History VideoGame / VandalHearts

[[SequelGap After almost 11 years of silence]], ''Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment'' was released in January 2010 as a downloadable title on the UsefulNotes/PlaystationNetwork and UsefulNotes/XboxLiveArcade. Being a {{Prequel}} to the first game, it returned to the world of Ishtaria and ditched the Dual Turn system, brought back the first game's varied mission objectives, and introduced a somewhat [[Franchise/TheElderScrolls Elder Scrolls]]-like character advancement system, where characters' stats improved automatically based on their actions. The story follows a young priest named Tobias Martin as he battles a WellIntentionedExtremist for the fate of his country.

* BigDamnHeroes: When [[spoiler:Clint, Eleni, Amon, and Darius]] bust out of prison only to find themselves trapped in the prison plaza, surrounded by high walls from which archers can wreak merry hell on them, Ash and co. turn up to storm said walls to break into the impenetrable prison and save the day. (It's okay, the prisoners were political dissidents that opposed Hel and the Empire)

** Obtaining all the keys in ''Vandal Hearts''. Good ''god''. There's a few simple ones, such as talking to a certain lady in Minaro after defeating the fifth battle's boss, while the last one can be obtained by speaking to a weird man in Chapter 6 after obtaining every other prism. The others, though? Two of them have you examine random squares in certain battles (one of them even being in a ''[[ViolationOfCommonSense pit of lava]]''), and another has you find three items across ''three chapters'' (which are, again, on random squares with nothing out-of-the-ordinary about them) and talking to a man in Kerachi(a trader seeking rare items, like the three objects you have to find) to obtain it.

** The enemy "Juggernaut". They blick attacks from the front and sides perfectly. As Darius says, you have to circle around and attack their backs to win'.

[[quoteright:320:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/vandal_4_640w_2529.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:320: An enemy stubs his toe.]]

** Obtaining all the keys in ''Vandal Hearts''. Good ''god''. There's a few simple ones, such as talking to a certain lady in Minaro after defeating the fifth battle's boss, while the last one can be obtained by speaking to a weird man in Chapter 6 after obtaining every other prism. The others, though? Two of them have you examine random squares in certain battles (one of them even being in a ''[[ViolationOfCommonSense pit of lava]]''), and another has you find three items across ''three chapters'' (which are, again, on random squares with nothing out-of-the-ordinary about them) and talking to a man in Kerachi to obtain it.

* HeroicMime: Commander Agress in ''Vandal Hearts II''.

* HostageForMacGuffin: Done in the first game, for [[spoiler:[[TheAtoner Kira Wulfstan]]]].
* HopelessBossFight: In the first game, Chapter 4 starts with a battle you are not meant to win against a large enemy force that outlevels you and includes [[spoiler:all four generals of the crimson knights, who are later fought one at a time as bosses]]. You are told from the start that the fight is hopeless and that you should escape through the gate at the opposite end of the map, which is also the mission goal you are given for the fight. With smart play it is entirely possible to wipe the enemy side off the map, but you still need to flee to the city gate and the game moves on as if you hadn't just beaten [[spoiler:Kane and company]] to a pulp.

** The enemy "Juggernaut". Attack them in the back, they die on one hit; attack them from anywhere else, you're basically asking for a major ass whoopin'.
** Dallas, from the first game, also qualifies.
* KickTheDog: At the end of the second level in ''Vandal Hearts I'', Ash manages to defuse a riot and talk the rioters into surrendering. Kane then arrives, pulls rank on Ash, and has the leader of the rioters taken into custody... followed by ordering his men to slaughter the rest.

* MarathonLevel: The sixth Trial of Toroah in the first game. It involves a massive pyramid littered with strong enemies, and the only way you can go up is by spiraling all the way around the base and working your way up slowly. Hitting the enemies with long-range attacks and magic can make things a little faster by making them work their way down to you at the same time (since they also have to spiral around the pyramid to reach you), but it can still take over 25 turns, which is much, much longer than any other mission up to that point in the game.

