When Hammer Creative approached us to create branding and promotional graphics for their highly anticipated game Wild Hearts from Electronic Arts (EA), we were thrilled. This fantastical boss-hunting adventure is set in feudal Japan, battling giant mythological creatures. EA wanted graphics that would transport players into this rich, historical world.

Our team immersed ourselves in researching the artistic styles prominent in medieval Japanese art and illustration from that era. We studied traditional woodblock prints, ink paintings, and early Japanese artistic techniques. However, we didn’t want to simply recreate flat, static imagery.

The challenge was breathing life and movement into these traditional art forms through cutting-edge animation. We experimented with new techniques to animate hand-drawn lines, textures, and colors inspired by ancient Japanese illustration in mesmerizing ways.

The final graphics package features animated transitions, loading screens, and promotional assets that blend breathtaking Japanese artistic aesthetics with dynamic, modern motion design. As players move in and out of gameplay, they are whisked away into a vibrant, feudal Japanese world.

But we didn’t stop at simply replicating historical art styles. Our designers pushed the boundaries even further, developing fresh, wholly original graphic looks inspired by medieval Japanese art. These innovative visuals evoke the time period while feeling wholly new and unique.

From animated Japanese characters to mythological beasts bursting onto the screen in striking ink illustration styles and proceedural clouds and ink animations, our graphics immerse players into the feudal Japanese setting of Wild Hearts like never before. This comprehensive branding solution captures the magic and wonder of this mythical world.