Atlus spoils Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for PSP system

[AtlusAram]

ATLUS SPOILS THE STUFFING OUT OF SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI®: PERSONA® FOR PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) SYSTEM; EACH AND EVERY LAUNCH COPY TO BE A PREMIUM BOXED SET INCLUDING THE GAME'S FULL 2-DISC SOUNDTRACK
Also: first English screens and North American release date revealed!

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 11, 2009 - Atlus U.S.A., Inc., masters of spoilage (the good kind), today revealed that each and every launch copy of Shin Megami Tensei®: Persona® for PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system will be a premium boxed set. In addition to the game, customers will receive the game's exceptional soundtrack, which features 2 CDs of music from master composer Shoji Meguro (while supplies last, at participating retailers). Also disclosed today were the game's first English screenshots and official North American release date.

"SMT: Persona is scheduled to release on September 22nd," announced Aram Jabbari, manager of PR and Sales for Atlus. "As with many of our games this year, SMT: Persona will be included in the Atlus Spoils fan appreciation program. Each and every copy of the game will be a premium boxed set and will include the game's full 2-disc soundtrack. In addition, we are able to confirm to series fans that in addition to the all-new localization, the 'Snow Queen' quest, game content never before available in North America, will be included in this new release."

This first chapter in the critically-acclaimed RPG series leaves no doubt as to why the franchise has grown in popularity over the years: the game features an evocative script laden with philosophy and morality, an incredibly unique game world free from the clichés and repetition of the genre, and relentless JRPG gameplay with fast action and intelligent strategy.

Completely remastered for PSP system, SMT: Persona boasts a fully redone localization (including content never-before-seen in North America), all-new music from composer Shoji Meguro, beautiful new animated sequences overseen by famed artist Kazuma Kaneko, and enhanced graphics optimized for the PSP system's widescreen aspect ratio. With new content, adjustments to game balance, and a number of technical and design improvements, this is the definitive version of one of the most sought after RPGs of all time.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is currently scheduled to release on September 22, 2009.

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About SMT: Persona
The rumor going around St. Hermelin High School holds that if you play the "Persona" game, you can see what the future holds for you. When a group of students-some eager, some skeptical-tries the game out, they experience something quite different. Before long, the city is turned upside-down and demons are roaming the streets, and only the students' newfound power of Persona can set things right again.

Whether you pursue Takahisa Kandori and his abuses of the power he wields as SEBEC's president, or whether you delve into the curse of the Snow Queen that has plagued St. Hermelin for decades, a deep, modern, psychological tale awaits. Remember your true self, and free the tortured psyches of others...

Key Features

• More than the same old JRPG—Dark, philosophical, and complex, Persona sets you up in a modern day Japan that has gone into chaos. Demons run free, and you and your team must navigate corruption, mental frailty, and an alternate version of your world to bring your reality back into order.
• A second chance on PSP—Offering a second opportunity to experience the beginnings of the acclaimed Persona series, this remake boasts a fully relocalized script, revamped user interface, faster battles, expanded soundtrack, and new in-game movies with voice work added just for the North American release.
• Unique tactical opportunities—The inner selves known Personas are your key to progressing through the adventure, adding skills and incredible depth to your battle tactics. Expand and improve your collection through the Demon Negotiation system that offers spell cards that you can later fuse into new Personas.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona has not yet been rated by the ESRB.

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About Atlus U.S.A., Inc.
Located in Irvine, California and founded in 1991, Atlus U.S.A., Inc. is renowned for its proud tradition of publishing exceptional role-playing games with strong niche appeal. The Atlus library of critically acclaimed video games includes Odin Sphere, the Trauma Center series, and the award-winning Shin Megami Tensei series. For more information, visit http://www.atlus.com.

For breaking news, special promotions, insider info, and more, visit http://www.atlus.com/faithful to join the ranks of the Atlus Faithful!

©2009 ATLUS SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI, SMT, and Persona are registered trademarks of Atlus U.S.A., Inc. Licensed to and published by Atlus U.S.A., Inc.

[Divals]

Sweet! My guaranteed preorder just got... well, even more guaranteed.

[Pibbman]

Shouldn't you be spoiling Devil Survivor before spoiling a game thats months away?

Other than that I was expecting this as a spoils, since this was a bonus in Japan.

[persona3rocks]

Serioulsy thinking about buying a psp now

[Enzeru]

!!!

