You guys had a lot more to say about the sales of Persona 4 then I thought you would yesterday, so I suspect you'd want to hear anything you can about the possibility of Persona 5. Of course, there's been no official confirmation on the title, but we've heard that composer Shoji Meguro is already hard at work on a score for a new game. Wonder what that might be?

Jobent reported today (via Siliconera) that Atlus Japan is on the lookout for a 360/PS3 programmer. In order to apply, you must have previously worked on an RPG for either console. Sounds promising, doesn't it? Of course, it could be the sequel to Demon's Souls, too. You never know. In the meantime, I think I'll go back to fantasizing about what Persona 5 will look like on my PS3...

About a decade ago, PlayStation role-playing game Shin Megami Tensei: Persona came and went. It made a mark, but not one big enough to stand up against other RPG giants on the shelves at the time. It was praised, though, for being something different, as it broke away from role-playing game conventions. Later, sequel was released on the same system, but it may have had less of an impact than its predecessor. It wasn't until the last couple of years, with the releases of Persona 3 and Persona 4, that the series really came into the limelight.  The gaming press showered both games with praise, bringing many new players to the Persona universe.

What better time to re-release the original title? Old fans would be able to revisit Persona's humble beginnings, while new fans would be able to see how much things have changed since the start. Atlus was more than happy to polish up the 1997 PlayStation title for re-release on the PSP. 

Those newer to the Persona series want to know how this first game compares to Persona 3 and 4. Long-time series fans want to know if Persona has aged well. What changes were made? Is Mark still black?

All of the above is addressed in our review of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP.

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Nah. Just messing with you.

Check out my total play time, pictured above. That's 453 hours and 7 minutes. Is Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP really that long? No. This time is a result of the lack of auto-pause when setting the PSP in standby mode. Some games that log your play time, like Capcom's Monster Hunter Freedom Unite, pause your game for you automatically when you go into standby mode. Persona PSP? Not so much. It just keeps logging your time.

So how long is it really? I have no idea. If I had to estimate, I'd say that you'll get a good 40 hours out of it if you do all the right things and get the good ending. Scared you, didn't I?

So you want to know how the game is? It's really great. I'm well into my second play through. I love seeing all of the stuff they've changed in this remake. One of the things they've changed the most is the dialogue. It used to be pretty bad, but now it's really sharp. Some of it's funny, too. In one scene, Mark calls an enemy a "dickwipe." Bonus points to Atlus USA for use of the word.

My favorite line comes from one of the enemies in demon negotiation. When you try to bribe him to give up his spell card, he responds favorably, and then says:

"It's all about the yen-jamins, baby."

Look forward to our full review of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP later today.

Do you want Persona 3 PSP as bad as I do? If you're an Atlus fangirl like I am, I'm sure you want it quite a bit. We've seen a lot of reports on the portable version this past week, and while it's no Persona 5, it certainly may hold you over until that announcement is finally made!

If you're feeling hungry for more on this game, you can go prowl around the official site, which is a little slim on content at the moment but does have a cool feature that allows you to virtually enter the Velvet Room and meet the new male attendant (slurp). This would be a good thing to keep an eye on if you're dying for new info, though, so maybe give it a bookmark and come back later. You going to pick up Persona 3 PSP, or is the PS2 version you already have good enough for you?

Sure, I would have liked it if Atlus had announced Persona 5, but we know that's coming. I'm such a Persona addict that any excuse to replay one of the games in the series is a good enough excuse for me, and the announcement of Persona 3 for PSP works just fine for that purpose. A whole slew of new pictures and video turned up on Famitsu recently, and I thought you fellow Persona addicts might like a look at them.

As you can see from the two videos after the jump, a lot of the look has been tweaked to fit the PSP's limitations. You can also hear some of the new music in these clips, which I like a lot. You can also get a sneak peek at that male attendant in the Velvet Room (yum). Also, voice actress Marina Inoue has been confirmed for the voice of the female protagonist, who you may know from a little role she did as Yoko of Gurren Lagann. 

