Such a shame that Konami didn't do more with this IP. Think of all we could have gotten: pachinko machines, Grog Drinkwater NFTs, a remake made by Lockheed Martin that causes stupid people to insist the original game was never good. The possibilities are truly endless.
Let me know when they make Respecting Other People’s Property Hearts
The PS1 was thoroughly loaded with all-time classics, and numerous games that were merely "quite good but not an all-time great" have consequently all but disappeared from gaming consciousness. This is one such game.
This strategy RPG was pretty solid across the board - likable characters, solid story and music, and some nice and colorful art. The art features what this game is mostly known for - a blood geyser that sprays red pixels absolutely everywhere when a unit is defeated. It is very much over the top, and also quite satisfying!
The gameplay is much more basic than other games in its genre, making it ideal for newbies to strategy rpgs, or those who may be intimidated by the sheer number of options in something like Final Fantasy Tactics. The runtime is also quite short for the genre. You have a set party the entire game, and each character can promote to one of a couple different classes to allow for some customization.
Mothballing this series is hardly the greatest of Konami's sins, but it'd still be nice to see it come back. There was a digital only title that released on the PS3 that was noticed by absolutely nobody, so chances are pretty slim. It's not super expensive, and as such is worth a purchase for strategy rpg fans that missed out and want to see the greatest blood fountains the PS1 had to offer.
This strategy RPG was pretty solid across the board - likable characters, solid story and music, and some nice and colorful art. The art features what this game is mostly known for - a blood geyser that sprays red pixels absolutely everywhere when a unit is defeated. It is very much over the top, and also quite satisfying!
The gameplay is much more basic than other games in its genre, making it ideal for newbies to strategy rpgs, or those who may be intimidated by the sheer number of options in something like Final Fantasy Tactics. The runtime is also quite short for the genre. You have a set party the entire game, and each character can promote to one of a couple different classes to allow for some customization.
Mothballing this series is hardly the greatest of Konami's sins, but it'd still be nice to see it come back. There was a digital only title that released on the PS3 that was noticed by absolutely nobody, so chances are pretty slim. It's not super expensive, and as such is worth a purchase for strategy rpg fans that missed out and want to see the greatest blood fountains the PS1 had to offer.
So first of all, this is a hugely misleading cover. You fight like, one dragon, and he's a little fella. You break into his home and run a clinic on him, it's totally unprovoked and it made me feel bad. But that shouldn't deter you from picking up Vandal Hearts. If you're looking for a solid entry point into tactical RPGs or are a veteran who would like to play one that's a bit less involved and more relaxing, then you can't go wrong here.
Vandal Hearts doesn't have the same level of narrative or mechanical complexity as Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre, but lacking multiple convoluted systems and poorly localized intrigue allows it to comfortably occupy a more casual spot on the Tactical RPG spectrum. Not having to fret about equipment or even what units to take into battle is weirdly to its advantage, as Vandal Hearts shapes each battle around a specific problem. Maybe your ship is being boarded by another boat, creating two distinct bottlenecks for you and the enemy, or perhaps you're on a bridge that is being destroyed one rung at a time, creating a sense of urgency to cross while engaging with the enemy. Levels feature more interactivity, allowing you to spring traps to take out whole platoons of soldiers or create ambushes by closing off your opponent's route. The tactical element of Vandal Hearts isn't in how you manage the growth of your army, but in how you deploy the same set of constants amid numerous variables.
This does mean you have a distinct lack of control over party composition. Every character is named, there is no means of recruiting anyone that the story doesn't already provide you. Because of this, units do not die after being incapacitated for a set amount of turns, because that just wouldn't work narratively. Instead, they beat a hasty retreat when their HP is depleted, immediately taking them out of battle. Except for Ash, the protagonist. That dude just dies, it's an automatic game over, meaning you do have a "king" in play, a valuable piece that must be moved around more judiciously, forcing you to make cost vs. reward determinations given how effective he can be in combat. However, knowing I would not permanently lose other units afforded me the freedom to play more recklessly, setting up dangerous assaults that I believed would pay off significantly even if it cost me a unit. Any resulting stat deficits from a unit no longer generating exp is easily overcome, as attacking a more powerful unit rewards a hefty experience bonus that can help a lagging troop rapidly catch up to the rest of the pack. Conversely, attacking a unit weaker than you reduces the amount of experience your unit earns. In this way, I think Vandal Hearts is better about regulating your party's overall level than Tactics Ogre with its hard cap.
