The various battlefields, which appear to hover, lack polygonal detail giving objects a peculiar "squared-off" look with a high level of pop-up. Had Final Fantasy VII never existed, Vandal Hearts' combination of sprites and polygons would be rather impressive. Keeping track of all of this, as well as factoring in the advantage offered by boulders and similar useful items strewn throughout polygonal battlefields, can be pretty mind-boggling, and players will need to remain sharp in order to succeed in this unique mix of chess, rock-paper-scissors, and Dungeon & Dragons.
For instance, knights have the advantage against bowmen, who have an advantage over flying characters, and the flying characters in -turn have an advantage against knights. One unique addition to the game's combat system is the tactical interplay among the seven character classes. Between fights, the plot unfolds and players are given time to prepare for the next conflict.
Combat is strategically driven, requiring players to prepare in town and carefully map out strategies for each battle. Players lead a sizable team of warriors, mages, clerics, and other role-playing types against a variety of enemy monsters and bosses. Vandal Hearts builds on the Shining Force motif and sticks to RPG basics. Government corruption and a growing unrest among the common folk are steadily coming to a head, leaving the player as the only one to prevent "anarchy in the RPG" from breaking out. So goes the story of Vandal Hearts (and if it sounds familiar, that's because it basically the same as Konami's last game, Suikoden). The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the youth are getting restless. It's a solid, terrific looking game - yet it lacks the features that made RPGs like Shining Force instant classics. Konami's Vandal Hearts is a prime example of the industry's lopsided development. Is 32-bit gameplay better than that of the 16 or 8-bit eras? While the graphics are beyond anything fathomable five years ago, most gamers are still unsure of whether the games they are playing today are actually more fun than those of a few years ago.
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