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Evo 2015 line-up announced, double helping of Smash
Super Smash Bros Wii U and Melee are two of the nine games already confirmed for this year's Evolution Championship Series. As revealed during last night's Twitch stream, the line-up for Las Vegas this July also includes returning games Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Ultra Street Fighter 4 and Killer Instinct, The remaining four games are new for this year, and they are Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Guilty Gear Xrd Sign, Mortal Kombat X and Tekken 7. Recent years have seen more games added closer to the event, though a roster of nine is already on the high end for an EVO championship. Whatever the full line-up proves to be, it's coming to the Bally's/Paris Las Vegas Casino, where the world's fighting game specialists will duke it out across July 17-19.
PSN Tuesday: Shadow of Mordor, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Today's PlayStation Store update rolls out with a large selection of featured games, marking the digital debuts of Monolith's stealthy action-RPG Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Atlus' 2D fighter sequel Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. The PlayStation 4 and PS3 share a number of premiering titles this week, including NIS America's tactical RPG Natural Doctrine, Koei Tecmo's large-scale brawler Warriors Orochi 3, and Sherlock Holmes: Crimes & Punishments. Notable Cross-Buy releases include the retro-styled RPG Pier Solar ($14.99) and vibrantly colorful rail shooter Futuridium EP Deluxe ($12.49). This week also brings a handful of retro arcade compilations to Sony platforms, marking the PSN debuts of featured classics like Pole Position, Mappy, Gaplus, and The Tower of Druaga. Today's five Namco Museum releases are priced at $5.99 apiece. [Image: Warner Bros]
Scenes of Calm and Chaos: Artists on fighting game backgrounds without the fights
The hand-drawn fighting game background is a fading art, kept alive by the crew at SNK Playmore, keeping the lights on in the King of the Fighters series and the tireless hardcore savants at Arc System Works. Brawlers like Super Smash Bros. 3DS, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure All-Star Battle, and Ultra Street Fighter IV maintain fighting games' presence in the mainstream gaming world, but only outliers like Persona 4 Arena Ultimax keep the old ways alive. Lush two-dimensional backgrounds like these inform fights in subtle ways. They're not interactive, never allowing for ring-outs or environmental effects, and their animations are slight, repetitive so as to not draw attention away from the action happening in the foreground. When Rose wraps Ken Masters in her scarf and shocks him, there's no surrendering your gaze to calm Grecian architecture around them. Free of those fights, though, is there anything left? What do these backgrounds have to say on their own as singular works of art? Joystiq asked three professional artists to examine this sprawling gallery of animated fighting game background culled from famous SNK and Capcom fighters like Street Fighter II and King of the Fighters '94. Here's what they had to say.
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]
Joystiq Weekly: Destiny's loot cave, Shadow of Mordor review, building narratives and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Season passes that add content to separately-sold video games that also offer bundled in video games? Ubisoft's dollop of Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China on top of this year's double-portion of Assassin's Creed is interesting, both due to being bundled in a season pass and its sidescrolling platformer nature. We're already looking forward to when season passes include trilogy HD remasters, which will in turn include their own season passes, complete with spinoff-pack ins. Everything is connected, you see. There was a lot more to this week than alternative business strategies though. Have you heard of a little series called Super Smash Bros.? What about Lord of the Rings? We've got reviews of the latest (interactive) installments in both, as well as news of Destiny's loot cave, features on developing narratives and what developers and YouTubers think of Steam Curators. They're all joined by many other stories, waiting for you after the break!
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]
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax review: Tune in, knock out
There's no rest for the wicked, but there's even less for those trying to save the world. Less than 24 hours after the events of Persona 4 Arena, the malevolent (yet adorable) General Teddie has returned to kick off the P-1 Climax fighting tournament. In Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, the heroes of the first fighter return to once again battle the Shadowy scourge with hyper-kinectic 2D fisticuffs, but this time they're joined a by host of new, yet familiar faces from Atlus' Persona role-playing games and a psychopath who forgoes the aid of a Persona in favor of wielding two serrated katana. Crucially, beneath these additions lies a combat system that's not quite novel, but builds on its predecessor in ways that should appeal to both new players and series veterans. Unfortunately, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax faces an uphill battle. That gameplay description could easily apply to the original Persona 4 Arena, leaving fans to wonder if this new game brings enough to the table to warrant a wholly new fighter. Developer Arc System Works seems to think so, and luckily for fans, the studio still has a few tricks up its sleeves.
