Shadow Hearts 2 announced by Aruze

According to the latest issue of Famitsu magazine, Aruze has announced Shadow Hearts 2 for the PlayStation 2. Shadow Hearts 2 takes place during World War I, half a year after the original game. The story begins in the French village of Domremy, which is historically known as the birthplace of Joan of Arc. There are two main characters in the game--an exorcist named Nichol, who has been sent by the Vatican to defeat the village's demon, and a German lieutenant named Karen, who is the only surviving member of her troop, which was sent in for the same reason. Nichol and Karen travel together in the game, going from Europe to the Far East as they slowly learn more about the demons and their true enemy.

Shadow Hearts 2 will feature improved graphics, and a new feature in the battle system will allow for combination attacks between the party members that have been selected for combat. The variety of normal attacks has increased, with the game having new attack methods such as floating the enemy into the air. The judgment ring system is still present in the game.

Shadow Hearts 2 is currently 70 percent complete, and it's in development at Aruze's subsidiary Nautilus. Its release date is undecided as of now.