All posts tagged: ATLUS

Welcome to Erion

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir has landed in Australia on the PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and PlayStation 3, and despite it being a remaster of a game that was released 9 years ago on the PS2, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is every bit a landmark release in 2016 just as the original Odin Sphere was back in 2007. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir comes from Vanillaware, a studio that really made waves in 2007 when they released the 2D action RPG Odin Sphere and the 2D real time strategy game GrimGrimoire (not many people remember it but it was pretty neat). Later they would create the blistering fast 2D action game Muramasa: The Demon Blade for the Wii, followed by the Dungeons and Dragons inspired brawler Dragon’s Crown on the PS3 and Vita. In between those games there was a promising PSP RPG called Grand Knights History which unfortunately barely missed an English localisation. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is their latest and is far from just an ordinary remaster of a PS2 game because it goes above and beyond in so many ways. What does the …

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir – Review (PS3)

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is the latest by Vanillaware for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Vita. The title is billed as a remaster of the original Odin Sphere which was released for the PlayStation 2 back in 2007 (2008 in PAL territories). To call Odin Sphere Leifthrasir a mere HD remaster of a nearly 9 year old game  is putting it very,very loosely, and it is in fact is a huge disservice to what the game really is. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is more than just a HD update to suit modern TV resolutions, more than just being the very best version of Odin Sphere (dare I say, perfection), and is more than just an expanded and enhanced re-release. Odin Sphere Leifthrasir is truly a whole new game altogether. In fact, I feel they could have gotten away with calling it Odin Sphere 2 and no one would have argued otherwise. Whether you’re a fan of the original or a sceptical newcomer who is tired of seeing sloppy HD remasters, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir proves to be a truly a one of a kind experience that even …

Retrospective: Odin Sphere (PS2)

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

2007 was an interesting year for video games. The Xbox 360 was in its second year, the PlayStation 3 had just started its first year in the gaming market… and yet despite the hype surrounding High Definition gaming and next-gen visuals, the PlayStation 2 was still performing strongly despite its (by then) dated hardware. The interesting thing about the PS2 was that despite it launching before its immediate competition, it outlasted the clearly superior Xbox and GameCube. Not only that, it was barely phased by the presence of far superior competition in the Xbox 360 or even by its replacement in the PS3. Even as a gamer back then, and having an Xbox 360 with the likes of Blue Dragon in my hands, my PS2 was still getting plenty of usage. Instead of being placed in a closet as soon as I got my shiny new Xbox 360, I actually found myself getting more enjoyment out of a last generation system that year than I did from my new next-gen system. I wasn’t even compelled to …

Import Duty: Princess Crown (SEGA Saturn)

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

Vanillaware may have left their mark on the industry with Odin Sphere back in 2007, and once more with Odin Sphere Leifthrasir in 2016, but their first dance happened way back in 1997 when they were an internal studio within Atlus. Princess Crown was technically the debut game of the Atlus team that would eventually become Vanillaware and achieve great success. Princess Crown, however, was more than just their first creation as it even laid the groundwork to the Odin Sphere we all know and love. Princess Crown was released for the SEGA Saturn in Japan back in 1997 and was unfortunately not localised or released anywhere else. It would later receive a port on the PlayStation Portable in 2011 but unfortunately even that never left Japan. Still, if you were looking for a way to try the game then the region-free PSP version is probably the most accessible. Although, as a SEGA Saturn game Princess Crown was a special gem. Right from the opening moments, Princess Crown will feel very familiar to anyone who has …

What We Know About Persona 5’s Three New Female Characters

Published by Frank Inglese

About a week ago, ATLUS held a live-streaming event wherein which they played the first new Persona 5 trailer in quite some time. This new trailer, as one would imagine, came packed with a bunch of stuff that no-one (bar those who’ve worked on the game) has ever seen before, including three new characters, one of which who has already been titled “fan favorite”. These new ladies came and went with barely any explanation nor introduction, but it is only now that the latest issue of Famitsu magazine has been released that we are actually given some information on just who these girls are. While there isn’t really that much to delve into at this point in time, what the magazine has divulged is enough to get hearts racing, with the Persona-loving audience full well knowing that there’s much more to learn about these characters as the game nears it’s release. Futaba Sakura: This young lady is one you surely already know about. She was the new character revealed in the latest trailer that had, …

Persona 5’s Fourth Promotional Video Reminds Us Why We’re So Excited For It’s Release

Published by Frank Inglese

There aren’t many things in life that compel me to get out of bed of a morning. Right now there’s one main thing that gives me the energy to go about my day, and it’s basically anything that has to do with ATLUS. Not my family, nor my friends, can instil within me the motivation to do anything productive with my days on Earth…but a new promotional video for ATLUS’ upcoming groundbreaker RPG Persona 5, now THAT’S worth getting up for! As many of you may already know; ATLUS recently held a live-streaming event wherein which they revealed a slew of new details regarding the highly-anticipated Persona 5. Not only was the world delivered a brand-new promotional video that introduces us to a couple new main characters and a whole bunch of unseen gameplay footage, but we also now have a solid release date for the game in Japan which is the 15th of September. Hopefully we’ll soon hear word of a localisation date, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. The West will be left …

