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[dark10x]

It sounds like simplistic post processing (similar to the "trails" effect in GTA). Shadow Hearts II uses this as well...

Obviously, the quality of such effects can vary from game to game...

 

[Alex]

Despite sounding like a massive backtrack, I've got my hands so full I'm not investing in either until next year, bah. Which is really dissapointing as I was quite excited for Nocturne, but I've come to realize that stacking game purchases is a one way trip to "Neverfinishville". Espically the deeper types.

I still look forward to Druaga though. It really sounds like a game that's a lot less involved (but more addicting to my tastes) to kill some time with.

2004 is insanity.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Japanese SMT3:NM also have hard/normal selections when you start a new game.

Did it? I thought I read the difficultly selector wasn't until after one completion of the game.
And aren't we getting an easier mode in our SMT or am I thinking of something else?

 

[Ar_]

It sounds like simplistic post processing (similar to the "trails" effect in GTA). Shadow Hearts II uses this as well...

Obviously, the quality of such effects can vary from game to game...

Yes, is commonly used.
I find it particularly noticeable in SMT thought; the art style used, with strong contrast between adiacent colors, doesn't help much to mask it.

 

[Matlock]

Support the renaissance: buy Shadow Hearts 2

 

[maskrider]

Did it? I thought I read the difficultly selector wasn't until after one completion of the game.
And aren't we getting an easier mode in our SMT or am I thinking of something else?

Yes, it does.

I have fired up SMT3:NM again an hour or so ago and I discovered that I have accidentally deleted all my saves for SMT3:N and SMT3:NM I had months ago.

I then started a new game and the selection is there. I am giving it another chance and see if I can get myself into it.

For the art style and story, I guess no one will deny that it is very very unique.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Yes, it does.

I have fired up SMT3:NM again an hour or so ago and I discovered that I have accidentally deleted all my saves for SMT3:N and SMT3:NM I had months ago.

I then started a new game and the selection is there. I am giving it another chance and see if I can get myself into it.

For the art style and story, I guess no one will deny that it is very very unique.

Guess I am thinking of something else.
Damn, I haven't been this excited about a game since, well FFXI I think.

 

[ferricide]

It might be a weird artifact caused from my tv, but find more likely that Ferricide played on a small screen so it wasn't evident for him.

um, i know what you're talking about -- it just has nothing to do with the framerate and doesn't bother me. it is, yes, incredibly evident. i tend to like bloom/blur effects in games, though. YMMV.

If the SMT release tells us anything, I'm going to guess there might be selectable difficulty modes in our release. And Atlus is still claiming November on that one...we'll see.

they aren't, anymore.

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/243359.asp

it has been pushed into next year, although that date is placeholder.

and personally i think you should also buy both to support them -- strong US sales could potentially propel aruze into approving SH3, or midway into co-funding it, even. but SMT3 needs love just as much, if not more.

 

[maskrider]

Guess I am thinking of something else.
Damn, I haven't been this excited about a game since, well FFXI I think.

I guess you will also be interested in its OST, the music is also very good IMHO.

But no one can possibly play (let alone buy them) all the good games in the world, if I had to choose one between the two, my choice will be SH:C, again, without a doubt.

BTW, the schedule for DDS 2 in Japan is early 2005.

 

[RevenantKioku]

they aren't, anymore.

http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/product/243359.asp

it has been pushed into next year, although that date is placeholder.

Not saying you're wrong but from the atlus website:

SMT:
Digital Devil Saga
NOVEMBER 2004

Just saying. Not that I expect to have the time to play it in November anyway.

 

[Mike]

By the way, I thought Nocturne was scheduled for release this week, but according to Gamestop and EB Games it's the 12th. Was it always the 12th, or did it slip back a week?

 

[RevenantKioku]

By the way, I thought Nocturne was scheduled for release this week, but according to Gamestop and EB Games it's the 12th. Was it always the 12th, or did it slip back a week?

GS is saying 12th now? It was 5th last I checked yesterday or so. But yes, it slipped another week.

