from Physical Attacks Rings. These rings possess Step Areas and a Modulation Area with a Strike Area. All the step areas must be hit or else the special attack will fail. The modulation area operates like the hit areas of a physical attack.
- Item Rings only possess one Hit Area by itself or coupled with a Strike Area. This depends on the item being used and its effect. Items that cure HP, MP, or SP for a specific amount can be enhanced by strike areas whereas items that cure fully or alleviate status effects don’t require a strike area to enhance the effect.
- Minigame Rings only possess Hit Areas which must all be hit in order to win the minigame (with the exception of the LotteryLotteryA lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
). The Push Ring is a timed game, which has only one hit area, where the player must make the needle move towards the hit area and keep it there until the time runs out. The Normal Ring has three hit areas and the player must hit all three of them and for as many rotations the game states. Lastly, there is the Lottery. The Lottery has many different colored hit areas each corresponding to a different prize. The player only needs to hit one of the hit areas to be successful.
Special Abilities
Every character in Shadow Hearts has their own unique special abilities. These abilities include offensive, restorative and supportive spells. Every character, except for Yuri, will gain their abilities as they gain experience and level up. Yuri, on the other hand, must acquire his Fusions by collecting Soul Energy.Malice
MaliceMalice
Malice may refer to:* Malice , a legal term describing the intent to harm* Jerry Tuite , American professional wrestler also known by the ring name Malice-Entertainment:...
in Shadow Hearts is the vengeance of the enemies that the party has killed. Malice accumulates every time the player finishes a battle. Most enemies give one point of malice while bosses give higher amounts. Yuri possesses an accessory called a Talisman
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
that can display how much malice has accumulated. It changes color from Dark Blue (lowest) to Red (maximum). Once it has reached the maximum, the door to the dark side opens and the Grim Reaper is summoned to the real world. The Grim Reaper manifests itself as the one Yuri fears the most. Once this occurs, the party will randomly encounter the Grim Reaper forcing Yuri to fight him alone.
To clear the malice the player must go into the Graveyard in Yuri’s mental realm. Once inside, there are four masks (Sword, Grail, Staff, and Gold) that will allow the player to fight a monster to clear the malice. This monster is a manifestation of the accumulated malice. Depending on the amount of malice, the monster will be different.
Shopping
Shopping in Shadow Hearts is similar to most RPGTactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
s. The player can buy items or equipment using the in-game currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
, Cash. The element that sets shopping in Shadow Hearts apart from other games is the use of the Judgment Ring. Throughout the course of the game, the player can collect certain Guild Cards to attain different ranks. Once the player has a card, they are automatically given an option to get a discount when buying or a price rise when selling. By collecting different guild cards, the player can receive different privileges.
Once the player chooses to receive a discount a ring with three Hit Areas is presented. To be successful, all three hit areas must be hit. Depending on the item being bought or sold, the size of the hit areas and the speed of the needle changes. When the player aims for higher discount or price raise rates, they must complete individual rings for each level.
Playable Characters
- Yuri Volte Hyuga ( in the Japanese version) is the main protagonistProtagonistA protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of the game and was born in Katsuragi in 1889 to a Japanese father, Ben Hyuga, and a German mother, Anne. An anti-heroAnti-heroIn fiction, an antihero is generally considered to be a protagonist whose character is at least in some regards conspicuously contrary to that of the archetypal hero, and is in some instances its antithesis in which the character is generally useless at being a hero or heroine when they're...
, Yuri speaks his mind, is often impolite, and is reluctant to accept his special abilities. Indeed, he is called "Rude Hero" before his name is revealed to the player. At the beginning of the game it is clear that his actions are influenced by a mysterious voice. Although he would rather ignore the voice, he obeys its commands mainly for the thrill of fighting monsters. Once he meets Alice Elliot his attitude begins to change, although he remains troubled about his fusion powers. His desire to change is fueled further when he discovers Alice had sacrificed her soul to save him. He is additionally motivated by the memory of his father, who fought hard and died protecting the world. A Harmonixer, he possesses the powers of Fusion, which he inherited from his father. These powers were awakened in his childhood when zombies attacked his home, and Yuri's mother died trying to protect him. By fusing into elemental and non-elemental demons, Yuri gains new abilities in battles. When he is not using his fusions, he fights with knuckle-mounted blades.
