Overview:
- Estimated achievement difficulty: 2-3/10 [based on SRPG skill]
- Offline: 12 [200]
- Online: 0
- Approximate amount of time to 200: 12-15 hours
- Minimum number of playthroughs needed: 1.5 [with a properly timed save file - refer to 'Abbreviated Walkthrough' for explanation]
- Missable achievements: 4 ["Explorer", "Wanderlust", "Champion of Sostegaria/Hero of Sostegaria", "Serenity and Fury"]
- Does difficulty affect achievements: No
- Unobtainable/glitched achievements: None
- Extra equipment needed: None

Introduction:
Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment is a prequel to the successful Vandal Hearts series, launched decades ago to mass appeal. Created in 2009, this is a throwback to a genre not well represented on the 360, but is a fun little SRPG that should tickle the fancy of anyone who enjoys the genre. You begin the game in control of your main orphaned protagonists, Tobias and Calvin, as you are going through the motions of yet another day at your church's school's training program. Attacked by raiders, you and your mentor must defend yourselves and unravel the mysteries and adventures that ensue.

Of the achievements, five are unlocked simply by playing and finishing the story, netting you 80. If you're aiming towards 100% completion, two playthroughs are needed but can be reduced to one playthrough and a little bit by following this roadmap. It will take at least 15 hours to fully complete the game once and reload the last part for the second ending, but it will take up to 20 hours if you're willing to do two full playthroughs.

Abbreviated Walkthrough:
Play through the game, taking note of the conversation choices you are making towards favoring Altyria and Luce, alternating between the two up until Gillbaris Research Facility (the point of no return), leading to the unlocking of "Champion of Sostegaria", "Hero of Sostegaria", and "Serenity and Fury". If you do not properly alternate your choices and make a save file in the correct location before Gillbaris Research Facility, you will require a second playthrough. Make sure you are also collecting the items required to unlock the optional battlegrounds, leading to the unlocking of "Explorer" and "Wanderlust".

Mop-Up:
As long as you follow the directions given for the story-related missables and "Wanderlust", the only mop-up will be loading your alternate save and completing the end part of the game a second time to unlock the final two achievements.

Conclusion:
Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment is a fun little SRPG that involves very little actual strategy if you are a fan of the genre or have any experience in the series, but tells a nice tale and should occupy you for 10-20hrs of enjoyment. Overall, this game is a relatively easy 200.

[XBA would like to thank Trikke and Floyd. for this Roadmap]

Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment Achievement Guide

Printable Guide
Show completed achievements
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There are 12 achievements with a total of 200 points

  • Find a hidden item on any battlefield.

     

    There will be plenty of places in the game where you can get this achievement. Just be sure to examine chests and crates, especially when you see the yellow sparkles drawing your attention.

    To unlock this as early as possible, during the battle in Town of Tolby, where one of the civilians being attacked by Kelbrun's men, you'll notice some crates with yellow sparkles next to one of the houses. If you don't see it right away from the start, use the to move around the map and use the to change the camera angle. Have a character go next to the crates (to a non-diagonal space) and examine it by choosing Action, then Examine.

  • Execute a Team Attack.

    This can be unlocked at the beginning of the game, but you'll get it throughout the game anyways without any efforts.

    According to posts from several people, there seem to be different ways to unlock the achievement, but I'll explain the quickest way to get it:

    After a short introduction on practicing melee, range and magic attacks, you'll have your first battle.
    - First, have both Tobias and Calvin get close enough to the enemies.
    - Then, when it is your turn to attack, have Tobias (or Calvin) to perform a range attack using his bow on an enemy.
    - Last, when it is your turn to attack again, have Calvin (or Tobias if the first attack was by Calvin) also perform a range attack using his bow on the same enemy.
    - Now, automatically your first character will repeat the same attack and you should see "Team attack" appear on your screen, unlocking the achievement.

  • Win a battle with 6 surviving party members.

    Don't worry too much about this achievement, as it will unlock in the beginning of Act II after leaving Dreas Village. To advance the story, you have to escape in the mining cart with all six party members alive. Utilize multiple members to hang back and cast Heal (such as Calvin and Altyria) while your front line brunts the assault to easily unlock this achievement.

  • Discover an optional battle map.

     

    Please refer to "Wanderlust" for more information.

  • Finish Act I.

    Story related and cannot be missed.

    To complete Act I, you'll have to progress through the story as follows:
    - Church of Restoration
    - Dry Riverbed
    - Devilsteel Garrison
    - Town of Tolby
    - Fort Pelgaius

    Once you defeat Kelbrun in Fort Pelgaius, the achievement will unlock.

  • Finish Act II.

    Story related and cannot be missed.

    To complete Act II, you'll have to progress through the story as follows:
    - Dreas Village
    - Dread Caves
    - Ancient Ruins
    - Large Cavern

    Once you defeat the Sandworm in Large Cavern, the achievement will unlock.

  • Finish Act III.

    Story related and cannot be missed.

    To complete Act III, you'll have to progress through the story as follows:
    - Royal Courtyard
    - Biruni University

    After the battle at the Biruni University, the achievement will unlock.

  • Raise a weapon skill to rank 25.

    Similar to many SRPGs such as previous Vandal Hearts and Final Fantasy Tactics, actions you take and attacks you make will increase your weapon skills, among other things. Keep the same weapon(s) equipped on your characters and use them throughout the game to reach rank 25 with ease. If you are having trouble with this, load up Skirmish battles for extra experience with weapon skills. Keep attacking with the same weapon to unlock this achievement.