 

[Ar_]

To give an idea of SMT random battle frequence, I ran around for a few minutes and timed them roughly. On top of the small sample, I made the average mentally and from memory so isn't very accurate.
Got a battle every 23 sec average. Average battle duration with auto attack, included load times, 32 seconds.
Keep in mind that random encounters happen almost everywhere - this test was made in a city - and you can get an idea.

Seeing the blur effect again, is really bad. You literally see the characters duplicating when you turn around, and backgrounds become confused.
Looks like 2 offset images are alternated, each composed only of alternate horizontal lines, with one of the sets lagging behind.

Nitpicking aside, the game has plenty charm; just remember it is a dungeon crawler at heart.

 

[Brandon F]

Since the release date slipped another week for SMT, I'm about to slip into SH:C myself finally.

 

[djtiesto]

I'm about to play some more of SH2, but I really liked what I played. The art style of Nocturne does nothing for me, but I'm gonna play it... eventually... Atlus is that company where, I totally applaud and respect everything they do, and end up buying a lot of their games because of this... but I end up not having as much fun as I should be with them.

 

[jiggle]

I am not Jiggle but I do have some scans with that art of the cover of SH II Complete guide

http://gallery.felixmcli.org/gallery/sh-scans/shII_thecompleteguide

The gallery has some other scans, too.

Haha, that's where I got it also

 

[ferricide]

Not saying you're wrong but from the atlus website:
Just saying. Not that I expect to have the time to play it in November anyway.

they are going to announce the delay soon.

 

[Miburou]

Is this SMT game as hard as the PS1 one was? I got stuck halfway through that game on one of the bosses, and couldn't even find any decent FAQ on gamefaqs.

 

[ferricide]

Is this SMT game as hard as the PS1 one was? I got stuck halfway through that game on one of the bosses, and couldn't even find any decent FAQ on gamefaqs.

it's quite difficult, but there's a fantastic FAQ on gamefaqs, and an excellent strategy guide from doublejump.

but there were sick-ass persona FAQs, too. i used them on replay. =P

 

[SolidSnakex]

Looks like SMT really did get delayed a week. Now both EB and Gamestop are reporting that it'll come out on the 12th.

 

[Mareg]

You just need both, stop whinning.

 

[Gibbo]

I found the Dungeons/ Enviroments in SMT to be extremely dull and boring.Plus, Random battles are way too frequent. After spending 2 hours with SH2..i'll have to recommend the latter

 

[dark10x]

By the way, for those who have played through Shadow Hearts 2, how far along am I?

Spoiler

I just viewed the lengthy CG scene (after defeating Veronica in battle) where Rasputin calls upon the god with which he made a pact .

I'm enjoying it quite a bit and hope that it continues for a while longer...

 

[Bebpo]

By the way, for those who have played through Shadow Hearts 2, how far along am I?

Spoiler

I just viewed the lengthy CG scene (after defeating Veronica in battle) where Rasputin calls upon the god with which he made a pact .

I'm enjoying it quite a bit and hope that it continues for a while longer...

maybe 50%?

 

[dark10x]

Thanks Bebpo.

Your review convinced me to pick it up in the first place. Good advice! The game is a blast and the characters are truly awesome.

 

[Jugendstil]

After reading parts of my Double Jump guide, I am a tad scared of SMT: Nocturne. I love dungeon crawlers and I love SMT/Persona, but I really don't know if I have the time or energy to invest in a game like that. I'll buy it of course, but I'll be suprised if I ever finish it. SH2 is pretty easy to pick up and play in short bursts, and engaging almost right away. Releasing these games so close together is so evil.

 

[JackFrost2012]

The art style of Nocturne does nothing for me

?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!?!?!?!?!!

EDIT: !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

[Dragona Akehi]

?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!?!?!?!?!!

EDIT: !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

The man simply has no soul... There's nothing you can do now.

 

[Shouta]

It does nothing for me either. Been seeing it for so long it doesn't interest me anymore =P.

 

[Date of Lies]

yeah I think I'm going to cancel my pre-order for SMT, the game doesn't interest me enough to lay down 50 smacks for it, nothing extremely original about it either, gameplay-wise.

Going to move the pre-order onto MGS3.