- Alice Elliot ( in the Japanese version), born in 1892 to Father Morris Elliot, an English PriestPriestA priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, was raised in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Hearing supernatural voices in her early childhood, Alice later became an exorcistExorcistIn some religions an exorcist is a person who is believed to be able to cast out the devil or other demons. A priest, a nun, a monk, a healer, a shaman or other specially prepared or instructed person can be an exorcist...
and together with her father they performed exorcismExorcismExorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...
s. When Alice was saved by Yuri, she was unsure what to think of him. But after spending more time with him and seeing him risk his own life to defeat Dehuai, she grew attached to him. After Yuri attempted to fuse with Seraphic Radiance, Alice chose to use her own soul to save him. In battle, Alice has the ability to do White Magic allowing her to heal party members and damage enemies. Alice is the best healer in the game, and books are her primary weapons.
- Zhuzhen Liu (劉朱震, Hanyu Pinyin: Liú Zhūzhèn, Liu Zhuzhen in the Japanese version) was born in ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and is over 60 years old. He is a sageWise old manThe wise old man is an archetype as described by Carl Jung, as well as a classic literary figure, and may be seen as a stock character...
who was taught by Master Xifa along with his peer Dehuai, he proceeds his name with "Ruler of the Nine Heavens, Earth Sage" when meeting people formally. 15 years prior to Shadow Hearts, Ben Hyuga helped him when he was being harassed by Dehuai’s underlings. As a result, Zhuzhen helped Hyuga to stop Dehuai from succeeding in the Demon's Gate Invocation. He joins with Yuri and Alice in the village of Zhaoyang. In battle, his special skills are Yin and YangYin and yangIn Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
, giving him the ability to heal allies or damage enemies . His primary weapons are staves.
- Margarete Gertrude ZelleMata HariMata Hari was the stage name of Margaretha Geertruida "M'greet" Zelle , a Dutch exotic dancer, courtesan, and accused spy who was executed by firing squad in France under charges of espionage for Germany during World War I.-Early life:Margaretha Geertruida Zelle was born in Leeuwarden, Friesland,...
( in the Japanese version), codenamed "Malkovich," is a world famous spySPYSPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
, and she met Yuri and Alice during her mission in FengtianFengtianFengtian is:* The name of an old prefecture under which Shenyang city was administered. Abolished in 1910.* The former name of Liaoning province from 1907 to 1929. Under the Manchukuo regime, the name was revived, but was again abolished in 1945....
. Her mission was to prevent the Japanese soldiers from leaving Fengtian by bombing the railway but Yuri and Alice get caught in the explosion, too. Margarete uses Secret Weapons during battle to deal damage to enemies. She receives her weapons by using her cell phone to call for aid. Her weapons are guns.
is a vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
believed to be over 400 years old. He occupies Blue Castle, the home of his ancestors, and had been asleep for a long time before he met Yuri and party. Bored, Keith decides to join Alice and Yuri. Keith performs Ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
s during battle allowing him to heal himself while simultaneously dealing damage to enemies. His weapons are swords. Keith also appreciates other types of rituals and powers.
is the son of Koudelka Iasant, the main character of Koudelka
Koudelka
is a role-playing game developed by Sacnoth for the Sony PlayStation. The game was released on December 16, 1999, in Japan, June 29, 2000, in North America and September 29, 2000, in Europe.- Gameplay :...
. He was separated from his mother in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
when she was taken away in a witch hunt. A big brother to the orphans in London, Halley is aided by Yuri to rescue kids at an orphanage. There they discover Jack's plan to use the Émigré Manuscript to revive Jack's mother. Halley's surname was incorrectly romanised for the English language release. Brancket should have been written as Plunkett (the katakana ブ (bu) and プ (pu) having been confused), the last name of his father, Edward
Koudelka
is a role-playing game developed by Sacnoth for the Sony PlayStation. The game was released on December 16, 1999, in Japan, June 29, 2000, in North America and September 29, 2000, in Europe.- Gameplay :...
. Like his mother, Halley has the ability of ESP
Extra-sensory perception
Extrasensory perception involves reception of information not gained through the recognized physical senses but sensed with the mind. The term was coined by Frederic Myers, and adopted by Duke University psychologist J. B. Rhine to denote psychic abilities such as telepathy, clairaudience, and...
. However, he has difficulty controlling his powers. Halley uses slingshot
Slingshot
A slingshot, shanghai, flip, bean shooter or catapult is a small hand-powered projectile weapon. The classic form consists of a Y-shaped frame held in the off hand, with two rubber strips attached to the uprights. The other ends of the strips lead back to a pocket which holds the projectile...
s in battle.