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Final’s Key Visual Features A Familiar Face

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s nothing more exciting than a Nintendo Direct presentation. Nothing. Not a single thing. Well, maybe a few things, but it’s definitely close to the top of the list! While everyone is reeling over Cloud’s addition to the Super Smash Bros. roster, or the re-release of Pokemon Red, Blue, and Yellow, there’s a whole bunch of us out there who paid close attention not to the Western presentation but the Japan-only presentation that featured some pretty exciting little additions of which were left out of the stream only made available to us video game fans living outside of glorious Nippon. After going through the motions of a standard Nintendo Direct presentation, the video game juggernaut decided to throw us Shin Megami Tensei fans a little bone in the form of another trailer for the upcoming sequel Shin Megami Tensei IV: Final, which had only been announced a few weeks ago. Alongside this trailer, which doesn’t reveal TOO much about the upcoming game, the Nintendo Direct presentation also gave audiences a nice look at the game’s key visual …

Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Believing all apocalyptic preachers; the world we live in is perpetually on the verge of utter annihilation. If it isn’t a global zombie scare brought about by drug addicts eating each other, it’s a holy deity coming down from on high to take the chosen people to salvation, leaving us sinners behind for what is essentially Hell on Earth. I couldn’t count on two hands the amount of times, in my lifespan alone, the world has been under threat of complete destruction. Meteors, economic collapse, black holes, Satan’s arrival, the Rapture…all within the short span of twenty years, and that’s only an abridged version of the extensive list. The point I’m trying to make is; depending on who you ask, the eradication of all life on our planet is only ever just around the corner. In one of ATLUS’ many new video game releases, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker, you play as a young man thrown into a realm of utter chaos and destruction after coming into possession of a strange new …

Two New Gameplay Videos Released For Shin Megami Tense X Fire Emblem

Published by Frank Inglese

A new ATLUS game is always exciting, especially when it is an addition to the long lineage that is Shin Megami Tensei. The exact same thing can be said for Intelligent Systems’ Fire Emblem series of tactical role-playing games. I’m sure I don’t have to explain why a combination of these two popular video game series’ is going to set the world of Japanese pop culture ablaze with elation. Not only is it self-explanatory, but the recent update of the game’s official website features two new videos that give audiences a glimps at the game in action, showing us all that this is one title to absolutely not miss out on. The story is simple, yet mostly unexplained at this point in time: Basically, you play as a young man who wants to be a popular entertainer of sorts. Your party members; they also want to be entertainers of sorts. Something crazy happens one day and, much like that of Persona, you and your friends come into contact with beings of pure malice called Mirages, …

Persona 4: Dancing All Night – Review

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When Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 first landed on the PlayStation 2 back in 2008, no one could have predicted the mainstream success that the IP still enjoys to this day. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 4 was an entry in a spin-off franchise, but at this point Persona 4 has become its own brand and franchise, far removed from its Shin Megami Tensei parent. Prior to the mainstream appeal of Persona 4, the series was always something of an acquired taste. Starting with two incredibly challenging entries on the PlayStation (PSOne), the series would make a comeback after a major hiatus in the form of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3. That title was a breath of fresh air at the time, and for Western gamers who had grown tired of Final Fantasy, they couldn’t have asked for a more alternative Japanese RPG. It didn’t take long for Persona 4 to arrive after, and at first it enjoyed the same niche word of mouth success like its predecessors. For numerous reasons, however, the success of Persona 4 suddenly skyrocketed and …

Meet The Felonious Inspirations Behind Persona 5’s New Crew

Published by Frank Inglese

Chances are, if you’re reading this, than you’re very much aware of the Shin Megami Tensei offshoot series Persona. Even more, I’m sure you’re very much aware of the fact that there’s a new Persona game on the way courtesy of the hard-working developers over at ATLUS. The next numerical addition to the series, Persona 5, is looking to be quite a bit different from it’s predecessors in many ways. The list of changes for the new game is almost endless, but overly positive. Like with any new addition to a series, certain aspects of what made previous titles popular are changed, but what continues to keep the series as a whole highly-revered is that the core features aren’t altered. One of those particular features seen throughout each addition to the Persona series are the Personas themselves. Changing thematically across each of the games, one thing remains the same; they’re demon-like creatures that mirror one’s heart…and that’s no different for Persona 5. If you care to cast your mind back you’ll quickly come to remember that …

Etrian Mystery Dungeon Review

Published by Jahanzeb Khan

The video game industry is no stranger to crossovers, and the trend only appears to have become more popular with time as developers bring their respective franchises together for an epic joint production. One of the earliest and most notable crossovers, Capcom and SNK cumulated their heated ‘90s rivalry by creating the ultimate dream battle that was Capcom vs SNK, pitching their celebrated fighting franchises into one mega 2D fighting package. Lately we’ve seen Virtua Fighter combatants make their way into Dead or Alive 5, but outside of fighting games we’ve seen some epic crossovers in the RPG genre with the likes of Project X Zone (Capcom, SEGA, and BandaiNamco), Kingdom Hearts (the still bizarre Disney and Square-Enix crossover), and with some unusual ones on the horizon like Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem. Another RPG crossover which only just recently graced the Europe and Australia/New Zealand region is Etrian Mystery Dungeon, a crossover between Etrian Odyssey (by Atlus) and Mystery Dungeon (Spike Chunsoft). A crossover between two niche and brutally challenging RPG makes for …

