A new development diary appeared for the twin Kickstarter for JRPG’s Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood, including concept art for a transforming weapon and a wind-powered monster. The Armed Fantasia update is written by Hiroki Ishii, while Matsuzo Machida penned the one for Penny Blood.
In the section for Armed Fantasia, Ishii mainly described development continuing on the story, with new dungeon gimmicks and UI elements being developed. Ishii commented that the response from bee tribe Digital Studio, which is working on the 3D designs, has been swift and that he thinks the last boss is really cute. He also included some concept art of a mechanical katana weapon with a short video of its transforming animation, which he promises will have impressive effects added later.
Machida’s section began by discussing negotiations with publishers in a post-pandemic industry, which he described as being in a “slump.” He also introduced a Halloween themed piece by illustrator Kato Miyako. A concept design for a fusion monster called Ronan the Mad Tempest Knight, which he described as a more support oriented monster akin to a bard class, appeared too. Finally he elaborated on the greyhound racetrack area depicted in the final piece of concept art, which is inspired by 1920s America. Party member Luca, who can transform into a wolf, will take part in these races as training, where Machida ominously remarked that he won’t only be racing against other dogs.
Yoshitaka Hirota, lead composer for Penny Blood, also left a message delving into his thoughts on the importance of sound lists. He announced that he is planning a YouTube stream for October 29, 2023 where he will be working on music for the game.
You can see some of the concept art in the gallery below:
Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood are new projects featuring development staff from classic games Wild Arms and Shadow Hearts. The projects’ double Kickstarter campaign finished successfully in 2022, and the teams have been releasing monthly development diaries since.
Armed Fantasia and Penny Blood are being developed for PC, Xbox Series X and PS5, with Penny Blood scheduled for a Spring, 2025 release. You can find more updates on the games’ Kickstarter Page.
