Xbox 360 Critic Reviews

Vandal Hearts is an affirmation that a small company without gobs of funds can take a game premise and turn it into a true treasure.

Although the game relies heavily on conventions and standards of an era long gone by, it’s still a load of fun. Experienced RPG gamers may view it as a short and easy way to pass the time until the next big thing comes along and takes up another eighty or so hours of their lives.

Excels where it counts thanks to its imaginative and engrossing battles. [Issue#93, p.120]

Superb. [Issue#56, p.105]

Flames of Judgment is not a bad game. Visually, it’s got a distinct style, foregoing the usual anime style for a slightly more modern animated style that’s closer to some of the CGI cartoons you see on Saturday mornings.

Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment may not be innovative, but it is a decent turn-based RPG, pleasing both the fans as the newcomers to the genre.

A fun and tactical game that's easy to play. A bit too easy perhaps, but at least there's multiple endings for added value. [Apr 2010]

You're in for a snooze if you demand a hurried pace and copious eye candy, but dice-rolling dungeon nuts will happily while away a dozen hours over the course of Vandal Hearts' satisfying ride. [Jan 2010, p.69]

The disturbingly dwarf-sized characters may serve as an analogy for the game’s place among strategy RPGs: It’s shorter and uglier than most that have come before, but it’s also unique in a way that some will find charming.

Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment is a solid edition to the downloadable libraries of both the PSN and XBLA. The SRPG genre is not overly represented on either service and this addition is comprised of both quality and substance.