Atlus Forges Ahead With Another Classic Persona Remake

[Tom Goldman]

Atlus Forges Ahead With Another Classic Persona Remake

Atlus has confirmed its second modern remake of a Persona game originally released on the PlayStation.

Atlus's Persona games have had a long and storied history before the popularity of recent PS2 entries Shin Megami Tensei: Persona [http://www.amazon.com/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Persona-Playstation-2/dp/B0014CN2H6/ref=pd_sim_vg_1], and has recently announced that it plans to give the same treatment to Persona 2: Innocent Sin.

Confused yet? No? Well, I'll continue. Persona 2 was originally released in Japan as a mini-series composed of two different games: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment [http://www.amazon.com/Persona-2-Eternal-Punishment-Playstation/dp/B00004WLZ7/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1288216775&sr=8-8]. Though Innocent Sin was the first game in the duology, only Eternal Punishment was localized and released in North America. Innocent Sin has become a target of collectors and importers that want to experience the full Persona 2 saga, though Eternal Punishment isn't a direct sequel to Innocent Sin plot-wise.

Atlus is only remaking Innocent Sin for now. Atlus revealed the game in Japanese magazine Famitsu, with director Shoji Meguro saying that remaking both parts of Persona 2 at once just wouldn't fit on a single UMD. However, he said he'd love to do Eternal Punishment in the future.

Innocent Sin begins a few years after the story of the first Persona and stars a returning character amongst other high school demon summoners. The remake will feature remade demon and character graphics, an updated battle interface, and a new anime-style opening movie. Meguro also says that it'll have difficulty settings that can be changed at any time, it'll control better than the original, and there are even more features he can't reveal yet.

Innocent Sin PSP has only been announced for Japan at this time, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if Atlus USA doesn't localize it for North America too. Nearly every recent Megami Tensei game or spin-off has made it overseas, from the original Persona's PSP remake to Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor [http://www.amazon.com/Shin-Megami-Tensei-Survivor-Nintendo-DS/dp/B001QTW2HS/ref=sr_1_5?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1288218533&sr=1-5] on the Nintendo DS.

North America now has a chance to finally see a release of Innocent Sin upgraded with an official translation, which is something that series fans have desired for nearly a decade, despite subject matter that may be a little racy including the resurrection of Adolf Hitler. A future remake of Eternal Punishment wouldn't be terrible either, because the late 1990s North American localization changed a lot of its original content.

Source: 1up [http://www.1up.com/news/atlus-remake-persona-2]

Permalink

 

[Yvl9921]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

 

[lomylithruldor]

Damn, I guess I have to get a PSP now. Eternal punishment was a great game (like most SMT titles).

though the games don't really share the same story.

Well, Eternal Punishment would not happen if the ending of Innocent Sin was any different. You can't really have a punishment like that without the sin at the end of the first game. I've only played 10 hours on the fan translation of Innocent Sin and the beginnings pretty much mirror each others, but with different characters (Innocent Sin is from Tatsuya's point of view and Eternal Punishment is from Maya's point of view).

 

[emeraldrafael]

Its a persona game. you dont need story. YOu just need some good persona fun.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

You have convinced me to get this game as soon as it is released. Thanks ^___^

It looks interesting. I only just got into the series with Persona 3 Portable. I need to get back into it...I've been busy with New Vegas and Fable. It would be nice to play a game that doesn't slow down or bug out on me...

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story.

Now I have to buy it.

 

[ayvee]

This is the most exciting news I've heard all day. Week, even.

 

[Raziel_Likes_Souls]

Well, I'll probably play it as long as one of the characters isn't changed from Asian to black out of nowhere.

 

[AndreyC]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

Wow, Eternal Punishment's story was absolutely awesome, the best JRPG story I've ever experienced, how can Innocent Sin be this bad? I don't think so, maybe you just like things more stright forward and/or excessively plausible. A dark fantasy story set in the modern world is impossible if you don't add a lot of conspiratory theories and "underground" events in the mix, isn't it? Would you name good stories so I can have a reference about your opinion?

 

[Quantum Star]

YYYYYYYES!! I've been waiting for this for so long! Happy day!