Steal The Night – Persona 5 Tokyo Game Show 2015 Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

It’s an unfortunate piece of news but Persona 5 will no longer be getting a 2015 release. Announced at this year’s Tokyo Game Show, ATLUS have revealed that they have decided to delay the game’s release until the Summer of 2016 but, chances are, we’ll see another shift before that time anyway. Director Katsura Hashino stated that the game is almost at full completion but there are certain elements the team would like to tweak and change before it’s full release, just to make sure the fans are happy with the quality level of the new title considering just how anticipated a game it is. To make things a little better, though, ATLUS has taken the chance to use Tokyo Game Show 2015 as more than just a platform to deliver bad news: Being released alongside information of the game’s delay is it’s third trailer which actually shows much more of the upcoming game than what we’ve seen in the past and, in fact, than what we expected. To accompany the new trailer, ATLUS also …

Keep Friends Close And Enemies Closer – Lost Dimension Hits Australia/New Zealand In August

Published by Frank Inglese

In Francis Ford Coppola’s film sequel The Godfather: Part II, Al Pacino’s character Michael Corleone speaks the all so true words “keep your friends close and your enemies closer“. This saying has been passed down throughout recent history as something of a mystical saying, often being attributed to military strategist Sun Tzu who you may know wrote the book The Art Of War. This…is not true. It is simply a line from the movie The Godfather and although it is only this, it does indeed have some worldly truth. In the upcoming tactical RPG Lost Dimension players will fill the shoes of a psychic working within a sub-government agency called S.H.E.I.L.D whose only goal is Earthly defence from enemies of immeasurable power. Too bad one of your very own teammates is a traitor, too bad you don’t know which one. The upcoming PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita title developed by Lancarse and published by NIS America, is one of the more exciting video games of this year thanks to its interesting gameplay that, mixes both action, RPG and …

“ETRIAN ODYSSEY 2 UNTOLD: THE FAFNIR KNIGHT” COMING TO AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND IN 2016!

Published by Frank Inglese

This truly is the age of RPGs and, as a huge fan of the genre, I cannot be more excited! We all know the Etrian Odyssey series of adventure games right? Yeah! You know the ones! Well there’s another release on the horizon and today NIS America in conjunction with ATLUS have announced that it will be making its way to Australia and New Zealand in 2016! Now I know what you’re thinking; “that’s so far away!”, fair enough, it is a little far away at this point in time but aren’t you just glad to hear that it’s actually getting a release this side of the world? Surely you have to be! Bandai Namco Games will be handling the distribution across the pair of countries which should give you hope that you’ll be knowing exactly when this game is set for a release as soon as you possibly can. Bamco don’t usually keep their audience waiting and I don’t think anything will change this time with Etrian Odyssey 2 Untold: The Fafnir Knight. As mentioned; the game …

Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem Gets Its First Ever Full Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

It was revealed a while back that Nintendo and Atlus have been working on a crossover title for the Wii U simply titled “Shin Megami Tensei X Fire Emblem” but soon after it’s announcement it was forced back into the shadows wherein which it has laid in wait…until today. As part of April’s Nintendo Direct Presentation, the video game industry juggernaut debuted the very first trailer for the upcoming game that shows audiences not only the setting of it but the style in which it’ll be developed. With pop art-style graphics and what looks to be a very “Shin Megami Tensai” set of gameplay mechanics, this trailer shocked many who thought this game would be dark-ish in a similar fashion to the series of games that takes precedence over the new one’s title. It looks to be set in Shibuya, an area of Tokyo, and the protagonists seem to be of a schooling age. Despite what it is that we’ve been shown, this game is still mostly a mystery. Apparently the characters all lead normal …

Keep Friends Close And Enemies Closer – “Lost Dimension” Is Headed To The West

Published by Frank Inglese

The act of betrayal is as old as history itself. It dates all the way back to the time of Jesus Christ who was put to death thanks to the greedy nature of someone he considered quite a close friend. It’s no surprise that an act as dastardly as this has lasted so long and it seems as though the higher up the social ladder you climb the more likely it is to happen to you, or vice versa. The upcoming tactical RPG “Lost Dimension” knows about this all too well. Announced over night, this critically-acclaimed psychic-fueled title will be making it’s way across the pond to but the Americas and Europe alongside Australia and New Zealand. In the Americas, ATLUS will be handling the distribution but in Europe it will be NIS America who will be in charge. This interesting little title will have you fill the shoes of a psychic user who’s part of the team I mentioned just above. The crazy thing about this game that may eventually come to bite you …

