| Shadow Hearts: Covenant | |
|---|---|
Shadow Hearts: Covenant US cover |
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| Developer(s) | Nautilus |
| Publisher(s) |
NA/PAL Midway
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| Designer(s) | Matsuzo Machida |
| Artist(s) | Takamasa Ohsawa Miyako Kato |
| Composer(s) | Yoshitaka Hirota Yasunori Mitsuda Kenji Ito Ryo Fukuda Tomoko Kobayashi |
| Series | Shadow Hearts |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 |
| Release date(s) | |
| Genre(s) | Role-playing video game |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Rating(s) | |
| Media/distribution | 2 DVD-ROMs |
Shadow Hearts: Covenant is a role-playing video 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, according to the publisher, over forty hours of gameplay.
The game is also known as Shadow Hearts II (シャドウハーツII Shadō Hātsu Tsū). This is the name used within the game itself: the name "Shadow Hearts: Covenant" was used only on the American and European packaging and in advertising.
The story starts a year and a half after Shadow Hearts in the midst of World War I. The heroes are drawn into an intriguing plot involving the demons of demonolatry, the chief advisor of the tsar of Russia and a man from main character Yuri's past.
The release of Shadow Hearts: Covenant generated much more fanfare than its predecessor. As such, the series gained a much wider following in the United States. It was named IGN RPG Vault PS2 Game of the Year for 2004 [1].
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The Judgment Ring from Shadow Hearts returns with many modifications and improvements. Also, battle has been greatly expanded by different types of attacks as well as combo attacks. An element of physics has been added to battles as well, which links to the types of combo attacks which can be performed.
In Shadow Hearts: Covenant, players are able to customize the Judgment Ring to their own preferences with the introduction of two new Ring items: Hit Area Expand and Strike Expand, making the game easier or more challenging to the player, depending on what they want. Several ring types are also introduced to cater to the different players e.g. Practice Ring for beginners, Normal Ring for amateurs, Technical Ring for veterans and lastly, Auto Ring for gamers who simply are just too lazy to aim at the Judgment Ring. Players can also equip Ring Items that can have added effects to the character's physical attack e.g. Poison, Paralysis etc.
A worthy mention of the new battle mechanism would be the introduction of the Crest Magic system, in which players may equip Crests to certain characters to would allow them to cast different types of elemental magic. Along the journey, players collect new crests and gain access to more powerful magic. The crests may also be positioned in a key item called Solomon's Key; positioning the crests correctly will unlock new spells for each crest for a certain region. Most of the crests' names are derived from demonology.
Shadow Hearts: Covenant also includes "Hit Classes" which are incorporated with the physical and magical attacks. These include: Standard, Hard Hit, High Angle and Knock Down. Depending on the "weight" of the opponent monster, you'll be able to do more damage when connecting a combo during battle. Conversely, if an attack with an inappropriate Hit Class is used to continue a combo, the end result is a missed attack, or rather, a Combo Break.
For example, a Standard hit will simply push an enemy behind while attacking. This allows for any other type of Hit Class attack to be connected to do a Combo. A High Angle and Knock Down combo attack is another similar example. However, say if a Knock Down attack is applied to an enemy who has a "Heavy" weight followed by a High Angle hit, it will most probably miss since the enemy is still Knocked Down at that moment when the combo attack is made.
Combo shortcuts are also introduced where players are able to assign physical/magical attacks onto the controller buttons. This reduces the time taken to create a Combo attack as one character can attack immediately after another with a simple press of the button. However, this makes the game more challenging as players have to decide quickly what kind of attack they should follow up next as the combo shortcut menu appears only for a short amount of time i.e. when the preceding character is in the midst of launching his/her attack.
The shop system has been improved since Shadow Hearts. The player no longer has to perform the Strike Rings from the lowest level to the required discount level. Instead points are given when a successful discount purchase is executed successfully. The points are accumulated and the player's shop discount rank is leveled up once the points reaches a certain value. As the discount rank increases, so does the percentage of discount the player can try for is also increased. This applies to raising the selling price of items the players wishes to sell as well.
