Shadow Hearts: From the New World is the third in the Shadow Hearts series to grace the Playstation 2 and while it is still a very fun, colourful and engaging game, some may say that it doesn't evoke the same emotional pull that the previous Shadow Hearts: Covenant accomplished. Personally ... Read review
Set in 1930`s America, just after the era of The Great Depression, `Shadow Hearts: From ... more
the new world` follows our young hero - Johnny Garland.After losing his father, younger sister and part of his memory in an accident, Johnny heads off to New York...
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Set in 1930`s America, just after the era of The Great Depression, `Shadow Hearts: From ... more
the new world` follows our young hero - Johnny Garland.After losing his father, younger sister and part of his memory in an accident, Johnny heads off to New York...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Advantages: Story driven, Colourful characters, very good battle system. Disadvantages: Can be quite tricky in places.
Shadow Hearts: From the New World is the third in the Shadow Hearts series to grace the Playstation 2 and while it is still a very fun, colourful and engaging game, some may say that it doesn't evoke the same emotional pull that the previous Shadow Hearts: Covenant accomplished. Personally I tend to agree. However, make no mistake that FTNW is still a great game in its own right and will keep most entertained and addicted.
Firstly, ... ...and therefore you don't need to play them to get into the story, although I highly recommend you do as they are gaming gems. The focus of this episode is on Johnny, a sixteen year old based in New York, in the 1930s. He has set up his own detective agency with the help of Lenny, a long standing friend and employee of Johnny's now deceased family, and so far lost cats are the only cases they seem to receive. One day however, a strange looking professor ... more
Shadow Hearts: From the New World is the third in the Shadow Hearts series to grace the Playstation 2 and while it is still a very fun, colourful and engaging game, some may say that it doesn't evoke the same emotional pull that the previous Shadow Hearts: Covenant accomplished. Personally I tend to agree. However, make no mistake that FTNW is still a great game in its own right and will keep most entertained and addicted.
Firstly, the story and setting is different to the previous titles and therefore you don't need to play them to get into the story, although I highly recommend you do as they are gaming gems. The focus of this episode is on Johnny, a sixteen year old based in New York, in the 1930s. He has set up his own detective agency with the help of Lenny, a long standing friend and employee of Johnny's now deceased family, and so far lost cats are the only cases they seem to receive. One day however, a strange looking professor asks Johnny to locate a certain person for him, and this sole act will have a lifetime of impact for this young detective.
The story immediately engages the player and creates mystery and intrique from the start making you want to continue and explore the fascinating world and all its intricacies. The story drives the game rather than the game driving the story - there is always purpose and a reason for exploring certain places as opposed to just another level. This benefits the game hugely and combined with the other playable and non-playable characters, it makes the game fresh and interesting.
To say that the characters are a little off-the-wall is an understatement. Thrown into the mix we have a 21 year old Native American girl with spiritual powers; a caucasian Ninja called Frank who learned his skills in a remote village in Brazeel (correct in game spelling), a female talking cat specialising in Drunken Kung-Fu and a mariachi who wouldn't be out of place in the film Desperado, if you catch my drift. There are others but you can find them out and be surprised. On a side note this is what seperates itself from the Final Fantasy series as each character has a unique weapon, unique powers and takes itself a lot less seriously while maintaining a serious and dramatic edge - very tough to get right.
The action is also slightly different. When you enter battle you will come across the Judgement Ring and it really gives a personal input to the battles rather than selecting 'Attack' and watching what happens. Basically, the Judgement Ring has orange segments within it and as the spinner circles inside the ring you must press the X button when it's within an orange area. Doing so, creates a successful attack. However, there are also small red strike areas at the end of the orange area and if you press X in the red zone, your attack will be more powerful. You are even rewarded for getting all your hits in the red strike zone at the end of the battle with items, money, extra exp etc. If you use an item in battle the ring appears as well meaning if you hit the red strike area, the item will be more powerful - heal you more, restore more magic etc.
Combined with normal attacks you can use a high attack to send enemies in the air, a knock down to pound them to the ground (good for flying enemies) or a hard hit which sends them further away whilst depleting their Stock Gauge. This is a gauge that fills up when attacking or being attacked to unleash double moves (same person goes twice in a row) combo moves (all players attack without an enemy interrupting for more damage) or double combo moves (double moves and a combo all mixed together for massive damage). It therefore becomes quite tactical - Do you go for the combo or attack an enemy with hard hit depleting his gauge but lessening yours by 50%? It's certainly an interesting gameplay mechanic that works well in my opinion.
The enemies are quite crafty and will sometimes surround you or chain together combo's just like you so you have to be careful especially later on in the game. FTNW also encourages you to wander and talk to lots of people as there are lots of rewards and side quests apart from the main story that can be very beneficial and are fun as well. Trapping special monsters in spiritual jars to gain new moves, collecting pictures of monsters (which you take yourself), doing secret missions for ninja's, and my personal favourite climbing the Pagoda with Mao the cat and fighting the enemies off of each level inspired by Bruce Lee's Game of Death - absolutely hilarious and very tongue in cheek.