Persona 5 – It’s Time You Meet Arsene: The Gentleman Thief

Published by Frank Inglese

Now, reader, I’m sure you’re very much aware of what “Persona 5” is. In fact, if I was a betting man I’d put my money on the fact that you’re very much invested in the whole “Persona” series of video games not just the latest addition. You’ve seen the new trailer, you’ve seen the new characters, you’ve seen the new mascot character but what we all wanted to see the most was what kind of Personas would call “P5” their home. Now, thanks to Japan’s Dengeki PlayStation Magazine, we’ve just been introduced to what I’d call the “Main” Persona of the new game and, running with the thief motif, it just so happens to be named after one of the greatest fictional larcenist of all time: A gentleman thief called Arsene Lupin. OK, before you jump to any conclusions, the new Persona is NOT named after the titular character from the long-running Anime and Manga series “Lupin The Third” because, well, Lupin was named after the same character as the Izanagi-like Arsene so, if anything, they’re …

The New Persona 5 Trailer Will Have You Seeing Red

Published by Frank Inglese

There’s no better news than that of “Persona 5” news and at the very top of my “favorite things to see” list has always been a brand-new trailer. Well ATLUS delivered with the unveiling of the very first full “Persona 5” trailer which showed off a great deal more than I believe a lot of people expected. With a tonne of colour, trailer gave us a glimpse at both the combat and social simulator side of the game, both of which look fantastic! Audiences are somewhat introduced to four members of the main cast but I can’t help imagining that there are going to be a fee more we wont be made privy to until closer to the release. To say the very least; there’s a lot about this trailer that screams “Persona” but there’s also a great deal that boasts the evolution of the great series. With a sinister-looking protagonist, a Bancho best friend, a Rise Kujikawa impersonator and a cat mascot, there’s not much else to be desires which can only mean this …

Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth – Review

Published by Frank Inglese

For me, there’s no greater video game than a crossover video game. If you sit back and think about it, it’s basically a fan fiction story come to life. I cried when “Marvel VS Capcom 3” got released, “Street Fighter X Tekken” had me naked by the title screen and “Project X Zone” made me wet my pants. Yeah…I love crossover titles THAT MUCH. When I heard about “Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth” I was institutionalised for a period of three weeks but I managed to get myself out of the straight jacket and back at my work desk with enough time to research the characters of “Persona 3” just so I’d be able to enjoy the game a little more. Having only played “Persona 4 Golden” but absolutely loving it, I was very much excited for “Q” but still felt as though I needed to do my homework before jumping in “half prepared”. North America, those lucky bastards, got the game before us here in Australia and an influx of reviews flooded the net. …

“Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 – Record Breaker” Coming to The West Early 2015

Published by Frank Inglese

We all know who ATLUS is don’t we? Yeah, they’re the Japanese video game publisher and developer famous for the “Shin Megami Tensei” series of dungeon crawlers and RPGs but lately it seems they’ve really only been focused on their “Persona” series of games what with the latest addition to the already extensive catalog “Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth” being released. Well, according to the PR e-mail we were sent, they want to make a little bit of a change and instead bring the world news of a different video game…”Devil Survivor”. More specifically; “Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 – Record Breaker” (“Break Record” in Japan). It turns out this Nintendo 3DS remake will not only be getting a Japanese release but a Western release too! So far it has only been announced for North America but recent history has proven to me that whatever America gets, the rest of the Western world gets. It’s especially reassuring in this day and age where Japanese games are hitting local shelves around Europe and the …

“Etrian Mystery Dungeon” Is Coming To The West!

Published by Frank Inglese

Maybe you’ve yet to hear, but there’s a new “Etrian Odyssey” game on the horizon for the Nintendo 3DS that is set to get a release in the Spring of 2015. This new game, titled “Etrian Mystery Dungeon”, is going to be a mix between both the “Etrian Odyssey” and “Mystery Dungeon” series of RPG-style video games…just in case the name didn’t quite give it away. This was recently announced for Japan but, in even more recent times, it has been announced for North America which means, like many other games, there’s a very high chance it will be making its way around the rest of the Western world. ATLUS announced this just today and with that they also released a bunch of screenshots from the English version of the game for us to all enjoy. If you’ve played any of the games from either of the series’ you may have a pretty good idea of what’s to be expected with this new title. Hell, if you’ve played games from BOTH of the series’ you …

Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth – Now Available Across Europe

Published by Frank Inglese

Well, friends, it is finally here. “Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth”, the much-anticipated “Persona” cross-over title, has now reached the shores of Europe and is now available across the continent. North America got themselves the game sometime last week but now it is the European gamers’ turn to try their hand at some old-school dungeon crawling on a contemporary console. Are you a fan of “Persona 3”? Awesome! Your favorite characters are in this game! Are you a fan of “Persona 4”? Even awesome-er! Your favorite characters from THAT game are also in “Persona Q”! Are you a fan of original characters created for specific cross-over title! Wow! So awesome! Those types of characters are also in this game! “Persona Q” practically has everything and it’s not now across Europe, so heading into your local video game distributor and grab this new Nintendo 3DS title before the limited edition tarot card version gets sold out. If you don’t know what this version is, it’s actually no different from the standard version of the game …

Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord – Available Now Across Europe

