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Turn the lights on and tune into these new Daylight trailers
Daylight is the opposite of nightlight. Nightlights are meant to keep you safe while tucked into bed in a dark, silent house. They're the glimmer of assurance that no, there's nothing hiding in your closet, under the bed or behind that door. Daylight's purpose is to drive you to paranoia, anxiety and fear. It's meant to make you think that yes, there is something behind that door – and that wall. And under that scaffolding. And down that hallway. Everywhere, really. If the first trailer doesn't spook you, try the second one below. And tonight, maybe leave the lights on. Daylight is due out on April 29 for PC and PS4. [Image: Atlus]
Atlus elects to publish non-Kickstarted Citizens of Earth
Atlus announced plans to publish Citizens of Earth, a quirky RPG that follows the Vice President of the World on his quest to investigate the bizarre happenings in the town. Developed by Eden Industries, Citizens of Earth fell short of its $100,000 CAD ($91,600 USD) goal on Kickstarter in October 2013, raising just $36,875 CAD ($33,778 USD). The modern RPG takes after popular SNES classic Earthbound, with its humorous approach to world-saving adventures and includes recruiting mechanics in line with the Pokemon and Suikoden series. The Vice President brings "regular characters into the spotlight as heroes" for them to do his dirty work in battle, continuing their day jobs when not engaged in combat. The game includes 40 citizens, though ambitious fans are encouraged to enter a contest by Friday, April 18 on Atlus' site to create the 41st one for the game. Citizens of Earth is in development for PS4, Vita, 3DS, Wii U and PC and is expected to arrive on each platform's digital channels in North America and Europe in September 2014. [Image: Atlus]
First Persona 3 movie heads West with English subs
Aniplex is bringing Persona 3: The Movie #1 - The Spring of Birth on Blu-ray to 50 countries including the US and Canada on May 20. However, it'll only be subtitled in English, so don't expect to hear the dubbed voices that you're familiar with from the PS2 game. Aniplex is releasing both the Collector's Edition and the Standard Edition of the movie, and you can pre-order them now for $80 and $60 respectively - their regular prices are $100 and $75. Both editions include trailers, commercials, and audio commentary in addition to the feature film, but these specifically won't be subtitled. The Collector's Edition adds a soundtrack CD, exclusive box art, stickers, illustration cards and an 48-page booklet that Aniplex is providing a translation for. The Spring of Birth is the first chapter of the movie series based on Persona 3, and it hit Japanese cinemas last year. The second film, A Midsummer Knight's Dream, opens in the country on June 7. [Image: Atlus]
Persona 4 bearing down on PS3, out next week as PS2 Classic
Confirmed: The Year of Luigi is over, and The Year of Persona 4 starts next week. Alright, Atlus hasn't announced a year dedicated to its revered RPG, but let's face it, an April 8 PS2 Classic re-release on PS3 for North and South America, priced at $10, is the start of a pretty busy period for the Investigation Team. After all, it preludes the ever-nearing arrivals of P4: Dancing All Night, P4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona Q - which stars P4 characters. If you like Persona 4, then the next year or so should have plenty to keep you satiated ahead of the main course that is Persona 5. To celebrate the news, here's six minutes of the Persona 4 Anime's take on the King's Game scene, except in this version the protagonist, Yu, is even more of a player... [Image: Atlus]
Survival-horror game Daylight delayed to April 29
Savor the additional time you have until Daylight crams you into its creepy corridors: The first-person survival horror for PC and PlayStation 4 is missing its launch date of April 8 and moving to April 29. According to Atlus, developer Zombie Studios is taking a little extra time to tighten up the scares on level three. Atlus is also updating its pricing plans for Daylight, which will be regularly priced at $14.99. For two weeks after the game's launch, PlayStation Plus subscribers can grab Daylight for $9.99, with non-subscribers charged $11.99. Folks who pre-order Daylight on PC before launch can grab it for $9.99, then go screaming into Starbucks for that Caramel Macchiato they just saved.
