More Shadow Hearts 2 details

[BioMechanic]

From Gamespot:

"According to the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, Aruze has announced Shadow Hearts 2 for the PlayStation 2. Shadow Hearts 2 takes place during World War I, half a year after the original game. The story begins in the French village of Domremy, which is historically known as the birthplace of Joan of Arc. There are two main characters in the game--an exorcist named Nichol, who has been sent by the Vatican to defeat the village's demon, and a German lieutenant named Karen, who is the only surviving member of her troop, which was sent in for the same reason. Nichol and Karen travel together in the game, going from Europe to the Far East as they slowly learn more about the demons and their true enemy.

Shadow Hearts 2 will feature improved graphics, and a new feature in the battle system will allow for combination attacks between the party members that have been selected for combat. The variety of normal attacks has increased, with the game having new attack methods such as floating the enemy into the air. The judgment ring system is still present in the game.

Shadow Hearts 2 is currently 70 percent complete, and it's in development at Aruze's subsidiary Nautilus. Its release date is undecided as of now."

Hmm, I guess our ol pal Yuri will be relegated to a guest appearance. Combo attacks should be great, and I'm glad the judgement ring is returning. Can't wait, myself.

Here's the link, which includes some screens.

[Yoshi]

I would never buy an Aruze game after what they did to SNK. Thankfully, Playmore got the ship righted.

[Despair]

Your loss Yoshi. With all your whining and bitching you missing out on GREAT horror rpg.

Bio, thank you for posting new info about SH2.

I think it will be simular to how SH and Koudelka were, where SH had some of Koudelka characters involved in the main plot. I hope that Yuri will have a big cameo

Great to hear that Judgement Ring system is still in the game. It was one of my favorite features of the original.

[Captain Vegetable]

Shadow Hearts was an amazing game, and I'm thoroughly happy to see it get a sequel...in WWI era?! That makes it that much more enticing. I find WWI to be the most remarkable era in terms of military machines. Hopefully we'll at least see some prop planes and the like! This news is truely exciting.

[Shine]

70% compleste? How did they hide this for so long? It's ggod the hear that all the elements of the first will either atleast return or be improved. I hope it retains a lot of the character and mood of the original.

P.S. those screens look tasty

[taloony]

I like the plot's basic premise. Perhaps things will turn out better in this game than they did in the first. Here's to hoping they don't drop the ball again.

[Will]

These screens look pretty sweet. Makes me want to buy the first.

[Shine]

Any word on Midway picking this one up? I know that they were looking to break into the import market and that Shadow Hearts was their first release. It'd be fitting for them to take up the entire series seeing as it was their first. They did an awesome job localizing the first.

[Yoshi]

Originally posted by Despair
Your loss Yoshi. With all your whining and bitching you missing out on GREAT horror rpg.

Sorry. SNK's treatment is more important than any RPG, let alone one by an average at best developer with a spotty track record.

[Despair]

Originally posted by Will
These screens look pretty sweet. Makes me want to buy the first.

Then do it, dammit. I told you long time ago, and you still havent

Originally posted by Yoshi
Sorry. SNK's treatment is more important than any RPG, let alone one by an average at best developer with a spotty track record.

Well, I'll take the rpg that I had more fun with over any of late SNK games(most of which I cant even play unless they released on other systems).

Originally posted by taloony
I like the plot's basic premise. Perhaps things will turn out better in this game than they did in the first. Here's to hoping they don't drop the ball again.

What was so bad plot wise in the first game? I thoroughfully enjoyed the plot of the original, character and interaction was great, and bits of humor and sexual innuendo mixed in the dialog was both funny and fresh.

I hope that the sequel continues the tradition of spooky stories, based on both western and easter mythologies, and wont shy away from the horror and gore.