Nippon Ichi have taken a unique approach to Strategy RPG gaming,
coming up with fresh, often zany game mechanics. But even the
biggest of devotees will be unable to argue that it's often at
the cost of true strategic encounters, something that the Vandal
Hearts series has never been short of. http://www.consoleob.com/vandal-hearts-flames-of-judgement-
xbox360-review.html Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement is
the revival of an old series, the first of which is looked back
fondly on by its fans, whilst the sequel was widely viewed to be
deeply flawed. It has never been a particular commercial
success, so this new entry is sensibly digitally distributed via
both Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. The series is known for its complex narratives, but Vandal
Hearts: Flames of Judgement is simpler. It centres on Tobias, as
he attempts to drive invaders away from his homeland. It's a
fairly weak story that doesn't really get going until the game
is drawing to its conclusion, and there's not much in the way of
memorable characters that could have better held the plot
together, either. Nor does the odd choice of art style help on the story side of
things, either. It's fairly distinct, but also childish and
completely at odds with the mature theme that is running
throughout the rest of the game. It results in it being
unintentionally comical, particularly when you witness the
serious conversations that the big headed, small bodied
characters become involved in for much of the game. Compared to Nippon Ichi's output, on the battlefield it's a much
simpler and restrained affair, though consequently more
strategic. All the core genre elements are accounted for:
attacks from the rear or the side will cause heavier damage;
archers attacking from elevated ground will receive a bonus to
their attack and every action is determined by underlying stats.
For Vandal Hearts fans the blood geyser that comes as a result
of defeating enemies is intact and remains a treat, though the
gushing gore is not quite thick enough to be as gratifying as
what it previously was. Characters can have up to two weapons equipped, of which can be
switched between tactically, for instance a ranged weapon can be
in one slot for the distant enemies and a melee weapon can be in
the other for the more up close and personal encounters.
Furthermore, just as long as they have an appropriate weapon in
their clutches, characters that are attacked are able to
retaliate with an attack of their own, which further solidifies
the games strategy credentials. Besides the lovely fountains of blood, another thing that fans
enjoyed with Vandal Hearts was its class system. Sadly that has
been omitted this time around in favour of skill enhancement.
Characters don't level up in the traditional way, but instead
grow stronger through their actions. So if you opt to keep using
a sword with a certain character, he or she will become more
proficient at doing so, magic is mastered by equipping books, of
which once learned can then be used without the book, though
keeping it equipped will grant a bonus to the spell. It's a very
flexible system that allows you to tailor characters for
whatever situation you desire, so if you want a frail mage to
also be a deadly warrior, through some time and effort he or she
can be adept at both. Upon victory in battle you're rewarded with gold for each enemy
vanquished, though your overall performance is ignored. So
additional bonuses aren't doled out for finishing a battle in
less turns or for having all six of your party still standing at
the conclusion of a fight, which is a bit miserly and not the
best way of making players feel good about their achievements. A bigger problem is the game's interface, which can be initially
confusing, and simple tasks such as equipping weapons and armour
can feel like a bit of a muddle. Obviously it gets easier over
time, though things never get to the point that they feel as if
they are conveniently laid out. Size wise, Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement is not a forty
hour epic, but is minute in comparison, clocking in at only
around the ten hour mark. To some this will be disappointing,
but, with the relatively cheap price taken into account, to
expect a larger game would perhaps be expecting a little too
much. There are additional endings to discover which extend the
lifespan of the game, but would be more notable if the overall
story was of a better quality. Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgement has varying problems, though
most are small, with the most substantial being its largely weak
narrative and characters. A big problem for some will be the
game's refusal to embrace the invention and complexity that
Nippon Ichi have, but others will welcome its classical strategy
framework with open arms and perhaps with some nostalgia induced
tears in their eyes. 7/10 This article was originally published at http://www.consoleob.com Console Obsession
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