Shadow Hearts: Covenant

This sequel to the early PlayStation 2 RPG adventure continues the story of the original. Players resume the role of Yuri Hyuga, a young man with the power to shapeshift into the forms of other creatures. The game takes place in 1915, just a few years after the first ended, and it is set in Europe as the First World War begins to break out. When Yuri decides to help protect a small French village from German invaders, they fight back with a supernaturally gifted champion of their own -- a powerful cleric with a gruesome penchant for the dark arts. Though a scene of senseless slaughter starts this second story, Yuri escapes with the help of a kind companion. As in the first Shadow Hearts, other characters will join the hero as he progresses through this adventure, each bringing distinct abilities to protect the group and serve the quest. Magic powers play an important role in this game, and players create their own spells using special runes uncovered during play. Yuri's shapeshifting powers are weak at the beginning of the game, due to the devastating encounter with the German occultist, but he gradually regains his full strength as he makes his way through the story.