When I played the original Shadow Hearts, Alice always kind of bugged me because she was so helpless and I was tired of the male lead and female lead always falling for each other in every RPG.  However, halfway through the game I started to like Alice more and was really enjoying their progressing relationship.  I thought it was cute how they were very open about their feelings and it was actually quite believable, whereas in most games the female falls all over the guy and he just magically falls in love with her too.  I thought it was sweet how they really both liked each other, and I went online to figure out how to get the 'good' ending so that Alice would live.

When I got the second game, I was not happy to find out that it followed the 'bad' ending where Alice had died.  Throughout 90% of the game I was expecting it to turn out to be a Yuri and Karin romance, and was completely shocked that it didn't.  I was thrilled that Yuri still loved Alice and did what he could to make sure the curse didn't take away his memories of her.  Although it was a bit sad seeing Yuri die in the end, it was bittersweet because he got what he truly wanted -- to be reunited with the love of his life, Alice.

- Liz