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Atlus crawls back into the dungeon with Etrian Odyssey 5
Mere days after the North American debut of Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, Atlus is planning a return to lengthy, life-consuming dungeon crawls with the newly-unveiled Etrian Odyssey 5. Little is known of the next entry in the long-running, cult-hit series, as Atlus has only revealed a teaser site and the Japanese-language trailer beyond the break. Presumably it will involve first-person dungeon crawling, powerful FOE enemies and stylized anime artwork, though these are just assumptions based on the history of a series that is known for clinging to classic, well-worn gameplay mechanics. Unfortunately, along with a dearth of gameplay info, Atlus has also yet to reveal a release date or target platform for Etrian Odyssey 5. As a result, it's currently unknown if the game will reach Western shores or if it will remain exclusive to Japan. [Image: Atlus]
Persona Q review: When worlds collide
3DS When I began playing Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, I expected it to be a time-biding knockoff of the Persona franchise, meant to placate rabid fans until Persona 5 finally emerges and provides fresh meaning in our lives. (We Persona fans are a little intense, ok?) I admired the super-cute art style and was naturally pleased to see the familiar characters, but a crossover with Atlus' other long-running RPG series, Etrian Odyssey, didn't seem like a good fit, except perhaps as a marketing ploy. I was completely, totally, utterly wrong. Persona Q is a brilliant game in its own right, more than able to take its place in the Persona lineage, taking the best elements of each franchise and combining them into an addictive, hour-devouring experience.
Persona 3 spawns a third feature film in Spring 2015
Following this Summer's successful Japanese debut of Persona 3 The Movie #2: Midsummer Knight's Dream, the second feature film spin-off of Atlus' beloved roleplaying game Persona 3, the publisher has announced that a third film will reach Japanese theaters next Spring. Entitled Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down, the film centers on the stars of Persona 3 - the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, or SEES - as they attempt to finish the seemingly endless battle against the Shadows that threaten humanity. Plot details are scant, but Atlus has revealed that Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down will heavily feature Ryoji Mochizuki, the waifish scarf aficionado seen above who fans will recall from Persona 3. We don't want to spoil the character's significance to that game, but suffice to say his appearance in the film suggests that very bad things are about to happen. Unfortunately for Western fans of the Persona franchise, there's no word on when or if Persona 3 The Movie #3: Falling Down might appear outside of its native Japan. [Image: Atlus]
Citizens of Earth delayed, taking office in January 2015
The launch of Citizens of Earth has been delayed to January, Atlus announced today. The game will now enter office on January 20, 2015. Citizens of Earth was previously expected to arrive in September, then set a date for this month before its delay this week. Developed by Eden Industries, the game incites memories of other quirky, lighthearted RPGs such as Earthbound. In Citizens of Earth, the Vice President of the World investigates strange happenings in his town while recruiting 40 different citizens as battle party members, delegating his team to fight in his place. While Citizens of Earth fell short of its $100,000 CAD ($91,600 USD) goal on Kickstarter in October 2013, Atlus picked up publishing duties for the game this past April. The game will cost $14.99 (€11.99) and will be available on PS4, Vita, 3DS, Wii U and PC. [Image: Atlus]
Halloween Horror Streams: Rule of Rose shoves a dead rat in your face
One school of logic says that cumbersome controls makes horror games scarier. Resident Evil's tank controls, for example, may not let you walk with the natural fluidity of a real person, but they do often force you to fearfully, slowly back away from zombies rather than flat out turning around and bolting. It worked in the original. Some games, though, are just plain broken. Case in point: Rule of Rose. Punchline's first and only horror game is barely playable thanks to its broken interface. Trying to stab an evil puppet with a spoon and never connecting isn't scary. It's stupid. Like some of gaming's greats, Rule of Rose almost overcomes its bad control through sheer style. Bad controls or not, it is a deeply unsettling game. Joystiq's Halloween Horror Streams goes into its final stretch at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch with Rule of Rose. Children waterboard teenagers, people get poked with dead rats, and haunted airships confuse everyone. Join us for some of the most surreal scares you can get in a video game. Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, in addition to many other unpredictable times throughout the week. Follow us on Twitch to catch us whenever we're live. [Images: Atlus]
Persona Q's Wild Cards edition packs in a 3DS XL hard case
We're one month away from reuniting with Persona 3 and Persona 4's leads in the 3DS' Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, but Atlus isn't quite done tempting us with special-edition treats. While Persona Q's Limited Standard Edition will pack Tarot Card Set #2 (the first set can be earned via Persona 4 Arena Ultimax) in with the game for a combined total of $49.99, The Wild Cards Premium Edition gets a little more fancy. In addition to Set #2, Wild Cards Premium Edition offers up a CD of tunes from the game, a hard case for the 3DS XL featuring Persona Q's cast, and a 38-page artbook, which you can flip through a sample of. The Premium Edition will go for $79.99 and, like the Limited Standard Edition, can be found at Amazon, GameStop and other select retailers. A refresher of what Persona Q's demon-battling gameplay looks like can be viewed after the break, in which Persona 3's Yukari Takeba finds wholesome reasons to fight before getting some practice in with her bow. [Image: Atlus]
