Koudelka: The Forgotten Origins of the Horror JRPG

[@SpodsandRockers]

As someone who lived in Wales, Koudelka is totally faithful to what it actually is like. Every time you walked down the High street in Aberystwyth and someone comes up to you, you go into turn based battle sequence where you are assaulted by a priest.

[@Evil_Noah]

Let's try to cut down on the "assaulted by a priest" talk, okay.

[@SpodsandRockers]

@@Evil_Noah your right, My apologies. Accosted by a priest with a flanged mace.

[@Azazreal]

@@SpodsandRockers Flanged mace. Huh. So thats what the kids are calling it now. xD

[@RLewisReports]

Should try Port Talbot, walking home from The Four Winds.

[@kevinzhu6417]

@Evil Noah Its a lighthearted joke bruh

[@Ghost_Of_SAS]

Thank you for mentioning the stageplay aspect of the voice acting: it was so refreshing to hear actor reading lines in the same room and talking over one another, instead of the usual mix of separately recorded lines that the overwhelming majority of games adopt.

[@raioh4747]

ikr the examples he used in the video sound and feel so good I was really impressed, sold me on the game even more. Those examples honestly sound better than a some modern games I played recently

[@Ghost_Of_SAS]

@@raioh4747 There's a later scene that's even more representative but I guess he didn't want to spoil it. I highly recommend playing the game for that alone, though it is very slow and archaic in the combat department, so watching a playthrough on youtube is also a valid option.

[@shards-of-glass-man]

That's what I also love about LoK games, in a way. Watching the making-of videos where all the actors for a given scene were sitting in the same recording studio all together was an experience.

[@Ghost_Of_SAS]

@@shards-of-glass-man LoK? Legend of Kyrandia?

[@shards-of-glass-man]

@@Ghost_Of_SAS Legacy of Kain

[@Ganall]

The voice actors were actually theater actors and they all recorded together in the same room like how Legacy of Kain did it, thus why you got the strong stage play vibes and why the voice-acting is so great, even to this day. Koudelka's narrative really is fantastic in general. Also Shadow Hearts Covenant is my favorite JRPG period.

[@RosieSquall]

The voice acting and dialogue of the Legacy of Kain series are superb.

[@JakeHkd2]

I was taken aback by the quality of the voice acting the first time I heard it because I was expecting some of the so bad it's good greatness of original Resident Evil ,but found quite the opposite. I was also surprised how convincing a lot of voice acting performances were even though they weren't actually interacting with each other at all. Do you know why voice acting together isn't as common, at least in the West (from what I've heard)?

[@Ganall]

@@JakeHkd2 Because of money for one; its easier to have them voice their lines separately than to pay to get them all into one place when VAs sometimes don't even live in the same city. Also back in the 90's most English dubs of Japanese anime and video games didn't really have that much effort and money put into them. Koudelka was a major exception because Kikuta hired American actors and had the game voice-acted in English from the start.

[@BobBob-pr4eh]

Shadow hearts series is a masterpiece I absolutely love them all.

[@TermileChicken]

Yeah first thing I noticed when I was introduced to this game a while back is how well the voice work held up

[@Yohhamgambal]

Koudelka is an absolute under-appreciated gem, love this game. I wish there were more RPG that had a horror atmosphere like this game. The only game I can think of that are similar are Parasite Eve and Shadow Hearts 1. So glad to hear more people talk about the Koudelka/Shadow Hearts series.

[@Lazrael32]

agreed. It seems like people are finally waking up to the shadowhearts series. Glad i got all my copies cheap back in the day. (they even gave shadow hearts as a preorder bonus for shadowhearts 2) They've been one of my favorite series since I played them.

[@Yohhamgambal]

@@Lazrael32 Yeah Shadow Hearts is awesome. I also got lucky, I manage to grab physical copies of Koudelka and all three Shadow Hearts for a good price.

