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Persona 4 Arena's release window narrowed to August 2012
Persona 4 Arena, Atlus and Arc System Works' confrontational extension of the Persona universe, was announced two weeks ago with a rather vague "summer" release window for its North American launch on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Apparently that meant "the tail end of summer," as Atlus has specified a slightly more specific August, 2012 window on the PlayStation Blog.When it does launch, the game will include the prerequisite Online mode, as well as a console-only Story mode, which Atlus is attempting to populate with the English voice actors used in Persona 3 and Persona 4. In situations where English actors aren't available, we always recommend using Scottish or Welsh actors as a substitute. Their geological proximity to England often gives them a familiarity with local dialects that can be useful when replicating an accent. ... Oh, English.
Breakfast Topic: When other players become other people
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. Since World of Warcraft is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, we know from the beginning that behind every character name on the screen is another player. However, since all we see of other players is that character, it's often hard to remember that there are real people on the other side. But sometimes, that reality sinks in fast. In my first guild as a brand-new player, I looked up to my guild master as if he were a decorated general and I was a recruit shaking in her boots. In raids, I was amazed at the respect he earned from other players. When I browsed the forums, I found threads in which the opposite faction called him out, requesting duels so they could try their skills against his. He was larger than life. Then late one night in guild chat, it was mentioned that one of our warlocks was named Matt in real life. The guild master happened to be online, and he chipped in, "Oh cool. My name is Matt too." He linked his Myspace and offered to add us. It was as if Toto had pulled aside the Wizard's curtain in Oz. Suddenly, my guild master wasn't just an epic-geared raid leader with a huge reputation and enough skill to back it up ... He was a dude named Matt, slightly balding, with two kids. This scenario repeated itself over and over, as the orcs, trolls, undead, and tauren turned out to be college students, office workers, military personnel, and stay-at-home parents. They were real. Have you ever had a moment when another player "became real" to you? What was it like?
Mozilla Firefox 4 RC for Android and Maemo now up for grabs
If you're liking what Firefox 4 for mobile already offers in its previous beta builds, then you'll certainly want to check out its release candidate that went live on Monday -- just less than six months after the browser when beta. According to Mozilla, this new build provides a better overall user experience with faster scrolling and improved Firefox Sync, along with other goodies like Awesome Screen smart shortcuts, tabbed browsing, Firefox Add-ons, and Persona themes. Sounds a lot like its desktop sibling (which has a healthy 4.9 million downloads already), doesn't it? Head over to the source page for the Android and Maemo download links, or you can have a look at Mozilla's latest video after the break if you need some convincing.
Persona 2: Innocent Sin update announced for PSP
Atlus is currently refreshing PSone RPG Persona 2: Innocent Sin for the PSP. Announced in Japanese mag Famitsu (via Siliconera), the release will be in line with that seen in Persona, adding widescreen visuals, gameplay tweaks and a new animation for the opening (the original movie will also be in there for purists). Shoji Meguro, who was in charge of the Persona remake, will direct this project. Persona 2 actually released in two parts as Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment. The latter made it to North America in late 2000, but Innocent Sin has never been officially localized for distribution. We're following up with Atlus to see if it plans on bringing Innocent Sin stateside this time around. Update: Atlus has "no comment" on a North American release of Persona 2: Innocent Sin.
The Mog Log: We all live in a community submarine
This week, like the week before, has seen an explosion of controversy about Final Fantasy XIV. I have not really taken part, as I have been far too busy playing Final Fantasy XIV to care one way or the other. But after a month of people's impressions, it seems like the perfect time to dive back into the meat of the community topics -- much like we did last month around the same time, as a matter of fact. Sadly, Final Fantasy XI has been fairly quiet, both due to the anger generation systems its successor features and due to a general sense of community burnout. After all, we're about two months away from another version update, and thus far we've heard nothing about what's due for December. Still, jump on past the cut for discussions about Final Fantasy XI as well as FFXIV, with the usual dosage of commentary to accompany each.
