John-ShepardLast year's Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 was the best reviewed PS2 game of the year, and certainly one of the best RPGs available. But it all began back on the original PlayStation with Persona , before the series merged with the Shin Megami Tensei name. And if you didn't get a chance to play the first Persona before, you'll soon get your chance…in handheld form.
According to Kombo, Atlus is readying a port of the cult classic for the PSP, and it will feature "new characters, along with new storyline elements and additional scenarios." We're not sure if it will boast enhanced visuals just yet – although it probably will – but we do know it's scheduled to release in Japan on April 30. It's unlikely we'll see a simultaneous worldwide launch (hell, it's damn near impossible), but here's hoping the game will come to North America not long after it launches in the Land of the Rising Sun. RPG fans are probably quite familiar with Persona , but if you're a little younger, you probably never got the chance. Sure, it looks out-of-date and wasn't among the elite role-playing titles of the 32-bit generation, but it still holds a special place in the hearts of many RPG fans. Back then, there were so many great titles to choose from, and the mere fact that Persona is even remembered amidst the likes of unbelievable Squaresoft gems is a worthy accomplishment. Will it stand the test of time with this port?
Here's hoping it does, and if you desire an excellent old-school role-playing experience on the go, keep a sharp eye out for a U.S. release date. We'll let you know when/if they announce it.
Related Game(s): Persona
The first Persona I played was 3 and I loved it for a good time until I just plain got sick of that tower, it was the same thing over and over again, random dungeons are a bad idea, I play RPGs for the scenery too, then I got sick of the day and wasting time and eventually I never finished it, which is a shame because I'd probly give the game an 8. Don't know if I wanna invest in Persona 4, oh to get back on topic the first one blew.
Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 1/15/2009 11:38:35 PM
@WorldEndsWithMe
I ended up finishing Persona 3 with more than 140Hrs and I enjoyed the dungeons the little things you can do during the day and night. It seems to me like the game put too much on your plate. You to create strong social links to create strong personas or you'll get your ass kicked no matter how random the dungeons are. In any case, I think the game was very good, the set of characters mixed in well. As far as Persona 4 goes—- that needs to be bought ass soon as I buy Street Fighter 4 and Killzone 2.
So to go back on topic— I'll definitely buy this for PSP considering I would like to get familiar with the roots of the RPG series I love so much. If you don't have Shin Megami Tensei:Nocturne, Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2, Devil Summoner then you're missing out on some really good games. ^_^
wow, i remember traveling through a blizzard just to grab the last used copy from FuncoLand ( now gamestop ) when i heard they had one last copy
It would need a visual update, as much as i loved the first one, not sure if i would be willing to go back down that road with some type of enhancement.
Hopefully if america gets it, its not the shorter american version we got when it first hit
WorldEndsWithMe: Persona 4 is definitely worth getting. It is more evolutionary that revolutionary, but it improves on Persona 3 in virtually every aspect. For instance, the dungeons are still randomly generated but there are several smaller themed dungeons rather than a single massive tower which keeps things more interesting.
The story in particular is much better than Persona 3's, which to be frank was kind of all over the place. Also the characters are much better developed and feel less stereotypical. I think Persona 4 might actually turn out to be my favorite game of 2008, on any system.
Thanks G, I'll take it under advisement.
It was a matter of time before this classic was dug up for re release on the PSP. I remember renting it from a MicroPlay here in Orlando, FL. Couldn't get into properly at the time since I was younger and on the brink of discovering Final Fantasy 7.
I still own this on PS1.