February 2018 Playthrough - Vandal Hearts

[douglie007]

is there any place in this game where you can grind levels? I just got to Chapter 3.

[singlebanana]

is there any place in this game where you can grind levels? I just got to Chapter 3.

Nope.  This is a linear RPG.

[singlebanana]

How's everyone doing?  Enjoying the game so far??

[MetalFRO]

I'm enjoying it so far.  The game definitely earns its M rating (for 1997) fairly quickly.  I was surprised at how violent the deaths were, though I guess I shouldn't be, since SotN was its contemporary in a way.  This being my first stab at a tactical/strategy RPG, I'm surprised at how fast the battle difficulty ramps up.  I'm not even through Chapter 2 yet, and a couple of the battles have taken me multiple tries to figure out the right strategy.  The whole "Support" concept is interesting, and can be really helpful, if utilized correctly.  I've also discovered that the Swordsmen class (for Clint especially) is kinda useless.  I'm having way more success with the Guardsman class.  I went that way with both Grog and Dolan, and they both seem stronger, have more powerful attacks, and can also take more of a beating than Clint, even when I have everyone outfitted with Chain mail.  The soundtrack, while not overly distinctive, is good so far as well.  The story is kind of interesting, but hasn't totally grabbed me yet.  I do appreciate that they're trying to do some character progression, though.

[Disposed Hero]

I started the game a bit early and am now at the beginning of Chapter 4.  My initial impressions of the game weren't great as it felt like a poor man's Final Fantasy Tactics to me (although I know Vandal Hearts came out first), but after a couple of battles the game really grew on me, and I'm really enjoying it now.  I'm really impressed by some of the little touches in the game that help streamline some of experience, such as the way buying & selling equipment is handled in shops.  I also think being able to save during battles was a very progressive feature for the time.  Not something I would expect games from 20+ years ago to have, but is almost mandatory nowadays.  The translation seems kind of clumsy, which I think drags down an otherwise intriguing story.

This is more of a personal preference, but I actually really like that your party is always predetermined based on the story.  I always have a hard time choosing who to keep and who to cut from my active party in other games.  I think some may consider the lack of party customization to be a negative for this game, but I really don't mind it at all.

I've also discovered that the Swordsmen class (for Clint especially) is kinda useless.  I'm having way more success with the Guardsman class.  I went that way with both Grog and Dolan, and they both seem stronger, have more powerful attacks, and can also take more of a beating than Clint, even when I have everyone outfitted with Chain mail.

I was wondering what the optimal class promotions were for each character, but I didn't want to look at a guide.  I made Clint a Guardsman and don't regret it at all.  I think the only downside with Guardsman is that they have less mobility than other classes.  I made Grog and Dolan both Swordsman.  Grog still proves to be one of my better units, but Dolan seems a bit weak.  Not sure if this is due to the Swordsman class or just their own individual stats.

I was surprised at how violent the deaths were

Haha, I was surprised by this also.  The way the blood shoots out reminds of Johnny Depp's death scene in the original Nightmare on Elm Street. 

[MetalFRO]

Just finished chapter 2. Can I just say, nary has there been a character name more fitting than Hel Spites? I mean, it’s just low hanging fruit. I had quite a bit of trouble with the Magnus battle. I think I had to do it 4 times before I made it through, but finally found a strategy that worked for me. It definitely came down to the wire, though! I feel like I might just be getting the hang of this game, and beginning to wonder what put me off from trying tactical RPGs before. I think maybe I had the impression that they would be too involved, or something. But I’m happy to say, I am having more fun with this than I expected to.

[singlebanana]

Glad everyone is enjoying the game!  Thanks for checking in and I agree with a lot of what everyone saying.  I'm up to Chapter 4 now and boy are the battles becoming more complex.  I'm failing a lot, but still enjoying figuring out what works and what doesn't at the same time.  I like that you can simply start the battle over during your turn at any time if you need to................however...........as a somewhat of a perfectionist, I've had a little difficulty letting teammates die and have started over at times even if the battle is in hand.  I've recently gotten over this a bit and now only start over if I lose a character close to the beginning. Hey, I want to make sure everyone gets leveled up, right?

Also, is anyone else going for the 6 keys to make Ash a Vandalier?  Oh course, I just couldn't resist and I've had to backtrack a few times (thank goodness I save in all three slots & in battle).  For more info, check out this page: http://www.neoseeker.com/...arts-one-6-key-locations/

Love, love, love the blood spray!

[douglie007]

Has anyone found the all of the Keys? I found one, I know I missed some of them already.

[singlebanana]

Has anyone found the all of the Keys? I found one, I know I missed some of them already.