    Weapon Skills, not to be confused with Core Skills, can be found in the Status menu of each character on the right hand side, much like Magic Skills and other miscellaneous statistics. You can check your character's status by pressing . Pressing and navigates between your individual characters. They include:

    - Sword
    - Axe
    - Dagger
    - Bow
    - Hand to Hand
    - Hammer

  • Discover every battle map.

    Battle maps are hidden in battle zones and can be discovered by using Examine under the Action sub-menu when a character is one non-diagonal space away from the correct tile. The maps will be listed in order of discovery. In order to unlock this achievement, you must win all the hidden battle maps, not just discover them.

    Once you discover and win the first hidden battle map, you will unlock "Explorer".

    If you miss it or choose to skip it during a story battle, immediately enter the Skirmish for the zone afterwards and acquire it that way. Once you get the map and unlock the new zone, you may enter that zone and fight a harder than normal group of enemies for an exceptional piece of equipment. I advise you do so as this gear is good for the entirety of the game.

    Once you complete "The Battle of Thane," the achievement will unlock as long as you have visited all eight optional battle zones.

    Note that they all MUST be visited BEFORE you visit the Gillbaris Research Facility or you will miss the achievement.

    Battle Map #1: Dry Riverbed (unlocks Swordsmen Spring)
    - In the tree up on the hill by examining the open part of the trunk.
    - Treasure: Graceblade (Sword, 16-24 damage, chance on hit for +35HP heal)

    Battle Map #2: Ruins of Tolby (unlocks Ragnar's Gorge)
    - In a small crate on higher ground across the road from a treasure chest, beside the group of four bandits.
    - Treasure: Blood Drinker (Dagger, 20-26 damage, chance on hit for all damage to be returned as health)

    Battle Map #3: Dread Caves (unlocks Trivishim's Corridor)
    - To your party's right hand side when you start the battle will be a switch beside a mine cart (the one that does NOT end the battle).
    - Treasure: Rasmus (Hammer, 16-26 damage, chance on hit for extra damage)

    Battle Map #4: Ancient Ruins (unlocks Keliask's Tomb)
    - In a stone tablet found between the two groups of enemies.
    - Treasure: Titan Helm (Headgear for Luce/Gren, HP+25 DEF+7)

    Battle Map #5: Royal Courtyard (unlocks Halls of Atonement)
    - In the King's throne at the back of the room.
    - Treasure: Runic Mask (Headgear for Tobias/Calvin/Altyria, MP+25 DEF+6)

    Battle Map #6: Biruni University (unlocks Foreign Quarter)
    - In a barrel to your party's immediate left upon starting the battle.
    - Treasure: Celestial Guard (Chestpiece for Luce/Gren, HP+40 DEF+16)

    Battle Map #7: Church of Restoration (unlocks Avery Fields)
    - In the well on top of the hill, beside the church
    - Treasure: Blight (Bow, 25-40 damage, chance on hit to poison; over 25,000 gold)

    Battle Map #8: Tiamon Vale (unlocks Gillbaris Gardens)
    - In skeletal remains on the opposite side of the tree your party starts beside.
    - Treasure: Sincleaver (Axe, 24-42 damage, chance on hit to bleed)

 

Secret achievements

  • Finished Act IV with the Altyria ending.

    Please refer to "Serenity and Fury" for more information.

  • Finished Act IV with the Luce ending.

    Please refer to "Serenity and Fury" for more information.

  • Earned both endings to the game.

     

    In order to unlock this achievement in a single playthrough, you must alternate your choices in dialogues between Altyria and Luce up until the Gillbaris Research Facility point of no return. Remember to save your game at this point as you will be referring back to it! I will list the dialogues that are pertinent to this achievement in the order they are encountered as well as which choice is for which woman.

    I personally prefer the first choice to be Altyria and then bounce back and forth evenly, as I feel this is the way the developers intended the story to play out. However, if you really enjoy the game and wish to play through it a second time, focus on one woman and then do the other the next time.

    Once the first achievement for the women unlocks upon beating the game, load your save before Gillbaris Research Facility and choose the other woman's dialogue to unlock this achievement.

    Note: If you decide to select only one branch of dialogue or use an uneven amount of dialogue choices, a second playthrough will be necessary.

    Dialogue #1: "What should we do?"
    - Luce: "Calvin, tell her to stay here."
    - Altyria: "No. She's coming with us."

    Dialogue #2: "Altyria, a spy?"
    - Altyria: "I'm so sorry, Altyria."
    - Luce: "Luce, why would he do this?"

    Dialogue #3: "Just a bunch of crazy old ramblings?"
    - Luce: "Yeah, just ignore it."
    - Altyria: "Maybe not..."

    Dialogue #4: "Do you want to fight General Daldren Gray?"
    - Luce: "Luce and Gren need our help."
    - Altyria: "We've done our part."

    Dialogue #5: "What are we going to do about Daldren?"
    - Altyria: "We can still stop him."
    - Luce: "Hang on. Let me talk to Luce."

    Dialogue #6: "Who should I talk to?"
    - Luce: "Talk to Luce."
    - Altyria: " Talk to Altyria."

    The seventh dialogue will occur after the Gillbaris Research Facility.

    Dialogue #7: "So much death."
    - Altyria: "It's alright, Altyria. We're here to stop this."
    - Luce: "You heard the Captain. Let's get to work!"

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