It is not uncommon on Kickstarter to see projects from veterans of the video game industry appear, who wish to reconnect with their fans by offering to participate in the financing of new IPs inspired by their past successes, with the results of fortunes. various. One thinks for example of Yooka Laylee, ersatz of Banjo Kazooie by former members of Rare, Shenmue 3 by Yu Suzuki , Blootstained, spiritual successor to Castlevania by Koji Igarashi who worked on a good number of episodes or more recently Eiyuden Chronicle with the Suikoden series creator Yoshitaka Murayama .
This time, Akifumi Kaneko and Matsuzo Machida
Respectively creators of the excellent Wild Arms and Shadow Hearts licenses, have come together to create the spiritual successors of these two sagas: Armed Fantasia: To the end of the Wilderness and Penny Blood. . A crowdfunding campaign that has already been successful since after only one week, nearly 1.3 million euros have been collected for an initial objective of 715,000 euros.
A double Kickstarter is not trivial. Seeing two such different projects financed by the same campaign is undoubtedly a unique case. However, this has the advantage, thanks to a shared stretch goal (funding objective), of gradually obtaining bonuses for the two games simultaneously, such as the production of console versions obtained once the million euro mark has been crossed. In fact, therefore, it is possible to help create two titles by supporting only one.
Regarding the titles of this Kickstarter, Armed Fantasia: To the end of the Wilderness will offer us a Western – Fantasy atmosphere in a universe announced as gigantic, to be explored on foot or by vehicle. It will be a turn-based J-RPG using a combat system called Cross Order Tactics based on chains of orders to use or counter depending on the situation, the duration of this sequence significantly increasing the damage inflicted or suffered . Other subtleties will obviously be part of the game to energize these clashes as much as possible. Note also that Wild Arms 1 and 3, which Armed Fantasia is largely inspired by, are available at no extra cost for PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers.
For its part, Penny Blood will benefit from a much darker atmosphere with various horrific aspects such as black magic or various frightening creatures, in line with what Shadow Hearts was able to offer in its time. Penny Blood also inherits the Fusion system allowing to transform into a monster during fights and Mental Health Points which will influence them. An investigation system to solve the murders that we will encounter will also be part of a title that promises, on paper, as a particularly attractive mature J-RPG.
It is possible to participate in the Kickstarter campaign until September 30
Count at least between 40 and 60 euros per game depending on whether you want to receive, in addition to access to the various betas, a digital or physical copy. To date, only PC, PS5 and Xbox Series versions are planned, but it is specified that if a new Nintendo console were to emerge, an output on this new medium would be possible.
So we have time to see them coming, but believe me that we will keep a very watchful eye on them. In the meantime, their announcement trailers gave us a very good first impression.