Nanako learns new swears in faux Persona 4 Platinum
Persona 4 Platinum might not be real, but that doesn't mean Atlus can't borrow a few ideas from this biting fan-made spoof. Spending Chanukah with President Tanaka sounds delightful. [Image: Faulerro]
Shin Megami Tensei 4 searches for Samurai in Europe, other regions on October 30
Good news, non-American JRPG fans – your extended wait for Shin Megami Tensei 4 is (probably) almost over! A recent press release from publisher Atlus lists a digital-only release on October 30 for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Since SMT4's classes started last year in the United States, the 3DS' venture will be priced at 18 or 20 euros, with DLC reaching the new regions within the month following launch. The game's most recent European delay was due to "last-minute issues" back in September, but Managing Editor Susan Arendt's review remarks that SMT4 has "more than enough going on to hook you early and keep you playing for a long, long time," so it might all be worth the wait. [Image: Atlus]
Margaret joins Persona 4 Arena Ultimax roster as $5 DLC
The Atlus/Arc System Works mashup fighter Persona 4 Arena Ultimax now has an additional pugilist available for download: mysterious Velvet Room attendant Margaret. A zoning character, Margaret isn't the best pure brawler, but she makes up for this by bringing three Personas into battle where most characters can only summon one. Like the previously free Adachi and Marie characters, Margaret is currently available on both the Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network Store at a price of $5. For a refresher course on Margaret as a character, the Megami Tensei wiki has a full rundown on her roles in both Persona 3 and Persona 4. For more on her Persona 4 Arena Ultimax incarnation, see the video primer past the break. [Image: Atlus]
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax's Margaret, accessory DLC priced
Last month we learned that the Velvet Room's Margaret will summon ass-kickings in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, but a more-recent press release from Atlus has laid the DLC pricing-related cards on the table. Serving as both the date of Margaret's arrival and when at-launch freebies Adachi and Marie will convert to paid DLC characters, October 7 is when "all three characters will be priced at $4.99." The press release also notes rates for other DLC, including the Complete P4A Story for $9.99, extra colors and pairs of glasses going for $1.99 each (or $5.99 in two different sets), and navigator voices for $2.99, with options including Teddie, Yosuke, Aigis, Nanko, Mitsuru, Adachi and Fuuki. While you're determining the exchange rate for converting your love of Persona into funds for DLC, you can watch Margaret show off some combos in a trailer after the break. [Image: Atlus]
T-shirt, tarot cards join Persona 4 Arena Ultimax in Europe
Hyper-kinetic 2D fighter Persona 4 Arena Ultimax won't reach Europe until November 21, but Persona fans on the other side of the Atlantic can look forward to two additional bonuses, assuming they pre-order the game from online retailer Rice Digital. For £38, customers can now pre-order the Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Fan Edition, which includes a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 copy of the game alongside a "free mystery t-shirt" and the "Tarot Card Set #1." According to the Rice Digital listing, those vague descriptions indicate that the design of both shirt and tarot cards has not been finalized, and will be voted on by fans at some point in the future. If you're located outside of Europe, don't worry, Rice Digital is willing to ship the Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Fan Edition to a long list of foreign countries, including both the United States and Canada. For those willing to forego the shirt and deck of cards, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will reach North American retail shelves on September 30. [Image: Atlus]
Kanji's crew busts a move in new Persona 4: Dancing All Night trailer
Vita-exclusive rhythm game Persona 4: Dancing All Night is still a ways off -- it's currently stuck in "TBA 2015" territory as Atlus gears up for the North American launch of Persona Q later this year -- but the newly released Japanese trailer above might tide you over in the meantime. Here, you can see Kanji, Chie, Yosuke, and other returning Investigation Team members show off their moves as Teddie offers his unique brand of shrill encouragement. Chill, Teddie. Chill. [Video: Atlus]
Persona 4: Dancing All Night delayed, Persona team leading development
Atlus' Persona team is now leading Persona 4: Dancing All Night's development troupe, according to IGN's translation of a blog post from the game's producer and director, Kazuhisa Wada. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva series developer and Dancing All Night collaborator Dingo will continue working with Atlus on the routine for Vita, but a delayed Japanese release to January 2015 suggests the rhythm game needs some more time to practice. Dancing All Night was first announced alongside spinoff Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, fighter expansion Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and the next entry in the main series, Persona 5. We know that P4 Arena Ultimax's ring opens on September 30 and that Shadow of the Labyrinth's dungeons will flood with monsters on November 25, but Persona 5 and Dancing All Night share a less specific launch target of 2015. [Image: Atlus]
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax heads to Europe courtesy of Sega
It's been up in the air, but Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is confirmed now to be coming to Europe and other EMEA territories. Sega revealed it's publishing the follow-up fighter in November, with retail and downloadable versions on the way for PS3 and Xbox 360. Atlus is bringing Ultimax to the Americas on September 30 without region-locking, in contrast to the controversial decision to region-lock the first Persona 4 Arena. That decision caught more attention when the game was delayed by nine months in Europe. Distributor Zen United has since returned the P4A digital rights to Atlus.