Published by Frank Inglese

Yep, here it is. Those who are constant readers of the site will know that we’ve been reporting on “Tears To Tiara II” news for quite some time and it is now finally available in Europe. NIS America, with their friends at ATLUS, are very pleased to distribute their latest piece video game excellence across the great land for all the European gamers to indulge in. Exclusive to the PlayStation 3 and available both physically and digitally, “Tears To Tiara II” will take players on a wild fantasy adventure across the fictional country Hispania. You will take up arms as a young laborer named Hamil who, after meeting with a young girl calling herself a God, journeys to the capital to take back the throne that is rightfully his, or so that’s what this God lady is telling him. A Tale of a Forgotten Goddess and an Overlord. The province of Hispania suffers under the cruel dominance of the Divine Empire. In one of its towns within the countryside, a young boy named Hamil toils …

Persona Q – Fuuka, Koromaru, Kanji and Rise Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

ATLUS are back at it again with the releases of five new characters trailers for their upcoming dungeon-crawler “Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth”, well…four character trailers and one other one which takes viewers through the party building system. Fans of the series and big followers of Japanese pop culture will know that, every couple of weeks, ATLUS releases new trailers for “Persona Q”, most of which happen to feature singular characters…this week is no different. The characters put on show for this batch of videos are Fuuka and Koromaru of “Persona 3” alongside Kanji and Rise of “Persona 4”, as well as the one I mentioned just above. I’ve provided all of these videos below so sit back, relax, press play and enjoy what ATLUS has to offer. North America will be getting the new 3DS title on the 25th of November, Europe will be getting it on the 28th of November and Australia will be getting it on the 4th of December. That’s not too far away so begin preparing for what is …

Persona Q – It’s Time To Meet The Occupants Of The Velvet Room

Published by Frank Inglese

ATLUS knows that a lot of us already know the characters of both ‘Persona 3’ and ‘Persona 4’. They’re games based around two things; fighting and making friends, so it’s obvious that once you come into contact with another character, you’re probably going to know them very well by the end of the game. For the sake of those who’ve not played the games and for the sake of those who have terrible memories and need a bit of reminding, ATLUS have released a set of four trailers for their upcoming dungeon crawler, RPG ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’. These four videos will spotlight the four inhabitants of the Velvet Room. Yes, all four of them! You’ve got Marie, Margaret, Elizabeth and Theodore. The whole team is here to play! Even better than just simply having them around is that they all play quite an important role in the events of the game both story-wise and gameplay-wise. Margaret spends most of her time in the Velvet Room. She can help you and your party …

Persona 4 – You Look Beary Cute In That Teddie Sweater!

Published by Frank Inglese

Who’s ready for some new mascot merchandise?! I am! Over the weekend, the good people over at the Japanese branch of the video game publisher and developer ATLUS released a bunch of images of one of their latest ‘Persona 4’ clothing products just in time for what people are hoping will be one heck of a cold winter. You can now dress up as the true hero of the PlayStation 2/PlayStation Vita JRPG ‘Persona 4’…Teddie! Spend those cold days wrapped up in a long fleece sweater that makes you look like the rambunctious young bear himself. Yes, it is true, ATLUS have opened up a new page on their D-Shop for you to be able to go and purchase what will surely be your most favored article of clothing. Unfortunately it doesn’t ship outside of Japan so before buying make sure you have a local friend who’ll be able to get the item and ship it to you. That will most likely be the only way you’ll be getting this huge sweater. Those eligeble to …

Persona Q – Naoto Shirogane and Ken Amada Character Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

ATLUS have today released two more character trailers for their upcoming Nintendo 3DS video game ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ and they just so happen to focus on the smallest of the two groups that make up both the ‘Persona 3’ and ‘Persona 4’ cast respectively. Naoto Shirogane, the literal shortest of the ‘P4’ team, is a self-proclaimed ace detective and one hell of a gunfighter. She, together with the Persona Sukuna-Hikona, is a perfect backup brawler that can dance with the best of them and isn’t one to back down prematurely. Though her everyday life is filled with gender confusion and questions that need some serious answering, she wont let that effect her in battle. Ken Amada from ‘P3’, on the other hand, is just a kid so it’s understandable if he doesn’t feel as ‘at home’ on the battlefield as the rest of the cast. That doesn’t mean he wont do his all to protect his friends. With a spear in hand and Nemesis the Persona at his back, this young man …

Persona Q: Get To Know Junpei And Newcomer Zen With These New Trailers

Published by Frank Inglese

ATLUS, you magnificent bastards! You’ve gone and delivered us another set of trailers for your upcoming ‘Persona’ title ‘Shadow Of The Labryinth’ and us fans of the series love you for it! Yes, you read correctly, ATLUS have today released three new trailers for ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ and this time they focus on the cap-wearing superstar himself Junpei Iori as well as an original character for the game, a man they call Zen. Alongside these two trailers comes another video that shows us the ‘Persona 3’ side of the story. It shows all of our favorite ‘Persona 3’ characters in one place as well as their initial meeting with the cast of ‘Persona 4’. The main focus though are our friends Junpei and Zen who will star in the game alongside a whole bunch of other ‘Persona’ favorites all of which can be added to your team and used as you see fit. It’s the ultimate ATLUS crossover title! ‘Persona Q’ is set for a release, as mentioned, on the Nintendo 3DS …

