Atlus adopts Persona 4

North American release for next installment of modern-day Japanese role-playing game scheduled for December.

With Disgaea, Final Fantasy, and Dragon Quest all moving to new platforms for their upcoming releases, at least one Japanese role-playing game seems content in its current home.

Atlus announced a North American release for the next installment of the Persona series this weekend, and it's headed for the PlayStation 2. Set for launch on the PlayStation 2 December 9, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 will sell for $39.99 and come packaged with a soundtrack CD of music cuts from the game.

As with previous Persona titles, the fourth installment of the series eschews the traditional fantasy setting of the Japanese RPGs in favor of a more modern setting. The game follows a group of supernatural investigators attempting to solve a series of murders in rural Japan.

For more on the game's pedigree, check out GameSpot's review of Persona 3, named Best Role-Playing Game of 2007.

88 Comments

  • majestix1988

    Posted Dec 14, 2008 12:45 am PT

    pSP+P5= more fun

  • Gamewako

    Posted Dec 3, 2008 1:26 pm PT

    Looks great, as all Persona games, but isn't time for a "next-gen" overhaul? I mean really. Me want hi-def new poly Akumas!

  • kidgangstarr

    Posted Oct 30, 2008 8:26 am PT

    Yo this game is beyond gonna be awesome It comes out Nov 4 in my neck of the woods But the only thing Im actually worried about which I think alot of you might be Is this the actual final version of the game because who wants to buy a game when an enhanced version my come out a year later. I dunno about you guy but Persona 3 Fes Is the ****!!!! 6_6 I love it!!!!

  • yatatabien

    Posted Sep 18, 2008 8:49 pm PT

    Yays! Can't wait.

    Luckily the release date is sooner than I expected

  • zintura

    Posted Sep 14, 2008 12:40 am PT

    Thats Great..... I am all for it.

  • TrueIori

    Posted Sep 10, 2008 5:45 pm PT

    Love it cant wait to get it. Check out myspace page dedicated to the shin megami tensei games.

    http://www.myspace.com/digitaldevilsaga2

  • PaulinhaMaryn

    Posted Aug 25, 2008 9:47 am PT

    Nao vejo a hora de chegar logo esse jogo aqui no brasil!!!!!!!!
    Persona 4 vai ganhar facil o melhor rpg de 2008!!!!!!!

  • danwarecritic

    Posted Aug 16, 2008 7:19 pm PT

    This will be awesome, guaranteed. I haven't played Persona 3 but it's from Atlus. They bring out a lot of fun games to play. Robopon, DemiKids, Arcana Heart, a GBA remake of Sega's classic SRPG Shining Force. It's all good. In fact, it's mostly awesome! Atlus is the King Midas of publishers!

  • lowkey254

    Posted Aug 16, 2008 1:22 pm PT

    @Roman16, I agree.

  • Roman16

    Posted Aug 3, 2008 12:12 pm PT

    Best news so far, it'll definitely be best rpg of 2008. (Imagine Persona 5 on ps3...)

  • danwarecritic

    Posted Aug 2, 2008 8:55 am PT

    This is surely gonna be one of my top japanese multimedia. So far concerning that I've talked a bit about the Persona anime and I reviewed Fairy Tail.

  • lestat23l

    Posted Jul 29, 2008 5:28 pm PT

    do not buy FES and the original persona 3, just get FES, its the same game with more bonus stuff.

  • 98scoutgandia

    Posted Jul 27, 2008 7:00 am PT

    may i ask somebody, what is the difference of persona 3 and persona 3 FES in terms of story? i havent played a persona game yet... i'm looking forward to buy FES but if it has a different story from the original 3, i might buy both.... I don't know... ) but I'll definitely buy 4

  • totalgridlock

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 1:51 pm PT

    Chances of this coming to Europe? Less than zero. Damn.

  • dark_sith_

    Posted Jul 26, 2008 1:08 am PT

    I can't wait for this game. Shin Megami Tensei is almost the only reason why i boot up my ageing PS2 these days. Hope they make it as good as previous games. Until Persona 4 there is Persona 3 to stoke my addiction of this fantastic Japanese RPG.

  • danwarecritic

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 7:08 pm PT

    I've started talking about japanese multimedia in my blog. I talked a bit about the anime for this series. I also reviewed the manga Fairy Tail. Check it out.