Non Playable Characters
is the main antagonistAntagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
of the game and very little is known about him. At the beginning, he uses his past teacher's identity, Roger Bacon, to deceive everyone. His birthplace and date is unknown but it is believed that he might be older than Roger Bacon. In order for his plans to work he must use Alice's powers. It was revealed in Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant is a console role-playing game developed by Nautilus and published by Midway in 2004. It is a direct continuation of Shadow Hearts and the second official game in the Shadow Hearts series. The game features two DVD-ROM discs instead of the usual one, which provides,...
that he is residing as a spirit in Yuri's soul. Furthermore, he reveals that the events of Shadow Hearts were a misguided attempt to stop Sapientes Gladio and Rasputin (the main antagonists in Shadow Hearts: Covenant) from destroying the world. Simon helps Yuri make a pact with the demon Amon so that Yuri can defeat Rasputin. Albert Simon is probably about 400 years old.
is an alchemist
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
who discovered a way to keep himself alive for over 600 years. He was present in Koudelka and aided Koudelka Iasant in Nemeton Monastery. In Shadow Hearts the party finally meets Roger and he reveals Albert Simon's real identity and goals to them.
- Dehuai (ChineseChinese languageThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 徳壊, Déhuài) was a student of Master Xifa along with Zhuzhen. 15 years prior to Shadow Hearts, he tried to perform the Demon’s Gate Invocation to summon a god, the Seraphic Radiance; a being of pure power who is neither physical nor spiritual and destroys all in its path. Dehuai planned on destroying Japan and at the same time ruling Shanghai from atop Kuihai Tower, which houses his Spirit Machine. He was stopped by Ben Hyuga and most of his power was eradicated. But over the years he regained his powers in order to attempt the ritual again, this time using Alice as a key. He acquires the votive pictures representing the Gods of the Four Directions (Red Phoenix, Black Tortoise, Blue Dragon and White Tiger) over the course of Yuri's journey, which he uses to power the Spirit Machine. It is revealed at the top of the tower that Dehuai was actually planning the Reverse Demon's Gate Invocation, in order to obtain the power of a god for himself. However, this time Yuri was able to stop him and at the same time rescued Alice. Dehuai's end marks the halfway point of the game when the events switch from Asia to Europe.
- Wugui (ChineseChinese languageThe Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 舞鬼, Wǔguǐ) is Dehuai's head lackey. Appearing as a thin, sullen-looking man in a red outfit, little is known about him aside from his overtly vicious nature. He is seen fighting Ben Hyuga in a flashback sequence in Shanghai, with Hyuga protecting Zhuzhen from Wugui's sadism. Following the encounter at WuhanWuhanWuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, "Bacon" appears and seemingly teleports away with Wugui, who is not seen again during the main game. It is revealed through a side area, KowloonKowloonKowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
Fortress, that Wugui had his own interests in the occult, since the area is full of evidence of terrible, bloody experiments. It is assumed this brought him some unwanted attention from "Bacon", who also occasionally pestered his boss. Simon, still under the guise of Roger Bacon, apparently performed some ritual to turn Wugui (whether or not it was against his will is unknown) into a "Cursed Puppet". Wugui is still conscious in this state and yells in extreme pain, begging for death. After a fight with Yuri and his companions, Wugui is finally put to rest permanently, and "Bacon" merely departs. Wugui's main special attack every time he is faced is a move called Game of DeathGame of DeathThe Game of Death is a 1972 film starring Bruce Lee. It was almost the last film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. Over 100 minutes of footage was shot before his death, some of which was later misplaced in the Golden Harvest archives...
, it is likely a reference to the Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
movie of the same name.
, also was sent in to investigate the incident in the train at the Trans-Siberian Railroad and pursues Alice to discover how the men escorting her were slaughtered. It is revealed that Kawashima planned Alice’s capture and was sending her as a gift to her father. She was also planning to take Alice because she knew Dehuai required her to destroy Japan. She used her power and status to make sure nobody could defeat Japan. Because of this, Kawashima does not trust people very easily and will eliminate anyone who, to her eyes, are not trustworthy. Kawashima never reported back any details of her actions to the Capitol. This caused an investigation to be done and coupled with her father deserting her, eventually led to her assassination.
plays a small role in Shadow Hearts. She is the mother of Halley but was separated from him due to a witch hunt. Roger Bacon reveals to the party that Koudelka is the opposite, in terms of her power, of Alice and could replace Alice as a key for his goal. Although unknown at first, it is revealed later in the game that Koudelka is the source of the mysterious voice who has been guiding Yuri on his various quests, including the one seen at the game's beginning that eventually led him to save Alice from Roger Bacon.
