Persona
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Atlus Games launches online gaming and anime portal
Fans of RPGs like the Persona series and those already playing Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online should be familiar with Atlus Games. The company is branching out into online interaction via a new web portal that's a home for their upcoming (summer release) MMO title Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent as well as having a heavy focus on anime. In fact, users can draw live on the site and collaborate with others in this fashion. We've known that a web portal for MMOs and anime was something on horizon but it became official with yesterday's press release and the launch of the Atlus Online portal. Along with the rest of the wired (and wireless) world, Atlus Online is also on Twitter.
Persona's opening movie is catchy, stylish
With Persona's PSP port arriving in Japan soon, Atlus has just revealed the game's brand new intro -- and it's as stylish as those seen in the modern PS2 Persona games. The theme music also has that right Persona Jpop vibe -- classy, without being too upbeat. We're going to be listening to this track a few times during our blogging shift today.[Via PSPHyper]
New Persona trailer highlights new cutscenes, battles
It's amazing how much more clout the Persona name has now than when it originally launched in the PS1 era. The upcoming enhanced PSP port of the first Persona title is being met with newly revived interest, thanks to the critically acclaimed releases of Persona 3 and 4 on the PS2.Our readers should be familiar with the new content of the upcoming PSP title: while the graphics remain largely intact, new cutscenes and music have been added. The gameplay has been tweaked, but you'll still have to wander through flat 3D corridors.The latest Persona trailer shows off some more cutscenes from the game. Japanese gamers will be playing it in just a month, while the rest of us will have to wait until this Fall.[Via PSPHyper]
Persona battle video fuses old and new
The upcoming PSP version of Persona isn't so much a remake as it is an enhanced port. Although this gameplay sounds more like Persona 3, it still features graphics from the PS1 era of games. The new widescreen presentation and character portraits look good, yes, but it still doesn't hide the rather antiquated look of the sprites.Though this first look at gameplay is a little underwhelming, our excitement for Persona still remains. The franchise has seen quite a resurgence due to the last two PS2 games, and it'll be interesting to take a look at how the series began. Persona will be available on PSP this fall.[Via PSPHyper]
Persona PSP remake coming to the US this fall
What, you want more PSP news? Very well, how about the announcement that Atlus will be bringing the Persona PSP remake over to the US this fall. After the success of Persona 3 and 4, it was a no-brainer that Atlus would decide to bring the game over to an RPG-hungry western audience. The remake includes "a completely redone localization and content never before seen in North America," along with "gameplay enhancements and additions new to the remake."Whether or not the title will head to Europe is slightly more nebulous, as Atlus doesn't have a publishing arm in the region. Hopefully sales of Persona 4 will be high enough to encourage Square Enix to go ahead and publish the PSP remake of the original, too.
Deal of the Day: Persona 4 for $26
PS2 and BC-compatible PS3 owners, watch out! One of the best RPGs of 2008 is now available for cheap: Atlus' Persona 4 is amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day, its price slashed from $40 to $26. This unique RPG goes away from the sci-fi and fantasy worlds of most RPGs and offers a mature look into rural Japanese life. Other PS2 games are expected to drop in price today as well, so expect a Yakuza 2 discount later on.
Persona 4 comes to Europe in March
Much like its predecessor, Atlus' Persona 4 is coming to Europe via another big-name publisher. This time Square Enix is picking up the dungeon-crawler and releasing it in European and other PAL territories on Friday the 13th. That's quite a suitable date for a murder mystery tale like P4. And no that "Friday the 13th" is not today; we're talking about the 13th of next month -- March. It'll come in a two-disc set including the game and a 24-track music CD. It's similar to the bundle released in North America; however, unlike the NA release, it looks like the European version won't be getting the added 100-page art book. Pricing for P4 wasn't mentioned, though we suppose it won't break the bank.
Persona features new soundtrack and expanded dungeons
The upcoming PSP version of Persona is not quite a full remake, but it's not really a port either. The debut trailer revealed new anime cutscenes for the game, but that's not all that's changed.Siliconera reports that the PSP version of Persona will also add a new rearranged soundtrack by Shoji Meguro. Persona 3's Yumi Kawamura will perform the vocal tracks in this new soundtrack. Dungeons from the Sebek Chapter and Snow Queen Chapter have been expanded, and gameplay has been tweaked throughout. There are multiple levels of difficulty, and battles will go by much faster than in the original game.Extra save points have been added in addition to a "quick save" feature to make the experience more palatable for on-the-go play. Finally, the city map has been revised to make things easier.