Seriously ... I'm salivating here. Who's with me? Also, can I date Akihiko yet or what?

[Thanks, Coffeesash!]

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Shin Megami Tensei:Persona drops on September 22nd, and I literally cannot wait to play it -- say the word Persona and I start to drool like a rabid dog. Not a pretty sight, I know, but that's the effect SMT games have on me, and I'm not ashamed to say so. I'd tell you I dress up like the characters on occasion too, but that'd just be too much. Oh, wait.

Anyhow, there's a new trailer waiting after the break, and all I can say is it makes me happy I don' thave to wait much longer. I'm replaying Persona: FES right now to hold me until this comes out. On the other hand, now that Persona 3 PSP has been announced, I'm wondering if I ought to stop my replay in its tracks and wait for that to come out. It'd be nice to be able to control all my characters manually in those later stages when things get really tough...

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I really need you guys to do me a favor. The next time someone tells you that they like a Japanese-style role-playing game because of its "story," I want you to kick them in the teeth. You might have to stand on a chair, or perhaps trip them first, but the kick to the teeth is necessary. You can take your shoes off if it's someone you particularly care for, but, I must reiterate, kick them in the teeth.

I think everyone with two brain cells to rub together can agree that JRPG plots need a good shot in the arm, and yet, there seems to be something else narratively appealing going on. Scores of reasonably intelligent people (yours truly included) flock to these types of games every year despite the genre's obvious and widely proclaimed shortcomings.

So, back to the teeth-kicking: after that's over, they'll ask you, "Why'd you just kick me in the mouth?" You have one of two options: you can just point them to the article conveniently located after the jump, or you can summarize it for them.

Either way, hit the jump for a piece on plot failings and what I'm going to call, for lack of a better term, "gameplay lyricism."

 

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There's some of you out there (I won't mention any names) that swear up and down that Atlus Japan is not working on Persona 5. Impossible, I say. They have to be. I'd bet anything that they announce it at this year's Tokyo Game Show, set to go down next month. My basis for saying that? It's all from my heightened fan-sense -- I can sense production on a game, even over oceans.

Slightly more reliable hints that Persona 5 is in the works have recently been tied to pachinko game reveals. And now, another lead, this time from a Sony mobile phone site. As you can see above, Shoji Meguro is listed as the Persona 5 producer. While that's not full verification of an upcoming title, it tells me that someone is working on it.

What's even more interesting is that Meguro, who we know as the Persona series composer, is listed as "producer." Wouldn't that be interesting to have the composer produce the game? If you played Silent Hill 4: The Room, you might know that Konami did a similar thing with series composer Akira Yamaoka. I'd be all for Atlus doing the same for Persona.

[via Kotaku]

I asked Atlus' Aram Jabbari at E3 this year whether we'd see Persona PSP as a download as well as a full retail release. You have to understand that at the time I was still excited from seeing the PSPgo in person. He gave me some run-around answer that told me that he wasn't sure yet, but I knew it had to be coming to the PlayStation Network as a download as well as a UMD release. It just makes sense.

Atlus now confirms that, come September 22, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona will see a release in both formats. I want a UMD for longevity, but I like the idea of flexibility, and knowing you can have both is great. Those that plan to get a PSPgo can make this their first RPG for the system. The rest? Given that you have a big enough Memory Stick, you can also download this to go UMD-free.

Both will be $39.99, but only the retail one comes with the sweet 2-disc soundtrack.

Look for our preview of Persona PSP soon.

If you saw our E3 preview of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP, you'd know that the remake of the PlayStation classic role-playing game has an all new sountrack from series composer Shoji Meguro. We've been dying to get our hands on some of the music that will be in the game's included 2-disc complete soundtrack since then.

Atlus was kind enough to give us the soundtrack early. I've spent most of the day enjoying the 67 tracks across this two disc set, and I can say now that this is Persona music at its finest. Those that enjoyed the music of Persona 3 and 4 will definitely be pleased, but I think it's safe to say that the soundtrack for this portable game even outshines that of those titles. Think I'm crazy? Wait until you hear it.