 

[JackFrost2012]

I sure hope everyone posting impressions of SMT played the Japanese game, not a warezed copy of the review build, 'cause posting impressions of warezed games is a bannable offense!

*glares*

 

[Crazymoogle]

Hey Jackfrost, have any impressions on Nightmare of Druaga? Maybe it's time to start a new thread on that one...

 

[Prospero]

it's quite difficult, but there's a fantastic FAQ on gamefaqs, and an excellent strategy guide from doublejump.

but there were sick-ass persona FAQs, too. i used them on replay. =P

Is it difficult because complex strategies are required to take down bosses, or difficult because you'll come across a boss that's ten or fifteen levels higher than your party, so that you have to backtrack and level-grind for a couple of hours?

 

[Bebpo]

Is it difficult because complex strategies are required to take down bosses, or difficult because you'll come across a boss that's ten or fifteen levels higher than your party, so that you have to backtrack and level-grind for a couple of hours?

You never need to level in SMT3 unless you really need a certain elemental demon who you can't get at your current level.

I can't remember ever having to wander around leveling, the bosses require strategies and the right demons, not high HP.

 

[Prospero]

You never need to level in SMT3 unless you really need a certain elemental demon who you can't get at your current level.

I can't remember ever having to wander around leveling, the bosses require strategies and the right demons, not high HP.

In that case, SMT3 sales +1. I love truly difficult RPGs, and they're nearly impossible to come by.

 

[JackFrost2012]

Hey Jackfrost, have any impressions on Nightmare of Druaga? Maybe it's time to start a new thread on that one...

I'm waiting for either the U.S. release or a price drop on the Japanese one ... we'll see. I might pick up the US one immediately, despite no time to play it, on the assumption it's going to be rilly rilly rare.

 

[dark10x]

Ah yes, one thing that has bothered me in Shadow Hearts II...

The soundtrack is quite good, but they make such terrible use of it. They have used exactly ONE song for every single town and town-like area in the game. They also have re-used the same few songs for every single cutscene.

I just don't understand it! I wish there was more variety here...

 

[Dead]

Shadow Hearts 2 is atrocious. Theres nothing redeeming about this shit. One of the worst games ive played all year.

shit battle system
shit graphics
shit music
shit characters



completely and utterly generic....ugh trading this in for nocturne next week promptly

 

[Bebpo]

Shadow Hearts 2 is atrocious. Theres nothing redeeming about this shit. One of the worst games ive played all year.

shit battle system
shit graphics
shit music
shit characters



completely and utterly generic....ugh trading this in for nocturne next week promptly

 

[Dead]

it killed my dog too

 

[Fifty]

Shadow Hearts 2 is atrocious. Theres nothing redeeming about this shit. One of the worst games ive played all year.

shit battle system
shit graphics
shit music
shit characters



completely and utterly generic....ugh trading this in for nocturne next week promptly

generic? Oh whatever, I'm not going to argue this one.

 

[belgurdo]

Shadow Hearts 2 is atrocious. Theres nothing redeeming about this shit. One of the worst games ive played all year.

shit battle system
shit graphics
shit music
shit characters



completely and utterly generic....ugh trading this in for nocturne next week promptly

Something tells me you just looked at the box, saw the boobs, and deemed it "generic"

 

[Dead]

Something tells me you just looked at the box, saw the boobs, and deemed it "generic"

no. although the character designs are pretty awful in almost every way. The whole game just screams bland and average, nothing that stands out and makes it worth playing....Almost as dreary as the first godawful Shadow Hearts

 

[dark10x]

What did you do? Play for 10 minutes and call it a day?

 

[Dead]

What did you do? Play for 10 minutes and call it a day?

Enough time to want my 5 dollars back (~2hours), even though im still playing it now

 

[Wario64]

I'll give you 5 dollars for SH2.

 

[Dead]

I'll give you 5 dollars for SH2.

sure!

 

[DarienA]

it killed my dog too

Figures, that's the only logical explanation...

 

[Shouta]

Dead's on crack.

 

[Dead]

Dead's on crack.

The same kind of crack that keeps me from appreciating Wild Arms 3 ;P