[@Vodoriga]

You have Folklore and eternal poison too

[@Yohhamgambal]

@@Vodoriga no Folklore but I did just get Eternal Posion

[@OsnosisBones]

I've always technically considered Bloodborne as being among the horror jrpg titles as well, and probably the only really new one that comes to mind, if only because it's one of the better done lovecraft-style games. Though, it's definitely a lot more action oriented due to, well, first and foremost being a souls game, but you could also technically argue the same of most every other jrpg survival horror and how they mix rpg combat. REally, I just wish more horror rpgs were made, or at the very least more rpgs with a horror aesthetic were made.

[@CodexEntry]

Overjoyed to see Sacnoth games getting some attention, such a unique and underappreciated studio.

[@Zandeyninja]

Their games have some of the most unique eerie music ever. I only played Shadow Hearts 1.

[@CodexEntry]

@@Zandeyninja I am legally obligated to suggest you checking out Shadow Hearts: Covenant, definitely their best title and a brilliant sequel to SH1 that improves on it in every way possible.

[@gaycosmichorror]

i loaned my complete in box copy of koudelka to my now estranged cousin years ago and he never gave it back, and i will be bitter about it until the day i die.

[@mumblerogre2455]

Survival horror osts: creepy ambiance, industrial clanking, metal screeching, aggressive and loud drumbeats Koudelka: “Aw dude, I’m gonna destroy this xylophone.”

[@cliftonsargent1572]

I’m fu**ing loving this upload schedule, your content is incredibly entertaining

[@RagnarRoxShow]

Thank you!! I'm working hard but I'm really enjoying the groove. Planning to make April another 2-video month!🔥

[@cliftonsargent1572]

@@RagnarRoxShow holy crap thanks for replying!! I watched your video about Plagues and it’s one of my favorites, I bring that up to ask if I donate to your patron that will help lead to further videos like that? Again I watched it 2 times in a row and loved it

[@RagnarRoxShow]

Thank you! The Plague video was a very uncommon one and I really loved making it, especially to have art specifically made for the animations and whatnot. It was, expectedly, a slow starter but it sadly became far too relevant way too soon. Still one of my secret favorites. As for Patronship: I say when people can and want to support without it financially stifling them, then it's a huge help - the crowdfunding support literally saved my channel when it was hit by the demonetization hammer a while back and it's still the main financial foundation and one of the reasons I'm not able to work with more people regularly to pull off a higher release schedule. So yes, it does help, but I also don't want people to feel morally pressured into it in any way, so if, then only within complete comfort levels.

[@julien2983]

I looove Koudelka, it was too beautiful for this world. So happy to see Ragnar giving this criminally unknown game some much deserved attention, I only regret having but one like to give this video. Thank you! [spoilerinos] One standout memory I have of this game is when the party needs to blow up a wall or something and James knows how to make nitro glycerin which takes several hours. So in the meantime Edward and Koudelka get drunk and *almost* have a moment where they can relate to one another but it quickly blows up into a shouting match. I remember the scene being at least ten minutes long and fully voiced, just two characters getting drunk and arguing lol.

[@stylis666]

Exactly! Except, my only regret is having no clue where my discs are :s I've been looking for them for years and never found a copy online. Edit... You know what comes here. I assumed that the google doc just gave instructions. I didn't get my hopes up of actually replaying Koudelka after having lost it over a decade ago. I'm in quite a shock and forever grateful to RagnarRox! o.o

[@enzito_sdf6978]

@@stylis666 great scene, the voice acting is top notch there as well.

[@voodooblowtorch7265]

I'm a HUGE fan of the Shadow Hearts series and getting to learn about it's roots in Koudelka like this was greatly enjoyable, espcially considering how much effort clearly went into the video. I really hope that you make a video about Shadow Hearts proper in the future. Also, big thumbs up for the Muppet Treasure Island reference, one of my favorite movies and Tim Curry performances.