Shin Megami Tensei 4 delayed once more in Europe
Atlus pushed back the European release of Shin Megami Tensei 4 to October, fueling the idea that when game and continent finally meet, it'll be a universe-imploding, hell-frozen-over act of irrevocable consequence. The 2013 3DS JRPG was due to launch this month in Europe after a year of silence about it ever reaching the region. To Atlus' credit, PR Manager John Hardin explained the delay was due to a few "last-minute issues specific to the EU version, and the studio's keenly aware of what's been a long wait.
Margaret joins Western cast of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Atlus has made it official: Velvet Room attendant Margaret will be joining the cast of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax in the Americas as post-launch DLC. Fans of the Persona roleplaying game series will remember Margaret from Persona 4 as the dapper assistant of the mysterious Igor, lord of the equally mysterious Velvet Room. Since Margaret has such close ties with the likely supernatural Igor, she boasts more than her fair share of Personas. According to Atlus, Margaret will enter battle armed with "three Personas, Cu Chulainn, Yoshitsune, and Ardha, and a staggering eight Persona cards." Like Adachi and Marie, Margaret will appear after the debut of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax as a DLC character. Unlike those two, however, Margaret will only come available a week after the game's launch and will not be included in the "FreeLC" promotion that grants the former two fighters to players at no charge. There's currently no word on how much the Margaret DLC might cost. [Image: Atlus]
Etrian Odyssey 2 remake coming to 3DS in Japan this year
An upgraded version of 2007's dungeon-crawling RPG Etrian Odyssey 2: Heroes of Lagaard will premiere for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan later this year, Japanese publication Famitsu reports. Like its updated predecessor Etrian Odyssey Untold, the Etrian Odyssey 2 remake will feature a story mode that replaces player-chosen party members with a default character cast. The 3DS upgrade also boasts new animated sequences and voice acting, along with a new mechanic that allows characters to transform during battle for stat boosts. Etrian Odyssey 2 is slated to hit the 3DS in Japan this winter. Responding to questions regarding the possibility of a North American release, an Atlus representative told IGN that it currently has "nothing to announce for the United States." [Video: Atlus]
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax hits retail September 30
Atlus announced that its 2D fighting game sequel Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will debut in North America for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on September 30. Continuing the story introduced in 2012's Persona 4 Arena, Ultimax features a batch of new playable characters, including Persona 4 navigator Rise and Persona 3 core cast members Yukari, Junpei, Ken, and Koromaru. Returning characters boast an array of new moves and "shadow" variants that encourage players to develop new strategies and playstyles. Pre-order copies of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax are packaged with a bonus set of tarot cards and an inflatable Teddie bop bag. Early adopters will also get access to a pair of DLC characters -- Adachi and Marie -- who are free to download in the week after the game's launch. [Image: Atlus]
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth ships 250,000 in Japan
With 250,000 copies shipped in under a month, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth was a bright light in an otherwise quiet quarter for Sega Sammy, games-wise. It's a solid start for Atlus' 3DS RPG, which should have appeal to both Persona and Etrian Odyssey fans. For comparison, Etrian Odyssey 4 shifted 150,000 copies in roughly its first three months on sale in Japan, while Vita entry Persona 4 Golden shipped 700,000 worldwide by the end of 2013. Persona Q is still to come to the West, with releases penned in for North America and Europe on November 25 and 28.
There's something about Marie in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Atlus confirmed Marie as the second DLC character for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and like Adachi she'll be free to download during the fighter's launch week. After that, Persona 4 Golden's cap-clad scamp will revert to being paid-for content. Marie's also starring in the new Persona 4 Golden anime, which began airing on Aniplex earlier this month. So, if you're a Persona fan waiting for the deluge of games on the way - including Ultimax, Persona Q, Persona 4: Dancing All Night and Persona 5 - that might be worth a watch before things kick off this year. Persona Q is already lined up for November 25, while Ultimax remains ready to hit PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime this fall. [Image: Atlus]