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.
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]
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]
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]
Watch out for free Adachi DLC when Persona 4 Arena Ultimax launches
Oh, Tohru Adachi. So clumsy, so silly, so charmingly incompetent. We bet you're not going to be any harm whatsoever as a DLC character in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. That must be why Atlus is making you free to acquire during the fighter's launch week (after which the DLC will require payment) So... yup, there's nothing to worry about here whatsoever. Now you're safe and secure in that knowledge, why not relax and watch an hour of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax in action? You'll find Atlus' recorded stream below the break, showcasing some of the follow-up's new combatants including Sho, Rise and Ken (of Persona 3 fame and not Street Fighter sadly.) Apart from new characters, Ultimax brings new story modes to the returning ones, along with alternate shadow characters that play differently, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is due to launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 this fall.
Seen@E3: Persona art director Soejima puts pen to posters
Lucky Persona fans have been waiting patiently at E3 to get posters signed by Shigenori Soejima, the art director and character designer for games like Persona 3, 4 and Q. If you love the art in Persona - like any sane person should - Soejima is the man to thank.
Feel the burn in this Persona 4 Arena Ultimax character trailer
Sho Minazuki sho is fiery in this Persona 4 Arena Ultimax trailer (sorry, we had to). Sho is a new character in the Persona series, and the video gives us a little backstory before jumping into the actual fighting – it's all in Japanese, but the images are pretty clear. He has an evil, creepy grin, and a red scar that glows when he's enraged. He also throws a vicious tantrum, apparently. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is due out in the fall for Xbox 360 and PS3, for $60. Pre-orders are live now. Ultimax is a fighting game that expands on 2012's Persona 4 Arena, which we found to be delightful. [Image: Atlus]
Persona 4 Arena removed from Europe's PlayStation Store
Persona 4 Arena and all its DLC are no longer on the PlayStation Store in Europe, all of a sudden. When asked about the disappearance, Sony Europe's Jawad Ashraf could only note the fighter was removed by request of "the publisher." "I haven't been given any information as to why, just that we obliged with the request," Ashraf said in the PlayStation Blog comments. "Sorry I can't be more transparent."
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax priced at $59.99, pre-orders now live
The stars of the Persona series are winding up for another bout in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, which will host its brand of 2D fighting on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Ultimax won't be out until the fall, but you can plan really far in advance right now by pre-ordering the $59.99 fighter at GameStop, EB Games, Amazon, Newegg or Video Games Plus. The associated press release notes that there will be pre-order incentives, but it doesn't offer hints to what those will be, nor does it specify whether any will be exclusive to a particular retailer. Ultimax is an expansion on 2012's Persona 4 Arena and follows the cast's participation in the P-1 Climax, a round of battles that must be conquered before the world ends. Several new characters will tag in as playable fighters, including Persona 3's Junpei Iori and Yukari Takeba, as well as Persona 4's Rise Kujikawa. There's also a debut from the crimson-haired Sho Minazuki, who will assuredly be pleasant to deal with. Utlimax is one of four Persona games heading to the West this year, including the Vita's left-field rhythm game Persona 4: Dancing All Night and the PS3-bound Persona 5. [Image: Atlus]
Rise Kujikawa confirmed to be playable in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax
Former teen idol Rise Kujikawa isn't staying idle in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, after Famitsu confirmed her as one of the game's playable fighters. The original Arena introduced the Persona 4 starlet as a non-playable announcer, but in the enhanced follow-up she's one of a bunch of new fighters including Yukari and Junpei from Persona 3, and a character that's brand new to the series, Sho Minazuki. The news gives credence to rumors that Ken Amada, Persona 3's youngest (human) protagonist, also features in the Ultimax roster. As Siliconera reported, a now-baleeted Best Buy listing noted both Ken and Rise as playable in Ultimax. It also mentioned a total of six newbies, indicating there's another fighter we've yet to hear anything about. We'll likely find out soon enough, given the game is due to hit PS3 and Xbox 360 sometime this fall. [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]
