Tag Archives: Penny Blood

“Shadow Hearts 2” Celebrates its 20th Anniversary

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Yesterday, February 19, marked the 20th anniversary of the release of Shadow Hearts 2 (SH2) in Japan, which was later released as Shadow Hearts: Covenant in the West on September 27 2004. I was super busy yesterday and couldn’t write ANYTHING all day, so I hope to make up for that today!

<<< Beware of Spoilers >>>

February 19 marks the 20th anniversary of the release of SH2 in Japan on February 19, 2004 by ARUZE. The development was handled by Sacnoth, an independent company made up of members originally from Square Enix.

ARUZE is known for its expertise in manufacturing pachislot and pachinko machines. The Shadow Hearts series features a distinctive gameplay element called the Judgment Ring system, possibly inspired by pachislots. This ring employs a roulette wheel mechanism which the player activates by pressing a button at the right time to determine the success or failure of in-game actions.

The success of SH2 led to its adaptation into an actual pachislot by ARUZE. In this version, the Judgment Ring system returns, giving players a unique experience. This system allowed players to influence the number of BIG coins earned by precisely timing their presses on the LCD, featuring ARUZE’s innovative approach in merging gaming platforms.

SH2 takes place about a year after the end of the previous game, following the bad ending in which the main heroin, Alice, dies in order to save Yuri’s, the main character, soul. This puts him down a path full of regret and inner turmoil that propels the story forward and accentuates its feeling of hopeless darkness, but over time, we get to see him come around and be at peace with his situation.

Huge improvements in SH2 over its predecessor, which released in Japan on June 28, 2001, but what has always permanently stuck in my mind for what makes Shadow Hearts a Shadow Hearts game is its sound, atmosphere, and characters. The music in the above video is just one example of the amazing tracks that were composed by Yoshitaka Hirota among a few other guest composers like Yasunori Mitsuda and Kenji Ito. To this day, it’s still very difficult to listen to “Getsurenka,” the ending theme, simply because of such beauty and perceived sadness related to the story. I’m sure if you heard the song without knowing anything about the story in the game it wouldn’t affect you as much.

The most Yuri thing in this whole video is where he saves Kallen from the bomb blast
only to completely drop her a moment later.

As a fan of the previous title, SH2 was marked a turning point in my gaming experience. Never before had a game giving me so many emotional ups and downs and utterly tore my heart out on several occasions. It is absolutely the best of writer & director Matsuzo Machida. To me, this is a sign of excellent storytelling, one that carefully orchestrates the feelings of the player. That is what a good story is meant to do, and this gives me hope for the next game.

What’s also super amazing is that both the official sites for Shadow Hearts 1 and 2 are still alive and well to this day. The domain shadowhearts.net was also just renewed and has been going strong since 2003. Amazing. Check them out in the links section below!

▶︎ The Spiritual Successor to Shadow Hearts: Penny Blood

The creative talent behind the Shadow Hearts series is in the process of making a spiritual successor in the form of Penny Blood, which actually takes place in the 1920s, and is rumored to follow the good ending of Shadow Hearts 1 in which Yuri is able to save Alice in the end. There can’t be any direct connection between the two series due to legal reasons, but we all know. It’s sad that we won’t get to see Yuri again, but we’ve already seen some interesting cameos that really stir up those very raw emotions even 20 years later.

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Additional information revealed about the Penny Blood: Hellbound companion game on the Creators Radio #15

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We heard more news and information about the Penny Blood companion game Hellbound on the Creators Radio #15 with creator Matsuzo Machida, designer Miyako Kato, illustrator Nobutaka Hanya, and composer Yoshitaka Hirota. Check out below what’s new!

