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[sonycowboy]

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/550/550474p4.html

9.1

Closing Comments
So what have we learned from our enthusiastic multi-page excursion today? Well for one, Shadow Hearts: Covenant is literally the perfect sequel. Much deeper than most other turn-based RPGs and neck and neck with Shin Megami Tensei in the race for the year's best storyline, it already has the ingredients needed for a proper role-playing follow-up. But more importantly, Shadow Hearts 2 can stand on its own two feet as a great game regardless of where its roots lie. As players who never fought their way through Koudelka or the first Shadow Hearts don't even have to worry about it -- because Covenant is just that good. Whether any of you were around to experience its background story or not.

But what more positive can I say about Shadow Hearts: Covenant other than what I've said already? No matter how you cut it, it deserves to be in every role-playing fan's personal library, and deserves even more another sequel. Simply put: the battle system is great, the characters are awesome, the storyline is among the best of the year, and the presentation is top-notch. And unless anything drastic happens in the next few months, it's easily my favorite of the year and one of the best genre surprises I've had in quite some time.

 

[Mejilan]

When does it ship? I feel like I've had both games preordered forever!

 

[jiggle]

 

[Alex]

I'll pick it up once it hits the $20 mark. Bebpo's impressions were great, but time and money are tight. Plus shortish puzzle dungeons don't sound too enticing to me personally, and it looks a lil' too typical to be running up against Nocturne for meeeee, even if it is polished up. Competition this year is fuckin' ridiculous.

I wouldn't mind replaying through Shadow Hearts before no.2 though. Too bad the bundle is only for pre-orders. Lame.

 

[Naked Snake]

W00t!

 

[lordmrw]

I'm right at the end of the first Shadow Hearts and I don't have my PS2 anymore. I plan on picking this up along with Nocturne and Megaman X Command Mission next month.

 

[DarienA]

Shadows Hearts 2 is scheduled to ship today?!?!?!? Weird does that mean stores will get it on Saturday? Geez I thought I had until next week... grrrr

 

[Kiriku]

Damn, this sounds like an RPG I simply must have.

But I can't be spending more money on games right now, and I got a lot of backlog to dig through. Might as well wait, for a pricedrop.

 

[Miburou]

Anyone know how long the game is? Is it more like in the 20s or in the 50s?

 

[Kiriku]

BTW, it ships on two DVD's right? Gotta be a lot of cutscenes and voice-acting then.

 

[jiggle]

I'd say it's closer to 50 than 20 of solid gameplay hours.

Yeap, the game comes in 2 dvd. Lots of voice acting and cutscenes. Not as many FMVs as I had hope, which is too bad.

 

[CygnusXI]

This is my first game buy since FFXI in MARCH!!
Something has finally pulled me from my addiction.

 

[Brandon F]

Hmm...this or X-Men? Sly 2 is going back for one or the other...

 

[Mashing]

Damn, another RPG I have to play... that makes 3 on my backlog (Fable and SO3).

 

[djtiesto]

I totally can't wait for this game... Nice to see so many people interested in it, too... hopefully it'll be a big seller (both my girlfriend and I have this game on reserve, at least), and hopefully Midway did a nice job with the translation.

 

[Tortfeasor]

Still available from gamestop with free UPS ground shipping and a free copy of the first SH. I just ordered one!

 

[Prospero]

Still available from gamestop with free UPS ground shipping and a free copy of the first SH. I just ordered one!

Thanks--I just picked this deal up. This gaming season is going to bankrupt me.

 

[Fifty]

I can't wait. It's great that this and SMT 3 are both coming out this week. I'm especially pumped for SH 2. Ever since I read Bebpo's review I had my hopes set high. It's great to see two non-traditional RPGs (in their story and mood) come out in one season, let alone one week.

 

[Ill Saint]

Same day launch for the PAL release as US, isn't it? wonder how the PAL conversion turned out...

 

[Bebpo]

The positive reviews really make me all warm and fuzzy because hopefully they will help the game actually sell in the US.

Despite it being such a fantastic game by a small development team, the game did sell pretty bad in Japan which is tragic IMO. If the US version sells well maybe the team will actually get some well deserved funding for a new rpg.