Persona 3 Portable video highlights all-new features
The first Persona 3 Portable video walkthrough provided by Atlus summarized the story and gameplay of the original PS2 RPG. As promised, this second video highlights the new features of the enhanced PSP version. The most significant difference is the ability to play as a female character, which changes various aspects of the game's overall story. The female avatar will unlock different social links, and new potential romances. There are also two additional difficulty settings: Beginner and Maniac. In addition, players can manually control their partners, something that was relegated to AI in the original console version. Do these features get you excited for P3P -- or are you as bored as this video's narrator sounds?
Persona 3 Portable video recaps classic gameplay
While Persona 3 Portable isn't quite an exact port of the original PS2 RPG, it retains most of the gameplay of the earlier release. This overview video provided by Atlus is a perfect way of understanding the mechanics of the original game, from attending school, to making friends, and eventually fighting with your Personas. Anyone that's played the original will find themselves in very familiar turf here; however, Atlus plans on releasing a follow-up video, chronicling everything new in P3P some time soon.
NIS America to enter US anime market with Persona: Trinity Soul
NIS America isn't all about making niche video games. No, they're going to be making niche anime DVDs as well. Beginning mid-2010, NIS America will roll out their new anime line, beginning with these four titles: Toradora!, Persona: Trinity Soul, PandoraHearts, and Our Home's Fox Deity. Jack Niida confirmed that these titles will be available exclusively on DVD at first, although didn't rule out the possibility of Blu-ray, PlayStation Network and Zune Marketplace releases in the future. These series will receive a limited print, and will be available through online specialty retailers -- brick and mortar stores, like Best Buy and Walmart, will not carry these titles. Series will be sold as box sets, with approximately half a season included in each package. The press release also states that "like its video game offerings, anime titles will be available with collector's items." When questioned why NIS America would enter yet another niche market, Niida told us that "a lot of anime companies have shut down," leaving only Funimation, Bandai and VIZ Media to represent the entirety of the US anime market. NIS America wanted to pursue some of the smaller titles that would otherwise never find an English language distributor. Certainly, this is good news for Persona fans, but we wish NIS America the best of luck tackling an industry plagued with an even larger piracy problem than games.
Persona 3 Portable coming to North America on July 6
Atlus is bringing an English-language version of Persona 3 Portable to the US. The PSP version of Persona 3 isn't a direct port of the original PS2 RPG. Instead, it streamlines the experience for handheld play and adds a new playable female character, with her own "Social Links, special events, and unique romantic opportunities." In addition, P3P adds a few cameos from Persona 4, and introduces five difficulty settings, ranging from "beginner" to "maniac." The battle system has also drastically changed, with players able to directly control teammates. The UMD version will be available at retail on July 6th, with a PSN version expected soon after. Check out the box art after the break.%Gallery-83530%
Firefox 3.6 Release Candidate now available
Mozilla has dropped a Firefox 3.6 release candidate which you can download and install it now if you want to try the browser's latest and greatest. It's a big, significant update, including many bug fixes, built-in Persona support, fullscreen for open native video, and an improved automatic form fill. For developers, there's even more updates, including support for the HTML5 File API, and new features in CSS and DOM as well. Despite the recent emergence of Chrome and the continuing popularity of Safari, Firefox remains my browser of choice. It's good to see that the latest release pushes the envelope. Of course, it's fine to wait for the official version, but if you want to get your hands on the new features right away, here's your chance. Firefox 3.6 Release Candidate is a free download as always.
