Vandal Hearts (1996)
Genres:Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Tactical
Themes:Fantasy
Game modes:Single player
Story:You assume the role of Ash Lambert, a hero torn between saving his country and restoring honor to the disgraced Lambert dynasty. As he struggles with his inner demons and personal problems, he will meet various companions throughout his journey. They will help your character fight to overthrow the oppressive regime and ward off an ancient being that threatens the world.
Vandal-Hearts is a 3D turn-based strategy game. Unlike many games of the genre, the various battlefields have sloped surfaces that will either work to your advantage or against you. It will be up to you to accommodate your strategy and amount an appropriate offensive assault against your foes as well as set up defensive measures.Show more
Vote to bring this game to GOG and help preserve it.984
This game is an unbelievably funny and also smart. There was a PC version released back in the day so there is some probability this game gets a GOG treatment. Everything depends on Konami I guess.
I don't remember much about this game, but the parts I do are permanently stuck in my brain. Comically large blood sprays when you take out living enemies (to the point where the volume of blood wouldn't fit in a human), the same animation spraying out gravel when you kill a golem, and archers and flying archers being super good. I'd love to play this again and remember the actual game itself.
**Why *Vandal Hearts* (OG PC Version from Asia) is Konami’s Best RPG Ever**
*Vandal Hearts*, originally released on PlayStation and later ported to PC in Asia, stands as one of Konami's finest RPGs—often overlooked, yet undeniably influential. A tactical RPG released during the golden age of 1990s gaming, it delivered an unforgettable blend of strategy, storytelling, and emotional weight rarely matched by its contemporaries.
What makes *Vandal Hearts* so special is its rich narrative and political intrigue. Players follow Ash Lambert and his companions as they navigate a brutal war, uncover betrayals, and question the very foundations of justice. The mature tone, layered characters, and complex moral choices helped set it apart from more light-hearted RPGs of the era. It wasn’t afraid to be dark, and it did so without losing its emotional core.
The gameplay is equally iconic. With fast-paced, grid-based combat and a class system that allowed meaningful customization, battles were both accessible and deeply tactical. It rewarded smart positioning, long-term planning, and risk-taking. The stylish blood geysers from defeated enemies even added a visceral flair that players still remember to this day.
Bringing the original Asian PC version of *Vandal Hearts* to **GOG** would be a massive win for game preservation. It would give modern audiences the chance to experience a Konami classic that helped define tactical RPGs. As strategy RPGs surge in popularity again, *Vandal Hearts* deserves to be recognized not just as an early example—but as one of the **best ever**.
It had a version for Microsoft Windows, so it's more likely that GOG will be able to release this game than Final Fantasy Tactics.
The game was somewhat linear, had little replay value, and was difficult, but it featured a much more mature story that was well ahead of its time.
It's considered, along with Brigandine and the Arc the Lad series, the alternative to Final Fantasy Tactics on the PSX for those looking for a strategy game with a fantasy setting.
I never finished Vandal Hearts despite absolutely loving the game's sequel, but I really like what I played. Every character has a unique class, the story is really engaging and pulls you in with its political drama, and best of all, when you annihilate an enemy you witness an epic blood geyser shoot out from their sprite. Given Konami's push to bring back Suikoden with the remaster of I & II, they really need to do Vandal Hearts, next! Unfortunately the PC version was only released in Japan/Asia as far as I'm aware, so I can't speak to the quality of it, but I really hope something can be done to bring it back for worldwide audiences. Honestly can't believe VHI and II have never been re-released, ever (not even as a PSone Classic on PS3/PSP/Vita).
Vandal Hearts is one of the best titles for the PS1, and one of the best tactical RPGs of all time. A fascinating story of politics and mysticism, engaging and deep characters, and simple yet coherent gameplay mechanics. I don't know if there's any such a thing as a perfect game, but Vandal Hearts comes close. I'm surprised it isn't on GOG already, and I think it'd be great if Konami brought this classic here, as it has other PS1 titles (MGS comes to mind)
Find all those hidden spots in this awesome tactics RPG, and become this ultimate warrior in golden armor. Beat the game? Start again and develop your characters completely different. Beat it once again? Bet, you want to experience the story again. Must-have!
