ThatOneGuy
Yo, Games are pretty rad
I am usually pretty fair with my rankings so feel free to discuss any of ratings.
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Having finally gotten around to it and sinking around a dozen hours into it, I can confidently say that this is the definitive version of the original title. The graphical update is extremely pleasing while staying true to the simpler sprites of the original version. Also, the basic movement and combat feel more streamlined to match the fluidity of Risk of Rain 2. What really makes this version worth playing is the large amount of new content. The new characters are a blast to play as with their skills translating well into 2D. The Pilot especially is one I want to spend more time with as I really enjoyed learning their skills in the trial levels
Speaking of trials, the new Providence Trials are an incredibly inventive way to think about how you can use each character differently and it’s a way to unlock new skills and costume skins for each character. I wanted to try out each trial as soon as they unlocked to see what sort of creative spin on the game’s mechanics the developers would devise. Not all of these trials are extremely fun as some of them feel a little too needlessly difficult or confusing to figure out what you are even needing to do. For the most part, though, they are a fun set of levels that rewards you with skills that add added depth and customization to each of the characters which is the most stellar addition to the game.
While I did enjoy all the new additions, I was left wanting a little more from this remake. As someone who put countless hours into the original, this remake is just more of the same in a lot of ways which isn’t necessarily bad, it’s just not compelling me to come back to it as often. The lack of any updated music tracks was another reason this game initially felt like it was just a facelift. I absolutely still enjoyed my time with it though and am planning to go back and play some more soon, hopefully with some buddies. If you enjoyed the original Risk of Rain, you owe it to yourself to try out Returns as it is a stellar improvement. If you are someone who has only played Risk of Rain 2, I would still encourage trying this game as its different dimension of play does offer playstyles that are separate from the sequel.
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.