<s>
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
,	O
known	O
in	O
Japan	O
as	O
is	O
a	O
turn-based	B-Application
tactical	I-Application
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Konami	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
Tokyo	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
later	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Sega	B-Device
Saturn	I-Device
by	O
Konami	O
Computer	O
Entertainment	O
Nagoya	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
PlayStation	B-Device
version	O
was	O
distributed	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
North	O
America	O
,	O
and	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Saturn	B-Device
version	O
was	O
only	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
was	O
also	O
a	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
version	O
which	O
was	O
released	O
only	O
in	O
Japan	O
and	O
South	O
Korea	O
,	O
with	O
Software	O
renderer	O
and	O
Direct3D	B-Application
Support	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
spawned	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
also	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
prequel	O
,	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
:	I-Application
Flames	I-Application
of	I-Application
Judgment	I-Application
was	O
created	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2004	O
,	O
Konami	O
announced	O
a	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
game	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Device
DS	I-Device
,	O
but	O
it	O
was	O
later	O
cancelled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
fledgling	O
republic	O
is	O
in	O
increasingly	O
dire	O
straits	O
:	O
the	O
autocratic	O
Minister	O
of	O
Defense	O
,	O
Hel	O
Spites	O
,	O
and	O
his	O
elite	O
anti-terrorism	O
squad	O
,	O
the	O
Crimson	O
Guard	O
,	O
use	O
ever-increasing	O
force	O
to	O
stamp	O
out	O
resistance	O
to	O
Ishtarian	O
rule	O
,	O
while	O
they	O
allow	O
outlaws	O
to	O
roam	O
the	O
countryside	O
and	O
pirates	B-Application
to	O
sail	O
the	O
seas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
being	O
promoted	O
to	O
Prime	O
Minister	O
,	O
he	O
stages	O
some	O
rebellions	B-Application
and	O
obtains	O
emergency	O
powers	O
from	O
the	O
Ishtarian	O
Council	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
strengths	O
of	O
each	O
class	O
are	O
determined	O
through	O
a	O
hierarchy	O
similar	O
to	O
the	O
hand	O
game	O
Rock	O
,	O
Paper	O
,	O
Scissors	O
(	O
and	O
Fire	B-Application
Emblem	I-Application
:	I-Application
Genealogy	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Holy	I-Application
War	I-Application
,	O
another	O
tactical	O
role-playing	O
game	O
released	O
in	O
1996	O
)	O
:	O
melee	O
fighters	O
(	O
such	O
as	O
Swordsmen	O
and	O
Armors	O
)	O
are	O
most	O
effective	O
when	O
fighting	O
against	O
Archers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
received	O
primarily	O
mixed	O
reviews	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviews	O
in	O
both	O
GameSpot	O
and	O
Next	O
Generation	O
likened	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
to	O
a	O
bare	O
bones	O
reduction	O
of	O
the	O
Shining	O
Force	O
games	O
,	O
eliminating	O
the	O
exploration	O
,	O
town	O
wandering	O
,	O
and	O
replay	O
elements	O
that	O
had	O
helped	O
make	O
those	O
games	O
classics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
instead	O
considered	O
it	O
a	O
"	O
fatal	O
flaw	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
deemed	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
a	O
typical	O
example	O
of	O
a	O
fifth	O
generation	O
game	O
with	O
solid	O
design	O
and	O
impressive	O
graphics	O
but	O
less	O
advanced	O
gameplay	O
than	O
games	O
of	O
previous	O
generations	O
,	O
though	O
the	O
reviewer	O
highly	O
praised	O
the	O
strategy	O
involved	O
in	O
the	O
battles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GamePro	O
found	O
several	O
elements	O
of	O
the	O
gameplay	O
unusual	O
and	O
refreshing	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
choose	O
each	O
character	O
's	O
class	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
especially	O
pleased	O
with	O
the	O
full	B-Application
motion	I-Application
video	I-Application
cutscenes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reviewer	O
concluded	O
,	O
"	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
original	O
gameplay	O
and	O
strong	O
graphics	O
and	O
sounds	O
should	O
satisfy	O
even	O
the	O
most	O
particular	O
RPGers.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
EGM	O
named	O
Vandal	B-Application
Hearts	I-Application
a	O
runner-up	O
for	O
"	O
Strategy	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
(	O
behind	O
Command	B-Application
&	I-Application
Conquer	I-Application
:	I-Application
Red	I-Application
Alert	I-Application
)	O
at	O
their	O
1997	O
Editors	O
 '	O
Choice	O
Awards	O
.	O
</s>
