PS1 REVIEWS: Vandal Hearts
In a time where every major Japanese videogame company tried to compete in every genre, Konami had a notable lack of RPGs in its portfolio. On the SNES, it did not publish a single game of that genre despite being one of that console’s best publishers. Yet, that changed on the PS1, which demanded more narrative focus in games, and the company released Suikoden in 1995.
Vandal Hearts was Konami’s first foray into Tactical RPGs, and it chose to be as traditional as possible, for better or worse
#A16(S): Vandal Hearts:-
Year: 1995.
Genre: Tactical RPG.
Publisher: Konami.
Developer: Konami.
"By the power of the Gods of light and darkness... Grant this soul new wisdom and powers in the service of mankind"
The story of Vandal Hearts follows a recent revolution where a recent revolution overthrew the ruling family and the noble structure they propped up. The main character is the son of a once revolutionary hero who became a traitor near the end of the revolution. Early on, it wouldn't be a spoiler to say that any player will figure out that the supposedly traitorous father may have his reputation salvaged by the end of the game.
It is very obvious that the new revolutionary government is far from being a paragon of virtue, with obviously corrupt and evil intent emanating from every branch of government. In this setting, the hero sets out with a rag-tag bunch to first chase after a potentially treasonous general and then to lead a counter-revolution against the corrupt forces that stole the first revolution.
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| This guys is obviously evil |
Sprinkle several ancient weapons of mass destruction, some light time travel, and some philosophy regarding the nature of religions and nations, and you have yourself a rather solid TRPG story that doesn't pull its punches despite lacking the subtlety to be a truly great story.
"I'll free them from their nightmare with my own blade"
Following its straightforward story, Vandal Heart’s Tactical RPG gameplay is as straightforward as it comes. Battles are presented through an isometric viewpoint that you can freely rotate. Each battlefield is divided into several square grids with changes in terrain type and elevation being crucial to movement. Turns allow the player or the enemy to move all their characters, with the player always going first. Most stages require you to defeat all enemies, but some have the annoying trait of needing to move your entire army to some location on the map.
Due to the large number of characters, battles can take some time to finish, but they are epic in scale. The characters' actions are typical for the genre, with each class having some pros and cons. Each character can move into place before attacking, with archers and mages able to attack from range. Later in the game, mages have access to a large number of Area-of-Effect (AOE) spells that frankly trivialize some of the challenges.
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| Battles are basic but still fun |
While there is nothing innovative or extraordinary in the game, it is a solid-enough system that remains fun throughout the game. While rarely challenging, it is not brainless, especially since the leveling system makes it difficult to overshoot the recommended level of any stage.
One aspect that is unique, but not utilized much in a way that makes full realization of it, is the ability to push blocks and continue movement. This can, in theory, allow for strategies to control access to key locations, but it is only used in a couple of maps and promptly forgotten in the rest.
"Think well on whether you want to be known as a hero or a traitor like your father"
There isn’t much to do in the game outside of battles, other than some limited interactions in villages and towns. Also, since the game is tightly linear, there aren’t any side stories to uncover or battles to fight other than the main story, except for the Trials of Toroah.
The trials of Toroah are 6 battles that you must win to unlock the hero’s final class, which is by far the strongest class in the game. These battles are different from the rest in two ways. First, the level of enemies depends solely on the level of the hero. Second, they are mostly very annoying with a central gimmick featuring in each Trial.
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| Regular battles don't have such gimmicks |
A side activity that is more prevalent throughout the game is the search for hidden treasure in each stage. Typically, each stage will have one to three weird-looking tiles that hide an item of some value. Looking for these items can be slightly fun even if I didn’t get any use from the majority of items.
"It was the second coming of the Dark Ages, and terror reigned over all..."
Given the traditional and straightforward design of the game, it is surprising that the character portraits and sprites aren’t simply some generic anime designs. Instead, the game opts for a more Western “cartoon” look for its characters. The portraits are closer to Tintin comics but with a more serious look. Similarly, the sprites are chunkier than in other JRPGs, including Konami’s own Suikoden series.
This does give Vandal Hearts a different look from its genre peers. That, along with the splashes of blood whenever you attack, slightly adds to its more mature and darker tones.
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| Blood will tell |
It is not surprising, then, that the soundtrack is equally divergent, with its classical compositions being more similar to Western than Japanese games. While there are few especially memorable tracks, the whole soundtrack does give the game a special kind of atmosphere and gravitas that help it stand out from the rest.
In Conclusion:
There is something to be said about solid Tactical RPGs that cannot be said about the same level of typical RPGs, and Vandal Hearts typifies that dichotomy. Regardless of how standard a TRPG may be, the nature of the genre at least suggests that the story and world may still have some promise. That is indeed the case with this game from Konami. While its TRPG gameplay is basic and its story structure is incredibly linear, it still packs enough of a punch with its story that I don't think anyone would begrudge the 20 or so hours spent with the game.
Final: 7/10 (Recommended for Genre Fans)
Pros:
- Solid story and characters.
- Mature themes.
- Solid TRPG gameplay.
- Class change system.
- Fresh character designs.
- Suitable music.
Cons:
- On the nose evil characters.
- Battles can be too simplistic.
- No side stories to speak of.
- The void in the back of all cutscenes.
Tips:
- Search for hidden items in suspicious spots in each stage.
- The Trial of Toroah depends on the main character's level, so keeping him under-leveled will make the trial easier.
- Change classes as soon as you can.
- To enter the trials, go to the temple with a key equipped to your main character and attempt to leave.
- Try and defeat all enemies to get money and experience.
- Losing allies in battle will reduce your cash reward.
- Direction of attack and elevation matter for damage.
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| Its painfully obvious who is evil in this game |
Series:
For those reading one of my PS1 review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:
I already reviewed both major Generation 4 consoles, and am now reviewing Generation 5 consoles. I already finished reviewing the Sega Saturn, so I am now reviewing the PS1. In these reviews, I take a top 100 games list and review the games that interest me in that list.This time, my review series is based on this list from Retro Sanctuary and other sources, since the PS1 can handle a list bigger than a top 100.
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| That's a largely catholic point of view |
Next Game:
As expected from PS1-era Konami, any game they worked on was at least very good, and that was the case with Vandal Hearts.
Its sequel is set to be similar in tone but very different in execution. Would the innovations to genre help or hinder Vandal Hearts II?
Stay Tuned
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