The town of Domremy has stubbornly refused to fall to the German advance at the beginning of World War I thanks to the aid of a "demon" which seems to defend it. Lieutenant Karin Koenig of the German army is sent along with a person who claims to be an Inquistor from the Vatican, Nicolas Conrad, to acquire a means of exorcising this demon, the Holy Mistletoe. However, the 'Demon of Domremy' is actually the Harmonixer Yuri from the first Shadow Hearts. Nicolas casts the curse of the Mistletoe on Yuri, which causes him to lose his fusions and weakens him; in addition, this reveals that Nicolas is a member of the sorcerous faction called Sapientes Gladio who wishes to rule the world through dark magic.
Karin and a weakened Yuri manage to escape with help from Domremy residents Blanca and Gepetto and make their way across Europe, gathering their strength and new some allies, Joachim and Lucia. The group also encounters two subordinates of Nicholas, Lenny Curtis and Veronica Vera, intermittently while seeking out a cure for Yuri. After some searching, they locate Roger Bacon, from the previous title, who points the group to the real leader of Sapientes Gladio. Bacon's tip sends the group to Petrograd in an attempt to stop the dark wizard, Rasputin. They realize they must save the Russian royal family from his nefarious plot, while inadvertently recruiting Princess Anastasia Romanov into their fold. At first, Rasputin thwarts the groups efforts, so they seek out the former leader of Sapientes Gladio for advice. They meet the great sage, Jovis, who resides in Turkey among a small number of supporters who left Sapientes Gladio after Rasputin took control. Jovis allows Karin to enter Yuri's unconscious to free him of his internal binding, releasing his hidden power. Using Yuri's rediscovered abilities, Yuri and his group return to Russia and soundly defeat Rasputin, who had fused with the great demon Asmodeus to obtain his dark power. Nicolas, or "Nicolai", reveals himself to be a bastard son of Czar Nicholas II, with sights on the Russian throne, who had hoped to use Rasputin's plot to gain rule over Russia. With Rasputin gone, he makes one last attempt to inflict evil on the world by opening a sealed door which releases malice. Although Nicolai is fused with another powerful demon, Astaroth, he is defeated as well. Nevertheless, the door is opened and malice is released into the world. As Yuri and his group recover, Nicolai is taken by his ally, Japanese Envoy Kato, to Kato's homeland.
Due to malice being released, the war's brutality escalates. The group follows Kato and his agents to Japan in an attempt to find and destroy Nicolai, who still contains the demon Astaroth, once and for all. However, this leads the group to be in conflict against the Japanese government because Nicolai is under the custody of the Japanese government. With the Emigre Manuscript, Kato creates the Mutant Apes, powerful warriors who loyally follow his command. One of the Mutant Apes, Ouka, is created from DNA of his deceased lover, Yoshiko Kawashima, who died six months ago in the first Shadow Hearts. After Yuri's band stops the Japanese government from starting a war with Russia using the captured Nicolai and his powers, Nicolai himself escapes and intends to destroy the world. Yuri and Kato's groups both go after Nicolai, now completely corrupted by the demon Astaroth. Although Astaroth is eventually defeated by Yuri, Nicolai causes the death of the Mutant Ape Ouka before he is finally destroyed.
Kato is completely devastated by the second death of his love, and after he kills Nicolai, decides the world is full of too much evil and suffering and must be destroyed. Using the magic of Emigre Manuscript, he begins a ritual that will transport him 100 years into the past, where he can use his power and foreknowledge to remake the present world according to his own desires. Believing that the future they want is the one that they create for themselves, Yuri and his friends and allies stop Kato from carrying out his apocalyptic plans.