Devil Survivor 2: The Animation – Complete Collection Review

Published by Frank Inglese

Three kids, a God, and a plan for universal domination. This is ‘Devil Survivor 2: The Animation’. Many of you out there are probably thinking that you’ve heard this name before, well you have because it was originally a game for the Nintendo DS which, funnily enough, has just been announced to be a getting a remake for the Nintendo 3DS sometime next year. I suppose Hanabee, the Australian Anime distributors, knew something we didn’t as it is only now that this series is getting a release ‘down under’. Originally released over a year ago in Japan and streamed for the West thanks to Crunchyroll, it was an interesting experience being able to watch this series again in full English audio and without having to wait week by week. Before even putting the disc in I took a moment to think about what I was getting into: Does it still hold up after a year of animation progression and newer series’? Will I be able to appreciate the English voice acting when I’ve already heard …

Spike Chunsoft Announces New “Kenka Bancho” Game

Published by Frank Inglese

Here’s the deal: If you’re a constant reader of the site than you’d know how big a fan of the video game series ‘Kenka Bancho’ I am. The first and only time the West was able to legally get their hands on a video game from this series was all the way back in 2009 with the release of ‘Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble’ on the PlayStation Portable thanks to the wonderful people over at ATLUS. Ever since then there’s been a hole in my heart than can only be filled by experiencing the punky action of juvenile Japanese delinquents going head-to-head in fist fights. About a month ago, in the last ‘Nintendo Direct’ video presentation, a new game was teased that had fans of the series the world over scream out in hopes that what they were seeing was a new ‘Kenka Bancho’ title, well thanks to the latest issue of Famitsu online publication it has finally been confirmed. The game is called ‘Kenka Bancho 6: Soul & Blood’ and it is going to be …

Persona Q – Chie Satonaka and Akihiko Sanada Character Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

What’s more exciting than one protein junkie? How about TWO protein junkies?! It’s a beautiful morning in Sydney Australia and I’ve woken up, much like many others, to a new pair of ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ character spotlight trailers courtesy of ATLUS themselves. I tell you, there’s no better way to start the day. Both ‘Persona 3’ and ‘Persona 4’ feature a character type that are focused on one thing and one thing only; one of them happens to be a freak for meat and the other surely spends most of his free time at the gym. I think you all know who I’m talking about…it’s Chie Satonaka of ‘Persona 4’ and Akihiko Sanada of ‘Persona 3’! One is a world renowned ‘kick chick’ and the other could definitely give Rocky a run for his money and they’ve both come together today to share the spotlight in their very own character trailers. ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ isn’t too far away from being released but that doesn’t matter to ATLUS, they’ll keep …

Persona Q – Yosuke and Mitsuru Character Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

We all know the drill by now right? ATLUS, the Japanese video game developer and publisher, have a huge audience and they’re not the types to leave their fans wanting more for too long. That’s why almost every single week they release something new regarding their upcoming video game releases. While most publishers do this, none do it as frequently as ATLUS and I think it’s safe to say that’s why we love them. Well ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ – the ‘Persona 3/Persona 4’ crossover title for the Nintendo 3DS – is only just around the corner and ATLUS have today released two new English trailers spotlighting just two of the many characters to take center stage in the upcoming RPG. Yosuke Hanamura and Mitsuru Kirijo have returned for this new game and they’re looking cuter than ever! Along with the return of the characters themselves comes the return of their voice actors and actresses, of which you’ll be able to hear in the do of trailers we’ve provided for you below. ‘Persona …

Compare The Pair – ATLUS Releases “Persona Q” Protagonist Trailers

Published by Frank Inglese

Persona 3 or Persona 4: Which has the best protagonist? Is it the grey-haired, grey-eyed Yu Narukami, or is it the headphone-wearing Makoto Yuki who takes the cake as top main character? ATLUS’ upcoming ‘Persona’ title for the Nintendo 3DS ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ has both the cast of ‘Persona 3’ and ‘Persona 4’ come together for one hell of a hair-raising adventure through a dark and mysterious labyrinth located under Yasogami High School. Because of it’s ‘crossover’ layout, the game has players chose one of the two main characters from their respective ‘Persona’ titles. Despite being two completely different characters, no matter which you chose, players will be able to follow the same overall story with small changes being in the way you interact with the rest of the cast. ATLUS have today released two English trailers for the game; one of which focuses on the ‘Persona 3’ protagonist Makoto Yuki and the other focusing on the ‘Persona 4’ protagonist Yu Narukami. The trailers showcase both the young men in combat and …

“Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord” Gets Pre-Order Bonus In The Americas

Published by Frank Inglese

‘Tears To Tiara II’ is on it’s way to the West and today ATLUS have announced that fans of the upcoming video game who are willing to pre-order the title from selected retails will get a very special bonus that is sure to add to the overall experience of this wonderful strategy RPG. Titled the ‘Tears To Tiara II Visual Works’, this 31-page, full colour art book will take readers through each and every detail of the main characters’ designs and will showcase the unimaginable talent of Japanese artist Naru Furudera who, obviously, help a pivotal role in the game’s visual development. As a sign of good will, ATLUS has even provided us with a 10-page preview for the booklet of which you can lay your eyes on here. ‘Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord’ is set to be released on the PlayStation 3 across America (North and South) on the 14th of October with a release in Europe set for the 7th of November and in Australia/New Zealand sometime after that. ATLUS …

