Shadow Hearts is a role-playing adventure of romance and the occult, set in the early 1900s and driven by a turn-based combat system. Players take the role of Yuri Hyuga, an "Harmonixer" who can take the forms of other creatures and beasts. Following a soft voice in his head, the hero finds himself rescuing Alice Elliot, the daughter of a famous exorcist. Alice was nearly taken prisoner on a train during a journey to China. As her kidnapping is foiled, the real story begins. Players travel through China and Europe, searching for the mysterious man who tried to capture Alice and unraveling the villain's devious master plan. Other good-hearted characters may join the hero on this quest, each adding distinct personality and new abilities to the mix. The game features more than 100 different monsters to battle, over 200 magical items to find and use, and 20 different creatures types that the hero, Yuri, can learn to become.