Like its predecessor, Covenant has two endings, depending on a choice made by the player earlier in the game. In the "bad" ending, Yuri's personality and memories are erased by the Mistletoe's curse, and he lives out the rest of his life in Wales under the care of Roger Bacon. In the "good" ending, Masaji Kato tells Yuri that they must wish for the world they want to return to and that they can return there, they all pray and start to disappear one by one, Yuri stays and Alice narrates that she realizes he stayed and chose death because he didn't want to lose his soul and memories to the Mistletoe's curse. Yuri then dies and Alice narrates they will be together forever, showing the Yuri growing out of the tree in the Graveyard starting to rise out as Alice arrives, then credits start just as she pulls him out. Yuri then finds himself at the beginning of the first Shadow Hearts (Alice narrates that this is where he secretly prayed to be), yet he has his memories of the events after it (as evidenced by him referring to the train in past tense). In both endings Karin travels back in time to 1887 and meets Yuri's father Ben where it is revealed that she is actually Yuri's mother.
Of the two outcomes, it is unveiled in the Japanese Shadow Hearts: Covenant guidebook by the developers that the "good" ending is canon.
Yuri Volte Hyuga (Urmnaf "Uru" Bort Hyuga (ウルムナフ・ボルテ・ヒューガ Urumunafu Borute Hyūga, ウル) in the Japanese version[1])
Returning from the first Shadow Hearts, Yuri settles in the town of Domremy after burying Alice Elliot in Zurich, Switzerland. He uses his Fusion form to scare invading soldiers away from the village, but runs into problems when Nicolai Conrad from the Vatican strikes him with the Holy Mistletoe, cursing him and diminishing his powers. He now travels with the party, hoping to regain his abilities and fight off the new evils infecting the world. His aloof and rude traits have been somewhat tempered by the loss of Alice, but are still there in many situations. Yuri is one of the characters able to have five hit areas alongside Joachim and Kurando. Yuri has the highest SP (Sanity Points) in the party. His numerous transformations along with each of their unique stats and abilities make him incredibly balanced, allowing him to fulfill any position of the party (i.e.: physical fighter, magic-user, healer, etc.)
Karin Koenig (Kallen Koenig (カレン・ケーニッヒ Karen Kēnihhi) in the Japanese version[1])
An officer in the German army and descendant of a long line of Bavarian nobility, Karin first encounters Yuri at the church in Domremy, when he saves her from an errant grenade. After accompanying Nicolai to obtain the Mistletoe and watching the ensuing events, Karin joins Yuri's side. In one of the endings it shows her causing a Predestination paradox when she meets Yuri's father and sets in motion a series of events. Fiercely independent and well-mannered, she harbors a crush and later deep love for him, and sticks by him in any situation. She uses swords, especially rapiers, in battle and obtains Sword Art power-up through the score of the Wagner opera Der Ring des Nibelungen. Karin does not really have a weakness nor strength. She is a balanced fighter between physical and magical, but is more toward the former.
Gepetto (ゼペット Zepetto)
Once a renowned showman and puppeteer known throughout Europe, Gepetto retired to the quiet village of Domremy only to become mixed up in the affairs of Yuri and Nicolai. He offers good advice, but also has a bit of a lecherous side. He uses his beautiful puppet Cornelia (named for his late daughter) to fight and channel his magic-based Marionette skills. Gepetto has the highest magic stat in the party in exchange for a weak physical and special defense. Cornelia can obtain new dresses which give her different elemental attributes by collecting Stud Cards.
Blanca (Blanc (ブランカ Buranka) in the Japanese version[1])
A white wolf, and unofficial guardian of Domremy, he joins Yuri after his young owner Jeanne is killed by Sapientes Gladio. Loyal and wise, Blanca encounters other wolves throughout the world which he can fight in Wolf Bouts to raise the power of his Manifestation skills. Blanca's balanced between physical and magical attributes (though more toward the latter) like Karin along with a high speed potential.
Joachim Valentine (ヨアヒム・ヴァレンティーナ Yoahimu Varentīna)
After briefly appearing in the original game taunting his brother Keith, Joachim is found as the protector of the French village of Le Havre. Joachim is both a vampire and a trained wrestler who joins the party when he succeeds in defeating the mayor, who has been pestering Granny Lot for her store. He uses several forms to fight in battle, which change depending on his Joachythms. His regular form is most frequently seen; "Invisible" form lowers his chance of being targeted; "Golden Bat" form greatly raises his physical strength but eliminates his magic abilities and halves his hit point capacity, and his super hero form, "Grand Papillon" (which is French for "Butterfly"), is a powered-up version of his regular form. Joachim has the highest physical damage potential (even exceeding Yuri), but the trade-off is his slow speed, weak magic defense, and random transformations. He is also able to equip five hit areas.
