Aruze has opened the official website for Shadow Hearts From the New World for PlayStation 2. As previously announced, the game takes place in the United States in the year 1929. According to a widespread rumor, monsters have appeared across the country.

The game's protagonist, 16-year old Johnny Garland is a private detective living in New York. His parents died in an accident in which he also lost a very important memory. After being released from hospital, the bright and optimistic teenager inherits his father's significant fortune. While he usually has to search for missing cats or observe cheating spouses, one day a suspicious man approaches him with a quite different request: He is asked to find a suspect in an assault case. Being out on bail, the man has disappeared. Johnny has no trouble locating the suspect, but to his horror a monster appears and swallows the man alive. Just as the monster wants to make Johnny its second dish for the day, a man comes crushing down through the ceiling. Standing between Johnny and the monster, he is radiating a pale light and looks like a birdman. Afterwards, Johnny has no choice but start to take a closer look at his own forgotten past.

Shadow Hearts From the New World's heroine is a 21-year old native American by the name of Shania. The beautiful lady is capable of borrowing power from the spirits, granting her special abilities. Currently she is working as a bounty hunter, exterminating monsters where ever they appear. She always acts nicely in front of others, but in her eyes one can usually sense a strong will, comparable to burning rage. While being in New York, she runs into Johnny, and after sensing the power of a certain being, decides to team up with him.

Just like its prequels, the third installment of Shadow Hearts will not only take place in one city. In addition to New York, players will also get to see the locations like Grand Canyon and Chicago. The development team at Nautilus has modelled the large field maps after cities like New York, Las Vegas, Chicago in the 1920s as well as landscapes in Guiana and Iguaca, Inka and Maya ruins.

The popular Judgement Ring system will also make its return in an updated form.

Shadow Hearts From the New World will be available in Japan sometime this summer.

• IT Media Games

• Official Shadow Hearts From the New World Website