[@Lh0000]

I remember reading the archive of TheDarkId’s play through of this game, 90% of it was just talking about how the game is a totally accurate rendition of Wales. He even takes it a step further in the sequel where he comments that the reason the final boss in THAT game wasn’t as hard was because it wasn’t summoned in Wales.

[@darkville]

Survival horror and JRPG gameplay at the same time? Absolutely going to check this out, thanks a lot!

[@rigelothello709]

Well, maybe I'm late for 2 years, but maybe you can check another Survival Horror / JRPG Mixed that been mentioned in this Video too; Parasite Eve. Created by the same SquareSoft.

[@plentyoflulu4694]

God, Koudelka was one of those small horror games i was able to play, and helped me appreciate more on how videogames as art form comes to be

[@PinkuPeachy]

A lot of classic JRPGs are from before I was old enough to play them, and some are older than I am. I've heard of many JRPGs from this period despite that fact, but I have never heard of this game! Love all your videos, especially when you cover little known games

[@Vanished_Mostly]

This video's thumbnail has a pretty perfect preview when you hover over it.

[@artofaries1113]

That's why I clicked on it. That tongue action.

[@RetroDeathReviews666]

lick lick licklicklick lick

[@ChooChuChoo]

I'm so glad you covered this game. I ended up picking it up when it first came out because I was both into Resident Evil and jrpgs at the time. I still have my physical copy of the game till this day, more out of frustration cause I never finished it, and now I feel like I should.

[@creakimoi2958]

This game was my favorite as a child...it was one of the first games I beat on my own without a guide or cheats. The story was compelling and I loved the characters. No one I ever knew though even heard of this game and it always made me sad...so I appreciate someone covering it in a video...I'm currently dragging people into Shadow Hearts (they couldn't tolerate me wandering around in Koudelka). Thanks for talking about one of my favorite games.

[@mc_zittrer8793]

Koudelka, eh? This lady got a really distinctive look to her - I remember seeing her in the recesses of my teen memories, but I never knew about this game, in particular. Looks like a game I would have enjoyed a lot, though. A real pity I missed out on it.

[@Cybershroom]

I'm probably remembering things wrong but she sort of resembles Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and her personality feels similar somehow.

[@walmartian422]

Same I remember seeing ads for this game in videogame magazines

[@oneinathousand2156]

I’ve heard voice acting from Shadow Hearts, and it can be cheesy fun but it’s interesting that games that came later have weaker voice acting than a game that came out in the late 90’s.

[@Ganall]

A big part of that is that Koudelka was designed with English voice actors from the start. The voice acting didn't need translation at a time when English localization of JRPGs were shaky most of the time and because the English VAs were part of the game's design from the start they all had the proper scene direction to give their lines and emote properly which is a problem that can arise in different language dubs.

[@Leispada]

Back then, experiments in genre like this one are what made the game industry fresh and interesting. A shame that sales reflected that the general public desires no to be challenged, and so we ended up with the game industry of today.. Battlezone was another such experiments. fps+rts, great game, bad audience

[@blaze45ful]

The sad part is that years later people find those games and end up as underrated games that would never get sequels, ports, at least thanks to Koudelka we had Shadow Hearts.

[@isaiahrowley9830]

This is just speculation, I have a feeling this game lacked publicity. This could have been from a lack of a mainstream publisher. Im pretty sure I would have played this game when I was a kid if I would have known about it.

[@JnEricsonx]

I remember playing this back in the day. It's been ages, but I remember the one part where Koudelka says something like, "Well, I'd have eaten the food if it hadn't been poisoned!" The other characters freak, and me and a friend of mine suddenly are cracking up.

[@WarMomPT]

Aside from all the amazing stuff you do highlighting these incredible niche games, I can't help but just give mad props for your emulation pointers that you link to, and draw attention to the practical realities of these games' availability and how to experience them firsthand. It's like a great cherry on top.

