Level-5, the company behind hits such as Professor Layton and Ni no Kuni, hired Yasumi Matsuno. Known for his work on Vagrant Story, Tactics Ogre, and Final Fantasy XII, Matsuno began talking with Akihiro Hino about making a game for Level-5.
Speaking with Famitsu, Matsuno said he was fascinated by Level-5 and could emphasize with Hino’s vision. He saw his nieces, nephews, and friend’s children playing Level-5 titles like Inazuma Eleven, but not his games. Matsuno last game was Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together for PSP.
At Level-5, Matsuno will make a brand new game, a title he had in the back of his mind for ten years. Famitsu saw concept art from the project, which has a knight in full armor with a helmet and visor covering the character’s face. Another illustration showed a character holding a rapier. The magazine also reports a character holding an axe and a Viking shield, a magician, archer, and two distorted images.
Matsuno said he believes elementary school aged kids will enjoy his game. Hino said the game will not be epic in scale, but rather a compact title. Matsuno says he should be able to finish production within two years. Matsuno commented on the freedom of being able to work on a new game and compared it to creating Ogre Battle for the Super Famicom where he can design the way he wants to.
