Alright, so you're this kid named Johnny. You're 16 years old and you can't remember your past. What you do know, however, is that your father and your sister were murdered, and that this occurrence, this tragedy, is where your memories died. In contrast to both the fact that you are only 16 AND an amnesiac to boot, you run a detective agency. Yeah. You are not alone; you have a ridiculously large yet surprisingly less-than-smart manservant as a friend and associate in your Matlock-like enterprise.

Business has been bad, so when a gentleman (who resembles Batman bad guy Penguin) arrives and requests your services in the tracking of, we'll call him: some guy, you gleefully accept the case and are thereafter thrown into a cataclysmic cycle of events in the company of mostly naked Indian people, fluffy gangster cats, flamboyantly homosexual biker merchants, ninja assassins and bloodthirsty, calorie-conscious vampires. Oh yes, this is the world of Shadow Hearts: From the New World.

Judgment Ring of dooooom
Following the trend set by the first games in the franchise, From the New World is fraught with memorable, hilarious characters, an unbelievable and fantastically irreverent story and dark and occult-like settings. I enjoy these things. Heck, I enjoy those things nearly as much as I enjoy the battle system. It's far too common these days to play an RPG in which you hit the action button and then sit back and watch (or set the controller down and boil an egg) while your character(s) carry out said command. In From the New World you are given what is called "The Judgment Ring". When you choose an action within a battle, be it defensive or offensive, you are presented with a pie. Nope, it is not an edible pie, get a hold of yourself. It's basically a ring, with one or more triangular pieces within the circle. When you activate a command a hand spins around the dial and your job, friends and neighbors, is to tell that hand when to stop. If you want your action to succeed, you must stop the hand within the colored slices. It's a test of reflexes, of coordination, but mostly I think they're just making sure you're paying attention. The Ring seems daunting to beginners but becomes almost automatic after any length of time.

A new addition to the combat in this title is the "Stock bar". Basically, you build up your stock bar during your battles over a certain amount of time. When it's full you have multiple new options at your disposal, such as double attacks and combo attacks. Note: If you use these options your next turn comes slowly. Another note (because I can): Enemies ALSO have stock bars. Don't allow them to fill those stock bars. They'll kill you dead.

Sound Abuse
Now, I've spoken with folks who've played this game and disagree with me on my next point, so I'll let you decide for yourselves. Having said that, I must of course, sway you with my opinion ahead of time. It's my job. The soundtrack wasn't my cup of tea. Honestly; it rendered me nearly incapable of coherent thought, so much so that I'd forgotten that I could turn it down. Supposedly beautiful yet eerie, the score made my brain hurt. I thought it was awful. I suppose what we can apply that age old adage: to each his own. Obviously, the music didn't cut it for me. The ambient noise, however, was detailed and realistic, creating a nice immersive experience.

A Plethora of Opinions
The character development is top notch, the CG cut-scenes are easy on the eye, though the in-game graphics leave a little to be desired. The locales are intricately detailed as far as they've made them available, though within the settings (i.e. New York City, Chicago and the Grand Canyon) there is little to explore. The voice acting is passable, if not a little drab for most of the leading characters,. Our ninja friend Frank outdoes the rest, but can become obnoxious if you're not quite in the mood for him. The story is gripping, if not particularly well paced, but it certainly keeps you entertained. The dungeons are straightforward, sometimes to the point of being tedious. All of these things aside, you shouldn't be disappointed; the latest iteration in the Shadow Hearts franchise continues to shape itself anew, to make a niche for itself as a unique experience in an otherwise nearly stagnant genre. Again, don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of RPGs, I love 'em, but it's nice to see the revival. I'm comforted and given hope by the games that strive to redefine.

In summary (because it's become that time)
Shadow of Hearts: From the New World will not break any records, but it's a darn fun game. The battle system alone is sufficient to justify the purchase and the quirky, likeable characters absolutely seal the deal. Just remember, the ability to turn down the soundtrack can be a glorious thing indeed.

-Saria