** Dragoons in ''Vandal Hearts'' hit hard, but have limited speed and movement.
** Armor characters creep along at a snail's pace thanks to all that, well, armor, but once they reach you they'll hit you like a truck.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Hel Spites, though he's actually not so bad once you know that [[WellIntentionedExtremist he's got good intentions]]. Kane Spites, on the other hand... well, if you're not on the side of TheEmpire (he's actually having a good camaraderie with fellow Crimson Guards), or you're in Ash's party, then you should run.

* SequelHook: At the conclusion of ''Vandal Hearts II''[='=]s ideal ending, ''Vandal Hearts I''[='=]s protagonist appears to lead the second game's protagonist on [[HereWeGoAgain another adventure.]]

* StableTimeLoop: In ''Vandal Hearts I'', [[spoiler:Leena gets thrown into the past thanks to Xeno to prevent her to unseal Vandal Heart. But beforehand, she managed to get a pendant from a certain 'Eleni'. Instead, she got thrown into 18 years in the past, found by Magnus Dunbar and adopted as the aforementioned Eleni. Then she grew up, journeys to the point she got thrown back in time to give young Leena her encouraging words and pendant, and eventually unseals the Vandal Heart. [[NiceJobFixingItVillain Nice Job Setting Leena Up To Be Eleni, Xeno!]]]]

* TheStinger: In ''Vandal Hearts II'', if you have managed 100% weapon collection, there is a post-credits scene of [[spoiler:Joshua returning the Vandal Hearts to the chamber where he found it, only to be greeted by an apparition of what appears to be ''Vandal Hearts''[='=] Ash Lambert as a Vandalier, [[SequelHook summoning Joshua to a new adventure]]]].

** Nicola becomes king of East Natra, with the backing of Ladorak and the Vernantze Republic, but the cardinal is the real ruler. When Vernantze withdraws its support after Nicola sinks into debauchery and Godard comes forward with proof that Adele is Zekras' illegitimate daughter, Ladorak deposes Nicola in favour of Adele.

** ''Vandal Hearts I'' includes one of these near the end, complete with the obligatory de-coupling train cars.

* TrueCompanions: A villainous version is the Crimson Guards in ''I'', which Kane is a member of. Kane is a highly antagonistic asshole, but he really values the camaraderie between him and these friends: Sabina, Dallas, Kurtz and Lando. In fact, when the team ambushes Ash's team in the first chapter of the fourth act, Kane had to be the one reminding them that Ash's team just killed Lando in the last act and they must exact revenge, and he freely intruded in the battle against Sabina purely just to help her, no charges taken. Likewise, during his LastStand, before going back to antagonize Ash, Kane actually [[spoiler:prays for his fallen friends and father to give him the strength to prevail]].

* VendorTrash: Several items in the first and second games exist only to be sold. Not that it is a bad thing; what else would you have a piece of super expensive gold ingots, bullions and rare metals for? Though in the first game selling some means you can't get one of the Trial Keys to obtain the Vandalier class.

* BigDamnHeroes: When [[spoiler:Clint, Eleni, Amon, and Darius]] bust out of prison only to find themselves trapped in some tiny stretch of sand where archers can wreak merry hell on them, Ash and co. turn up to storm the impenetrable prison and save the day. (It's okay, the prisoners were political dissidents that supported the good guys' rebellion.)

** "Blood Knight" Jacob from the sequel. The game even begins with him and his soldiers burning a town to the ground and killing its inhabitants.

* EpicFail: The debut of Kira Wulfstan in ''Vandal Hearts I'' may fall to this... if the attack does not hit.
-->'''Kira''': [[PrepareToDie Suck on this, brigand!]]\\
'''Ash''': What bravery!\\
'''Enemy Bat''': ''[[NoSell (block)]]''

* HateSink: Kane Spites, who insults and demeans Ash at every turn, willingly (and gleefully) executes helpless prisoners, and generally makes a royal ass out of himself at every opportunity. You'll be grateful when the game finally lets you gut him like a fish.

* KickTheDog: At tne end of the second level in ''Vandal Hearts I'', Ash manages to defuse a riot and talk the rioters into surrendering. Kane then arrives, pulls rank on Ash, and has the leader of the rioters taken into custody... followed by ordering his men to slaughter the rest.

* MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning: In ''Vandal Hears II'', [[spoiler:Godard orchestrates his own death at the hands of the heroes, so [[BodySurf his soul can take over Franz body]].]]