Although there are no random battles like in Final Fantasy Tactics or long, winding side quests like Tactics Ogre, Vandal Hearts does have the Trial of Torah for anyone who really wants to stretch the experience out, or for those who might like to unlock Ash's Vandelier class for the whopping four battles you'll actually get to use it in. To access the six trial maps, you'll need to uncover key items hidden on specific tiles of specific maps in the main game. Since these items are invisible, you'll either need to carefully comb every map or - being of sound mind as you are - refer to a guide. Since you cannot replay battles, if you miss a single item you'll permanently screw yourself out of completing the trials. Even when you do access the trials themselves, you'll need to open a chest containing a prism before clearing the map of enemies. Fail to do that and you'll also screw yourself. Also, the trials don't let you earn experience, so the only tangible benefit to doing them is unlocking the Vandlier class and getting a slightly different ending. It is a little wild to me that in a game so naked about how it operates there's this one facet that is seemingly designed by a manic for maniacs.
Anyway, I completed all the trials and am now checking myself into a mental health clinic.
Narratively, Vandal Hearts isn't anything special. The plot is very one dimensional and many of its twists can be seen from a mile away. Even some of its bigger reveals are handled in a way that makes them feel like a bit of an ass-pull despite putting in the work to earn it ("Oh, I just remembered I'm able to use ancient magic and am the last of my kind" is almost word-for-word something that's said near the end of the game.) It's an ugly game, too. I'm not sure who designed the character portraits. Probably like, an alien that only knows what humans look like because someone described them once. Somehow it ends up looking better than Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment, which looks like a fake mobile game from a YouTube ad. Hero Wars-ass looking video game.
There's not a whole lot of meat on this one, and it's going to be a matter of opinion whether that makes it good or bad. Personally, I'm into it, and I think it's a great starting point for anyone looking to get into Tactical RPGs but who may also find themselves a bit overwhelmed with genre darlings like Tactics Ogre. There's a low barrier of entry here, but it does a great job at highlighting some of the elements that make this TRPGs so appealing.
Vandal Hearts doesn't have the same level of narrative or mechanical complexity as Final Fantasy Tactics or Tactics Ogre, but lacking multiple convoluted systems and poorly localized intrigue allows it to comfortably occupy a more casual spot on the Tactical RPG spectrum. Not having to fret about equipment or even what units to take into battle is weirdly to its advantage, as Vandal Hearts shapes each battle around a specific problem. Maybe your ship is being boarded by another boat, creating two distinct bottlenecks for you and the enemy, or perhaps you're on a bridge that is being destroyed one rung at a time, creating a sense of urgency to cross while engaging with the enemy. Levels feature more interactivity, allowing you to spring traps to take out whole platoons of soldiers or create ambushes by closing off your opponent's route. The tactical element of Vandal Hearts isn't in how you manage the growth of your army, but in how you deploy the same set of constants amid numerous variables.
This does mean you have a distinct lack of control over party composition. Every character is named, there is no means of recruiting anyone that the story doesn't already provide you. Because of this, units do not die after being incapacitated for a set amount of turns, because that just wouldn't work narratively. Instead, they beat a hasty retreat when their HP is depleted, immediately taking them out of battle. Except for Ash, the protagonist. That dude just dies, it's an automatic game over, meaning you do have a "king" in play, a valuable piece that must be moved around more judiciously, forcing you to make cost vs. reward determinations given how effective he can be in combat. However, knowing I would not permanently lose other units afforded me the freedom to play more recklessly, setting up dangerous assaults that I believed would pay off significantly even if it cost me a unit. Any resulting stat deficits from a unit no longer generating exp is easily overcome, as attacking a more powerful unit rewards a hefty experience bonus that can help a lagging troop rapidly catch up to the rest of the pack. Conversely, attacking a unit weaker than you reduces the amount of experience your unit earns. In this way, I think Vandal Hearts is better about regulating your party's overall level than Tactics Ogre with its hard cap.
