I need a Shadow Hearts game....

[LINK398]

I guess when these games were coming out they were just one of those series that I didn't know anything about so I decided to skip them. Little did I know that they seem super interesting especially the second game in the series. Out of all the RPG series' out there I don't own any Shadow Hearts games and since I have recently been buying games belonging to series I don't have (Witcher, Eternal Sonata, Shin Megami Tensei, Mass Effect) The Shadow Hearts games especially peaked my interest. I've read that the first two games pretty much follow each other while the third game (From The New World) is like a stand alone title. I've also read different opinions on weather or not to play the first game before the second, or to just go for it and play the second game. Because of this I was going to get From The New World even though it interested me the least out of the three of them. The one I really want is Shadow Hearts Covenant and no, I can't get all three at this point only one. So can I get this one and still know what the heck is going on? Also unrelated side question which game should I go for to buy online  Suikoden II (The only one I don't have) or Xenoblade Chronicles (Had but than sold it without even playing it once)

[Starmongoose]

Why don't we just rename the forums the LINK398 helpline.

[Evenbillybob]

Also unrelated side question which game should I go for to buy online  Suikoden II (The only one I don't have) or Xenoblade Chronicles (Had but than sold it without even playing it once)

Never played Suikoden II, but Xenoblade Chronicles is a great game, tons of sidequest and a lot of exploration. Although the story takes a nosedive halfway through (thats what I think anyway.) But if it's a long, long game you want, then you can't go wrong with Xenoblade Chronicles.

[Taelus]

Play them in order. All of them are fantastic and have their own strengths. Plot threads are resolved in each game but carry on based on things in the previous titles.

SH1 is still an outstanding turn-based RPG with dynamite atmosphere and music. SH:C is one of the best games ever made for like 50 reasons. SH3 is weaker if only because it's an entirely new and unrelated cast, but still has great combat, side-quests, writing, and a more wacky and out-there (but still good) story.

Also what Starmongoose said.

[Monsoon]

Why are you trying to track down copies of Shadow Hearts, Xenoblade, and Suikoden II when you are unemployed and have to return games shortly after buying them? Or has your situation changed?

[Taelus]

Why are you trying to track down copies of Shadow Hearts, Xenoblade, and Suikoden II when you are unemployed and have to return games shortly after buying them? Or has your situation changed?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT17W8CmX4g

[GuardianBoi]

This is one of my favorite game series'. It's just SO different than anything else out there. At least for it's time. I got the first 2 games for my birthday last year and started up the first one again for the first time in like 9 years. And to this day, is still a fun, dark, great game. It seems a little slow at first, but the story gets good pretty fast. And the translation, though silly at times, still holds up too! I found myself laughing at some of the perverted jokes Yuri makes. :)

The second game improves on just about everything, but it's worth playing the first one so Covenant will mean that much more.

[insertnamehere]

To put something related on your radar, play Koudelka (PS1) at some point since it spun off into this series.

[LINK398]

Situation changed....and also I was surprised to see Midway as the publishers of the Shadow Hearts series of games

[Yoda]

Why are you trying to track down copies of Shadow Hearts, Xenoblade, and Suikoden II when you are unemployed and have to return games shortly after buying them? Or has your situation changed?

His unemployment check came in!

[Sharecrow]

Shadow Hearts 2 is amazing, but I'd encourage you to play 1 before 2 (which is also an outstanding game).  I haven't finished 3 yet, but, seriously, these are among my favorite games of all time.  Play them in order.  It's worth it.  My two cents....

[Yggdrasil]

I got interested in this series last month after hearing a long podcast with Jeremy Blaustein about the localization of Metal Gear Solid for PSone and there he mentioned that he really liked Shadow Hearts: Covenant (which he worked on).

After finishing the podcast I went and read a bit about the series and the development of Koudelka, all I have to say is after that is kinda astonishing to me how this series didn't got as noise as other stuff from the PS2 era.

Also between reading stuff about the games I got these two themes stuck in my head:

Town of Twilight (Europe Town)
The Fate (Spider Lily)

That said, I think I'll never have a chance to play any of these games unless they appear on PSN one day.

[cj_iwakura]

Situation changed....and also I was surprised to see Midway as the publishers of the Shadow Hearts series of games

I used to be shocked that they did such a good localization, then I learned all they did was publish them.

Still, they had great taste.

[Lard]

Start with the first Shadow Hearts game. You'd be missing out on a lot by skipping it and starting with Covenant.

Also, I know I'm in the minority, but I think the first game is the better one.

[Klutz64]

Minority isn't even the word. I think this would be a rare instance where asking "Am I the only one...?" Would be a legitimate question.