** [[spoiler:The secret code for hard mode in ''II'', obtained by getting the GoldenEnding and having a 100% weapon find rate. The catch? Not only does it not tell you were to enter it, but the ''[[EpicFail code is wrong]]''. Entering the code on the title screen with a controller plugged into the second slot (while substituting [=L2=] with [=R1=] in the code that the game gives you) will trigger it]].

* TrueCompanions: A villainous version is the Crimson Guards in ''I'', which Kane is a member of. Kane is a highly antagonistic asshole, but he really values the camaraderie between him and these friends: Sabina, Dallas, Kurtz and Lando. In fact, when the team ambushes Ash's team in the first chapter of the fourth act, Kane had to be the one reminding them that Ash's team just killed Lando in the last act and they must exact revenge. Likewise, during his LastStand, before going back to antagonize Ash, Kane actually [[spoiler:prays for his fallen friends and father to give him the strength to prevail]].

** ''Vandal Hearts II'''s Godard wanted to [[AGodAmI become a god]] because he was betrayed by his religious ideals.

* PurposefullyOverpowered: Promoting Ash to [[spoiler:the Vandalier class. It's a ''massive'' pain to do, odds are you won't find out how to do so [[GuideDangIt without a guide]], and it's obtained on the tail end of the game. But if you do? Hoooooo boy. Ash's stats go through the roof, he's not affected by the TacticalWeaponsTriangle, and he's strong enough to kill just about any unit in the game in ''one attack'', the singular exception being the FinalBoss, Dolf - and only in his first form, which even then takes out half of his HP.[[labelnote:That said...]]Mega Guards and Dark Knight Kain can also take a hit from the front or side, but if Ash strikes them in the back, they're toast.[[/labelnote]]The only downside? [[LetsPlay/WhoIsThisGit You look like you're wearing a chicken suit]].]]

** [[spoiler: Connor Ganson]] in ''Flames of Judgment'' is mortally wounded, then [[spoiler:revived by the AllLovingHero.]]

'''Enemy Bat''': ''(block)''

** The first game has an optional example with the keys and prisms, neeeded to unclock bonus levels, the Vandalier class and the reforged Vandal Hearts sword.

** Obtaining all the keys and prisms in ''Vandal Hearts''.

** The fabled ''Gradius Sword'' from ''Vandal Hearts II''. It has only been obtained through sheer chance or use of a gameshark.

* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler:Godard]] in ''Vandal Hearts 2''. His actions make things even worse in an already dark story, the tone set by the end of Chapter 1 when he [[spoiler:manipulates Joshua into killing Lord Kossimo and ensures he gets blamed by Adele (who he also brought nearby)]].

* MasterOfAll: Ash starts out as a very competent and useful JackOfAllStats and MagicKnight, and becomes this trope in spades if [[GuideDangIt you manage to]] unlock his gamebreaking, PurposelyOverpowered Vandalier class, which is a LightningBruiser that can cast every spell in the game ''and'' use any consumable item in the game from his spell list for free.

** [[spoiler: Liana]] in ''Flames of Judgment'' is mortally wounded during a pre-battle scene, and lies wounded on the map during the fight. None of your healing abilities will help — in fact, even in the dialogue afterwards, Tobias tries a healing spell, but it doesn't work.

* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: The Vandal Heart sword fills this role in the first game, as the characters need it to defeat the villains' WeaponOfMassDestruction. In the second game, finding the Vandal Heart sword is an optional subquest, not necessary for beating the game, but necessary for achieving the best ending. In ''Flames of Judgment'', [[spoiler: the sword is first forged during the game's climax.]]

* BodyguardBetrayal: In [=VH2=], [[spoiler:Nicola is betrayed and backstabed by his own generals.]]

** The first game has an optional example with the keys and prims, neeeded to unclock bonus levels, the Vandalier class and the reforged Vandal Hearts sword.
** The sequel example fits in both important and optional criteria. Finding the seven prisms allows Joshua to obtain the forementioned sword, which is one of the requeriments for the best ending.

* MyDeathIsJustTheBeginning: In ''Vandal Hears II'', [[spoiler:Godart orchestrates his own death at the hands of the heroes, so [[BodySurf his soul can take over Franz body]].]]