Review: Shadow Hearts: From the New World (PS2)

Despite going from strength to strength, the Shadow Hearts series has failed to attract the attention it truly deserves. Developer Nautilus continues undeterred with their valiant effort to provide a viable alternative to the bloated Square Enix RPGs that dominate the genre; and less than two years after Shadow Hearts: Covenant, we have another entry.

Shadow Hearts: From the New World is set in 1930s America, continuing the series' trend of quirky and stimulating settings. This classic era sees you leaping to new destinations as in previous releases. The main character is sixteen-year-old rich orphan Johnny Garland, who starts up his own unsuccessful detective agency. Johnny is different; not only does his choice of wardrobe belong in the 1990s, but he has a lost secret that he is trying to resurrect. His first real detective commission (not involving lost pets or items) comes from a sinister professor, who needs to find someone fast. This is the beginning of a whole new adventure for Johnny in more ways than one.

A real constant for the Shadow Hearts series are the slow burning opening hours. Fans of the series will know what to expect, as the erratic storyline staggers into an upright position amidst some back-breaking chores. These hours serve only to familiarise the player with the combat system and options at their disposal, along with introducing the accompanying characters for the long road ahead. The native Indian element is welcome, and Shania's combat moves will strike a chord with most male players.

One of the first things that struck Gamestyle about From the New World is just how commercial the main character designs are in comparison to previous incarnations. Gone is the dark mysterious gothic industrial edge, and in its place is an adventure with more emphasis on humorous elements and generic lead characters. However, the assortment of accompanying characters address the balance somewhat by being more quirky and outlandish than ever before. For instance, try to keep your composure when the gay biking duo first pull up for business, and then follow you around on your worldwide travels.

The Shadow Hearts series has led the way in terms of battle systems thanks to the implementation of the judgement ring, and is arguably second only to Grandia. What the series lacks in terms of character design, it more than makes up for in terms of interaction. Battles in New World are livelier than ever before with Nautilus actually improving the system. Now the option to link combos between characters is implemented alongside a quick fire button press, to channel the combo move to your next character. The placement of this combination should be well judged by the player and is refreshing with its hands-on approach.

Little improvement has been made visually over the previous release (Shadow Hearts: Covenant), with the only noticeable difference being some vastly improved CGI sequences. The in-game graphics are just how Gamestyle remembers their previous appearance in Covenant; the then new real time environments have aged badly in two years, as rival releases have moved on. There are no such notable enhancements this time around: textures and the overall resolution maintain the gritty feeling that is sadly lacking in the storyline.

A noticeable improvement comes from the soundtrack and voice acting which are both excellently executed and help paper over some of the cracks in the story. Not every character is well voiced, but the majority ensure that you maintain some degree of interest in proceedings; even during some of the soul-destroying sections, which see you traipsing through dungeons that would test the patience of any saint. Some variety is provided by extra missions and mini-games that serve a purpose by offering some extra special items to your inventory. A major criticism (despite this variety) are the random battles, which occur only a few steps from the previous encounter. This factor, added to those drab environments and bland dungeons, together form the biggest challenge in the New World.

Gamestyle was extremely surprised when Shadow Hearts: From the New World was first confirmed. It felt like another attempt to quickly cash in and repeat the success of its acclaimed forebear; however the major factors in a successful RPG have been forgotten to some extent in From the New World. The failure to pen an emotional and captivating storyline, alongside some bizarre character designs, have alienated what made Shadow Hearts such a joy to play. What remains is still a modest, above average adventure, but we expected so much more.