GamerNode: Reviews - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

• Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
• Sony PSP
• Atlus Co.
• Atlus Co.
• September 22nd, 2009

Avid RPG fans do not simply sit by and wait for a teeth-gnashingly frustrating adventure to fall into our laps. No, the allure of ephemeral fantasy found within such juicy morsels of entertainment is much too great to abstain from. We rummage the bargain bins, pillage RPG-centric forums, and bask in the exalted knowledge of Wikipedia in order to corral our next fix. It's an oppressive task, sifting through slipshod plots and pithy character archetypes, but the end result ensures that we are left with a game most deserving of our 100 hours of grinding, as well as the sleepless nights spent pondering the elemental weaknesses of yet undefeated villains.

It's quite true. In the commodious world of roleplaying, offerings as decadent as the Shin Megami Tensei series are quite scarce. It's been more than a decade since the release of Revelations: Persona, a mere piece of the venerable and expansive Shin Megami Tensei (MegaTen) series (though more of a spinoff at the time of its inception) and these days it's never looked better. Atlus, famed publisher of quirky niche titles that go a long way to satiate our bloodlust for solid roleplaying experiences, has released a special revival of the kooky adventure many of us played as mere tots on the original PlayStation -- now for its soon-to-be defunct cousin, the PlayStation Portable.

Revelations: Persona, now working under the guise of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, begins simply enough: something is rotten in the town of Lunarvale. As a popular (unnamed, as is the tradition of the Persona titles) student at St. Hermelin High, you and a group of friends are flirting with the idea of trying out an insidious game that's all the rage -- Persona. Much like our obsession with Ouija boards, Persona is all about summoning the dead to communicate with them. Though attempts have been made many times over to contact a spirit, it's never actually come to fruition. Today, however, is a fateful day, as what is assumed to be a harmless game summons forth a crying apparition -- a young girl.

Startled that the game has actually pulled forth something this palpable, you and your friends are stunned, but before anyone can step back and analyze the situation, the lot of you black out, with the protagonist waking up in St. Hermelin's infirmary after a strange dream. With this you enter the twisted world of Persona. That little girl was just the beginning, as you soon begin to delve into a dark and twisted world of monsters, the forces of evil, and a darkness that threatens to swallow humanity whole.

This rendition of Persona is a striking one, and a reminder that when it comes to visual improvements, time is often an ally. The classic RPG has been varnished with a fresh, vivid coat of paint in the form of slick new cel-shaded cut scenes, voice overs, and improved menu navigation as well as a bevy of other (much appreciated) changes. Conversation flows naturally between your party members and NPCs, and this diminutive release of a classic game has been given such loving attention to detail that it's one of the most impressive reworkings I have come across. Character models are svelte (and their correct race), environments have been given much more detail, and the entire package seems to flow much more smoothly than in the past.

• (0)
• 
• 
• 
•