[@neoman285]

Omg it begins! Shadow Hearts is my favorite RPG series of all time. I just began playing Shadow Hearts 2 director’s cut, which never got an English release. Perfect timing! First Fatal Frame and now Shadow Hearts, godly taste my man, godly!

[@CRedd9830]

I want Director's Cut to be translated soooo bad. Being able to play as Lenny & Veronica is awesome.

[@TheOwwen]

Wait, there's a director's cut? I didn't know that and I've finished the entire franchise twice. What's new in that director's cut version of the game?

[@Kyoukichi]

I played Koudelka right after I finished Shadow Hearts 3: From the New World. Shadow Hearts trilogy is something that should certainly be revisited, including Koudelka. AMAZING series.

[@blaze45ful]

Agree.

[@hooplier7198]

Finally a video about Koudelka which i loved in it's entirety, keep up the good work! I didn't know how much I needed this video until now, i really hope you release soon the videos about Shadow Hearts one of my favourites JRPG, if not my top 1, once again good work man! Under-appreciated gems such as Koudelka and Shadow Hearts deserve the spotlight!

[@ShuriBear]

It's insane how well your editing is getting!

[@vamp-shy]

oh man, i’ve loved your videos for a long time for background noise, but i never would have expected you’d cover an entry from one of my life-long favorite series! such an amazing gift to wake up to!!! 🖤

[@ALLCAPSKELL]

Now we’ll never know what Koudelka is the Dark Souls of. 😭

[@thelegendofner0]

It's the Dark Souls of jrpgs.

[@thecandlemaker1329]

@@thelegendofner0 Dark Souls is a Japanese RPG itself...

[@zeroskaterz92]

Well, the topic here is about horror so you could say that it's the Dark Souls of Survival Horror.

[@KirbyFanDude]

I don't think it's a dark souls of anything, if you're implying what I think you're implying...

[@kristian1553]

Actual subtitles are so much appreciated.

[@RagnarRoxShow]

I always try to make sure that full English captions are available on launch, glad it's appreciated!

[@ThePotatoWitch]

I consider myself incredibly lucky that I actually picked up a copy of this game waaaay back in the day, when I had more disposable income and was on a, "buy all the games now so I'll have them to play when I'm broke," kick. Still got the manuals and everything. I didn't know it was actually worth so much.

[@varnavak568]

I loved Shadow Hearts when I was young. Never knew the history of it.

[@hey.bbyl0n]

the perfect background noise to listen to while i do late night work ❤️

[@NyneIX9]

Awesome video and explanation of its rarity and how to get it. Such a sad story about a game that was pretty much ahead of its time. Also, I still have "Shadow Hearts" game that was mentioned at the end of this video. I have never played anything like it since then. Can't wait for the next episode!

[@KayBit]

It's really neat seeing people talk about Koudelka! ;A; I really enjoyed Koudelka and the Shadow Hearts series ;w; (Also clips from Chrono Cross

[@Dr.UldenWascht]

Thank you for brining this awesome game into spotlight. What a magical experience the 15 year old me had with this game when it released. And I can't believe that I have a physical copy of this stored somewhere 😄 It's no wonder why it felt way more mysteriously alluring at the time than its contemporaries. Also, I have to admit, the young me had one his first videogame-character crushes on Koudelka 😅 ( _sighs_ ) Good times.

[@gae_phrog]

So I just dug out my old ps1 today, found Koudelka and didnt remember much about it. So i did a little yt search and found your video. I bought it maybe 8 years back on a flea market for like 10 bucks and now I'm incredibly happy I did. I definetly need to play the whole thing. Great video, all the background info is really interesting! and also I didn't know I owned a game thats that hard to get / so expensive. I even have it in a jewelcase. Made me kina happy tbh

[@JoshuaJacobs83]

I love the layout of your videos. I’m not sure when I subbed but the way you have the game name appear in the corner, the way you have spoiler warnings and content warnings-it’s exceptional. And your choice is fantastic. Never played this but it’s been on my radar