This is Persona for PSP
From the looks of this new trailer, Persona is more a remake than a simple port to PSP. The classic PS1 game is being revived on Sony's handheld with new visuals and brand new anime cutscenes. It looks impressive, to be sure, but we're wondering if the somewhat archaic gameplay of the original game will be updated in any way to make it more accessible for the masses.
Persona remake confirmed, hitting Japan in April [update]
The latest issue of Famitsu, which is due to hit Japanese news stands on Friday, confirms everyone's suspicions regarding a Persona 1 PSP remake. The game will be available in Japan on April 29 and will include new animated cutscenes and an improved user interface. No word yet on whether Atlus will bring this to other regions, but if the success of Persona 3 and 4 are anything to go by, we wouldn't be surprised. So, if you're a relatively new Shin Megami Tensei convert and were thinking about firing up your old PS1 to try out the original Persona, it might be worthwhile to wait a couple of months. Hopefully we'll hear more from Atlus soon.Update: A scan can be found here. Growlanser is also getting a PSP remake.
Atlus sends mystery image, asks '???'
Atlus just sent one of the most mysterious e-mails we've received in quite some time. The subject line simply reads "???" and the body contains a single image. We see a mysterious silhouette with the words Shin Megami Tensei projected in the back.We're not sure who this shadowy figure is. We recently reported on a possible Persona remake on PSP. Could this be related? Or, perhaps it's the unreleased Devil Summoner: Raidou 2 for PS2? Let us know what you think.
Rumor: Atlus preparing Persona remake for PSP
It may look like an isometric-view depiction of the "Thriller" video featuring flight attendants, but the game pictured above is actually the original Revelations: Persona -- which, according to a rumor reported on 1UP, is being remade by Atlus for PSP.Hong Kong games mag GameWave reports that said remake of the game -- which eventually spawned last year's superb Persona 4 -- will release in Japan on April 30, 2009 for ¥5,040 ($57). 1UP points out that GameWave has been dead-on with previous reports on pending PSP announcements, lending this rumor a little more weight than usual. We've followed up with Atlus' US branch, who remained tight-lipped.
Rumor: Persona coming to PSP
The Persona franchise has never been hotter. The incredible success of Persona 3 and 4 on PlayStation 2 has propelled the series into the limelight. Atlus may be revisiting some of the earlier Persona games, according to a report by Play Online. They claim that Hong Kong magazine GameWave notes a Persona release for PSP on its cover (pictured).The PSP game is supposedly based on the original Persona, which released on PlayStation 1, released in 1996. Whether or not this will be a full remake or an enhanced port is unclear. However, until Atlus officially announces the game, we're going to classify this as a rumor.
Demons ready for summoning, Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine goes open beta
Do you wish there was an MMO that allowed you to summon demonic minions under your control in order to restore a post-apocalyptic Tokyo? Well thankfully for you, Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine has entered open beta! Now all your world-saving via demonic pet needs can be addressed thanks to Aeria Games' and their hard work.For anyone whose played Persona 3 or the more recently released Persona 4, an MMO set in the world of SMT is a very interesting proposition. The game has all the demon fusing and combat from the other games (beyond even the Persona series) but it's all done in real-time instead of through turn-based combat. We're curious to see how this handles, as our guess is that it's likely more of a quasi-real-time ala standard MMO design in games like World of Warcraft.
Metareview -- Persona 4 (PS2)
You might look at this metareview's title and think we've made a mistake. No one makes PS2 games anymore. Not so, and as any RPG player worth their elixir knows, Atlus has been prepping the latest in its acclaimed Persona series for release on the last-gen system. Now it's here, and the reviews – praising everything from its characters to its gameplay and voice acting as best-of-breed – are absolutely glowing. (In the sense that they're really good, not "turn off your monitor and back away slowly.") Game|Life (100/100): "The truly stunning thing about Persona 4 is that it just doesn't have any glaring flaws. Even though it doesn't stand up to the graphics of the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, the clever art style makes up for that. Those who despise reading large blocks of text in games will be pleasantly surprised by the solid voice-over work applied to almost every conversation." 1UP (A+): "What really sets Persona 4 apart, though, is its endearing, relatable cast. " GamePro (100/100): "I can't recommend this innovative experience highly enough, and from first time visitors to the Velvet Room to jaded MegaTen fanatics, Persona 4 is an absolute must buy." WorthPlaying (95/100): "Everything – from the story to the combat system to the dungeon crawling and Social Links – has been improved. Considering that Persona 3 was already an excellent game, Persona 4 is a true standout.