Persona 5 Just Announced For The PlayStation 4 + Teaser Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

Sugoi! Sony Computer Entertainment today held a small but exciting press conference wherein which they revealed a whole bunch of information regarding their upcoming games, one of which happens to be the highly-anticipated ‘Persona 5’ which, up until today, had only been announced through a picture featuring five chairs and the video game’s title. Today we were given more than that: Not only was a teaser trailer for the upcoming game released but it was made known to the public that ‘Persona 5’ would not only be coming to the PlayStation 3…but also the PlayStation 4. My excitement is immeasurable seeing as I was one of the foolish people to get rid of my PlayStation 3 so that I could make room in my life for the PlayStation 4. I now regret that decision a little less. The game is still set at a vague 2015 release but the Tokyo Game Show is only around the corner and my hope is that we’ll see more of it there. It’s time to break free! -30-

Get Properly Acquianted With Adachi and Marie With The Latest ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

You know they’re set to be released in the upcoming ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ fighting game as DLC characters but how well do you truly know Tohru Adachi and the monoymous Marie? There’s some good news for those of you out there who don’t know these two characters very well but are still looking forward to getting their hands on the video game sequel; ATLUS USA have today released a combination trailer that features both of the DLC characters in all their brawling glory. Adachi will be accompanied on the battlefield by his Persona Mugetsu-Izanagi and Marie will be joined by her official Persona partner Kaguya. Even though they’ve been announced as DLC which would make you instantly think that you’ll have to dish out a bunch of cash to be able to play as them, ATLUS revealed that for a limited time they will both be available for free! From the launch day, players will have a week to download the two characters before things get changed up and they become paid content. So …

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – Shadow Labrys and Sho Minazuki English Trailers Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Heads up, ‘Persona’ fans! ATLUS aren’t letting you go on too long without getting another taste of the upcoming action game sequel ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ so settle in, buckle up and prepare for another trio of trailers to get invigorated and ready for some head-to-head ‘Persona’ action! The three new English trailers for Shadow Labrys and Sho Minazuki have just been released and they look fantastic! Shadow Labrys is the star of her very own trailer, once again, whereas Mr. Minazuki gets lucky and lands himself two separate trailers; one WITH his Persona backing him up and the other without. The game is just about to hit Japan and will be released in North America on the 30th of September on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with a European and Australian release to closely follow. Shadow Labrys: Sho Minazuki: Sho Minazuki (Without Persona): -30-

“Persona 4 Arena Ultimax” – Mitsuru Kirijo Character Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

Oh, what’s that? You want more ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ news? ATLUS has got you covered, reader! The publisher/developer’s Japanese branch today released another character spotlight trailer for the upcoming game and this time the audience’s attention is entirely on Mrs. Mitsuru Kirijo from ‘Persona 3’. Being available as a playable character in the original ‘Persona 4 Arena’, her return hasn’t necessarily shocked fans but it has made them even more excited for the game’s release. As beautiful as ever, she claims the battlefield as her own alongside her Persona partner Artemisia who also returns from the previous game. The game is just about to hit Japan and will be released in North America on the 30th of September on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 with a European and Australian release to closely follow. -30-

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – Trailers Released For Akihiko Sanada and Aigis

Published by Frank Inglese

ATLUS have done it again! It’s been about a week at this point in time since ATLUS last released screenshots or a gameplay trailer for their upcoming action title ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ which means that it is time for yet another pair of character spotlight trailers with these two focusing on ‘Persona 3’s’ very own Akihiko Sanada and Aigis. ATLUS never let too much time go by without tossing out more hype-inducing news regarding one of their titles and I think that’s why the world loves them. The brutal boxer Akihiko Sanada and the Anti-Shadow android Aigis are back and ready to brawl in these new trailers for the upcoming game and even though the trailers are entirely in Japanese I think audiences will get the gist of what is going on…these two rock ultimate! ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ is set for a North American release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this Autumn/Fall with a European release to follow shortly after that. Akihiko Sanada: Aigis: -30-

“Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord” Coming To Europe This November

Published by Frank Inglese

NIS America, in association with ATLUS, has today announced that their critically acclaimed tactical RPG/visual novel “Tears To Tiara II: Heir Of The Overlord” will be making it’s way over to Europe on the 13th of November this year for the PlayStation 3! this is fantastic news seeing as how loved this title is over in Japan. The game features a fantasy-style story that has players follow the story of a young man named Hamilcar Barca, a lover and somewhat of a fighter that discovers a hidden evil within himself after seeing a poor innocent girl killed by the Empire he’s come to trust. Going into a rage that can only be quelled by the spilling of wicked blood, Hamilcar sets off on an incredible journey to free his people from the grasp of tyranny. Along the way he’ll come into contact with odd and interesting creatures all of which have their own reasons to follow him on his journey for freedom. Be they human, beast or even God, Hamilcar accepts them for who they …

Heads Up, European Gamers! “Shin Megami Tensei IV” Is On It’s Way!