Persona 4 rated for PlayStation 3 by ESRB
A content rating for an unannounced PlayStation 3 version of Atlus' PS2 JRPG Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 has appeared on the ESRB's website, hinting at a future re-release via the PlayStation Network. A PlayStation 2 Classics version of Persona 4 would complete the series on the PlayStation Network, joining downloadable PSOne versions of Persona and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the PlayStation 2 game Persona 3 FES, and PSP remakes of Persona, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, and Persona 3. Persona 4 previously saw an expanded re-release on the PlayStation Vita in 2012. Atlus announced that a quartet of new series entries -- Persona 5, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth -- will hit consoles and portable platforms throughout 2014 and 2015. [Image: Atlus]
Sega splits Index Corporation, Atlus debuts new logo
In February we reported on a plan by Sega to split its newly acquired Index Corporation into a business wing and a wing focused on developing games. Today, that division is official. As of this morning, the old Index Corporation no longer exists. In its place stand two divisions of Sega: Atlus, which develops the same sort of quirky role-playing games (like Persona) that made its namesake an attractive acquisition for Sega in the first place, and Index, which will handle the minutiae of advertising and business operations for the former division. Former Sega managing director Yukio Sugino has been tapped to lead Atlus, while former Index executive vice president Yasuhiko Hamada will lead that segment of the company. Along with the new structural change, Atlus has adopted a new logo, which can be seen above this text. It's quite similar to the old design, though each letter is now thinner and the overall color scheme is less impactful. [Image: Sega]
How to throw down in Ace Team's Abyss Odyssey
Abyss Odyssey, the new side-scrolling brawler from Chilean studio Ace Team, will offer myriad options for beating the hell out of eerie enemies. Rather than just punching bad guys and then watching them disappear as is beat 'em up tradition, you can capture enemies and use them yourself. This short video released by the studio on Wednesday shows off Judith, who can pull slick aerial combos by ricocheting energy balls off of walls and kicking opponents into them. Abyss Odyssey is different than the studio's first-person fighters in the Zeno Clash series, but Ace Team's penchant for unusual video game fisticuffs is certainly intact. [Images: Ace Team]
Persona 3: The Movie 2 gets a release date in Japan, trailer
The second Persona 3 movie is coming to Japanese theaters on June 7, Atlus announced over the weekend. It's subtitled "A Midsummer Knight's Dream," and it follows on from the first installment which hit the big screens of Japan last year. The films are adaptations of Atlus PS2 game Persona 3, in which a band of high-schoolers investigate the phenomenon of the Dark Hour, the time in each day when everyone else in the world is transformed into coffins, and evil shadows feed off people's minds. The second film is due just two days after 3DS dungeon crawler Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth hits Japanese retail shelves on June 5. There remains no news on localizations of the films, but Atlus just confirmed the West is getting the recently-announced bevy of new Persona games. That includes Persona Q as well as Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, and the small matter of one Persona 5. [Image: Atlus]
Report: Persona Q features FOE battles, touch-screen cartography
While it's long been known that Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth blends characters from Atlus' beloved Persona franchise with the mechanics of its likewise beloved Etrian Odyssey games, we've had scant solid information on how exactly this collaboration would work - until now. Famitsu, via Siliconera translation, claims that the map-making functionality of Etrian Odyssey will make an appearance in Persona Q. This gives prospective dungeon crawlers the chance to sketch out a map of their virtual surroundings using the 3DS' touchscreen. It's unknown how big a role this feature will play in Persona Q, though in the Etrian Odyssey games it was just shy of mandatory for anyone hoping to make any real progress. Likewise, Persona Q will feature FOE encounters. Officially, "FOE" is an acronym for "Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens," but more pragmatically you can think of these FOEs as largely optional boss encounters. Killing a FOE results in great rewards, but more often than not, it will be in a player's best interest to flee from the battle until properly prepared for that specific fight. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth lacks a specific release date, but Atlus has targeted the Fall of 2014 to launch the handheld roleplaying epic. [Image: Atlus]
Conception 2 ultrasound reveals giant robots, March 25 demo
