Persona 3 Portable Gets US Release Date

[Kim]

July 6th, 2010 (http://kotaku.com/5452936/persona-3-gets-even-better-on-the-psp)

This is why I own a PSP. Like, this pretty much makes 2010 the best year ever. I would be willing to play through it again just for new Social Links but now we get a female protagonist and hours of added content. You must all buy it or I will hunt you down and insult your mothers.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

As much as I really love the game, because it's just SO AWESOME, I can't get myself to buying a PSP for it. That would be... like... the only reason to have one. For a game I already own. And I don't have enough money to spare. And FUCK why do idiots still make games for the PSP anyway when they could release it for the PS2 a third time.

I want this >:(

But I'm European anyway.
I don't even want to know if this gets released in Europe. I. Don't. Want. To. Know.

[Living Bobbeh]

Part of me really, really wants this. I watched the Persona 4 Endurance Run on Giant Bomb and looked the look and style of it. It really appealed to me.

However, I don't know if I want to import it and, as such, support Atlus. I mean, if at Atlus don't want to sell the game to me in the UK, then why should I buy their game and thus, support them in only selling their games in America? I like their games, but I just find it stupid that they don't sell to Europe.

[Ravashak]

European and lacking a PSP, slap a re-release on the PS3 and I'd get it, though

[Kyanbu The Legend]

I've been waiting for this to get released here. I've never played persona before but I'll defiantly have to pick this one up.

[Kim]

My only fear right now is that I won't be able to justify reviewing it, and thus might not have time for the whole eighty hour ordeal.

[EVILNess]

As much as I really love the game, because it's just SO AWESOME, I can't get myself to buying a PSP for it. That would be... like... the only reason to have one. For a game I already own. And I don't have enough money to spare. And FUCK why do idiots still make games for the PSP anyway when they could release it for the PS2 a third time.

I want this >:(

But I'm European anyway.
I don't even want to know if this gets released in Europe. I. Don't. Want. To. Know.
First off, the PSP isn't region locked. So you can import it quite easily. Hell, I imported Breath of Fire 3 from Europe.

Second, I can name other reasons to buy a PSP: Persona 1, Disgaea Afternoon of Darkness, Disgaea 2 Dark Hero Days, FFT: War of the Lions, Dissidia, Star Ocean 1 and 2, Lunar: Silver Star, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Valkyrie Profile Lenneth, Monster Hunter, Breath of Fire III, Prinny Can I really be the Hero?, the ability to take lots of good PS1 games on te go with you like FF7, Wild Arms, Resident Evil, Spyo the Dragon, Suikoden. The PSP Minis are neat too.

However, I don't know if I want to import it and, as such, support Atlus. I mean, if at Atlus don't want to sell the game to me in the UK, then why should I buy their game and thus, support them in only selling their games in America? I like their games, but I just find it stupid that they don't sell to Europe.

You do realize how small of a company Atlus is right?

Also, if Persona was any indication then this game will also be on sale in the PSN. You might just need to switch over to the American PSN, which you SHOULD have an account for anyway cause the three stores sometimes have different deals.

[Mirai Gen]

I am vaguely tempted to try and convince Mirai to review it though.

You're threatening this entirely too much. Here, I'm going to give you a Christmas gift Noncon, use it wisely. You only get one.

http://pics.livejournal.com/miraigen/pic/000xcas8

[Kim]

You're threatening this entirely too much. Here, I'm going to give you a Christmas gift Noncon, use it wisely. You only get one.

Nah man, was just funnin'. Any game where I say "Tempted to make Mirai review it" means I'm in no way going to make Mirai review it.

[Mirai Gen]

I just wanted an excuse to photoshop a review coupon.

[Living Bobbeh]

You do realize how small of a company Atlus is right?

Maybe they wouldn't be so small if they weren't such jerks.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Maybe they wouldn't be so small if they weren't such jerks.

Yeah, man, they bring all the cool games to where I live. Only not the updated re-release, which I can accept because I wouldn't buy it again anyway, unless there are some really major additions to the game.

All the noteworthy JRPGs in my shelf I can thank Atlus for. The rest is Squeenix Bullshit* from before I found Atlus.

*Don't take this too seriously.


Second, I can name other reasons to buy a PSP: Persona 1, Disgaea Afternoon of Darkness, Disgaea 2 Dark Hero Days, FFT: War of the Lions, Dissidia, Star Ocean 1 and 2, Lunar: Silver Star, Valkyria Chronicles 2, Valkyrie Profile Lenneth, Monster Hunter, Breath of Fire III, Prinny Can I really be the Hero?, the ability to take lots of good PS1 games on te go with you like FF7, Wild Arms, Resident Evil, Spyo the Dragon, Suikoden. The PSP Minis are neat too.


I know there's more to the PSP, but most of the games you mentioned are re-releases to games I already played. The rest just isn't a system seller for me.
The only thing I could use a PSP for is the fact that it can run an emulator, but that's something I prefer to do on my computer since I don't play when I'm out anyway.

Note: I often exaggerate a bit sometimes definitely, at least I did when I said P3P was the only game worth buying for the PSP.

[EVILNess]

Well the only re-release of games there without any enhancements are Star Ocean 2, Breath of Fire 3, and Lenneth.

NIS added so much random stuff to Afternoon of Darkness and Dark Hero Days that it's honestly worth play through them again. Not to mention they are actually awesome portable games. I can load up and do some spelunking in the Item World and then stop with a Mr. Gency Exit and still feel like I accomplished something.

I love my DS, but I'm finding that I love the PSP just as much now that there are a bunch of games I want to play on it and the PSN has matured a bit, although I still wish there was as much a PS1 selection on the NA (and by extension EU stores) as there was in the Japanese PSN.

