Shadow Hearts creator working on new video game

Matsuzo Machida, the creator of the Shadow Hearts PS2 series and 2010-launched Arms’ Heart for PSP, is working on a new video game, the developer revealed.

“Unfortunately, I can’t reveal any details about it right now, but I’m working on a new game,” Machida told Italian website Geek Gamer in an extensive interview. “In the future, I would love to create a western adaptation of it.”

Whatever it is, it likely won’t be a Kickstarter project. Earlier in the interview, Geek Gamer asked Machida’s thoughts on using the platform for creating an RPG with the features of the Shadow Heart series.

“I know crowdfunding and if I was to have a potentially successful idea I wouldn’t mind using it. I think highly of [Shenmue III‘s Yu] Suzuki, [Mighty No. 9‘s Keiji] Inafune and all the other colleagues who bravely decided to try it, and I wish them the very best. I guess that there are people interested in an RPG with features from Shadow Hearts, but I also feel that they are a minority compared to fans of other RPGs in general. On a personal level, obviously the presence of such fans is indeed precious. Should I get the chance to, one day I would like to create something able to answer their expectations, and I would definitely throw all of myself into it.”

Geek Gamer also asked Machida if we would ever see remastered versions of the Shadow Hearts games.

“Currently there’s no such project, but I will continue to work hard with the rest of the staff to make it so that one day it will be possible,” Machida said.

Following the release of Shadow Hearts and Shadow Hearts: Covenant (Shadow Hearts II in Japan), a spin-off called Shadow Hearts: From The New World was launched. A proper Shadow Hearts III was never released. But Machida has shared some information about the would-be title.

“Shadow Hearts III doesn’t exist yet (meant as a progression of Yuri’s story, Shadow Hearts: From the New World is the third chapter of the saga, but is not linked to the previous chapters), but I don’t think that the bad ending of part II is the real conclusion,” Machida said.

“I can’t tell you exactly what inspired that, but I’m sure that Yuri (the player), after seeing the destiny of part II, will lead Shadow Hearts I towards a good ending, proving that the actual conclusion of part II is a positive one. I’m sure about that.”

Shadow Hearts artist Miyako Kato prepared illustrations of Jinpachiro Hyuga (Ben Hyuga), Yuri’s father, and Kiheita Inugami, Kurando’s father, who would’ve been the protagonists of Shadow Hearts III.

Thanks, NeoGAF.