Latest Catherine Ad Dissects Gamer Romance

[Earnest Cavalli]

Latest Catherine Ad Dissects Gamer Romance

[video=3246]

There's a thin line between love and worrying that your girlfriend might murder you in your sleep.

Up until now the majority of Atlus' PR materials for Catherine [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109543-Atlus-New-Catherine-Screens-Tease-and-Titillate] have featured a sort of playful whimsy. Sexy, yet demure, like a French foreign exchange student from a small village in the Pyrenees.

This latest trailer however, brings with it some seriously dark undertones. Yes, they are couched in reassuring, almost comical vignettes of actual Atlus fans discussing their own romantic ideals, but behind the smiling faces and bespectacled grins lies a message seen most clearly once the clip segues from reality to the game world. We see our protagonist and the titular female in bed, possibly enjoying post-coital snuggles, when she not-so-subtly warns our scruffy hero against cheating on her.

"What's wrong with that?" you wonder. In theory, nothing. Infidelity is a debasement of the monogamist ideals romantic love is built upon. That said, the subtext in Catherine's voice when she utters her warning reads like a line from Fatal Attraction. In print her words are entirely reasonable, but in practice her voice alludes to Glenn Close boiling a pet rabbit.

The effect is impressive, really. It's simple enough to make a terrifying adventure title with geometrically-themed serial killers [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109424-Capcom-Says-Resident-Evil-6-Will-Be-Different], but making players fear an attractive woman before you even get to the game's supernatural bits takes a very special touch.

Here's hoping Catherine can maintain that subtly chilling ambience when it hits the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on July 26.

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[Aiddon_v1legacy]

1. Do you ever want to get married?

No.

2. If no, why not?

Because I'm asexual, that's why.

As for the creepiness of Catherine, it's a very common archetype you find in anime called "yandere". It usually means a very affectionate but psychotic woman. Another recent example in gaming is v-13 in Blazblue, though she's nowhere near as subtle (still creepy though)

Also, the three main characters are voiced by Persona alumni. Vincent is Kanji, Katherine is Yukari, and Catherine is Rise

 

[Bara_no_Hime]

Holy crap, I want this game ever more now! ^^ That was awesome!

1) Already married. Happily so. Seven years.

2) ... see above.

 

[emeraldrafael]

Guy in the skull shirt basically said I wouldnt get all the tang I want

Would I?

Of course. And if not int he traditional sense, I'd like to just live with the person forever until we die, and have all the stuff like we're married.

To the person I'm dating?

no, not really.

SIDENOTE: Love Vincent's face when he wakes up next to Catherine.

 

[sephiroth1991]

1.No
2.I don't believe its important, and she agrees.

I kinda scared by all the stuff Catherine is doing, i know its Adult Persona but really all this and the love pillow.

 

[de5gravity]

Here's hoping Catherine can maintain that subtly chilling ambience when it hits the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on July 26.

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Oh it does! I was so intrigued about that game (and also I live in Europe, I don't think the game is coming over here) that I watched a playthrough. Now I'm thinking about import!

 

[Braedan]

Guy in the skull shirt basically said I wouldnt get all the tang I want

Would I?

Of course. And if not int he traditional sense, I'd like to just live with the person forever until we die, and have all the stuff like we're married.

To the person I'm dating?

no, not really.

SIDENOTE: Love Vincent's face when he wakes up next to Catherine.

Fuck.
Ninja'd almost verbatim.
For the top part at least. (Edit I mean the first question...)
I'd like to think so with the girl I'm with. We have been together for over 2 years with no issues yet...

 

[Formica Archonis]

1. Do you ever want to get married?

It's a nice idea, but I have misgivings. Chalk me up as an undecided. Seeing as I don't even have a girlfriend right now, it seems rather pointless to think too hard on it.

 

[kc_lax]

the more i see of this game the more i excited i get for its europe release (im assuming its getting one). i love how atlus' cover such personal issues in a bizzare but effective ways without seeming to be crude (see persona series...currently revisiting persona 4).

 

[Jumplion]

1. Do you ever want to get married?

Yeah, sure, someday. I mean, it'd be an interesting thing to deal with, and while I doubt I will be getting hitched any time soon, it is something that I would be interesting in pursuing.

OT: Catherine is looking more and more sexy awesome at every new detail.

And is it just me (it probably is), but does Vincent (the main guy) sound a little like Spike from Cowboy Bebop?

 

[manythings]

Holy crap, I want this game ever more now! ^^ That was awesome!

1) Already married. Happily so. Seven years.

2) ... see above.

No, no! You're supposed to hate that kind of thing because old people do it. That's how you prove you're a free-thinking individual; By unreasonably hating everything previous generations did.

1) Would I? Sure i can see myself getting married. I can also see myself not getting married.

 

[sumanoskae]

Nice, this game is shaping up well. I'm trying to spot Catharines voice in Persona 4, I know I've heard that somewhere before, absent the chills crawling up my spine.

1: No, it's unnecessary and people get overly optimistic about marriage, like it means that they suddenly have a magic ticket that says they'll "Be happy and in love forever". I find hopping for such things is unrealistic and counter productive, if it lasts, great, if not, no surprise. Why not just let it be what it is?, why try to label it?, like you need reassurance. I also find it hard to believe that I'll ever find someone I want to spend the rest of my life with, can't imagine getting along with anybody that well. Plus, I like my freedom, and strongly dislike the idea of changing my life or myself to accommodate someone else.

 

[Mikodite]

Advise from my mother: "You should only get married if you plan to have kids with them, as once married the laws can protect you and your children. Otherwise its completely optional."

I have to agree with this. Marriage is only a necessity if you want a family. Else, don't bother.

 

[DevilWolf47]

"There's a thin line between love and worrying that your girlfriend might murder you in your sleep."

Weirdly reflective of my love life...

Though no, i don't want to get married. I am with someone, and neither of us are exactly... confident... in the marriage industry. I'd rather just keep her comfortable and remain a lover, she'd rather just continue to dehumanize me and call me "Her pet" as a form of affection, and occasionally threaten to kill me. And that's the way i like it. Marriage has nothing to offer, but psychopaths do. Do yourself a favor, date a psycho. Sure you might die, but the time will be more entertaining than you can ever imagine. What else are you going to do? Play with your prick and eat at Wendy's until you're in your 40s and so lost in a mire of self-loathing you off yourself? Yeah, NO.

 

[Eri]

I can't help but feel some of you have written off marriage due to a few bad eggs, I can't believe how many I'm reading saying no.

 

[Dak_N_Jaxter]

Pretty interesting ad.
Really worked out for 'em.

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

That actually wasn't as horrifying as I thought it would be. Asides that one guy that looked like a greasy hobo, but still.

Question 1)
I'm fifteen, and ineliglble for the damn contest. That, I can hardly see what I'm going to have for dinner, let alone whether I'm going to sign away half my things like a lot of the people I know.

Still, Vince's face when Persona 5 goes full Visual Novel:

Greatest screencap ever.

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

Nice, this game is shaping up well. I'm trying to spot Catharines voice in Persona 4, I know I've heard that somewhere before, absent the chills crawling up my spine.

Same personality, same voice, same succubus-ness, etc.