PSA: Persona 2 reprint exclusively on Amazon
While the prospect of ever seeing an official, localized release of Persona 2: Innocent Sin remains bleak, those who missed the second chapter, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, when it was first released on PlayStation (yes, PS1) eight years ago, now have a second, albeit seriously limited chance to score a copy of the reprint. Bet you never thought you'd be buying a brand new (and full-priced!) PS1 game again, did you?To commemorate the December 9th release of Persona 4, Atlus has announced an "ultra limited" reprint of Persona 2, including a bonus disc featuring the trailer and a video interview with the developers, to be sold exclusively through Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.When, you ask? Right now! Sold out![Thanks to Christian, Daniel & Jay!]
Joyswag: Persona shirts, signed art books
Our initial plan was to give you excellent readers brand new copies of Atlus' upcoming Persona 4, a desire which those purveyors of quirk deemed noble, but overly contingent on them finishing the game. Sensing our outraged impatience regarding the anticipated RPG's December 9th release, they instead granted us some Persona 3 art books (signed by character designer Shigenori Soejima!) and Persona 4 t-shirts (tagless!). The chance to wear Persona on your person, eh? To enter this giveaway: Leave a comment telling us who your summoned Persona is! It could be anyone or anything from Cthulhu to something infinitely more evil, like TV's Patrick Duffy. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec and sprawling, otherworldly dungeons). Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day (comment more than once and you'll be kept in detention). This entry period ends at 7:00pm ET on Friday, August 22nd. We'll randomly select three winners at that time, who will receive a signed art book and t-shirt, valued at $50 (can you really put a value on that signature?). Please check your e-mail! For a list of complete rules that you can peruse or shoot in the head, click here. If you're really set on winning, sign up for the Atlus Faithful spam ... err, mailing list -- another three winners will be randomly selected from Faithful members. Update: Entries closed! Keep an eye on your inbox over the next few days!
Atlus bringing Persona 4 to North America on December 9
While Japanese audiences will be playing Persona 4 this July, North American gamers won't have to wait long to wander the halls of Gekkoukan High. Atlus USA has taken time away from blowing things up with small explosives this holiday weekend to announce plans to bring Persona 4 to North America on December 9. Sweetening the deal even further, the publisher also notes that each copy of the game will come bundled with a soundtrack CD featuring "select music" from the title, which represents the sixth in the role-playing series, and the latest to cling tightly to Sony's aging last-gen console. If, however, you're having trouble waiting until this holiday season to get your Persona fix, check out the game's English announcement trailer after the break.
Check out 17 minutes of Persona 4 footage
The issue of Famitsu announcing Persona 4 also included a bonus DVD insert, with a whopping 17 minutes of cutscenes and in-game footage of the highly-anticipated RPG. The footage reveals the return of Igor, and the departure of the pistol-like "Evoker" used to summon Personae. Instead, it appears that the player-characters all wear glasses, which they remove in order to summon helpful spirits. Televisions will also play a major role in the game, which otherwise does not appear to diverge much gameplay-wise from Persona 3. Not that that's a bad thing, of course. Check out the entire 17 minutes of footage after the break. [Via Siliconera]
Persona 4 to school Japan in July
Repetitively suicidal magical teenager news now, with Atlus Japan lifting the lid on its PlayStation 2 follow-up to Persona 3. Confirming earlier reports, Siliconera has revealed that Persona 4 is scheduled to arrive in Japan on July 10th, complete with a new weather system. Though a meteorological forecast might not sound like the most exciting addition to an RPG (unless its the name of a spell), consider that misty days will signal someone's untimely demise in Persona 4. There's no word yet on whether Atlus USA will bring the game to English audiences, but with Persona 3: FES preparing to make the jump, we'd be surprised if this one remained in Japan. In the meantime, you can pop by insert credit for some Famitsu magazine scans showcasing the franchise's recognizable art style.