Persona teams reunite for new project in 2010
After the completion of Persona 4, the team responsible for the game at Atlus split in two, with one half tasked with creating Persona 3 Portable, while the other half got to work on "an original new game." According to a translation by Andriasang of the P3 Portable creator's blog, that first game is "nearing completion," and the two teams will re-form [insert Voltron reference here] in 2010. Persona 4 producer Katsura Hashino says that the re-unified team will work on "an even bigger title" in the coming year, though no details have been formally announced. We'll just have to giddily think about the impending release of 3D Dot Game Heroes in North America, while we wait for Hashino to dish. [Via Andriasang]
Persona 3 Portable features Persona 4 cameo
The upcoming PSP version of Persona 3 features a nice easter egg for fans of the franchise. According to Siliconera, Inaba, the town featured in Persona 4 will be a playable locale in the upcoming port. You must play as the female lead in order to visit the Amagiya Inn -- two years before the events of P4. There, you'll be able to meet a younger version of Yukiko. Certainly, it's not the biggest news surrounding the game, but it gives us an excuse to post this video. P3P hits Japan next month.
Persona 3 Portable DX bundle bonuses revealed
Alright, look. When Persona 3 Portable is released in Japan, it's going to be attached to an exorbitantly large 6,279 yen ($68) price tag. As long as you're shelling out so much dough for the title, why not kick that total up to 8,495 yen ($92) and spring for the game's limited edition bundle? Siliconera recently uncovered the bonus items included in the aptly titled Persona 3 Portable DX bundle: A Persona-branded t-shirt (seen above), 12 PSP jacket-sized character posters, and a 2010 desk calendar. You know what would've been a great addition to this bundle? Some Persona 3 papercraft made out of three 1,000 yen banknotes. Now that's a collector's item.
Persona 3 Portable intro shoots awesome bullets into your eyes
Do you know how cool Persona 3 is? It's so cool that it made shooting yourself in the head seem awesome.*The upcoming PSP version of the game will have some significant changes, like this new opening intro sequence and new song done by Shuhei Kita (the same performer behind Persona: Trinity Soul's intro). In addition to being able to take control of a female lead, the gameplay has also been tweaked with brand new Beginner and Maniac modes. Players will also be able to move to any location they want from the menu -- a much improved experience for handheld play. Finally, you'll be able to issue commands to square mates directly, a pretty significant change from the original PS2 game.All in all, we have to say we're very excited for Persona 3 Portable. Now, we just need Atlus to get working on an English version ASAP!*Shooting yourself in the head is not awesome. Do not attempt at home. Persona 3 is a video game, and real-life results may differ. Please consult a physician before shooting yourself in the head.
Persona 3 coming to PSP with new female character
Atlus just isn't quite done with remaking Persona 3. A new issue of Famitsu has hit Japanese newsstands and one of the most notable entries is an advertisement for Persona 3: Portable. While details are slim, the ad prominently shows a new female character standing aside the nameless main character of Persona 3 and Persona 3: FES. The ad proclaims the game will be available on November 1st, which, honestly, seems rather sudden. (No Q1 slump for Japan?) If it follows the model of the PSP port of the original Persona, we're bound to see a ton of extras remixed into the game. [Via PS3Nation]
Persona to launch simultaneously on PSN and UMD
Persona's September 22nd release is awfully close to the release of the all-digital PSP Go. So, what's Atlus to do? Release Persona on UMD and PlayStation Network simultaneously, of course! This will be the first PSP title in America to simultaneously launch in both physical and digital forms. Atlus' dual-format release circumvents Sony's earlier policy to disallow PSN/UMD releases until October 1st.While we're entirely supportive of PSN releases, we recommend you buy the retail version if at all possible. Why? Only the retail version will include the bonus two-disc soundtrack; a digital version won't be bundled with the PSN game. Considering both the UMD and retail versions will cost the same at launch, it's a no-brainer as to which version of Persona you should buy.For a full rundown on what's new in Persona, don't forget to check out Atlus' walkthrough video.%Gallery-65849%
Atlus provides video walkthrough of Persona PSP