This is definitely a game that you'll want to rock with headphones.

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I've been watching the Persona website like a hawk, mostly because I'm a huge fan of the series games. Just as soon as I drop my watch, Atlus updates the site with plenty of cool stuff.

Hop over there now and check out plenty of new content for the upcoming PSP RPG. There eight videos that show off the in-game graphics and battles. Remember the upgraded cutscenes I told you about back at E3? Atlus has revealed some of the ones I saw during my hands-on time. After the jump you'll find a video that shows off how the battle system has been upgraded. You'll see that things move much quicker now. Also, awesome battle music.

Also new on the site is more music samples from Persona's all new score. It seems that they're only revealing a couple at a time, but Sample 4 is pretty hot. Check out those and a few new character profiles at the Persona official webpage.

On September 22 Persona PSP drops. You'll want to get on it, as it includes the full 2-disc soundtrack. 

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Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby!

Oh, wait. I'm getting too excited. This isn't the most solid confirmation of Persona 5 existing. Actually, it's a report from a pachinko site, of all places. Still, you just know a new Persona is coming, and I've loved the last four so much that I can't contain my excitement for this minuscule bit of information.  

The Japanese site 7rush said that Persona 5 would be released for the PlayStation 3. Apparently the news came out at a press conference for an upcoming Shin Megami Tensei pachinko machine (woo!), and it was said that Persona 5 would launch alongside the pachinko machine in a promotion. IGN says that this promotion is supposed to take place in Japan in August.  

As there has been no announcement, we shouldn't start singing Persona 3 battle songs and getting excited just yet. I was already hopeful for a Tokyo Game Show announcement of the title in September, but perhaps we'll hear something as early as next month. 

It was brought to my attention that many readers would be unable to enjoy the article thanks to spoilers. As such, I have added a link to the spoiler-free cheesecake gallery. Please think of this as a consolation for when you finish.

Some background: Fellow Dtoider Scary Womanizing Pig Mask put up a post recently about why he thought the ending of Persona 4 was poorly told and unoriginal. While he did make a lot of good points, I disagreed with the notion of the ending being a mere copy of Persona 3's.

In fact, I thought that both games' endings were unique in their own way, but that Persona 4's was enhanced greatly by its thematic depth. I originally posited my theory in the comment roll, but I felt it was worth rewriting as a feature here on my own C-blog. My thanks to Scary Womanizing Pig Mask for making that post, for otherwise I may never have bothered to think about the game in the way I did, content to love it for being the sequel to what is now my second favorite game (after this one).
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Do you remember Yosuke Hanamura's persona from the Atlus RPG Persona 4? The persona, Jiraiya, was a lanky, cape-wearing wind user with camoflauge-tipped bell bottoms. So, you know, a normal Persona design.

The plushie version of Jiraiya, now featured on the Japanese Atlus "D" shop, looks nothing like its in-game form. Well, it kind of does, but probably closer resembles a space-age Mickey Mouse robot clone with a boomerang bling and stars for eyes. But at least he's still got his camo-tipped pants. Siliconera tells us that you can nab the plush Jiraiya for 2,980 yen ($30) in Japan. 

Jiraiya joins the cooler looking Izanagi, released earlier. I, of course, want these both. And this Jack Frost umbrella.

[Time once more for the Badass of the Month Club, wherein the staff highlights a character or industry figure of noteworthy badassery.]

There he sits, silent, smug, smiling, with the crooked fingers of his hands crossed and his skinny legs folded. He projects an air of importance and knowledge, yet still seems to be an approachable individual, despite his unconventional looks, which manage to come off as both sly and wise. His pointed ears and bushy eyebrows seem to fall just beyond the bounds of what could be considered normal human features. Oh, and his nose. His nose is so unnaturally long that it could be considered perverse.

He sits on a vintage couch lined with plush violet velvet, in front of a table lined with the same material, set on a carpet of the same. This otherworldly Velvet Room is the only place you'll find this man, alongside his lovely and elegant assistant. They both wait for you in place that you can only guess is beyond sleep, beyond consciousness. 