[@vinnheim9541]

People who just want to play old games - "Wait it's all emulation?" The pirates - "Always has been"

[@IokaUma]

I've never met anyone else who has played Koudelka. I'll always remember how I acquired my copy, I loved the game so much I would rent the copy from my local Blockbuster every couple of weeks. The store manager noticed that I was the only one who ever rented their copy, so one day when I went in to rent it again he offered me the opportunity to buy the game for £10, to "clear out old inventory". I snapped it up and still have it to this day, even though at the moment I don't have anything to play it on! It's a shame more people didn't give it a chance.

[@pringerx1337]

Scariest part of this game were the enemies that made your stats go down. The changes were permanent.

[@michelletyler9161]

I never came across those, and I played so many times, where were they in the game? I’m curious to find them.

[@SchrollShepard]

Wait, fucking what? Permanent? Screw that. I didn't know this game existed until I watched this video, and I'm now eager to play it, as it seems really cool. Could you please tell me how to avoid those enemies? Nothing I'd hate more than having my stats permanently lowered. It's the kind of thing I would drop the game over.

[@blaze45ful]

@@SchrollShepard It's not so terrible, as the enemies that lower your status are kinda rare, or don't use that as often, if you don't run away of battles too often, as Level Up is fast in this game, just focus your characters like Koudelka in magic and one kind of weapon, Edward with melee only weapons and James for healing and buffing, so you don't have to worry too much about it.

[@SchrollShepard]

@@blaze45ful I see, thank you for letting me know.

[@glenngratz4077]

@@blaze45ful I do remember that these monsters exist; if I recall correctly they show up when the party first gets split up or falls in a pit somewhere. Thankfully the game does provide Stat increasing spells as well, though those are not permanent.

[@Chiradori]

Just what I needed to relax after listening uni lectures for hours. Thanks so much Ragnar!

[@FMagl]

AWESOME!! Subbed, totally! I got into Shadow Hearts from the third game and eventually tracked down the rest of the series and Koudelka! I'm so, so glad you made this video and unearthed Koudelka!

[@alexbadila1]

I love that you shed light on underrated horror gems such as this. I really appreciate it.

[@Marcusml333]

Great video as usual - love the in-depth history of these forgotten gems. I kinda want to try games like this and more of the old PS1 classics that I've missed, but I couldn't work out the emulation. May I ask what the ambient music is during the credits part of the video? I've checked your sources but none of the tracks I could find seem to sound like it.

[@AhhPeepzilla]

Koudelka and Shadow Hearts live in my head rent free. I've lost my copy of Koudelka and it breaks my heart every time I think of it.

[@akephalos2415]

I love Koudelka and I never thought I'd see it get such a beautiful tribute, let alone by one of my absolute favorite YT Game Essayists. Thank you RagnarRox.

[@SenguMuramasa]

While I was living in Japan I snatched a copy of Koudelka for 100 yen (roughly 0.80€) and I was amazed by the quality of this game also being a fan of the Shadow Hearts trilogy. You surely gave it an amazing highlight!

[@farizfasha2310]

As one of the best gaming documentary channel in youtube it's such a shame you didn't have a big enough audience (imo) but keep it up, i believe you deserves to have more audiences than you do now and i hope that i will become so soon, always enjoyed you production especially the rule of rose video (although I'm too scared to watch that video again considering the subjects it discuss)

[@TheBloodswordsman]

I remember seeing Koudelka in a store, when I was a kid, and being interested in purchasing it, but I was saving up for my own copy of Final Fantasy at the time... And by the time I got the money both Final Fantasy 7 and Koudelka had been purchased...