- Ben Hyuga ( in the Japanese version), also , was the father of Yuri and the person who Yuri inherited his Fusion abilities from. He died after attempting to use his fusion powers to forcefully merge with the god, Seraphic Radiance. Apparently no Harmonixer was ever able to successfully fuse with Seraphic Radiance except for him, but this fusion cost him his life. He protects Yuri which is revealed by Koudelka when she told Yuri that he was being protected by a being that is even feared by Albert. Eventually Yuri was able to contact his father's spirit and battle him to acquire the fusion of Seraphic Radiance. He is playable in a flashback when Zhuzhen Liu tells Alice the story of how he saved him.
- Master Xifa is an ancient Adept who is the teacher of both Zhuzhen Liu, and Dehuai. He lives alone, with only one servant, a transformed cat named Xiaofang, sealed in an ancient temple in Wuhan, in which several trials must be undertaken to reach the center. He kept the votive of the White Tiger hidden with him in his chamber so no one could use it for evil ambitions, unfortunately, just as Yuri and company get to his chamber, Dehuai is able to possess Xiaofang, then materialize himself in order to abduct both Alice and the final votive picture for his plan. After Dehuai collapses part of the temple, Master Xifa uses his remaining power to teleport Yuri and company out of the chamber.
Plot
Shadow Hearts takes place in an alternate realityParallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
of the real world in the year 1913. The major areas that are visited include many real locations in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Shadow Hearts starts in late 1913 on a branch of the Trans-Siberian Railroad in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
. The game begins with Yuri hearing a voice in his head telling him to rescue a girl named Alice Elliot, whose priest father was recently murdered in a most brutal fashion in Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After a British gentleman by the name of Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon
Roger Bacon, O.F.M. , also known as Doctor Mirabilis , was an English philosopher and Franciscan friar who placed considerable emphasis on the study of nature through empirical methods...
attempts to abduct Alice from the Imperial Japanese Army
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
himself, Yuri saves her, and starts a quest through China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and eventually Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, to discover Alice's importance, Bacon's intent, the identity of the mysterious voice, and his own relevance.
Throughout their journey in China they meet Master Liu Zhuzhen, an adept. They also meet Margarete Gertude Zelle, an American spy who is trying to hinder the Japanese invasion of Shanghai. Along the journey they discover that Dehuai, a warlock, is behind all of the demonic happenings that they have encountered so far. Dehuai reveals his plans - to perform the Demon Gate Invocation to summon the Seraphic Radiance, a powerful entity to destroy Japan. He kidnaps Alice for this and the group faces him off at Kuihai Tower. The group manages to defeat Dehuai but is unable to stop the summoning of the Seraphic Radiance. In the end, Yuri and the group are separated.
The second part of the journey takes part in Europe. Alice and the gang continue on their search for Yuri. They are eventually reunited while meeting new friends along the way which includes, Halley, the son of Koudelka and Keith Valentine, a vampire. A shocking truth is revealed as they continue the journey - the man who named himself Roger Bacon is actually Albert Simon, a disciple of the real Roger Bacon. They also discover that Albert's true intention is to raise the Neameeto Float, which is a beacon capable of drawing God to Earth so that it can cleanse the world. He was originally attempting to capture Alice to raise the float, but then changes tack and captures Koudelka instead, and raises the float with her power. The group is teleported to the float by Roger Bacon, and they fight their way through it to find Albert at the pinnacle, where they engage him in battle. He repents for his misdeeds and uses the last of his power to send Yuri and company to intercept God before it can reach Earth. The group manages to destroy God and the world is saved. The real clue is Dracula (Keith Valentin).
Endings
There are two endings: the "good" and the "bad" ending. The good ending occurs when Yuri fights alongside Alice in his mental realm, the GraveyardGraveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
, and defeats Atman, the protector of the Four Masks. The "bad" ending occurs when Alice fights an impossible battle against Atman and "dies" in the dream.
The difference between the two endings is only seen when the game credits are rolling after one has completed the game. Alice and Yuri are seen sleeping on a train back to her hometown, Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
. In the good ending, Alice wakes up on the train after a while. In the bad ending, Alice does not wake up since she has sacrificed her soul to Atman to protect Yuri's life. Shadow Hearts' sequel, Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant
Shadow Hearts: Covenant is a console role-playing game developed by Nautilus and published by Midway in 2004. It is a direct continuation of Shadow Hearts and the second official game in the Shadow Hearts series. The game features two DVD-ROM discs instead of the usual one, which provides,...
