TonyS

Coming out soon during the final stretch of life for the PS2 is a continuation to a series that captured the attention of many RPG players looking for something new and fresh. Persona 3 came onto the scene with style, flash and some new, very interesting elements to the JRPG genre.

Decemeber 9th, 2008 we will see Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 released and hopefully build upon the success of its predessor. I, for one, am very eager for this game. Persona 3 was a very welcome surprise and, based on what I have seen so far, Persona 4 looks to have expanded on it immensely. Here is my attempt at letting you guys in on my excitement and hopefully inform those that are unaware of this nice lttle gem.

Seeing as all the huge mega, big budget, AAA games that are coming out this year are all stacked during this time period, I felt this thread was necessary.

 

Developer: Atlus

Pubisher: Atlus

Platform: Playstation 2

Release date: 12.09.0

Click here for Trailer

::SYNOPSIS::

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, known in Japan as Persona 4 (ペルソナ4, Perusona 4?), is a console role-playing game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the sixth installment in the Persona series. Instead of the city locales of previous games in the series, Persona 4 takes place in a fictional Japanese countryside. It features a weather forecast system with events happening on misty days to replace the moon phase system (with events happening on full moons in Persona 3) implemented in the previous games. Its story is a suspenseful countryside murder mystery with multiple twists and turns in the plot. The North American package of the game will be released with a "Visual Data" book (most likely a collection of concept art) and a CD with selected music from the game, very much like Persona 3's North American release.

Persona 4 takes place in the same universe as Persona 3 in a rural town named Inaba. (If you want more info then wait for the game or go to Wikipedia)

 

 

::MUSIC::

The soundtrack was mainly composed by Shoji Meguro with 4 tracks composed by Atsushi Kitajoh (known for his soundtrack for Trauma Center: New Blood) and 3 tracks by Ryota Kozuka (1 composition and 2 arrangements). It was released as a 2-disc Original Soundtrack on July 23, 2008 by Aniplex. While Persona 3 had a more modern ****and design, Persona 4 features a more retro one.

The soundtrack will also be available in the North American release.

((Tony's note)): I really enjoyed the music to the last game. Honestly, it completely took me off guard with the different layers and the fusion of the beats that presented a really, fresh clean feeling - for lack of a better way to describe it.I am really eager to see what is i store for this latest installment.

In two weeks, we will see if this game delivers like the previous installments have but during that time I can only just sit back, take in the screen shots, look at some trailers and hang out with fellow video game enthusiasts, such as yourseves, and discuss the excitement of a game that applies what works while pushing the RPG genre forward.

Now with that said, am I the only one excited about this game?

and Hell followed with him".

I had a new internet connection installed at my house today. It was supposed to be Saturday but that didn't happen. Obviously. Nevertheless, 10 Mbps for the ultimate gaming experience is pretty badass. You know what that means, right?

Tonight I play some online multi-player Gears. Save me a spot boys.

I'm coming home.

Link to the EVEN bigger image! ZOINKS!!

1. I finished Castlevania - Symphony of the Night. It was fun and I had a good time. Ugh... sounds like I just got done with a night of debauchery. Seriously, I did enjoy the game. Halfway through I started understanding the game a lot more. If I were to play another Castlevania game, I don't think I would find myself so lost as I did this first time around. I compare it to playing a Suikoden or Final Fantasy game. After playing the first or second in the series you know how the world is and you have some understanding of the world you are in therefore finding your way around or having an understanding of how the game is delivered to you prior to playing will make it much easier to play. ---Thanks Gigs, with the heads up on the sword ---
2. My fiancee' apparently was made fun of in school about looking like Tia Carrera and takes it as an insult. I remained silent at the notion and kicked a rock.
3. I wish I could finish Lost Odyssey but I have no 360 in the household to get the game going. My 360 won't play any 360 games and the one that I borrowed(my father's) is getting fixed as we speak. If James beats this game before me then... I'll end up kicking two rocks.
4. I have been playing Romance of the Three Kingdoms XI(PS2) and I am sort of liking it but it is definitely hard, even on beginner. My father would be really good at this game.
5. I plan on making another video but I have yet to really solidify on how I will package it. Too many ideas popping around in my head. In the meantime, you can see a video that a friend of mine did. It's kind of like a music video but with video games. I always enjoy them.
     

