Koichi Ishii, speaking in Famitsu about the upcoming Seiken Densetsu 4, has unveiled the use of the the Havok physics engine in the newest Mana game.

Ishii says he was inspired by the E3 showing of Half-Life 2, which uses the Havok 2 engine, to use Havok to create a world where players interact with their environment in innovative ways. Ishii hopes to use the engine to allow players to affect their digital surroundings, adding a new element of reality to the Mana series. Surfaces and objects, using the Havok system, will be much more natural, and the player's interaction with them will also be more realistic.

The PlayStation, the platform for the Legend of Mana, did not allow for complex physics or detailed 3D. While a complex physics engine may insinuate the use of a next generation console, the system for Seiken Densetsu 4 has not been finalized, and the Havok engine has been used by current generation consoles in the past. The PlayStation 2 got a taste of Havok with Mercenaries, and the XBox experienced PSI-Ops The Mindgate Conspiracy. Both systems, as well as the PC, got physical with Max Payne 2.

Just how Ishii and his team will use the Havok engine has yet to be determined, but RPGamer will bring you news as it happens.