Atlus' game about birthing an army of battle-babies, Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars, may not be due until April 15, but that doesn't mean eager would-be adoptive parents can't get a sneak peek ahead of that date. An ultrasound demo is scheduled to hit Vita and 3DS on March 25. Those who download the demo will be able to transfer their save file to the full version of the game when it releases, while those who complete it will also earn some in-game bonuses. Atlus also released new screenshots for the game, showing off the game's giant robots. Because of course there are giant robots. [Image: Atlus]
Zeno Clash studio mixes fighting with platforming in Abyss Odyssey
ACE Team is one again brewing up a concoction of genres in the newly-unveiled Abyss Odyssey, a 2D fantasy action platformer that's centered around a "deep fighting engine." As well as including roguelike elements such as randomly-generated levels, the Zeno Clash and Rock of Ages studio aims to feature enemy fights in Abyss Odyssey akin to the one-on-one encounters of fighting games. "For enemies, we basically have a roster of fighters," Carlos Bordeu explained in the game's debut trailer. "For instance if you're fighting a skeleton in the game, it's not just a simple enemy that moves forwards, backwards, and maybe just punches and throws bones. It's a complex AI with an equivalent moveset to your own." Players can also transform their heroes into one of the game's enemies by capturing its soul, letting them take on its appearance and moveset. ACE Team didn't reveal any details on the story in Abyss Odyssey, but it looks to reprise the ancient, mystical nature of the studio's previous work, and the first gameplay footage showcases a female playable hero. Going by the trailer, we can expect Abyss Odyssey to come to PS3, Xbox 360, and PC via Steam, but there's no news as yet on a release window [Update: Publisher Atlus confirmed the platforms in a press release, along with a 2014 release window] [Image: Atlus]
Coerce and capture demons in Shin Megami Tensei on iOS March 18
Classic turn-based RPG Shin Megami Tensei is coming to iOS on March 18. Adventurers interested in collecting demons and exploring the dank dungeons of the Atlus series' progenitor can grab Shin Megami Tensei through the App Store for $7.99. This port marks the first time that Shin Megami Tensei will be made available the West since its initial launch in Japan in 1992. The same team responsible for Western ports of Persona 4, Catherine, and Shin Megami Tensei IV will undertake translation of this lengthy RPG. This port is the first project in what will be a busy year for the Japanese developer and publisher. Earlier this week, Atlus announced it intends to localize four new Persona games in North America: Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Persona 4: Dancing All Night and Persona 5. [Image: Atlus]
Atlus confirms four new Persona games for North America
In November, Atlus revealed four new games in the Shin Megami Tensei spin-off series, Persona. Notably absent from that announcement was any information on a North American release, but now Atlus has revealed its plan to bring those games to the West. Chibi-style dungeon crawl Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth will reach the 3DS in the Fall of 2014. Atlus describes the dungeon crawl as a cross between Etrian Odyssey and Persona, that sees characters from Persona 3 and 4 plumbing the first-person depths of an alternate version of Yasogami High School. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, an enhanced re-release of Persona 4 Arena, is slated to debut on the PlayStation 3 in the Fall of 2014. Atlus' description of the fighting game mentions the addition of two characters from Persona 3, Junpei Iori and Yukari Takeba, as well as a wholly new character, the mysterious Sho Minazuki. A more nebulous "2015" release window has been attached to Vita rhythm game Persona 4: Dancing All Night. According to Atlus' description, Dancing All Night stars pop idol Rise, who returns to Inaba only to discover something called the "Midnight Stage." This Stage is populated by evil shadows, but these foes can't be defeated by simple elemental attacks. Instead, Rise will have to rely on funky fresh dance moves. Persona 5, the latest entry in Atlus' fan-favorite series, will also reach the PlayStation 3 in 2015, though Atlus offers no further information on this heavily anticipated roleplaying game. Alongside this confirmation comes a swath of new media. Above you'll see a new Persona 5 teaser, while footage from both Persona 4 Arena Ultimax and Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth can be found below the break. Screenshot galleries are below this text. [Image: Atlus]
Conception 2 screens birth eight new classes
Despite its eye-catching focus on procreation, the upcoming Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars is a relatively straightforward roleplaying game. For proof, you need look no further than this latest batch of screenshots issued by publisher Atlus. The gallery below contains eight images, each depicting one of the game's 30 character classes. The Archer is typical roleplaying game fare, but Conception 2 also introduces more unique classes. The Diva uses music to aid friends and debuff enemies while also reviving the dead, while the Gun Saint is essentially a high-fantasy paladin, only with a big gun in lieu of a sword. Conception 2 is slated to debut on the Vita and 3DS handhelds on April 15. More details on the game and its characters can be found at the Conception 2 website. [Image: Atlus]