All in all the game is very well done and has an immersive story even if it falls slightly short in terms of Covenant's. The characters are funny and lively, whilst the enemies are all intriguing and the plot has more twists and surprises than a very twisty thing. If you've managed to read to the end of this review, well done! I hope you give the game (and the series) a go as it really is wonderful.
Advantages: Great storyline. Disadvantages: Voice-acting.
...Rating: 12+
1 Player
Shadow Hearts: From the new world is the third game in the Shadow Hearts series although you don't have to play the first two to understand the storyline. Each of the SH games are set on Earth but with a twist, magic exists and so do monsters.
Set in 1929, a young detective called Johnny Garland is tracking down a mad scientist who is opening windows to let monsters into this world, with the help Shania, a bounty hunter. He ... ...their journey they become friends with many different people who want to help them in their quest.
Gameplay is easy to understand and control, the character you play as is Johnny and you can explore the area you're in, the 3-D graphics allow you to be able to tell objects apart and the colours are not an eyesore.
While your looking for the exit or trying to complete a task you will sometimes be attacked by random monsters, the battle system is ...
Mistybrook 23.11.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Shadow Hearts: From the New World (PS2)
Advantages: Fun, funny, colorful evironment Disadvantages: Judgement Ring system may cause some players "irritated"
I've been following all Shadow Hearts series including the prequel which is "Koudelka" for the PSone console. Koudelka was a pure Gothic horror RPG with a unique but somewhat a little depressing battle system. Shadow Hearts series storyline may well be connected to Koudelka (aside from this one) but developer indeed made many changes that improves the later series a great deal. Particularly the "Judgement Ring" system which basically covers almost ... ...However, Shadow Hearts: From the New World has the weirdest collection of characters for me making it somewhat different.
Each characters, monsters and NPCs in Shadow Hearts series have elemental affinity. Elemental properties are as follows : Light, Darkness, Air, Earth, Fire and Water, and needless to say that each have opposing element. If a character cast Light elemental spell on a Darkness elemental monster, it will deal more damage, applies ...
Stenly7981 26.07.2008 (30.07.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Shadow Hearts: From the New World (PS2)
Advantages: Great and awesome gameplay... Disadvantages: nothing to say really...
Shadow Hearts: From the New World (PS2) Firsty i want to say this game is so much more funnier than final fantasy 12, thats for sure...Considering we live in a world where final fantasy 12 exists, the question can be posed, why would you ever need another PS2 RPG? Well, what's different about this game is that it's genuinely funny. No, scrub that - it's completely bizarre.
HIT MEN...
But there's more to this game than just a loopy personality - ... ...line-dancing norm for RPGs and which compulsive and rewarding as it's ever been.
The groups of enemies you face during the turn-based battles can get repetitive, though, and while there's plenty of vibrant style to the visuals, it looks a little old before its time. Still, there's plenty of enjoyment here for those who like their RPGs to be different, but not too different. ...
King_Charlie_Reviews 04.06.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Shadow Hearts: From the New World (PS2)
Product Information for "Shadow Hearts: From the New World (PS2)" »
Product details
Publisher
Aruze
Developer
Nautilus
Release Date
18th May 2007
Age
12+
Genre
Role-Playing Game (RPG)
Max Number of Players
1 Player
Platform
PlayStation 2
EAN
5036675009975
Manufacturer's product description
Shadow Hearts: From the New World is the third instalment in the hugely popular global success story that is the Shadow Hearts brand. With a moving storyline, stunning visuals and an unrivalled combat system, it will undoubtedly be revered as an instant classic, and a worthy conclusion to the acclaimed Shadow Hearts series.
Set in 1929, during a violent and dark time in America¿s history, the player assumes the role of a young detective called Johnny Garland. Johnny embarks on an epic journey after he witnesses the horrifying apparition of an evil demon. The fiend devours an unsuspecting victim before turning on Johnny, who is miraculously saved by a mystical creature engulfed in white light...
Our hero sets off to track the apparition and soon finds himself undertaking an incredible quest, accompanied by Shania, a powerful Native American bounty hunter. Shania¿s spiritual powers and morphing abilities makes her a perfect ally for Johnny who, for his part, discovers his own latent mystical powers to help this thrilling adventure along.
Stunning visuals - and more of the CG cut scenes the Shadow Hearts series is renowned for - depict a story spread across real-world locations including New York, Las Vegas, Machu Picchu and an out-of-this-world Roswell site.
Shadow Hearts: From the New World offers a multilayered story line, complete with side quests and multiple endings, compacted into over 60 hours of gaming bliss! A cast of entertaining new characters have been brilliantly designed, with distinct personalities and emotions, plus reappearances from few a of the series¿ old favourites.
As players progress through the game, they can customise their party¿s magical abilities using a ¿Stellar Chart¿, developing each characters individual strengths and magical attacks.
Special combo attacks can be assigned and honed to eliminate challenging bosses, testing players¿ skill and endurance to the limit!
Shadow Hearts: From the New World builds on the Judgement Ring battle system, a trademark of the Shadow Hearts series. The Judgement Ring system has been praised for introducing a new dimension to turn-based RPG gameplay, adding an element of skill and precision to your attacks. A new ¿Stock System¿ has been introduced to the improved Judgement Ring, allowing players to execute party combos and devastating double strike attacks.
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