Persona 3
 

Persona 3 Set for PS2
Atlus announces the latest Shin Megamitensei game.


March 8, 2006 - Atlus has announced a new entry in its "Persona" branch of the Shin Megamitensei series. The latest issue of Famitsu has first details on Persona 3, which is in development for the PlayStation 2.

In Persona 3, you play as a 17 year-old boy who's just transferred schools. Immediately after entering his dormitory, the character comes under attack of a Shadow, a new enemy introduced in Persona 3. Shadows have the ability to summon Persona demons. After coming under attack, the main character inherits this ability as well.

The main character is unique amongst Persona users in that he has the ability to switch between Personas rather than just summoning a single creature. He ends up becoming leader of a special extracurricular force attempting to defeat Shadow. Other human characters, including fellow students Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori, have the ability to summon a single Persona, and end up joining the group of Shadow fighters.

Persona 3 takes place in Minato Ku, a town consisting of a harbor area called Iwatodai and a man-made island called Port Island. Your school is located on the island while your dorm is located in Iwatodai.

You take control of the main character during each day of school, starting with arrival in the morning and ending in the afternoon as you head back to your dorm. Between classes, you can investigate the school grounds, and following the school day, you can do the same in town.

Players get to experience school life in Persona 3. The game lets you work through a year of in-game time. Most of your activities on weekdays take place following classes, but on weekends and holidays, you can make appointments with other characters in order to strengthen your relationships. The relationship with your "Comyu," short for "community," has an effect on your battle with the Shadow.

Even on days where you don't have an appointment, you're free to just wander around town, visiting shops as you like. This is true even during summer vacation. The game includes summer school, a summer sports meet, and other events for your time away from school.

Other characters go through school life as well. On the days prior to a big test, your allies will lock themselves away in their rooms and concentrate on studying, meaning they won't be able to help out in the fight against the Shadow. Characters will even get sick and miss classes.

This might seem like the makings of one of those Japanese school-based love simulation games, but Persona 3 provides the expected Megaten-inspired twists. The world of Persona 3 does not use a 24 hour clock. When the clock turns midnight, the world enters "Shadow Time." The Shadow roam the streets during this time, providing the perfect opportunity for you to do some exterminating.

Normal people who don't have Persona summoning abilities turn into coffins during Shadow time and lose all senses. Some do manage to make the transition in human form, and end up serving as targets for the Shadow, who like to feed on their spirits.

During Shadow Time, you and your party members get into battle with Shadow creatures. Battles begin by all party members making use of a pistol-shaped summon device to call out their Persona (this is unfortunately done by the characters aiming the device at themselves and firing). You can also opt to skip out on the Persona transformation and use weapons to directly fight the Shadow.

Emerge victorious from a battle, and you earn new Persona Cards. These cards hold your Persona summons. By taking two or more cards to the game's Persona Room, you can combine cards into a new Persona. While you lose the previous Personas, you earn a powerful new one in its place.

Directed by Katsura Hashino (director of Shin Megamitensei III Nocturne), and featuring character designs and art direction by Shigenori Soejima (character designs for Devil Summoner, art direction for Stella Deus), Persona 3 is set for Japanese release on 7/13. A US release has yet to be announced.
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Famitsu Trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Ie0...ch=persona%203

I really loved this. ATLUS :love: :love: :love:


OS: http://www.atlus.co.jp/cs/game/pstation2/persona3/

F***ing Finally! Best gaming news I've ever heard!!!!

The trailer is absolutely fantastic! I like the style and atmosphere in it very much!

Unfortunately the game probably won't be released outside Japan. :(

*Can't wait to play and get the Lv 99 Devil Lucifer...

Thanks alot for the info. I had no clue that they would be making a new Persona game, but I'm glad that they're going back to their roots. Frankly, the Shin Megami Tensei kinda weirded me out with the sci-fi gimmick (though it was pretty cool), and disappointed with Nocturne, so I'm glad they're going back to the high school setting. Really makes me feel nostalgic (actually makes me want to play P2: Eternal Punishment again).

I really look forward to this game release since I plan on getting it when it comes out as soon as possible.

It's Atlus, they've bought over less "favourable" games in the past like Magna Carta and they're bringing out an english language version of Bumpy Trot IIRC. The point is they do tend to bring out a fair few niche titles and given that Persona already has a bit of a fanbase I think the game will have a high chance of being released in the US.

So they're using a new version of the Gumps for Persona summoning now? I wonder if they're trying to make the ties to the Devil Summoner games even stronger.

Hey i was wondering if anyone knew what that song is in the begining of the trailer. I think it is really awesome so if anyone knows what it is or where i could find i would be very thankful.

Nice news there...I haven't played the series and I heard it's really good but I plan to getting both 1 and 2 in the summer when I have money.

That's weird I see this thread now, and I just bought Persona 2 for the PSX yesterday. Weird.

After the "rumor" system, the "Community system aka Tokimeki memorial meets Persona" system... weird...

:confused:

Actually, it's the other way around, the SMT series is the root of the Persona subseries.

SMT 1 -> SMT If... -> Persona

Nocturne was made the way it was to make gamers feel nostalgic of the old NES and SFC episodes.

if anyone wondering when it comes out U.S the release Date is 7/24/07 But we are not getting Persona 3 FES. BUT i readed somewhere if Persona 3 sells well they might bring Persona 3 FES over.before it was no they not bring it over but now its how well Persona 3 sells in this case.

Persona 3 FES? What's FES?

Anyhoo, I can't wait for this game. I've been a fan of SMT and its spin-offs since Nocturne. I'm actually surprised the brought it over here. What with the head shooting and all. Ah, well. It's cool that it is going to be a special edition.

You've probably done some searching already, but FES (stands for Festival, apparently) is an expansion of the game. I believe they released both an extra disc for people who already had the game and a one-disc version that includes the whole thing. The latter would be best, of course, but as CoreMaster said, if the regular game doesn't sell well here, then it's unlikely they'll give us the expansion. :p Would have been nice if they localized the one-disc release...

U.S. Website is up:
http://www.atlus.com/persona3/

3-week delay in shipping date. http://www.atlus.com/newsdetail.php?newsID=135 On the plus side, the review sites that have their copies (fie on them) are giving good scores.

At first, I wasn't sure what to make of the game. I haven't really played the Shin Megami Tensei games (though I really want to), but after reading a few reviews, I'm really looking forward to the game. Guess that's one more pre-order to put in. *sigh*

mmm.. ill have to get it. but i was hoping they would release nocturne 2 first

I have been looking forward to this game for about a year or so when I first heard of it. Hopefully it'll come out on that August 14th date and no later, though I expected the issue with the artbooks to be resolved sooner. It's good that Atlus tales care with quality though.