I just finsihed the final installation of a great series. Koudelka, started it all on the PS1, but the original Shadow Hearts on the PS2 was a great, dark game. The main character, Yuri was awesome. So many times you get stuck with a main character thats a little boy, not a claw wielding demon shifter(fusions were awesome)....part two, a direct sequel, followed the series up with no problems. The judgement ring, used for combat was tweaked and it looked like the series was on fire..

however From the New World, part 3, was pretty dull. Your a short 16 year old..they got rid of the darkness and inserted humorous characters. The combat was still fun and who could complain about the half naked American Indian girl as a party member....but it didnt have the ambition as the others and now the series looks like it will be discontinued. I think once they moved away from Yuri, Alice and Karin, it fell apart...

I looked at the shadow hearts series but it didn't do it for me. The only RPG i am waiting for is Fable 2. and maybe KOTOR 3 if it ever comes out.

i loved the KOTR series...Fable 2 is promising a lot so I hope it lives up to the hype!

I agree that the Yuri days of Shadow Hearts were definitely the better days. "From the New World" seemed like they were simply taking some of the same character stereotypes from Covenant and giving them a little whiny boy to follow around. (Frank found his weapons in pretty much the same way as Joachim, and it even played the same music.)

Also, Roger Bacon's voice actor for FtNW was horrible.

I just recently picked up Koudelka, and it's been pretty decent so far. I definitely like the whole survival horror feel it has, what with the fact that you have to get all your supplies from the monastery itself.

You will enjoy Koudelka, but I had problems beating the final bosses, they are very tough...