, dictates that the bad ending of this game is canon.
Development
The brainchild of Matsuzo Itakura (art director of Koudelka), who succeeded Hiroki KikutaHiroki Kikuta
is a Japanese video game composer and game designer. His major works are Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu 3, Soukaigi, and Koudelka, for which he also acted as producer and concept designer. He has composed music for seven other games, and worked as a concept designer in addition to composer for the...
as the president of Sacnoth. It marks the introduction of the "Judgment Ring" system as well as Sanity Points.
Audio
Shadow Hearts only features vocals during certain cut scenes and full motion videoFull motion video
Full motion video based games are video games that rely upon pre-recorded TV-quality movie or animation rather than sprites, vectors, or 3D models to display action in the game. In the early 1990s a diverse set of games utilized this format...
s. Most of the game consists of written dialogue accompanied by emoticon
Emoticon
An emoticon is a facial expression pictorially represented by punctuation and letters, usually to express a writer’s mood. Emoticons are often used to alert a responder to the tenor or temper of a statement, and can change and improve interpretation of plain text. The word is a portmanteau word...
s to display emotions or reactions. In the North American and PAL versions, some of the battle cries for spells and item use remain in their original Japanese.
English
The voice actors in the North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n and PAL
PAL
PAL, short for Phase Alternating Line, is an analogue television colour encoding system used in broadcast television systems in many countries. Other common analogue television systems are NTSC and SECAM. This page primarily discusses the PAL colour encoding system...
versions of the game are as follows http://www.mobygames.com/game/ps2/shadow-hearts/credits:
- Eric StuartEric StuartEric Stuart is a voice actor, voice director, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. As the lead singer of his own band, the Eric Stuart Band , he is an award-winning independent artist with a growing US and international fan base.Stuart gained acclaim as a voice actor not only because of his...
— Yuri Hyuga - Veronica TaylorVeronica TaylorVeronica Taylor is an American voice actress. Taylor is best known for her dubbing work in English-language anime adaptations, in particular for voicing Ash Ketchum in the English dub of the Japanese anime, Pokémon....
— Alice Elliot - Madeleine BlausteinMaddie BlausteinMadeleine Joan Blaustein was an American voice actress...
— Margarete G. Zelle - Scott Rayow — Zhuzhen Liu
- Ted LewisTed Lewis (voice actor)Ted Lewis is an American voice actor who does work for 4kids Entertainment, Central Park Media, DuArt Film and Video, NYAV Post. Primarily, he is involved with anime dub voice work...
— Keith Valentine - Jimmy ZoppiJimmy ZoppiJimmy Zoppi , sometimes credited as Billy Beach and James Carter Cathcart, is an American bassist, vocalist, and voice-over artist. He has been playing with bands since high school and has been a bassist and vocalist of the Carter Cathcart Band since 1981. Zoppi's first voiceover part was O.G...
— Roger Bacon - Wayne GraysonWayne GraysonVinnie Penna is an American actor and voice actor who is mostly known for voice over under the name Wayne Grayson and has worked with 4Kids Entertainment, NYAV Post and DuArt Film and Video....
— Halley Brankett
Japanese
The voice actors in the original JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese version of the game are as follows:
- Hiroki TakahashiHiroki Takahashiis a Japanese voice actor best known for the role of Eiji Kikumaru in The Prince of Tennis, Kenji Harima in School Rumble and Katsuya Jonouchi in Yu-Gi-Oh. He works at Big Shot/Interchannel. He also has voice acted in some yaoi Drama CD's such as Love Neco, and Koi cha no Osahou...
— Urmnaf "Uru" Bort Hyuga - Chie SawaguchiChie Sawaguchiis a Japanese voice actress, best known as the voice of Nao Nitta in Boys Be. She is currently affiliated with the talent management firm Across Entertainment and previously affiliated with Production Baobab and Aoni Production....
— Alice Eliot - Tatsuya Gashuin — Roger Bacon
- Kenji NojimaKenji Nojimais a Japanese seiyū who was born in Tokyo. He is employed by Japanese voice talent agency Aoni Production. He is the son of veteran seiyū Akio Nojima and is the younger brother of seiyū Hirofumi Nojima...
— Keith Valentin - Mie SonozakiMie Sonozakiis a Japanese voice actress and singer represented by Remax.-Television animation:* Bakumatsu Kikansetsu Irohanihoheto * Beyblade 2002 * Bleach * Burst Angel * Comic Party...