Although there are no random battles like in Final Fantasy Tactics or long, winding side quests like Tactics Ogre, Vandal Hearts does have the Trial of Torah for anyone who really wants to stretch the experience out, or for those who might like to unlock Ash's Vandelier class for the whopping four battles you'll actually get to use it in. To access the six trial maps, you'll need to uncover key items hidden on specific tiles of specific maps in the main game. Since these items are invisible, you'll either need to carefully comb every map or - being of sound mind as you are - refer to a guide. Since you cannot replay battles, if you miss a single item you'll permanently screw yourself out of completing the trials. Even when you do access the trials themselves, you'll need to open a chest containing a prism before clearing the map of enemies. Fail to do that and you'll also screw yourself. Also, the trials don't let you earn experience, so the only tangible benefit to doing them is unlocking the Vandlier class and getting a slightly different ending. It is a little wild to me that in a game so naked about how it operates there's this one facet that is seemingly designed by a manic for maniacs.
Anyway, I completed all the trials and am now checking myself into a mental health clinic.
Narratively, Vandal Hearts isn't anything special. The plot is very one dimensional and many of its twists can be seen from a mile away. Even some of its bigger reveals are handled in a way that makes them feel like a bit of an ass-pull despite putting in the work to earn it ("Oh, I just remembered I'm able to use ancient magic and am the last of my kind" is almost word-for-word something that's said near the end of the game.) It's an ugly game, too. I'm not sure who designed the character portraits. Probably like, an alien that only knows what humans look like because someone described them once. Somehow it ends up looking better than Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment, which looks like a fake mobile game from a YouTube ad. Hero Wars-ass looking video game.
There's not a whole lot of meat on this one, and it's going to be a matter of opinion whether that makes it good or bad. Personally, I'm into it, and I think it's a great starting point for anyone looking to get into Tactical RPGs but who may also find themselves a bit overwhelmed with genre darlings like Tactics Ogre. There's a low barrier of entry here, but it does a great job at highlighting some of the elements that make this TRPGs so appealing.
super fun srpg, it's been like forever since i've played it but i loved the story, characters and missions
also the cover was misleading
9/10
also the cover was misleading
9/10
Far too easy, but otherwise fun.
A superbly dramatic and involving SRPG. A great cast and very easy to get invested in.
The retarded way to unlock the main character's ultimate class left a sour taste in my mouth. The game itself was fun, but simple for a tactical RPG.
It’s no stranger to anyone at this point that Konami was once a powerhouse video game company, especially in the 90s. During this decade they developed and published so many classic and interesting titles that it’s no wonder some of them have fallen to somewhat obscurity. Vandal Hearts is a perfect example of this as I had only heard of this game from a specific YouTuber and outside of their videos I would never hear anyone discuss it even when talking about games from this era. This could be due in part to its lackluster sales or its sorta basic setup and gameplay, though regardless I still think Vandal Hearts is worth looking back on.
The easiest way to describe this game is that it’s a PS1 Fire Emblem game, sporting a similar type of grid-based maps albeit with more 3D elements than older Fire Emblem titles. The gameplay is also similar with different characters that have varying classes and skills that you use to your advantage. There is a class promotion mechanic that adds some sort of customization even if in the long run it doesn’t matter too much (more on that in a second). One of my favorite parts of the gameplay is the intense sound design that goes with each swing of a sword or casting of a spell. The best part is whenever you defeat an enemy they explode in a shower of blood. That aspect is one part of the game that stuck in my mind for so long.
The story itself is pretty basic but effective with it being another rendition of having to defeat an evil empire before they take over the world kinda shtick. As you progress through the game, you acquire more characters in your party ending with a little over 10 characters to use in every level. I wish you had the chance to interact with party members in between levels as there are certain story beats that flesh out characters somewhat but it never got as deep as I would have liked. The choice to not have to swap characters in and out for levels, though lessens customization, actually made me care about them a little bit more as I felt we were one large band marching through events.
The biggest problem the game suffers from is its stagnation. The first half of the game had me seriously considering where I should move my units when I should attack and use support spells. About halfway through you realize that this game is not as tactical as it makes it out to be. For starts, if a party member falls in battle your only penalty, besides reduced chances of winning, is losing some money at the end of the battle which you will be swimming in most of the time. Each level is uniquely made though only a few of them have some sort of gimmick which the latter half of the game stops doing. Some of my favorite examples of these gimmicks were setting up an ambush for a powerful group of enemies and advancing up a train as the carts are slowly released behind you. Once you reach a certain level with your sorcerer you can spam their highest spells for great damage which kind of loses some of the strategy when going through levels.
That being said, I still had a blast playing Vandal Hearts. Simple, defeat the Empire stories, worked on me a lot and it was fun going through a short war campaign. I also wanted to mention how much I love the art style of this game. It looks so unique compared to its contemporaries with the designs being a mixture of anime and high fantasy artwork that emphasizes exaggerated expressions. It’s a shame the artist, Hiroshi Kyomasu, has not worked on much sense as I enjoy there style.