  • hellpolice

    Posted Jul 18, 2008 4:13 pm PT

    I 'm getting this one!

  • LibraScaleZ

    Posted Jul 14, 2008 3:53 am PT

    yay can't wait for this game!

  • rizalariff

    Posted Jul 10, 2008 2:23 am PT

    Best news I've heard this year!

  • the-other-snake

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 9:31 pm PT

    yes more RPG GOODNESS probably the last great title for the ps2 VIVA LA ATLUS

  • Rhen_Var

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 6:15 pm PT

    While this news was to be expected, It still feels like the best news I've heard so far.Say hello to the best RPG of 2008

  • portej

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 5:25 am PT

    This game comes out tommorow for me (I am from Japan)
    I will be happy to share my impressions with anyone who is interested in hearing them

  • jaykho213

    Posted Jul 9, 2008 1:23 am PT

    Awesome news!!

  • raichudl

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 11:33 pm PT

    the anime and the game are really different.

  • danwarecritic

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 8:21 pm PT

    I didn't play P3, but I recently started watching the anime on YouTube. It's interesting. The opening to the anime rocks. That and the fact that the series is from Atlus is enough to enough to interest me. I just can't wait! It's gonna be awesome!!!!! Atlus rocks!!!!!!!!!

  • ivanfred

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 6:13 pm PT

    Ok so its not coming to PS3. Fine. Atlus should at least include widescreen support for people who have BC PS3's connected to HDTV's.

  • fatjoe400

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 3:44 pm PT

    Atlus is officially my favorite game publisher of all time

  • Petri87

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 3:19 pm PT

    @dr_jashugan - Super Robot Taisen OG will never come to the US or europe in the origional form since its a license nightmare. Thats why the GBA game didn't have the gundams and whatnot.

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 11:50 am PT

    Now, if there was a slight possibility for ATLUS to bring Super Robot Taisen OG to the rest of the world, that would be really awesome.

  • jakelufkin

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 10:45 am PT

    Awesome! I hope it is as good as Persona 3.

  • Arcanum

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 10:06 am PT

    I was hoping this would come out on the PS3!

  • Lord_Artix

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 7:43 am PT

    @ DiscGuru

    Your loss. Atlus games usually come with some goodies. Sometimes it's relatively insignificant, such as character artwork in the back of the instruction manual, but other times, like the original P3 and P4, comes with stuff like a soundtrack to the game, and I can pretty much guarantee you won't be getting that in a used copy.

  • DiscGuru101 posted Jul 8, 2008 5:26 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    DiscGuru101

    Posted Jul 8, 2008 5:26 am PT (hide)

    I won't ever buy a brand new, full price, game for the PS2 again. -Maybe when the used ones start popping up Dec 16th or so. =D

  • dfd3657

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 8:25 pm PT

    The reason Atlus decided to make Persona 4 for PS2 is because the PS2 is still effin' HUGE in Japan (and everywhere else, for that matter). Notice how aside from Metal Gear Solid 4, every single hit (exclusive) game on the PS3 is Western developed. Pretty much all gamers play nowadays in Japan are their DS and PS2s. The PS2 is STILL getting new colors in Japan (I believe it's getting a red one this year). I'm sure 10x more people own PS2s than PS3s, and the majority of PS3 owners probably have 60 or 80 gigs anyway, so they won't have a problem playing it. Anyway, there's apparently a Shin Megami Tensei (I assume it's 4) in development for PS3.

  • BelmontMaster

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 7:33 pm PT

    Awesome, Persona 3 was great. Looking forward to this.

  • tu2pac

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 7:17 pm PT

    @cooldude03

    I know it seems like I'm joining in on plp responding to your comment...
    But as the guy below me said, Sony has no control over what developers do. And Atlus isn't a below average developer...

    And as far as the PS3 gaining steam ... they'll have a hard time. Why? Last time around they pretty much had all the developers in their court; that's not the case anymore. Many developers are making games for the 360 and Wii now (Assassin's Creed, GTA4,etc). Take Square-Enix for example, they're releasing Star Ocean 4 on the 360 ... not the PS3.

    Why's that important? If you're an RPG man/woman you know that in the last gen you pretty much had to own a PS2 in order to play good RPGs. (And Square has two other RPGs coming out before the year's end on the 360)

    People didn't understand Microsoft's move to get their system out so early ... it should be obvious now. Buy doing it they leveled the playing field with Sony (in terms of developers).