[Kim]

although I still wish there was as much a PS1 selection on the NA (and by extension EU stores) as there was in the Japanese PSN.

We need Tokimeki Memorial dammit. I keep hearing everyone compare Persona's Social Link system and I want it!

Maybe they wouldn't be so small if they weren't such jerks.

AFAIK, it's cheaper to localize for the US than Europe because you have to do more languages for Europe, whereas US is just "Put it in English motherfuckers!"

And EVILNess is right about them being so small. Persona 4 was possibly their best selling game, and I think it sold like 400,000 copies. That's not a lot for a best selling game, other games they do sell far less than that and I am honestly surprised they've managed to stay afloat.

[Solid Snake]

Persona 4 was possibly their best selling game, and I think it sold like 400,000 copies.

...

.....

..........

...What.

...The.

FUCK

Seriously how is it possible that one of the greatest videogames of all time has sold only 400,000 copies?
WHAT ARE ALL YOU FOOLS PLAYING?!?
(Actually by now it's sold over 450,000 total. But still.)

[Mirai Gen]

Seriously how is it possible that one of the greatest videogames of all time has sold only 400,000 copies?

These kinds of inexplicable riddles are the reason I want Gamepad Dojo to get popular.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=RoyalBlue]AFAIK, it's cheaper to localize for the US than Europe because you have to do more languages for Europe, whereas US is just "Put it in English motherfuckers!"


This is true. But not all games are localized for European countries. I'm very grateful that Atlus doesn't localize the games they're publishing further. Why? Because the German translation usually sucks royally, like it's translated out of context. It's what the cool kids these days call a "Blind Idiot Translation". I don't know about the quality of Spanish, French or Italian versions, though.

Luckily I could switch back to English in that one game. (Nocturne)
All the others were just released like that. Maybe some PAL adjustments were made, that's it.

[Kim]

So, while we had a thread for it, I figured I'd spoil some of the awesome changes that you get in P3P. And when I say there are spoilers, there are spoilers even if you played the original or FES so yeah.

You can Social Link with all your party members, including Shinjiro. This is particularly interesting as it might mean he doesn't die, at least when playing as the girl.

Kashiwagi, the replacement teacher for Mr. Morooka in Persona 4, makes an appearance as one of the girls during the beach mission.

During the femail playthrough, you get to stay at the Amagi in, and meet a younger Yukiko.

Female playthrough doesn't have animu cutscenes but has new music.

Female playthrough has lots of new, special Social Links, and it seems she sleeps around just as much as the male protagonist did in his story.

Solid Snake will probably come in with lots more info that I forgot.

[Solid Snake]

You can Social Link with all your party members, including Shinjiro. This is particularly interesting as it might mean he doesn't die, at least when playing as the girl.

While technically true, I'll just specify that Persona 3 is still aggressively pro-heterosexual orientations: the female MC can only engage in romantic relationships with men and the male MC only has the option with the women available in P3 and P3: FES. I'm positive that there's still plenty of pseudo-cheesecake dialogue between the female MC and other female characters that will support plenty of fanart and fanfiction, but in-game it's not established as a canon possibility.
Also, the female-MC can't date Junpei. He's the only human playable character you can't date. (Which does mean, sadly, you can have something resembling a relationship of sorts with Ken, apparently...I'm not sure how that works. Hopefully he just has an unrequited crush on you?)

Kashiwagi, the replacement teacher for Mr. Morooka in Persona 4, makes an appearance as one of the girls during the beach mission.

Yes, but only if you're male-MC.

Also, in perhaps my favorite of the new content, regarding the game's ending: as female MC if you establish a Level 10 SLink with Akihiko he'll be the last one the female MC sees (the only one on the rooftop with her) at the end of the game, replacing Aigis. Same with a Level 10 SLink with Mitsuru, if you're a male MC. I'm not sure whether similar options involve other characters like Yukari. The default is still Aigis.

[Kim]

(Which does mean, sadly, you can have something resembling a relationship of sorts with Ken, apparently...I'm not sure how that works. Hopefully he just has an unrequited crush on you?)

So apparently gayness = BAD but pedophilia = A-OK.

AAAAAARGH

[Solid Snake]

Yes, but mind you, this is Japan we're talking about here.
Also, I'm pretty sure this is one of those circumstances where the game's content regarding Ken and female-MC will be 'toned down' even more to accurately reflect Western sensibilities on the subject in the US and European releases. It's pretty clear in the Japanese game he and female-MC can "date" (although the contents of said date don't really allege any sexual activity to the same extent as with other characters.) I'm not even sure to what extent that will survive in the US release, again, I'm hoping it's toned down to something like an unrequited crush at most.

But yes, the lack of palpable homosexual options is somewhat upsetting. The closest you may get is that Aigis still desires to protect the MC even if she's female with the same sort of zeal (there's really nothing sexual to that, though, and the FES Aigis social link where things finally do get serious doesn't exist in the female playthrough.) There's also the fact that you can choose Elizabeth over her male variation if you're a female MC and, if you do so, presumably you'll get to "date" Elizabeth as a female. (Though all you're really doing is showing her around town and listening to her ludicrous antics.) Strangely enough, you don't have a choice if you're male-MC, you're stuck with Elizabeth.

Also, it's important to note that Persona 3 Portable follows Persona 4's lead in allowing you to accept or reject relationships. This time, you won't be forced into anything romantic with anyone in order to acquire the best Personas. You can become their lover or remain their best friend, meaning you can avoid the playa' routine entirely and stay single or remain committed in only one relationship.