Digimon WorldDigimon world is a game that allows a player to raise their own Digimon and teach it to battle.Our Pick Top Trending Fantasy Science fiction
Black & WhitePlay the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Be an evil, malevolent god and the natives will worship you with fear in their eyes. Play as a kind, benevolent god and they will worship you with love in their hearts. Your actions decide whether you create a heaven or hell for your worshipers. Then select a creature from the land to act as your representative in the world. Raise it to gigantic proportions and teach it to do your bidding--whether the animal grows into an evil colossus of mass destruction or a kind and gentle giant is up to you. Progress through the game's rich storyline performing powerful miracles to battle other deities and become the world's supreme god.Top Trending Open world Sandbox
Black & White 2In the game, the player takes the role of a god called from the void (nothingness) to help those who invoked them. However, the player is not an omnipotent style god, but rather a god who rises and falls with his believers and the player must help develop their nature according to their good or evil desires. The player also has a creature, their physical representation in the world, which takes the form of an anthropomorphic ape, lion, wolf, turtle, cow, or tiger. Its physical manifestation can grow to an immense size, and adopt a good or evil persona separate of the player's. They develop their character as the player rewards or punishes their actions. In addition to the god simulation and city-building elements introduced in the original Black & White, Black & White 2 also features elements of real-time strategy gameplay, with the addition of controllable warfare and fighting units.Top Trending Action Fantasy Comedy Sandbox
Diablo IILike its predecessor, Diablo II is an action role-playing game with dark fantasy and horror themes. The player controls a new hero attempting to stop the destruction unleashed by Diablo's return. The game's 4 acts feature a variety of locations and settings to explore and battle in, as well as an increased cast of characters to play as and interact with. Diablo II had become one of the most popular online games of all time. Major factors that contributed to Diablo II's success include what fans found to be addictive hack-and-slash gameplay and free access to Battle.net.Top Trending Action Fantasy
Command & Conquer: The Ultimate CollectionAre you ready for the ultimate real-time strategy experience? Gather resources, build your base, and create the most powerful armies in the world before engaging the enemy in all-out war. Fight as the Global Defense Initiative or the Brotherhood of Nod as they clash over the rare mineral Tiberium in the classic original series. Challenge the red menace in an alternate universe in Red Alert, then step into the near future with Generals as China and the United States battle the Global Liberation Army, a terrorist organization hell-bent on bringing the world to its knees. However you play, you’ll enjoy limitless hours of RTS Command & Conquer gaming with 10 base games and 7 in-depth expansion packs.
Note: GameSpy ended all hosted game services in 2014, which affects the online multiplayer aspect of one or more games in the collection. Learn more about this in our FAQ.
Game Features:
Engage in intense, strategic battles. Make the most of every move as you order soldiers, vehicles, and aircraft across large maps filled with enemies, traps, and mission-critical resources. Move single troops, select small groups, or issue a unified attack order to all allies as you work to defeat the opponent.
Collect, create, conquer. Success in battle requires more than just a keen battle strategy. Fight for control as you struggle to collect the resources necessary to build new bases, troops, and weaponry, all while keeping the enemy at bay.
Command and Conquer everything. Explore the wide range of Command & Conquer games and fight every war from both sides! Rediscover the epic conflicts across two decades of gameplay. Take a first-person view of the C&C universe through Command & Conquer: Renegade – the series’ one and only first-person shooter – or start playing from the very beginning and enjoy the frenetic style of combat, immersive strategy and campy banter that launched a generation of strategy warfare games.Top Action Warfare Science fiction Sandbox
Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VII is a role-playing game set in a post-modern, steampunk world where technology and fantasy elements coexist. Players control Cloud Strife, an ex-soldier who joins the eco-terrorist group AVALANCHE to oppose Shinra Inc., a corporation draining the planet's life energy. The game features turn-based combat with an active time element, a customizable Materia system for abilities, and unique Limit Break attacks for each character. Players explore 3D environments, engage in various mini-games, and uncover a complex plot involving Cloud's mysterious past and a powerful threat to the world. As the story progresses, players gain access to different vehicles, allowing them to explore new areas and uncover additional content.Top Trending Fantasy Science fiction
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earthThe players control the heroes or villians from the famous Lord of The Rings movies. With a hero characters similar to the Warcraft series you control both the armies and all the unique heroes. The game follows the movies very closely and even got scenes from the films appear in game. Not only does the game contain a giant campaign where you play through the journey of the ring as the good side, the game also features an evil campaign where as the players play as the evil forces of Middle Earth. With multiple diffrent races from all over Middle Earth, a giant spell tree to customize your game and a unique basebuilding layout the game was great for its time.Top Trending Fantasy Warfare
Chrono TriggerIn this turn-based Japanese RPG, young Crono must travel through time through a misfunctioning teleporter to rescue his misfortunate companion and take part in an intricate web of past and present perils. The adventure that ensues soon unveils an evil force set to destroy the world, triggering Crono's race against time to change the course of history and bring about a brighter future.Top Open world Fantasy Science fiction
StarCraftStarCraft is a strategic game set in a Galaxy far away on multiple planets. Its style and balance between the three antagonistic species it features is unique and appealed to millions.Top Warfare Science fiction
Warcraft III: Reign of ChaosWarcraft 3: Reign of Chaos is an RTS made by Blizzard Entertainment. Take control of either the Humans, the Orcs, the Night Elves or the Undead, all with different unit types and heroes with unique abilities.Play the story driven single player campaign, go online to play default- or custom maps against people around the world or create your own maps with the map creation tool.Top Fantasy Warfare