I have found 4 of them and completed 4 of the Trials so far. I am on track to get them all.  Be sure to read the link I posted in my comment above.  It is a nice guide to finding the keys, but please note that you will have to turn one of your archers into a "hawknight" because you will have to get the 5th key later in the game, which is only accessible over lava. Also, for the 4th key, you will need three treasures that can only be found by examining certain spots on the ground during battle (often causing you to extend battles by spellbinding enemies). There is one item in each of Chapters 2-4.  As a result, you can't just go step-by-step with this guide, you have to plan ahead or risk missing these items/keys.  Honestly, I was near the end of Chapter 2 once during this playthrough before I found out about the Vandalier/key option and started the game over.....yeah, I may be nuts. I'm happy to talk about or give advice to anyone trying to take on this quest.

[douglie007]

I am on chapter 6 now, so I would have to play it all over.. I might YouTube the end with the keys found

[singlebanana]

I am on chapter 6 now, so I would have to play it all over.. I might YouTube the end with the keys found

Yeah, I don't blame you.  I just hit Chapter 5 last night.  The key thing is cool, because while not necessary, it is a nice addition for completionists and gives the game some replayability.  The key trials are also interesting battles and some have some puzzles thrown in. My only gripe.....you don't get any XP from them....

[singlebanana]

The story is kind of interesting, but hasn't totally grabbed me yet.  I do appreciate that they're trying to do some character progression, though.

I have to disagree with you here Josh; however, let me caveat that with, I'm probably much further in the game than you.  What I really love about Vandal Hearts is the great attention to detail in the story. There is a nice and complex backstory of the world we are entering, which really sets the stage nicely. Our main character has a dishonorable past and is being manipulated by the current state. And not only is there a political coup, but on top of that there is another one simmering below the surface.  Though complex, I think the game does a great job of breaking down these seemingly tangent-like storylines and makes the plot rather cohesive and easier to follow.  Also, even though there are many playable characters in this game, each of them gets their own storyline and background, and these are well-integrated into the game.  None of these characters are simply written off, which is something we often see in many RPGs (i.e. so and so joins your party, end of storyline).

My only real issue with the story might be the use of the animated cutscenes between chapters.  I think that the idea here is great, but the animations used here really clash with those used in the game.  The former looks more "realistic" and the gameplay is of course more "cartoony," for lack of a better word. Again, the concept is great, I'd just prefer that the art styles matched up better.  Voiceover also a little strange. Ha ha!  These chapter cutscenes remind me of those in Medievil a bit. What say you Steven?

[Disposed Hero]

My only real issue with the story might be the use of the animated cutscenes between chapters.  I think that the idea here is great, but the animations used here really clash with those used in the game.  The former looks more "realistic" and the gameplay is of course more "cartoony," for lack of a better word. Again, the concept is great, I'd just prefer that the art styles matched up better.  Voiceover also a little strange. Ha ha!  These chapter cutscenes remind me of those in Medievil a bit. What say you Steven?

Haha, I had to go back and look at a cutscene from Medievil, but yeah, they do share a similar art style.  I agree with you in that this style works well with Medievil but looks a bit out of place in Vandal Hearts.

[MetalFRO]

The story is kind of interesting, but hasn't totally grabbed me yet.  I do appreciate that they're trying to do some character progression, though.

I have to disagree with you here Josh; however, let me caveat that with, I'm probably much further in the game than you.  What I really love about Vandal Hearts is the great attention to detail in the story. There is a nice and complex backstory of the world we are entering, which really sets the stage nicely. Our main character has a dishonorable past and is being manipulated by the current state. And not only is there a political coup, but on top of that there is another one simmering below the surface.  Though complex, I think the game does a great job of breaking down these seemingly tangent-like storylines and makes the plot rather cohesive and easier to follow.  Also, even though there are many playable characters in this game, each of them gets their own storyline and background, and these are well-integrated into the game.  None of these characters are simply written off, which is something we often see in many RPGs (i.e. so and so joins your party, end of storyline).

My only real issue with the story might be the use of the animated cutscenes between chapters.  I think that the idea here is great, but the animations used here really clash with those used in the game.  The former looks more "realistic" and the gameplay is of course more "cartoony," for lack of a better word. Again, the concept is great, I'd just prefer that the art styles matched up better.  Voiceover also a little strange. Ha ha!  These chapter cutscenes remind me of those in Medievil a bit. What say you Steven?

Yeah, I'm on Chapter 3 now, and it's definitely got a lot more interesting.  Loads of political intrigue in the story, and as more characters get added to the party, it definitely becomes even more fleshed out.  I'm digging it now 

[singlebanana]

Awesome FRO!  So glad to hear that.