    PS3 gain steam ... not unless Final Fantasy can save them ... and it won't.

    PS .... Read my blog!! ;-)

  • Lord_Artix

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 7:10 pm PT

    Yes, yes, and yes. Honestly, I trust Atlus more than some of the big name companies to deliver great gaming experiences. Even though Trauma Center isn't exactly my cup of tea, I got P3: FES recently, as well as Etrian Odyssey II and couldn't be happier.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 6:57 pm PT

    @cooldude03

    having games still come out for the PS2 isn't Sony's call, it's what developers and publishers and retailers and consumers want. Games can be made much quicker this way, and the market for these games is much greater as 127+ million PS2s are out there vs 13+ million PS3s. And besides needing top notch game developers to program for the difficult and time consuming PS3, they can keep doing things as they way things work for them. Plus, it's also a lot cheaper to publish on DVD vs Blu-ray. Because everything is cheaper, consumers take advantage of the lower prices that deliver an equally satisfying experience.

    As for t he PS3 needing to catch steam, Sony can only doing that by giving people something worth buying. I bought my PS3 for the exclusives, but good ones are few and far between. Since I've bought a PS3 there's been more interesting PS2 exclusives than PS3 exclusives.

    Sony needs to realize that backwards compatibility is good for its 3rd party developers and themselves as it creates an instant pool of titles, plus they can keep publishing older games without having to put many resources into things.

    And one last thing, Atlus is anything but a below average developer.

  • Ranteal

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 6:38 pm PT

    Atlus is a pretty good devolper. Would be cool if there games werent so alike, but there all fun, so what the heck.

  • Amadeus_451

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 6:18 pm PT

    Now if they don't sucker-punch us with a special edition that comes out some months after the first issue of the game, we'll all be happy.

  • Gale360

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 6:00 pm PT

    December...sounds good to me!

  • felshs

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 5:52 pm PT

    i bought Pesona 3 FE like a month ago, but i havent play it yet, still trying to complete my GTA4

  • Grandstream

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 4:45 pm PT

    I just bought P3: FES for my PS3. I love it since it has the extra content. I'm definitely gonna have to buy this when it comes out. Hopefully, it'll be ready to work on it.

  • PreLuDe_DuDe

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 4:37 pm PT

    @ Cooldude03

    Atlus a below average developer? What are you smoking? May I have a hit too? Atlus can give lectures to SquareEnix on how to keep their games original, captivating, and without the need of relying on spinoffs to bring attention.

    Atlus produced SMT NOCTURNE and Digital Devil Saga series that soared in price on eBay. Ever since the reprint things have died down. But please speak from experience rather than hearsay eh?

    I am a big SE Fan btw....

  • Ranteal posted Jul 7, 2008 4:34 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Ranteal

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 4:34 pm PT (hide)

    ..street fighter, frogger, tetris, my weight loss coach, the list goes on and on. Always viewed Persona as the emo/cut my self/ teens in angst version of FF.

  • PreLuDe_DuDe

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 4:33 pm PT

    The PS2 will never die unless you allow it. I have a huge backlog of amazing rpgs that would make a Japanese teenager cry his eyes out.

    Im glad this is on the ps2 because it can prove that graphics dont mean squat over gameplay. Graphics are still nice on the PS2. Best of all we wont have to pay next gen prices for games.

  • cooldude03 posted Jul 7, 2008 4:17 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    cooldude03

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 4:17 pm PT (hide)

    Wow PS2? That's a waste. The last gen is dead, Sony hasn't realized it but with the exception of God of War 2, PS2 has been dead for way over a year now. But that's really not a surprise coming from a below average developer like Atlus. I don't mean to make this sound like a hater post. It just irritates me that they still make game for a defunked system, when the PS3 is triing to get some steam to catch up in the current generation of gaming. I feel like it drags down the PS3 selling momentum. By saying hey don't buy PS3 the PS2 is still strong with new games. Either way much love Sony.

  • neovalkyr

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 3:52 pm PT

    From what ive seen of the game it looks similar in style to persona 3, but with much more detailed graphics. im buying it ;p

  • dr_jashugan

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 3:14 pm PT

    That only means one thing: LONG LIVE PS2 !!

  • hawaiiinsomniac

    Posted Jul 7, 2008 2:58 pm PT

    Awesome! I can't wait! Persona 3 was the best!

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