[@lbartram4157]

Though Shadow Hearts 2 remains my favourite out of the Koudelka / Shadow Hearts saga I honestly think Koudelka is a hidden game, criminally underatted and deserves a lot more attention than it ever got. With its brilliant and effective creature design, fun puzzles, thought provoking story and themes as well as a very enjoyable soundtrack and likable characters it not only makes for a very fun game to play but it's also one of the few "horror RPGs" I've found so far that really work on every level. I especially like the strategy-RPG elements to its battle system. Also, the cutscenes still look great, even today! Super pumped to hear your thoughts on this game... also, been a long time fan / silent viewer since your early Silent Hill videos. Keep it up, you produce quality content. :)

[@goddessofanguish]

This video randomly came up as a recommendation on my feed; I loved this game & the Shadow Hearts series for years and so glad Koudelka still gets some love today. Subscribed!

[@RagnarRoxShow]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@andrewuk2781]

Finally! This game deserves waaaaay more attention. I played it 1st time this Christmas. I was stunned how playable and enjoyable this game. It aged very well.

[@GhostCarnival]

Thank you for covering this, it's easily one of my favorites and I eagerly await the shadow that follows this. It means a lot to me, and I'm sure a few others out there

[@shards-of-glass-man]

~slams the door open~ ~Incantation Again begins blaring~ Obviously just going in at the time of this comment being posted, but there's better be some embarrasing gushing in regards to the general menu design and item descriptions because I don't want to be the only one (upd: items were mentioned, satisfaction achieved)

[@identitygaming6108]

As a huge fan of Koudelka and Shadow Hearts I have to thank you for this video. I'll be sure as hell sharing this video around with my Koudelka loving buddies and with some who aren't to try and pique their interests Great job!

[@uncoolperson]

i love her overdramatic oscar performance when they get drunk near the fire

[@mathieuwiersma1660]

On a side note : Koudelka used prices are much friendlier in EU, around 20-40euro

[@campop12]

I feel so bad for forgetting I was already subscribed to this channel, I thought I was seeing a new video from a new channel I haven't seen yet. But then I saw the Rule of Rose video among the other content and I noticed, wait I'm already subscribed to this! Puttin notifications on. Your content is really good and now I'm interested in picking up this game, so maybe I'll do it once I get a week free from classes.

[@thra-x1855]

thanks man, in 5 minutes i went from never having heard of it to really wanting to play it!

[@maxaroni39]

Just wanted to thank you for the amazing videos! I've discovered so many hidden gems thanks to your channel, and I really appreciate it! I'll definitely be checking Koudelka out, and I hope to see a video on Shadow Hearts in the future! Thanks again! :D

[@Hyperversum3]

To this day, I cry that I was unable to finish the game back in the days for a series of reasons, and ended up living the ending only years ago online. Still it drove itself so deep in my brain that I still occasionaly listen to the OST for no good reason.

[@rizqi125]

aah yes koudelka and the shadow hearts series, love them

[@RainbowStray]

I've always been a fan of the Shadow Hearts series and I never knew about this game! I hope to see a SH video from you soon 😃

[@danielclark-hughes692]

Holy crap, I totally forgot about Koudelka! An absolute classic!

[@qurrywurst3915]

A good Weekend can only start with a RagnarRox video.

[@SeraidenAF]

My dad still owns this game, and plays it occasionally. It's so good, and he always gushes on it fondly, even though besides it, he's mostly high speed PVP type games.

[@InbournAnkleBiter]

This video should blow up quite a bit more since Pennyblood is now in development.

[@noneofyourbiz5973]

Thank you for reviewing one of my favourite games. I preferred this game over Shadow Hearts due to it's more adult and mature characters, darker theme and monster designs, the great voice acting that makes it feel like you are watching a play, along with the biggest factor for me being that, due to there only being three characters, it gave them much more time to develop rather than throwing in 10 characters that end up sitting on the sub bench, with barely a story of their own. Shadow Hearts fell into too many tropes for my liking and omitted a lot of the horror that made Koudelka special. However, I preferred the battle system in Shadow Hearts. I would love to see this remade, but with the Shadow Hearts battle system.

