The Let's Play Archive

Shadow Hearts: Covenant

by The Dark Id

Part 151: Episode CXLV: Shadow Hearts

Episode CXLV: Shadow Hearts


Music: Deep Meditation ~ Title




Let's try this. Once more. With feeling. This is it. The final LP update.



As stated earlier... this decision determines the ending of the game. That's it.



The final dialog with Jeanne of Domremy does not change at all in regards to the choice.



In fact...









Nothing changes up until past the point Kato kicks the bucket. But, in regards to this Susano-O jerk Kato has submitted to for power...


NEW Music: Come On ~ Decisive Battle Runs Wild
(The Berserk version of the final boss theme.)



Hey, do you remember the Eternal Key we picked up in the Neam Ruins revisit for Anastasia's personal quest? Do you see that description there? It's a little bit poorly worded. But as long as we can continuously hit the Judgment Ring Hit Spots it will continue to do the action we selected. The Third, Fifth, and Seventh Ring also have that functionality. But Eternal...



See, here's the thing in this game. The <Number> Ring items are of an increasingly fast-spinning rate to the point of absurdity. But there are the Judgment Ring settings I went into early in the game in the mechanics chat. Particularly, there is the Gambling Ring setting. Which nixes all the multiple Judgment Ring Hit Areas in favor of one incredibly small singular area that will automatically do all the Hit Areas if we get that pixel-perfect roughly 1/10th of a second point on the Judgment Ring afforded. You see... the thing is that the rules of if you hit that hairpin timing, all further Judgment Ring Hits are automatically done... It extends to all the <Number> Ring items...

It also extends to the Eternal Ring item. Which will continue as many times as the Judgment Ring Hit Area is activated. Which is now forever. And as I said previously, we really only need to defeat Susano-O to end this fight, so... For one last hurrah... Do you know what happens when you have to redo the final boss of an LP that has taken multiple years to finish? You don't fuck around!


:siren: Video: Susanowned-O :siren:
(Who wants to see Yuri punches out a god in a single turn? Again!)




Music: ICARO Piano Arrangement ~ Main Theme




From this point onward...











Everything progresses exactly the same up until the point Yuri and Karin say their goodbyes. And Karin flashes Yuri with her panties one last time. As you do. Now let's make it weird! We now are in the other ending territory.



Sorry. I can't keep that promise...



I know why you stayed there alone. You were afraid to lose yourself. You realized the only way to protect your soul and your memories was to die. The times you spent with your friends. Your feelings for the friend you fought. All of your experiences to this point... All that is what made you what you are, made you into the man you are today. Yes. The man I know.



The man I love...





B-



-A-



-R-



-FFFFFFFF!!!!




Music: ENDS






Now you don't have to suffer anymore. You don't have to be alone anymore.



I'll always be right here by your side.



Now we'll be together... forever...






Music: Love Moon Flower ~ Ending








A miracle generated from the disappearing gap
Guiding everyone's heart to the place they belong

But all that I can do is to leave quietly
I will be guarding you,
Like the Moon, shining in the dark night.

The deep thoughts about you, the kind of bond that you've wanted
If I can use my hands to create light, I will...

I've been longing to meet you
Just like people love the morning,
When they wake up

Smile for the happiness of being able to live together
If we can feel the same breeze,
I will...

Ah even if I cannot touch your heart
It doesn't matter which kind of love,
Or if I can stay with you

The separated ones go beyond time and space and get together again

Ah because of you, I will keep waiting because of you
This is the thought that fills my heart

Ah when will we be able to live happily
Now I only want to quietly close my eyes

Because we will meet again


Music: ENDS



This epilogue appears regardless of the ending. So... what the hell happened to Karin Koenig...? The answer may surprise you make you go "What the actual FUCK?!"



Doo-dooh-doo. What a long day. Why is Ishimura getting to be such a dick the last few weeks? He just sits on that couch and talks about robots with that weird baby head guy...



<marches along> And what's with all the magic and wizards lately, anyway?

Something catches Jinpachiro Hyuga's eye on the side of the road.



?!





Uhhhhhhh...?! UMM?!





Umm... Ma'am, are you OK? Were you attacked? This is strange... There aren't usually ladies of the night in this district...





......
<looks to the ground> Huh?



Jinpachiro picks up and examines the photo.



......



......?
...That? What? But...

Colonel Hyuga flips the photo over.





Huh?!





Nggh...
WHAT THE FFFFFU—



Yeah, so umm... It's a good thing Yuri was still hung up on Alice because Karin that was his fucking mother Anne Hyuga! Who ultimately goes on to get backhanded by a zombie so hard it kills her, awakening Yuri's powers to become the himbo Rude Hero so Karin will one day get horny for her son and setting it up to fall for for his father after she gets time traveled back in time a few decades. Yuri is a weird Ontological Paradox. It's fine! And I guess Saki Inugami knew that, too...?! And just let it ride. OK... But, we're not done yet... One last thing. What about Yuri in the world where he lives life his own way...?
































































Gah!



Whoa! That's bad. I almost overslept!
I do NOT need that voice yelling at me in my head again.



Yuri looks around and hears a train whistle in the distance.



It'll be here soon...



<shakes and scratches head before walking off>



It's the world you secretly prayed for. The place your heart returns to. The time when you were the happiest. You can start your life over again...





......

A train whistle in the distance grows closer.



It's that train...


OLD Music: NDE - Near Death Experience




Hehe... I kind of feel like a kid again!!



Let's do this right this time!










Video: Shadow Hearts: Covenant Ending 2
(It's the end of the series. Watch it.)



And that is it! The last LP update! Shadow Hearts: Covenant is finished! I can die without regrets. The cursed LP that took me some of the worst years of my life is over. But fuck you fate and destiny and that bollocks. I'll finish Yuri Hyuga's shitpost adventures through the early 1900s LP and see it through to the end. And in the end, we have come to one last wildly uneven mess of a game that is still just splendid in how much it went for it being its own goofy-ass bizarre thing. There's not enough of that anymore.

I am sorry it took so long to get to this point. It's not been an easy few years for me. Lose a kid. Have a hand stop working particularly functionally and actually bust your ass in a thing that requires you to sit and type. And, you know, everything during the ongoing pandemic. Not a great series of events. But, we made it! The End! It finished! I managed to finish it despite everything. Despite everything, it's still me... I hope you enjoyed the journey up to this point. It's been a trial of highs and lows and absolute goddamn nonsense in-between. But I wish that you at least got some enjoyment out of the years of rambling about stupid old video games from some weird fuck on the internet. I don't know how much gas I have left in the tank anymore. It's not a lot... Certainly nothing as long as this goddamn trainwreck. Maybe we'll have another adventure together in the future. Who the fuck knows that even a week ahead of bad decisions will hold anymore? But if not, it's been a good one, kiddos.

In the end, I did love this shit.