— Margareta G. Zelle - Kenichirō Sanada — Liu Zhuzhen
- Daisuke GōriDaisuke Goriwas a Japanese voice actor, narrator and actor from Kōtō, Tokyo. Throughout his life, he was attached to TV Talent Center Tokyo, Yoshizawa Theatre School and then Mausu Promotion; he was attached to Aoni Production at the time of his death. His real name, as well as his former stage name, was...
— Albert Simon - Hiroko KasaharaHiroko KasaharaHiroko Kasahara is a popular seiyū and J-pop singer.She sang the ending theme song of the PlayStation 2 RPG, Shadow Hearts, titled Ending Theme ~ Shadow Hearts, and the ending theme of the PC and Playstation 2 visual novel Ever17: the Out of Infinity, titled Aqua Stripe- Notable voice roles :*...
— Koudelka Iasant - Hideyuki TanakaHideyuki Tanakais a Japanese voice actor. He is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is most known for his roles in Dokaben , Kinnikuman , Captain Tsubasa , Touch , Saint Seiya , Metal Gear Solid and Slam Dunk .-TV Anime:*Akagi...
— Jinpachiro Hyuga - Satoshi HinoSatoshi Hinois a Japanese voice actor. He can speak English and is first dan in kendo . He has collaborated with Rie Kugimiya in some anime as protagonists, notably in Shakugan no Shana, Zero no Tsukaima and Nabari no Ō.-Notable voice roles:2001...
— Halley Brancket - Kiyoshi KawakuboKiyoshi Kawakubois a male Japanese voice actor. He is from Yokohama, Japan.Kiyoshi is part of 81 Produce.-TV anime:*3000 Leagues in Search of Mother *Cyborg 009 *D.Gray-man *Detective Conan is a male Japanese voice actor. He is from Yokohama, Japan.Kiyoshi is part of 81 Produce.-TV anime:*3000 Leagues in Search...
— Dehuai - Manami Nakayama — Yoshiko Kawashima
Soundtrack
The original soundtrack of Shadow Hearts was released as two compact discCompact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
s under the name of Shadow Hearts Original Soundtracks Plus1 by Scitron
Scitron
-List of Video Game Albums Released:A -B - C -D - E -F - G -H - I -J - K -L - M -N - O -P - Q -R - S -T - U -V - W -X - Y -Z-A:* ACECOMBAT 04 shattered skies Original Sound Tracks SCDC-00146...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on July 18, 2001. It was composed and arranged by Yoshitaka Hirota
Yoshitaka Hirota
is a Japanese video game composer and bass guitarist. His most notable works include the soundtracks to the Shadow Hearts series. Hirota was previously a sound effects programmer having worked on various Square titles...
and Yasunori Mitsuda
Yasunori Mitsuda
is a Japanese video game composer, sound programmer, and musician. He has composed music for or worked on over 35 games, and has contributed to over 15 other albums...
and recorded at TwinTail Studios. While this was Hirota's first major video game music compositional work, Mitsuda is a veteran video game music composer having previously worked on Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1995. Chrono Triggers development team included three designers that Square dubbed the "Dream Team": Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Square's Final Fantasy series; Yuji Horii, a...
, Chrono Cross
Chrono Cross
is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square for the PlayStation video game console. It is the sequel to Chrono Trigger, which was released in 1995 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System...
and Xenogears
Xenogears
is a science-fiction console role-playing game developed and published by Square for Sony's PlayStation. It was released on February 11, 1998 in Japan and on October 20, 1998 in North America. The game was never released in PAL territories...
.
The OST packaging was a small hardcover book with the CDs contained in cardboard sleeves serving as the first and last pages. The soundtrack was later re-released on January 19, 2005 in a regular plastic CD case and having an altered cover.
The ending theme, titled Ending Theme ~ Shadow Hearts, was composed by Hirota and the lyrics were written by James H. Woan. It features vocals by Hiroko Kasahara and Kyoko Kishikawa.
The 'plus1' in the OST title refers to a bonus track titled Bonus Track ~ true voice. The track was composed by Hirota with lyrics written by Kishikawa who also performed the song.
Reception
Reviews were somewhat mixed, some gave the game a low score claiming that it lacked originality, while others praised it for being original and innovative. Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
has Shadow Hearts at 76%. Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
rates Shadow Hearts at 73/100.
External links
- Official Shadow Hearts site (Japanese)