Published by Frank Inglese

Finally! It’s situations like this that make European gamers feel a little left out. North America and Japan get everything and we’re left here in the dark! No, no, no, I’m being silly. If you think about it properly Europe has been getting a couple games here and there before North America so I shouldn’t be complaining about things like this. You see, reader, I jumped the gun a little above because Europe has been waiting for ATLUS’ ‘Shin Megami Tensei IV’ for what seems like ages at this point in time! Well, it’s only been just over a year, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been longing to get our hands on this beauty of a game! ‘Shin Megami Tensei IV’ follows the story of a young samurai named Flynn. He, alongside his other samurai pals, are tasked with ridding the world of demons and they do this by using their amazing Bushido-style teachings. This game has received quite a positive reception in it’s time being available to the public and it’s made European …

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – Marie Character Spotlight Trailer Released

Published by Frank Inglese

The ‘Hollow Forest’s Tsundere Poet’ Marie is back in the spotlight once more now that ATLUS have released the first official battle trailer for the newly announced character! If you missed it; Marie, of ‘Persona 4 Golden’ fame, was recently announced as a DLC character for the upcoming ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ fighting game. Armed with a magical bag and fighting alongside her Persona companion Kaguya, Marie is absolutely a force to be reckoned with! A week ago ATLUS released screenshots of the young lady in action but this week we’ve got something one hundred times better. We’ve got some actual footage, baby! She has a quirky moveset that blends well into her more serious side with her special move being, well…you’ll see. ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ is set for a release on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this Autumn/Fall in North America and in Europe sometime after that. -30-

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax To Be Region Free Upon American Release + New Trailer

Published by Frank Inglese

  I’m all fired up for this news because, believe it or not, I was burned once before by the original ‘Persona 4 Arena’ region-locked system and I’m so excited to see that the American version of the ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ game will be entirely region-free. Do you know what this means? It means as long as you have an American PlayStation Network account you can download and play the game as soon as it is released no matter where you live in the world. This is brilliant news for European gamers like myself who were unable to get the first game at the same time as our American counterparts . We live in a world where the ‘global village’ is a reality, not just something we learned in school as a part of the English class curriculum. No longer do friends have to be located in the same street to be able to play together, the world’s citizens are all connected and now we can all get up to some hardcore brawlin’ thanks …

Adachi Announced as Free DLC For American Versions of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

Published by Frank Inglese

Adachi, you son of a gun! Why the heck are you in this game?! Before I move on, I am going to issue a spoiler warning so if you’ve yet to finish ‘Persona 4’ you may have certain things ruined for you because I’m sorry but I ain’t going to hold back! A few weeks ago it was announced that Adachi was added to the new ‘Persona’ fighting game ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ as a DLC character. At the time this was only announced for Japanese players who are lucky enough to get him for free at the launch of the game. It turns out North America shares the same luck because today ATLUS revealed that they will also be getting the same! Yes, this means North American players will too be getting the Adachi character DLC for free on launch. The only thing we’ve yet to be told is whether or not the rest of the Western world will be getting the same treatment but, at this point in time, I can only assume …

Missed The ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’ Twitch Live Stream? We’ve Got It Right Here!

Published by Frank Inglese

Last week ATLUS hosted a bit of a ‘mini-event’, as I’m calling it. This event took place on the world wide web, maybe you’ve heard of it. To be more exact; the live-streaming event took place on Twitch who, at this point in time, takes the crown for online video game streaming capabilities. Basically ATLUS used Twitch to show the world just how good their new game, “Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’, really is and damn did they show us! It isn’t like the world ever doubted the new fighting title’s brilliant but, even in saying that, we were still blown away with just how good it looked. There IS one bad thing about live broadcast though; not everyone will be able to watch it. Yes, so some folks missed out on the hour and a half of gameplay awesomeness, but that’s alright because ATLUS went ahead and recorded the whole thing which they then released online.Today. You can now watch the whole thing. For free. Ain’t that something? ATLUS never forgets their fans! What’s even …

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – Shadow Labrys and Chie Satonaka Gameplay Trailers

Published by Frank Inglese

ATLUS, you magnificent son of a gun! You’re the gift that keeps on giving and today you’ve brought us, the pop culture world, another two gameplay trailers for your upcoming ‘Persona’ fighting game ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’. Readers, if you’ve been following recent pop culture news, you’d know that ATLUS has been dominating when it comes to constant news updates regarding their latest video game titles. ‘Be it Persona 4: Dancing All Night’, ‘Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth’ or ‘Persona 4 Arena Ultimax’, not a week goes by that we don’t get some sort of trailer, screenshot or general info release and, ATLUS, we love you for it! The two videos – one featuring Shadow Labrys and the other featuring Chie Satonaka – have these lovely ladies duke it out with other fighters as they show off their moves and look damn good doing it. Fans will remember Chie, the plucky kick chick, from ‘Persona 4’ and Labrys, the shadow-annihilating weapon, from the previous fighting titles ‘Persona 4 Arena’. Well the girls are back …