Sega reveals plan to make Atlus into Atlus once more
In its first major move since acquiring the company in 2013, Sega has revealed plans to split Index Corporation into two separate divisions, according to a Gematsu translation of a Sega press release. Come April 1, Index Corporation will cease to exist and in its place will be two new divisions of the overarching Sega corporate umbrella. Atlus will continue to create the sort of quirky, Japanese games the company is most famous for, while Index Corporation - this new division borrows its name from the now-split subsidiary - will handle things like advertising and content distribution. Sega managing director Yukio Sugino will serve as representative for Atlus while Yasuhiko Hamada, Index executive vice president, will lead Index Corporation. Additionally, Index Digital Media, Inc. (Index Corporation's international arm) will be rebranded Atlus USA Inc. According to Sega, this corporate restructuring will allow both Atlus and Index Corporation to function more smoothly, yet remain independent to create the kind of content that made Atlus an attractive acquisition for Sega in the first place. [Image: Sega]
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Atlus bringing Conception 2 to Europe as a digital-only release
European RPG fans looking forward to birthing an army of children will have to turn to digital means to do so - Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars will reach Europe in Q2 of 2014 only on the Nintendo eShop and PlayStation Network, publisher Atlus announced in a press release this week. Conception 2, the series' Western debut, will follow a young man capable of fighting demons that come from the Pandora Labyrinth. Vanquishing monsters will involve making "star children," and since teenagers can't reproduce by budding, players will need to befriend the heroines of Conception 2. It appears each star child's aptitude in battle will also be affected by their mother's weapon of choice. Unfortunately, this means European fans won't be able to get in on the music CD included with the first run of Conception 2's physical copies. Still, digital-only is a better option than importing, as is the only choice for Rune Factory 4. [Image: Atlus]
Conception 2 hits North America on April 15, spawns new trailer
Conception 2: Children of the Seven Stars will launch April 15 in North America. Atlus recently gave players a glimpse at the seven eligible heroines in the 3DS and Vita game, and offered a teaser trailer for baby-making RPG today. Conception 2 has players assuming the role of a young Disciple with powers gifted to him by a Star God, who must birth monster-fighting kiddos to save the world by befriending the aforementioned heroines. The trailer includes brief looks at how Conception 2's combat system looks in action, using footage from the 3DS version. First-run editions of the game will include a 10-track album by composer Masato Kouda of Devil May Cry and Monster Hunter fame, which features the song heard in the trailer.
Atlus details Conception 2 heroines, first-run collector soundtrack
Are you ready to vanquish beasts plaguing the world by producing an army of children? ... Oh, you are? Well then! Atlus has shared a glimpse of the seven heroines you'll be building relationships with in Conception 2: Children of the Stars for the 3DS and Vita, complete with a second gallery of near-NSFW transformation gifs as they change outfits for battle. Prepping for battle involves producing Star Children, which means players will need to befriend Conception 2's seven heroines: Chloe, Ellie, Feene, Fuuko, Narika, Serina and Torri. Besides their personalities, the associated press release notes battle-oriented attributes for each character - Fuuko uses Dual Pistols for example, while Ellie uses a Summoning Gun to dole out magical attacks - but it's unclear how those abilities will play into battles since you'll be fighting with Star Children. First-run copies of Conception 2 will also include a 10-track CD composed by Masato Kouda (Devil May Cry, Monster Hunter series). You'll be able to start expanding your family for the sake of the world sometime this spring.
Cutesy 3DS dungeon crawler Persona Q gets another trailer
A second trailer for Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth provides a further look at the chibi-fied dungeon crawler that brings together Persona 3 and Persona 4 characters. Fans of the JRPG series will recognize the 3DS game's setting of Yasogami High School, as attended by the cast of Persona 4. As Siliconera reports, the Persona users find themselves at a parallel version of the school, which is home to a sinister looking tower. According to the rumors, those who hear the tower's bell toll will face certain death - again, this should all sound very familiar to Persona fans. How it plays may be a less familiar matter, since Persona Q integrates the battle system of Etrian Odyssey with elements from Persona. Players explore the labyrinthine tower in a five-man party of Persona 3 and 4 guys and gals, and as the new trailer shows there'll be some new characters to get acquainted with. Persona Q is dated to hit Japan on June 5, 2014.