Weaksauce.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

I'm about ten hours into this game and I am really enjoying it. I'll be honest though, there is no way I would be able to play this game without a FAQ.

Now before you give me the same look that the kid on my right here --> did when I told him about my move to use a FAQ, allow me to explain.

I first started playing SOTN without any assistance whatsoever and for about an hour and a half I was doing alright. I was opening doors, collecting items, discovering different parts of the castle. You know, doing what Castlevania players do.

Suddenly, that all ceased. I found myself backtracking, wondering aimlessly through the same spots of the castle and eventually getting no where. Period. Now i'm no stranger to exploration and getting yourself out of situations where the game gives you little or no explanation, but I found myself eventually not having fun, and along with all the hard work, have nothing to show for it.

Moreover, I couldn't keep this type of gameplay up and have a full-time job, read my comics, watch my Daniel Day Lewis movies and spend time with the family. No sir, that wasn't going to happen. I needed a solution so that I may enjoy the awesomeness that was SOTN. I wasn't going to abandon it. Apart from me wondering around in purgatory for hours maintaining the abusive balance of frustration and sadness, the game has plenty of charm and plenty of depth.

It was going to be the death of me if I did not find a solution to fit my needs. I decided to swallow my pride and look online for a FAQ of SOTN. I also made the determination to start the game over as a gesture of good will. Whatever that may be worth

One thing, I noticed whilst looking for guides, is that most people that create guides cannot write. Perhaps it's because they assume you know what they are talking about when they say --Go to the bottom door--. While what they really meant was --Go back to the left, the way you came in and then up the stairs where you will hit a crossroad. You will then take the left path and then be face with two doors. One on top and one on bottom. You will take the bottom door.--

Now, you might be questioning my deductive reasoning skills due to the fact that I had to refrerence a FAQ to play SOTN, but I have actually managed to make some progress. It's not easy but at least I know where I am going. Sort of.

I have to say, after making some headway in SOTN using a FAQ, I really enjoy the game and it has definitely sparked my interests to dive into some other games that I have lost patience for, such as Eternal Sonata. I love exploration as much as the next guy but my time is very limited as to how long I can really commit to a game. Having some sort of guide to minimize the frustration of going the wrong way only to turn around and backtrack breathes new life into these once tossed aside games that have managed to only kill the gaming experience, not enhance it.

With that being said, I will still continue to start off playing games without a FAQ or guide but I will also take them into consideration when I find myself completely frustrated spinning my wheels in place with nothing to show for it and no light at the end of a tunnel. That is a better alternative then what I have been doing in the past by placing an unfinished game on my shelf and saying to myself," I'll finish it later."

Empty promises, Tony. Empty promises.

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Time for some satire:

Poll taken after studies show girls are in fact capable to be as good as guys in video games. Here are some thoughts by the random people on the street.

Jake Blackensnotter - Professional Gaming Website Visitor

"Heh. Who would have guessed it?
They can cuss and get pissed just
as bad as the rest of us. Not surprising.
Not one bit."







Richard Popper - Meat Packer

"Wonderful. Now my girlfriend is going
to be thinking she can press the A button
AND the B button with as much dexterity
as me. Impossible. This study is a PHAIL."







Satchel LickDickle and wife - Married for 35 years

"We gamed together for years. It made me
feel like a man. The news hit me hard because
now, on our last stretch of life, she could
quite possibly beat me at Call of Duty 4.
I should have known something was up when
she hit her 13th prestige."