[@Listior]

I happen to own a copy of Koudelka and until today I cannot believe how they even managed to actually publish a german dub of this game which nobody bought even if is is absolutely awesome. What a gem, burried underneath mountains of ignorance! Also, Shadow Hearts and Covenant still are my favorite games of all time and I‘m always happy to meet people who appreciate them too.

[@_Digishade_]

Wow. Awesome, Ragnar. Shadow Hearts is my favorite JRPG series. I absolutely love them.

[@igodreamer7096]

Kouldeka is surely a hidden gem, just waiting for you to discovery its mysteries! xD

[@SailorSuitRebel]

I do own a copy of the game, case and all. Managed to get it only a few short years after the PS2 died at a good price, funny enough. I haven't been trying to get it running, mostly because I have, somehow, misplaced a cable on the PS1 and was bummed out when I found out that I couldn't play it on the PS2 either, so I guess piracy is the only option... Regardless! Great video and seems like a great channel overall. Subbed! :D

[@GhostandChromis]

While the gameplay itself is a little rough, I absolutely love the cast in this game because they truly feel maturely written. For the majority of the story they dislike and distrust each other and are bound by necessity. They are also given life by some fantastic voice performances, especially considering the era this game was made. While I love the Shadow Hearts series, I wish those games carried the spirit of Koudelka a little more.

[@Thatitchyguy]

I'm blown away by how natural and organic the VA sounds for a ps1 horror game I've never heard of.

[@jackwithahat8601]

Amazingly interesting, I will definitely play this in the future. I love how KZbinrs always show me hidden gems from older consoles that I had never even heard about before!

[@OtakuDono]

Well, this single-handedly convinced me to play it. I love the classic games of the PS1 era, especially survival horror, tactical RPGs and JRPGs. If I can emulate it with my potato PC I may even stream it on my other channel.

[@Pandaramaster]

Great work as always, it’s nice to see more love for Koudelka and the Shadow Hearts series 😁👍🏻

[@50kekk]

Thank you for giving Koudelka some love. It's a hidden gem and one of my favorites! I usually play that game every time autumn rolls in.

[@Chizuru94]

21:00 The german/EU version has German voice acting also and it's faboulous

[@gravesplendour3481]

Always a pleasure to hear from you and delve into the dark depths of gaming history.

[@DrRickDagless]

That Muppet's Treasure Island reference got me. Love me some Tim Curry. Excellent video as always, RagnarRox!

[@Quick-Silver206]

Your videos are of an insanely high quality my friend.

[@Quick-Silver206]

Also, hello from a fellow fan of souls, difficulty, obscure survival horror, and classic games.

[@Quick-Silver206]

Also I have been searching for a copy of this game forever.

[@DrevenSP]

Damn what a good first early morning video.

[@theladypuppetcyberpunk2022]

vídeo. Damn what a good first early morning

[@nayannmartinelli300]

Bloody F-ing Hell, a PS1 horror game with astonishing voice acting? I didn't know they were allowed to do that! I've always been curious about this game, as I read a review actually praising the game, but I've never seen a copy of it in the wild. If it means being able to play KoudeIka, I think I'll follow Tim Curry's advice and join his noble brotherhood.

[@yosukeoshida9886]

So glad I picked a used copy of this up in the early 2000s. German version though. They re-recorded all of the dialogue in German, too, and I gotta say it's been done really well. That game was super impressive for its time, and it's such a shame how the critics slammed it. I, for one, really enjoyed all of it, despite its flaws. I'd love it if reputable JRPG developer picked this franchise up again.

[@Evilriku13]

Oh they dubbed it? Impressive

[@NiakoChan]

I played Koudelka as a kid. My cousin and i would play trough it multiple times. I remember that the game was pretty hard compared to other games with similiar battle systems. I absolutely loved the athmosphere and music and the voice over. Even though at that time, i was not good in english yet. Very good horror setting and creepy as hell. Not many games successfully create such an believably dark environment. Awesome game.