Lucia (ルチア Ruchia)
A master fortune-teller as popular for her beauty as her abilities, Lucia is sent by her mistress, Carla, with the party to train her abilities. She is short-sighted, flighty, and tends to speak without thinking. Her Tarot Cards ability is risky, while her Aroma Therapy is an incredibly versatile supportive ability.
Princess Anastasia Romanov (Anastasia (アナスタシア Anasutashia) in the Japanese version[1])(Russian: Анастасия Николаевна Романова)
The fourth daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Anastasia is outgoing, inquisitive and does whatever she wants (such as sneaking out from her castle at night and stealing snacks). However, Anastasia is the only one in her family who is suspicious of her father's adviser, Grigori Rasputin. When he frames Yuri and the party for controlling Anastasia and forcing her to attempt murder on her little brother Alexei, she joins forces with Yuri to stop Rasputin. Anastasia can use her Snapshot ability to get information on enemies and in some cases learn their abilities. She also possesses a magical stat that can rival Gepetto.
Kurando Inugami (犬神 蔵人 Inugami Kurando)
The samurai bodyguard of the Kawashimas, Kurando, as suggested by his master, Naniwa Kawashima (川島 浪速 Kawashima Naniwa), decides to join with Yuri and party after rescuing Yoshiko, Naniwa's adopted daughter. It was told in the game that Kurando's mother, Saki, is the sister of Yuri's father which makes Kurando and Yuri cousins. Kurando is the only other character in the party unable to use crest magic, however, like Yuri he is capable of fusing into demons. He has a maximum of 5 hit areas. His second form grants him a competitive strength and unrivaled speed that not even Yuri or Blanca can match. Kurando has two fusion forms; Tsukiyomi and Jutendouji, with the latter being stronger.
The game as a whole was revamped from Shadow Hearts, including the graphics, cutscenes, voices, the way the Judgment Ring worked, and the cast of characters. Game critics have also smiled upon Shadow Hearts: Covenant much more than the original, and a general consensus seems to be that the game is an overall improvement on the first.
An interesting bit of trivia, is that, when this game was in its early stages of development, Aruze "leaked" that the story revolved around only Nicolai, Karin and other yet-to-be-named allies. Yuri was unmentioned and Shadow Hearts 2 was believed to be absent and this game a separate story. However, once the game was released, many players and fans were surprised and delighted to see that Yuri had made his return as the main focus of this game.
After the release of the original game, a director's cut version was released in Japan, and never saw US shores. This Director's Cut included:
Changes also include some new music tracks, a slightly bigger Judgment Ring, and support for the PlayStation 2 HDD.
The seiyu for the Japanese version of the game are as follows:
The voice actors in the English version of the game are as follows:
Yoshitaka Hirota and Yasunori Mitsuda returned to compose the music for Shadow Hearts II but this time they were joined by Kenji Ito. The three of them collabarated together for the joint composition of the Final Boss Battle Theme The 3 Karma ~ Decisive Battle.
The OST (Original Soundtrack) of Shadow Hearts II was released as two Compact Discs under the name of Shadow Hearts II Original Soundtracks by Team Entertainment in Japan on March 24, 2004.
The ending theme, titled GETSURENKA ~ Ending sung by Mio Isayama, was composed by Yoshitaka Hirota and the lyrics were written by Kumiko Hasegawa.
The music tracks exclusive to the Director's Cut version of the game were later released in Japan on the Shadow Hearts Special Sound CD which was included as part of the Shadow Hearts: From the New World Premium Box.
It was named IGN's RPG Vault PS2 Game of the Year for 2004. It has received critical acclaim for having an innovative combat system, high-quality graphics and soundtrack, powerful storyline, and unique characters and atmosphere. IGN critic Jeremy Dunham awarded the game a 9.1 out of 10, calling it "the perfect sequel" which "deserves to be in every role-playing fan's personal library".[3]
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