This is the only time you'll meet with Igor.

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If you regularly read Destructoid you know that we're pumped for the upcoming release of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP. We've seen this re-imagining of the original PlayStation RPG and we can say that it's good.

Today, Atlus has launched a huge web-based tease for the September 22nd release of Persona PSP. The new webpage has teaser placeholders for the game's story and characters. It also includes wallpapers (even a PSP wallpaper) and other images as well a few choice screenshots.

Music fans: there are two samples from the brand new soundtrack, created by series composer Shoji Meguro. Both are great, but I really dig the second one, which has that signature J-pop with vocals sound that we've come to know over the past couple of series games. These samples get me excited for the full two-disc sountrack to be packaged in with the game.

Check out the Persona PSP webpage for yourself.

I would love for there be a new Persona game in the works. In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a new Persona game in the works. It's just not what we're seeing above.

My inbox was teased with a link to a page that said that Famitsu hinted at a new Persona game with a mysterious image. Excited, I checked it out. The first thing that struck me was the image. I know these guys. It's the protagonists from Persona 3 and Persona 4 as well as the one from Persona: Trinity Soul, an anime. There's no way they'd be in a game together, right? Then I saw the text, which looks a lot like the name of a Persona song title. It was then that I remembered seeing this image last year.

Here's the deal: this is an ad for a disc release of Persona Music Live, a concert that took place last year and featured Persona music and cast. 

Sad? Not really. I want this disc. And like I said, I'm pretty sure there's a new Persona game coming.

Don't get me wrong: I'm grateful for every soundtrack disc Atlus sends our way as a game pack-in via their Atlus Spoils program. I love having the music to listen to separately. But it always seems that I'm missing some of my favorites in these selection discs. I'm glad to say that this will not be the case for the upcoming PSP game Persona, a remake of the PlayStation role-playing game that kicked the popular series off.

Atlus sends word that Persona will be packed with the full two-disc soundtrack, composed by one of my favorites of all time, series composer Shoji Meguro. If you watched our E3 interview on Persona, you'd know that the soundtrack has been totally revamped for this new version. The songs we've heard are fantastic, and have us even more excited to finally get the game. I cannot wait to hear the pharmacy song!

More great news: this version of Persona will include the Snow Queen quest, content never available before in North America. 

As you see above, Persona will come out as a premium-boxed package, complete with the game, two music discs, and the shiny collector's box. This all drops on September 22nd, my birthday. Atlus is giving me what I've always wanted for my birthday.  

Be sure to check out the first English screens for Persona after the jump.

We managed to visit a hidden Velvet Room last week at E3 and craft a press relations persona that we named Nich Maragos. He came with the spells Bufu, Dia, and Explain. We cast Explain on Persona PSP during battle, and through this we learned a bit more about the upcoming remake of the classic PlayStation role-playing game.

Okay, that was really stupid. Sorry. We had a chance to chat with Atlus to get a peek and some hands-on time with Persona PSP, the Shin Megami Tensei game that kicked it all off for this fan. We talked about what was remade and changed from the original game, including the new art, content, and music. Check out our chat in the video as well as some of my hands-on impressions after the jump. 

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You know a company is chock full of awesome when the title of their press release for E3 uses a mathematical equation that ends in win. Yes, Atlus sent over a press release announcing their E3 line-up titled "Atlus + E3 =Win" and if something is proven by math it must be true. If you'd like to divide that simple equation into a much more complex one we can work it out.

See Atlus will be presenting a number of games including Trauma Team, their new medical game, more Shin Megami Tensei than you can shake a stick at, their upcoming puzzler game Droplitz and hands-on with action RPG Demon's Soul. It's like a giant small developer orgasm of joy! And just when you think it's over they hint at a few secret games coming. Unanounced games showing up at E3! What will be next?

So the full equestion is New Trauma + old Shin Megami Tensei + new Shin Megami Tensei spin off + Droplitz + Demon's Soul x unnaounced games / 0... oh crap.