The following will be listed in bullet-points:

  • Machida-san said that he really wanted to tell us that they’ve secured a publisher for the end of the year occasion, and is sorry that he can’t do that just yet… but they’re advancing nonetheless and seem rather positive about it. That’s why they feel it’s necessary to flesh out the game a little more in terms of “spin-offs” in order to catch the eye of publishers, etc.
  • There’s a really cute girl character that they’re not able to release yet.
  • Clara will be the main character in Hellbound.
  • The biggest difference between this new companion game and the main game is art design. Hellbound will use a more cute deformed style for the characters.
  • An international illustrator made the key visual.
  • The story is in the same world as Penny Blood (PB), but the genre of the game is different from a typical RPG, so the music will also have a slightly different aesthetic feel.
  • Hirota wants to make each stage fun.
  • There’s a lot of light-hearted music in the beginning, but it will gradually fade into the typical PB sound.
  • The game should be relatively low-spec, so you should be able to play on older systems. Only PC systems are supported via Steam, so if you only have a Mac, there are ways in which you can install a version of Windows on your system for the game to work.
  • The game will likely be released next summer. It was previously announced for a Q3 release, so this may be pointing toward a late summer release between July and September.
  • Hirota’s next composer’s livestream will likely be in January and will feature themes for Hellbound (Temporary date will be on Sunday, 1/7 or Monday, 1/8).
  • The team will likely have a low-key end of the year talk party on 12/29
  • The style that they’re going for with Hellbound is similar to HADES.

Be sure to follow along for additional news!

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Introducing Penny Blood: Hellbound, new companion game to be released on Steam in Q3 2024

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Check it out! New Penny Blood updates!
And it looks like we’ll be getting a brand new companion game on Steam! Beta Access comes out December 14th!

The development team behind the game PENNY BLOOD, which ran a successful kickstarter campaign a little over a year ago, just released a ton of new information that none of us could have even imagined, and this will be an add-on to the original kickstarter. See below for the details.

* Closed bata backers receive the backer beta exclusive team emblem.

▶︎ The following text is directly from the description of the above teaser trailer.

Unleash the hounds from hell and fight your way free of the otherworldly prison of Mictlan in a roguelike adventure that explores the world of Penny Blood’s darker side! Can you find the distinction between good and evil…?

Adopt the role of six hyper-powered anarchists in action-packed roguelike Penny Blood: Hellbound, as you attempt to break free of a prison unlike any you’ve ever witnessed. Die, die, and die again to collect malice and forge allegiances with fellow prisoners in order to learn new skills and enhance your abilities as you fight to escape this extraordinary hellscape.

Devised by dark JRPG mastermind, Matsuzo Machida, developed by industry veterans at Natsume Atari Studios, featuring art by Miyako Kato, and with a brand-new soundtrack from Yoshitaka Hirota and Noriyuki Iwadare, enjoy a taste of the tenebrous in this prequel to the upcoming title, Penny Blood.

▶︎ The Enemy of My Enemy (is still my enemy)

Become the Hellhounders, a band of anarchists trapped in a bizarre interdimensional prison conjured by a mysterious witch, and utilize their unique weapons, skills, and personalities to face off against formidable foes. Delve deeper into the dungeon to uncover the motives behind your arcane captors, the Celestial Rainbow, and mix and max your companion pairings to maximize on mayhem and customize the carnage.

▶︎ Uncover Shadows of the Past

Relive the Roaring 1920s and the turn of the twentieth century as Penny Blood: Hellbound takes you through the fallout of World War I and the shadowy side of the societal changes that ensued. Featuring NPCs and bosses connected to true crime and real-world history, the Hellhounders’ story gives an intimate look at some of the issues and events of the era.

▶︎ A Bloody Good Time

Bloodsurf the sanguinary surface of gore left in the wake of your destruction to slip past foes and cleave through hordes of the grotesque. Harvest energy from violence and unleash devastating attacks upon those foolish enough to stand in your way!

▶︎ Every Run Counts

Your prison cell is your hub world which you’ll be teleported to every time you die, but you won’t return empty-handed. Malice gained upon each revival can be used in many different ways to permanently increase and diversify your strengths.

▶︎ CLOSED BETA ACCESS

Anxious to paint the town red? Get in on the action early by becoming a backer on Backerkit and join the Closed Backer Beta starting December 14th, 2023. All backers receive a limited edition in-game Closed Beta Backer Emblem.

▶︎ Image Gallery

Here are some screengrabs from the official trailer. Click to enlarge.

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Pre-orders Now Open for Armed Fantasia & Penny Blood on BackerKit!

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It’s been a little over a year since the Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood Dual Kickstarter’s success, but to all those who were unable to support this endeavour during the campaign, you are now able to pre-orders some amazing items through BackerKit. These items are available to anyone, whether you were an original supporter of the Kickstarter or not! If you missed out on items before, now’s your chance to show your support!

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