Koudelka is one of those few games that come along from time to time that really just hit ya know? Horror is kinda bobbed and weaved throughout JRPG's in different ways and concepts but there are quite few that tend to bathe themselves so completely in pure gothic horror fashion like this.
This game oozes an aesthetic that I fuck with on every single solitary level. The architecture, the music, the cold, dead and lonely vibes of this dead and fucked up place. Uncovering horror after horror, secret after fucked up secret as you get more and more around the facilities. It's beautiful.
The combat isn't perfect but honestly the fact that I can make magic so instantly overpowerdly busted and just blast through all of the fights so I can get to more of the plot and beautiful environment makes me not really give a shit. The enemies as well even being extremely well considered for the setting, themes and ideas of the entire game itself.
I absolutely fucking adore the plot to this game. It is absolutely one of my favorite JRPG stories simply because Edward and James are asshole bastards and Koudelka's hard edge stances towards the entire world creates a really interesting party dynamic where all of these people clearly either hate or at least definitely do not like each other to the point where they bicker and yell and argue at each other as they try to figure out what even is going on. Resulting in some actually pretty great for the time performances selling this tragic work about loss and being able to move on from it. About how these broken people all have no clue how to deal with the loss in their lives. Edward really being the only one who is so privileged that he can't relate to any of the characters and their awful experiences, problems or pasts. In a lesser game Edward would be the protagonist and focus on the "adventure" of it all when that's not what this is. It's a gauntlet through a person's psyche, unable to cope with the person they lost and extending out to harming now you the player as you fight and fight and fight through this medieval spencer mansion.
One of my favorite scenes in this game is specifically a scene where Edward and Koudelka get drunk in front of a fireplace. I feel like this scene in particular cements why Koudelka herself is such a strong and fascinating character compared to Edward. It strongly contrasts their differences and his childish outlook on the world versus the actual shit and awful times she's been through. The loss and pain that she's had to suffer from the world and how even after ALL of that she STILL wants to help spirits move on.
Koudelka is at this point in time my favorite JRPG ever made. I recommend everybody play it at least once. It's fairly easy and honestly pretty short at about mayyyybe 12 hours for a playthrough.
I'm happy that it leads into Shadow Hearts and I'm very excited to play those games. Happy I replayed this and excited to write a more concise video about it sometime soonish.
This game oozes an aesthetic that I fuck with on every single solitary level. The architecture, the music, the cold, dead and lonely vibes of this dead and fucked up place. Uncovering horror after horror, secret after fucked up secret as you get more and more around the facilities. It's beautiful.
The combat isn't perfect but honestly the fact that I can make magic so instantly overpowerdly busted and just blast through all of the fights so I can get to more of the plot and beautiful environment makes me not really give a shit. The enemies as well even being extremely well considered for the setting, themes and ideas of the entire game itself.
I absolutely fucking adore the plot to this game. It is absolutely one of my favorite JRPG stories simply because Edward and James are asshole bastards and Koudelka's hard edge stances towards the entire world creates a really interesting party dynamic where all of these people clearly either hate or at least definitely do not like each other to the point where they bicker and yell and argue at each other as they try to figure out what even is going on. Resulting in some actually pretty great for the time performances selling this tragic work about loss and being able to move on from it. About how these broken people all have no clue how to deal with the loss in their lives. Edward really being the only one who is so privileged that he can't relate to any of the characters and their awful experiences, problems or pasts. In a lesser game Edward would be the protagonist and focus on the "adventure" of it all when that's not what this is. It's a gauntlet through a person's psyche, unable to cope with the person they lost and extending out to harming now you the player as you fight and fight and fight through this medieval spencer mansion.
One of my favorite scenes in this game is specifically a scene where Edward and Koudelka get drunk in front of a fireplace. I feel like this scene in particular cements why Koudelka herself is such a strong and fascinating character compared to Edward. It strongly contrasts their differences and his childish outlook on the world versus the actual shit and awful times she's been through. The loss and pain that she's had to suffer from the world and how even after ALL of that she STILL wants to help spirits move on.
Koudelka is at this point in time my favorite JRPG ever made. I recommend everybody play it at least once. It's fairly easy and honestly pretty short at about mayyyybe 12 hours for a playthrough.
I'm happy that it leads into Shadow Hearts and I'm very excited to play those games. Happy I replayed this and excited to write a more concise video about it sometime soonish.