I think if you enjoy games like Fire Emblem or just tactic games with medieval settings then Vandal Hearts is still worth checking out.
The easiest way to describe this game is that it’s a PS1 Fire Emblem game, sporting a similar type of grid-based maps albeit with more 3D elements than older Fire Emblem titles. The gameplay is also similar with different characters that have varying classes and skills that you use to your advantage. There is a class promotion mechanic that adds some sort of customization even if in the long run it doesn’t matter too much (more on that in a second). One of my favorite parts of the gameplay is the intense sound design that goes with each swing of a sword or casting of a spell. The best part is whenever you defeat an enemy they explode in a shower of blood. That aspect is one part of the game that stuck in my mind for so long.
The story itself is pretty basic but effective with it being another rendition of having to defeat an evil empire before they take over the world kinda shtick. As you progress through the game, you acquire more characters in your party ending with a little over 10 characters to use in every level. I wish you had the chance to interact with party members in between levels as there are certain story beats that flesh out characters somewhat but it never got as deep as I would have liked. The choice to not have to swap characters in and out for levels, though lessens customization, actually made me care about them a little bit more as I felt we were one large band marching through events.
The biggest problem the game suffers from is its stagnation. The first half of the game had me seriously considering where I should move my units when I should attack and use support spells. About halfway through you realize that this game is not as tactical as it makes it out to be. For starts, if a party member falls in battle your only penalty, besides reduced chances of winning, is losing some money at the end of the battle which you will be swimming in most of the time. Each level is uniquely made though only a few of them have some sort of gimmick which the latter half of the game stops doing. Some of my favorite examples of these gimmicks were setting up an ambush for a powerful group of enemies and advancing up a train as the carts are slowly released behind you. Once you reach a certain level with your sorcerer you can spam their highest spells for great damage which kind of loses some of the strategy when going through levels.
That being said, I still had a blast playing Vandal Hearts. Simple, defeat the Empire stories, worked on me a lot and it was fun going through a short war campaign. I also wanted to mention how much I love the art style of this game. It looks so unique compared to its contemporaries with the designs being a mixture of anime and high fantasy artwork that emphasizes exaggerated expressions. It’s a shame the artist, Hiroshi Kyomasu, has not worked on much sense as I enjoy there style.
I think if you enjoy games like Fire Emblem or just tactic games with medieval settings then Vandal Hearts is still worth checking out.
Entendi absolutamente nada mas era muito daora
Painfully underrated Tactics-style RPG. Unique art style with surprisingly bloody animations, an engaging war-drama plot, and pleasantly varied mission objectives. The class system is broken, but the game puts up a nice challenge throughout.
Imagine inserting this disc into your PS1 and being immediately greeted with CD quality voice audio and 3D CG, in 1996. This, at a time when the SNES was still going strong. The tech was Vandal Heart's strongest feature, but all these decades later, it doesn't quite hold up. The gameplay is fine, sure, and the story is serviceable, but it all amounts to a pretty barebones and dated TRPG. In 1996, there wasn't much like it, but now, you're likely better off playing something else.
A solid if somewhat simple SRPG. While it doesn't have as deep character development as Final Fantasy Tactics or Ogre Tactics, I did like how many of the levels had some kind of gimmick or tactical situation to make them more memorable. I especially like this because even though I love the aforementioned games I do feel like there are tons of levels that are just "here's some guys, kill them" whereas Vandal Hearts is slightly more involved with its encounter design.
It was alright. I liked the map design on a lot of the missions and I found the gameplay enjoyable enough. I don't think the story was particularly great and perhaps that's due to poor translation, but I really couldn't take it seriously.
Don't bother trying to get the ultimate class unless you're one of those people that like their nuts stepped on for sexual pleasure. Very enjoyable scenarios with some pretty good visuals. Upgrades on your characters let you choose at least a bit the way you want to play which is nice. But it can also lead to cheesing a lot of the end part of the game and your slower units doing fuck all. ( Basically full map wizard death aoe bombs)
Vandal Hearts features engaging and tense tactical combat alongside an equally interesting political fantasy hybrid storyline. While ultimately held back by its linearity in most areas, it's somewhat redeemed by its mission variety, tragic story moments, and characters. In a way, it stands out as an accessible, purely story-driven tactical RPG.