Was NOT expecting the whole thing to come over, let alone as a boxed release!

Atlus <3 + Infinity

Day 1

[mafia28]

Will Persona be available for the PSP Go?

[SickleCellAnemia]

Very nice.

[Elizabeth]

That's pretty freaking sweet, but most of Atlus spoils are so hot the sun snubs them at parties. Now that there's a release date hopefully Game Stop has it in their system; I have to make sure I remember to ask when I pick up Devil Survivor.

[SlaughterX]

Great, hopefully it still costs $30 though. When will Amazon start taking preorders?

[donburns99]

Oh wow, this is fantastic news. All new localization - that alone is enough for me to pick this one up. Original characters too, I'm in shock.

[nbinney]

Wasn't this announced at E3?

[DragoonKain3]

Dang.... none of the new screenshots reveal the localized first names of the party members. Well, at least they at least put Nate/Kei's last name there as Najo, which indeed is a change from the NA PSX version (IIRC, wasn't it Trinity?).


Such a shame though that Devil Survivor doesn't get a spoil. Oh well, I'll take what I can get.

Originally Posted by nbinney

Wasn't this announced at E3?

Actually, it's been a long time already since Atlus revealed they're relocalizing Persona; we knew it was coming since the first quarter of this year IIRC. They even took a jab at certain sites, taunting them with words like 'Try and spoil this!' mainly because beforehand, their entire handheld lineup (around 10 games IIRC, all the way up to Devil Survivor) had their release dates spoiled even before their press release by Amazon.ca. ^^;

What we didn't know till now though, is the exact release date. And I for one am not surprised at the September release, though admittedly its a bit earlier than I expected since I was expecting it during Nov/Dec.

[Emilio Morales]

I love you Atlus!! <3 You made my day.

[nbinney]

I meant the release date and the soundtrack. They were already on the wikipedia page...

[Crabman]

Yay release date! Glad that this OST discs will have all of the music. *>_> Persona 4...even the Side B disc didn't even have the title screen music *

[Zenieth]

Forgive me for saying this as I so hate the localization of the psx version, but doesn't masao 'mark' japanese form seem worse? Maybe it's just me.

[AbsyntheDelacroix]

SDFGHAGKLHKSHGRWLUILTHLSTJKDGHSKJHKAHJH YES.

Now off to find a way to preorder something from Italy.

[Enzeru]

Originally Posted by nbinney

I meant the release date and the soundtrack. They were already on the wikipedia page...

Are you sure you aren't thinking of the JP Pre-Order bonus? They got the same thing as us.

EDIT EDIT: Also, good job on 238 online at the same time! That's more than Devil Summoner 2 brought in!

[Yukichin]

Awesome. Definite preorder guaranteed, now!

[Guled]

Are people who are going to be picking up the PSPGo screwed?

[SlaughterX]

Obviously, they're paying $250 for a PSP with a smaller screen and no UMD slot.

[avince]

I'm gonna buy this the day it comes out now.

[Agilao]

I am so excited about this - I have the Japanese version of Persona, and I can't believe it's coming to PSP.

[Nephlabobo]

This was a day one purchase for me regardless, but this is icing on the cake.

Jesus Christ, I love you Atlus.

Don't ever change.

[DamageCity]

Originally Posted by Zenieth

Forgive me for saying this as I so hate the localization of the psx version, but doesn't masao 'mark' japanese form seem worse? Maybe it's just me.

It's not just you but, it's it's all about keeping it as close to the Japanese version as possible. I'm surprised they are putting voice acting into the movies.

[jeffx]

premium boxed set

Can anyone elaborate on this? What size are we talking about?

[Divals]

Originally Posted by jeffx

Can anyone elaborate on this? What size are we talking about?

It looks like it's about the same size as the box for Prinny.

[Jonny The Pie King]

So, I'm seriously considering a PSP Go over the 3000. Provided this is on the digital service.

I'm going to preorder this just in case though I mean, if Prinny and Persona don't hit the PSN store at launch, I'm not getting a PSP Go, even though, well, I'd much rather have it over the giant standard PSP.

Plus Atlus games are collectables anyway. Might as well pay for them twice

[tropicana]

Dammit Atlus!

I JUST got my Knights in the Nightmare extras, and I was planning on buying Devil Survivor for the ds....

Looks like my wallet will continue to burn....

[Terash Cas]

All I need now is the preorder availibility...