I was kind of late to the party with Atlus’ MegaTen games. I read a few reviews for Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne, decided to pick it up, and was instantly hooked by the quirky RPG. My addiction continued with both Digital Devil Sagas, as well as Persona 3 and Persona 4. I threw over a hundred hours in both of the Persona games, and, unlike most other JRPG’s, absolutely indulged in every minute of it. Still, I never planned on going back home and playing the first two entries on the original Playstation. But hey, that’s what remakes are for, and that’s exactly what Atlus is doing with the original Persona.
Right off the bat, the first thing I noticed was that the dungeons are in a first person point of view. Movement was a bit twitchy, and more akin to a corridor shooter (minus the shooting) than a plodding RPGs. Entering rooms brought me back out to a stationary, isometric point of view, which was also consistent with the original Persona. Battles reminded me more of those in Nocturne, with negotiation being a large part of the turn based battle system. Physical attacks and magic were still available options, but the added negotiation, which could yield (or take away) items and money, among other things.
By far the most celebratory aspect of the remake is a brand new localization. Far from the convoluted, slightly racist translation of the original, the new remake offers both humor and competent nuance. Joining it was a brand new intro movie, true widescreen presentation, the restoration of the Snow Queen sidequest, an easier difficulty, and new save points. 2009 is once again the year of Persona, as the PSP remake is slated to drop sometime this fall.
