It all started when I read a review in my hometown's free weekly sometime in late 2007. There was a review of the curiously titled "Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3." Even though the review was written for a general audience, it went into great detail about the nuances in the storyline when it came to the high school social sim aspects. It also devoted a paragraph on the fact that the personae were summoned by shooting yourself in the head with a gun-shaped evoker.
It sounded so Japanese-y. It captured my interest, and I bought the game despite my hesitance in playing 50+ RPGs with turn-based battle systems. Somehow over the first few slow hours of exposition, I became hopelessly enthralled. That must be the reason why so many of us can plunk down dozens upon dozens of hours of repetitive gaming with SMT titles.
I know this is a big FAIL on my part, but I never finished P3. I took it upon myself to finish it over the holidays since I bought P4 and wanted to start a new 100+ adventure.
Well, I'm still working on it. I THINK I'm close to the end. All the cues for the "final battle approaching" are there.
I now split split my time between playing P3, reading about Shin Megami Tensei, starting Digital Devil Saga, and daydreaming about getting home after work and playing some more.
I think it may be affecting me a little too much.
After playing a little too much Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga last night, I've been looking at the World in a different way.
Like at the Supermarket this morning when I went to get some breakfast. That cutie in the checkout aisle threw me a bashful smile as I approached with my quesito. What was behind that smile? Professional courtesy, friendliness, or an indication of an interest in romantic hi jinks?
I smiled back at her, froze her with a bufu spell (which turns out was her weakness), and devoured her on my next turn. Maximum XP points!
I also absorbed her ability to locate UPC symbols on merchandise packaging in less than .5 seconds.
I can tell I'll be devouring others throughout the weekend.
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Hey, I know you. ^__^
As you can imagine, I feel exactly the same way. I'm a little bit Atlus obsessed. I also did not finish P3, but I think I too am close to wrapping up 4 (just hit level 60). If you have time, hunt down SMT: Devil Summoner -- it's one of my favorites Atlus has done in the series. :)
@Colette: Level 60? Close to the end? Not quite. Megaten makes use of the entire level spectrum. You're close to the end when you're level 85.
I request a scan of the article you read. A review for a game like this appearing in a local paper-like dealie intrigues me.
Wait until someone gives you change after a purchase, and your response is "That's simply not enough! Give me 1 Life Stone!"
After finishing Persona 4 I went back to play though Nocturne. I never finished it, because I just rented it before, but I managed to get our rental copy from work for only $10. And I've got a copy of Digital Devil Saga 1 coming to me.
@Gen Eric Gui -- Ha, I should have known better. I'm glad there is much more to enjoy then!
Play Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Got translated fairly recently and when I asked Destructoid where to start with this series, someone suggested trying it instead of the first one. Now I want all these games. I started with it and just picked up Devil Summoner.
Devil Summoner has made me actually like action RPGs. And normally I hate that whole action rpg random battles that you have to be active in. Perhaps I'll write some sort of impressions about it soon.
I'm going to pick up the ones you mentioned, but I probably won't be able to play much of them for some time. I want to play as many of these games as possible, just like I do with every series of role playing games. Breath of Fires, Final fantasie, and whatever other series are out there. The problem is buying too many at once.
@Gen Eric Gui
Here is the link to the review that I mentioned:
http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2007-08-30/home-entertainment/persona-grata/
@Colette
If you're talking about Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army, I just got it in the mail yesterday via ebay. I played last night for about an hour. Like all MegaTen games, it's amazingly unique. I prefer the setting of 1920's Tokyo over Digital Devil Saga's futuristic Junkyard. It's beautiful.
@RANDOMBULLSEYE
I'm not sure I know how to get Innocent Sin and use the language patch. I'm not sure if you are able to give me any insight into this. I play a lot of old games on my computer, but nothing as advanced as disc-based games.
BUFU Spell on the Burger King man!!!