[@Dacho_Shaki]

Koudelka is one of the obscure games I've played. And because of that it was endearing to me. It has some mechanical missteps but it has one of the best voice-acting performances on a platform it was released in. A lot of people praise Metal Gear Solid as a fine example of voice performance in 90's video game industry, but in Koudelka the performance sounds completely professional that I'm surprised not many people give it credit that deserves. It's a good thing I got the physical copy in time because it raised in price in those couple of years. It's definitely a rare and unique gem. A diamond in the rough so to speak.

[@FICTiVETRUiSM]

Fantastic video. Informative, entertaining and superbly edited. Great job! Looking forward to the next video.

[@RagnarRoxShow]

Thank you!

[@kikodejesus9192]

Oh my rewind time. Thanks for a wonderful retelling and review. Memories. I hope a remaster or a continuation comes. There are so many games if i am provided a way, i would rather play than pick any of the modern games. Suikoden series. Chrono trigger/cross. ResEvil 1 2 3. Persona/Shin Megami. Many other games i have now forgotten. Thank you good sir for some bittersweet memories. Be safe. Mabuhay!

[@semeras]

Hi, I've been watching a lot of youtube since quarantine, go figure, and out of a few dozen channels I've gotten to know quite well, I think yours is my favorite. Just felt that was worth sharing. Thanks for everything.

[@looney1023]

I've been meaning to play this one. Shadow Hearts is one of my favorite series, and Covenant is one of my favorite games, period.

[@MGOFor3ver]

I remember I used to use gameshark (same with Parasite eve games) to play this game when I was a kid, I found it difficult or I was lazy. A few years ago I finished it normally, and recalled how dark the story was, not as Silent Hill, but dark and sad for sure. One of my favorite survival horror games.

[@Xylus.]

I just made it to disc 4 of Koudelka. I've only ever heard mixed to negative feedback, but I'm absolutely loving this gem. I might even have to invest in a physical copy for my jrpg collection just because it's such a hidden, unique oddity.

[@TheDeliciousMystery]

i picked this up back in the day knowing nothing about it and ended up loving it but pre internet nobody i knew at the time even heard of it. I'm glad its finally getting recognition its deserved all along.

[@GanRPG]

I'm always looking for people to make videos on Koudelka and the Shadow Hearts series. Shadow Hearts is my absolute favorite game of all time, so this was a lovely surprise. Instant subscribe.

[@Externica]

I remember Koudelka and the memories are very mixed. Battles took way to long and being rather young at that time, I had no idea how to distribute the skill points, so all stats were spread identical. It didn't make the game much easier and in the end, while I started it multiple times, I only ever finished it twice. Bad Ending, of course. Never managed to beat the Gargoyle or Elaine properly and in the end, the game was too much of a slog. I still like to think of this game every onc ein a while. It received german voice acting in germany. At a time were german dubs in video games were trash, this one was professional. The VAs new how to voice act, the characters were still believeable und it was probably the best part of the game.

[@bm1747]

Holy shit, my crew would have obsessed over this back in the day. Why didn't this get more coverage?!

[@drsatanrx]

Thank you for making this video. Shadow hearts has been my favorite rpg for well over a decade and I had never heard of this gem until now. Gonna have to check it out

[@reoreo443]

I love this game! No idea who in my family bought it back then but i used to watch my sister play it when i was little. A few years ago i played and completed the game for the first time~ The atmosphere is great and the monster designs are just amazing! Seriously, i wish someone would give this game a faithful!! remake with updated graphics or just an hd remaster. More people should play it.

[@ifgezroxy]

I actually tried Koudelka a long time ago, when released. And now after all these years this video gave me the name to that game once again. Few days off from work, so when my daughter goes to bed, I will boot up Koudelka and return to that wierd, but fascinating world.