Atlus has produced a lengthy seven minute video detailing all the features of its upcoming PSP port of the original Persona. While it's filled with some overzealous marketing talk, it does a good job of detailing the various gameplay mechanics of the game. One of the important aspects focused on in the video is the speed of battle. While you'll still be grinding and leveling up in Persona, each battle can go much faster, especially with the PSP "skip" feature.Details of the game's "negotiation system," missing from later Persona releases, are offered. For the many that have only recently discovered the Persona franchise, this should feel like a particularly new feature. In addition to showing off the game's new cutscenes and overworld map, the video also reveals that Persona for PSP will be much more difficult (or as the video says, "satisfying") than the original PS1 release -- are you up to the challenge?%Gallery-65849%
Create unique avatars and contact pics with Persona
Some people like to have unique avatars for forums and instant messaging clients. I don't. My avatars usually end up being silly pictures of myself because I'm a shallow narcissist...and a bit lazy.However, for those more creative than I, Persona [iTunes link] is a nice iPhone app in which to invest the price of a quarter-pounder. It allows the user to create a cartoon face by choosing from a variety of facial features. Hair style, eyes, nose, beard, and more are all up for grabs. When you're done creating a mini-you (remember my personality issue described above), you can set it as the contact picture for any of your iPhone's contacts. You can also save your creation to the Camera Roll where you'll be able to export it via email or MMS (assuming you have the new 3.0 firmware and don't have AT&T), publish it to MobileMe, or use it as your wallpaper if you did a particularly good job. Once on your computer, you'll be able to use it as the avatar for that cute-cat-picture forum you visit eight times each day.Persona is simple enough; in fact, perhaps too simple. The faces tend to look very similar as the options are quite limited for a dedicated app such as this. Also, what's going on behind my left shoulder? Every avatar I create is staring in that same direction! Choosing from the available options isn't very intuitive. You choose the "parts" category and then pick the individual attribute, but no moving or resizing of the facial features is allowed. And very few accessories are presented, other than odd inclusion of a plethora of choices for nicotine deployment. (Note to self: see if the folks at Persona are sponsored in any way by Philip Morris.)Overall, it's a nice idea for an app that will have moderate appeal to the forum crowds. I doubt you'll be using it again and again, though, because the app just doesn't offer much depth. But it's the user interface and lack of extensive options that tend to make the $2.99 $.99 a bit hard to swallow.[NOTE: Thanks to those readers that pointed out the incorrect price. The developer's web site showed $2.99 when I wrote this, however the iTunes store had it at $.99. I have talked with Alfonso Bozzelli, the app's author, and he is changing the site to reflect the correct price -- $.99.]
Persona to include two disc soundtrack with every copy
Click to embiggen. Atlus continues to package some of the coolest goodies with its games. The upcoming PSP version of Persona, Atlus' flagship RPG series, will include a two-disc soundtrack set ... with every copy of the game. No, this isn't some elusive pre-order bonus that you can only get from Retailer X (which, by the way, would be an awesome store to go to).In addition to the soundtrack CDs, the US release of Persona will be coming with a nifty extra that didn't make the original Japanese cut. "We are able to confirm to series fans that in addition to the all-new localization, the 'Snow Queen' quest, game content never before available in North America, will be included in this new release," an Atlus PR e-mail told us.Expect Persona on September 22nd.%Gallery-65849%
Atlus.com hacked, trojan may have spread to visitors' computers
The folks behind our favorite high school lifestyle sim/dungeon crawler series, Persona, are apparently having some internet woes. It seems that yesterday, a "third-party entity" hacked Atlus' website (currently still down) and managed to embed a trojan that, "may have made its way" onto the system. The publisher is guessing that those who may have been affected by the trojan would have visited its website between 9AM PST and 2:30 PST, give or take.While we're used to whacky press releases from Atlus, this is most certainly not one of those. If you believe you may have been affected by this trojan, the company implores you to "run malware removal software," though, more than likely, you probably aren't reading this if that's the case, eh? All jokes aside, Atlus does seem to sincerely apologize, stating, "The faith and trust of our fans is of the utmost importance to us, a responsibility we don't take lightly." Here's hoping the dirty, dirty haxxorz didn't get to you! [image]