Just about any hardcore fan of the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series would probably sacrifice their first born child to see a well-made Persona movie. Leave it to the seemingly endless power of the Dtoid community to make the next best thing: community member sylphx recently posted his own take on what the trailer for such a film would actually look like, and it looks pretty damned good, actually. Go see it after the jump.

sylphx is a 4th year media arts major at the Alberta College of Art and Design in Calgary and isa longtime JRPG fan. The Persona trailer is his graduation project -- I wish I had something as cool as this to present as my final project back when I was in college! Would you check out a Persona film, or would you be afraid that like most films made based on games, it would end up totally slaughtering the concept?

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Before the baby baby baby babys of Persona 3 and the sexy-hot stripper grooves of Persona 4 came the original and massive score from Persona on the PlayStation, the beginning of this awesome Shin Megami Tensei spin-off. I still list that game's score as one of my favorites of all time, and I've been waiting to hear something from the upcoming PSP remake. 

Now, on the official Japanese web page, you can check out twelve new score samples from the man himself, composer Shoji Meguro, who is also directing the game. The samples seem to all have that cool, poppy quality that the last two games had. Sample number 05 has sweet vocal hooks, sort of like Persona 3 did. Number 03 sounds like epic battle or mission music. Music 11 reminds me of something from Nocturne, and that's not a complaint.

All of these are great, but I personally can't wait to hear what Megurohe does with my favorite theme from the original game, the crazy "Satoshi Tadashi Pharmacy" song. Hear the original (along with a silly video) after the jump.

I can't wait until Persona PSP comes out in the US.

[Via Nobuooo]

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The remake of Persona for PSP? Yeah, you could say I'm a little excited about that. This is the only Persona title I've never played, and although I know I could go back and play the original, the ability to slip it into my PSP and take it with me wherever I go is even more appealing. Plus, the new logo is positively sexy. Just look at it!

The video after the jump shows off more of the cutscenes from the upcoming title, which show off Atlus' distinctive style and just make me weak in the knees. Japan doesn't have long to wait for this one as it comes out next month, but North America will have to wait until fall for it. Considering the quality they bring to the table when it comes to voice acting, I'd say it will likely be well worth the wait.

[Via Siliconera]

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We knew it was coming. There was no way that Atlus USA was going to pass on the sexy PSP port of the PS1 classic RPG Persona.

A press release from Atlus says that Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP is coming to North America within the calendar year, which they later clarify as fall. They're calling this one a "relaunch" of their popular series, "featuring a completely redone localization and content never before seen in North America." There's also some game play enhancements and new additions hinted at. I can't wait!

Add this to the big PSP announcements listed earlier today, and it looks like Sony's portable is going to have a solid year this year.

We've got more Persona trailers here.

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When Colette confirmed that the first Persona game would be getting a complete remake for the PSP, I almost fell out of my office chair. Persona was a pivotal game for me. It showed me RPGs could be different.  And it kicked off my insatiable love for the Shin Megami Tensei games family.

I still pop in the PS1 version from time to time, but I have to admit that it hasn't aged well, and the drastic changes that happened in localization have me wondering what I've missed.

The above Japanese promotional trailer shows just how much has changed. You'll see the lovely new cutscenes, hear the awesome new music, and feel envious of the soundtrack CD that Japanese gamers will get with the game. 

Japan gets the remake on April 29th. Atlus, when do we get this remake? Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about.

[Via Siliconera]

If Persona 4 acted as your introduction to the Persona series, you may be curious about what you've missed by now, and rightfully so: the entire series offers just as much unique gameplay and multi-layered characters as 4 does. We heard a rumor earlier this month that the first game in the series would be coming to the PSP ... and now we know for sure that it's the truth!

Famitsu reported that Atlus is working on the title, which is described to be a complete remake of the original Playstation game. New features will include more save points, more cutscenes and a difficulty setting. If you don't know anything about Revelations, I urge you go read about it here -- this is going to be a great reason to give your PSP some face time.

[Via VG247]