When it comes to crowdfunding platforms,Kickstarteris consistently one of the most popular options for a project to be hosted on. Gaming-related campaigns on Kickstarter are some of the most popular, as dedicated fans and passionate members of the industry can fund projects based on some beloved properties. This had led to Yacht Club Games' retro-styled platformerShovel Knightor legendary game designerYu Suzuki creatingShenmue 3after smashing through its crowdfunding goals. Another Japanese game design veteran and producer of theWild Armsseries, Akifumi Kaneko, is starting a Kickstarter campaign to fund a spiritual successor to the classic JRPG series.
TheWild Armsfranchise started back in 1996, and it was a JRPG that not only drew from European fantasy elements, but Wild West themes too - resulting in something similar to other manga at the time likeTrigun. This spiritual successor is known asArmed Fantasia, and it is looking to follow the same roots as its inspiration, being a westernpunk fantasy. For fans looking to see if the game is worth investing in, the firstKickstartertrailer forArmed Fantasiahas been uploaded.
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This trailer shows how theWild West settingis utilized, where players can run across a vast desert, and the whistling theme is a good fit for the game. The footage also provides looks at the three playable characters ofArmed Fantasia, including wildcard protagonist Ingram Goodweather, his bespectacled friend Euclid Sturges, and a blonde woman known as Alicia Fairhead who is from an organization that controls the world.
The trailer also briefly gives a look at how theJRPG combat systemwill work in this game, along with how it differs fromWild Arms. The trailer shows off the mix of European Fantasy and Wild West themes, as they influence both the enemies and settings, with a monster and a castle both featured. These genres are also reflected in the weapons wielded by the party members, as Euclid and Alicia have melee weapons while Ingram is reliant on his gun to fight. The turn-based system sees both sides attacking all at once, utilizing an “Order Chain” during battle. A player can also interrupt an enemy’s attack by utilizing a “Force Break” when the “Force Gauge” has reached a certain amount.
This project is part of a bigger campaign, which hopes thatboth aShadow HeartsandWild Armsspiritual successorcan be funded. The other game that is a part of this campaign is known asPenny Blood, a gothic horror title from formerShadow Heartsproducer Matsuzo Machida. Fans can fund either game or both in this Double Kickstarter.
