Shadow Hearts Covenant - PS2 Game (Retro Fam)

I have been a devout fan of Shadow Hearts since I played the first one. I backtracked and played Koudelka just to get a feel for SH1's backstory. I was reluctant to get Covenant because many sequels (especially in this genre) do not outshine the original. Ever since I have played it, I have never looked back. I have not even picked SH1 back up. This sequel spoils you. In the first SH, the J. Ring changed after each weapon...for everyone. You would have to get used to, minimum, 24 different rings. Moxibustion costs way too much, too. The first required some leveling--and I HATE RPGs that require too much leveling. I can't stand leveling. It should happen normally through the natural progression of the game. Not to mention that cheats are not necessary here! You can hold/buy up to 99 Strike Areas and 99 Hit Areas with the millions of dollars you can get by using Lucia and having her pull "The Tower" tarot card (you'll feel like you're playing the lottery). In SH1, I cared little for having to empty Yuri's malice every ten or less fights. I got into some really scary situations sometimes. It seems like EVERY problem that SH1 had that kept it from being perfect was taken out in the sequel. That is why, despite all of the RPGs I have played in my lifetime(dozens fold), This game is MY FAVORITE. Yes, no other game gets this honor from me--and Star Ocean Second Story, the Arc the Lad series, Growlanser, Disgaea, Nocturne, Stella Deus, Legend of the Dragoon, Digital Devil Saga, Jade.

This is my favorite turn based RPG. A impressive story with a convincing protagonist: Yuri. This game is of quality like any Final Fantasy I've played. The only element I would critic this on is if you like to get everything this game becomes too easy. It's not very challenging. That's why I gave it four stars for fun. That said everything else is stellar.

As Covenant stands it was at least to me the best in the series. The first game while very good still had dated visuals and the Ring of fate system was not quite so polished. From the new world by comparison did everything awesomely and yet despite that fact it seems shorter with a story line not as well contrived. I still strongly suggest you get every game but if a sadistic leprechaun presented you with the choice to only get one Shadow Hearts title Covenant would be the best route.Some people say Covenant had a weak story and I never understood that argument. Firstly it ties into the previous game perfectly and secondly there were many unexpected twists especially concerning Karin the beautiful and sweet German lieutenant.So who is main hero Yuri? Yuri is a harmonixer, a guy like any other save for the fact he can turn into various monsters. To unlock them he must go to a dismal "graveyard" in his own mind to fight each of his odd psyches in order to transform into them. Just by that explanation alone Shadow Hearts seems more original then more than half of the rpgs out there.Yet Yuri is presented with a problem. To save the world the girl he loved had to die and Yuri handles all this like a true human being. He swears, he cries, he drinks alcohol , and to make up for things he considers his fault he helps the people in a small German village survive and avoid the persecution of the military. This my friends is why Yuri is so great. He is a good person but he is not perfec.