 

[Gamegodtre]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

??????????????
so that's a reason to stay away from a game?
then by your logic no mystery book should be read.
A M Night Shyamalan should never be seen...(you know on second thought his movies after the sixth sense shouldn't be seen)
Also no saving this story, the story in the second game is great (only played eternal punishment) and so is Eternal Punishments rumor system, of course the gameplay could have been changed for Innocent Sin. also the Demons in the game are a wealth of information since they are based on monsters, notable people(of legend), and gods from around the world.
so for the sake of interest what Shin Megami game or Persona game have you played?

 

[Yvl9921]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

??????????????
so that's a reason to stay away from a game?
then by your logic no mystery book should be read.
A M Night Shyamalan should never be seen...(you know on second thought his movies after the sixth sense shouldn't be seen)
Also no saving this story, the story in the second game is great (only played eternal punishment) and so is Eternal Punishments rumor system, of course the gameplay could have been changed for Innocent Sin. also the Demons in the game are a wealth of information since they are based on monsters, notable people(of legend), and gods from around the world.
so for the sake of interest what Shin Megami game or Persona game have you played?

I've played most SMT games, and I'm aware of how occult they typically are.

But this one has Hitler out of goddamn nowhere for sheer shock value.

Your move.

 

[zidine100]

hell yeh this is my favorite rpg, i always thought that eternal punishment didn't make a lick of sense if you didn't play this one, and well i disliked eternal punishment anyway.

Spoiler

you cant get anymore awsome than finding a way to have mecha Nazis in a serious plot

in other words if there's an English port, i will be buying it on release date, and thats very rare for me.

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

??????????????
so that's a reason to stay away from a game?
then by your logic no mystery book should be read.
A M Night Shyamalan should never be seen...(you know on second thought his movies after the sixth sense shouldn't be seen)
Also no saving this story, the story in the second game is great (only played eternal punishment) and so is Eternal Punishments rumor system, of course the gameplay could have been changed for Innocent Sin. also the Demons in the game are a wealth of information since they are based on monsters, notable people(of legend), and gods from around the world.
so for the sake of interest what Shin Megami game or Persona game have you played?

I've played most SMT games, and I'm aware of how occult they typically are.

But this one has Hitler out of goddamn nowhere for sheer shock value.

Your move.

Spoiler

in a world where rumors come true didnt you expect some crazed conspiracy theory to come to light and skrew everything over?

 

[lomylithruldor]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

Wow, Eternal Punishment's story was absolutely awesome, the best JRPG story I've ever experienced, how can Innocent Sin be this bad? I don't think so, maybe you just like things more stright forward and/or excessively plausible. A dark fantasy story set in the modern world is impossible if you don't add a lot of conspiratory theories and "underground" events in the mix, is it? Would you name good stories so I can have a reference about your opinion?

From what I know of Innocent Sin's story, it's like Eternal Punishment's.

Spoiler

Rumors become reality and it's driven by the "fight" between Nyarlatotep and Philemon, but unlike in Eternal Punishment, they lose at the end (mainly because Nyarlatotep kills Maya). The things that come true however are weirder than in Eternal Punishment IIRC.

 

[mireko]

Atlus is only remaking Innocent Sin for now. Atlus revealed the game in Japanese magazine Famitsu, with director Shoji Meguro saying that remaking both parts of Persona 2 at once just wouldn't fit on a single UMD. However, he said he'd love to do Eternal Punishment in the future.

Shoji Meguro directed? I thought he just did the soundtracks.

 

[Ultress]

Well time to go steal my cousin's PSP again.

 

[Yvl9921]

STAY. AWAY. FROM. THIS. GAME.

It makes crazy occult conspiracy theories look like sane and intellectual discourse. There is no saving this story. It should only be played for the lulz.

Wow, Eternal Punishment's story was absolutely awesome, the best JRPG story I've ever experienced, how can Innocent Sin be this bad? I don't think so, maybe you just like things more stright forward and/or excessively plausible. A dark fantasy story set in the modern world is impossible if you don't add a lot of conspiratory theories and "underground" events in the mix, is it? Would you name good stories so I can have a reference about your opinion?

From what I know of Innocent Sin's story, it's like Eternal Punishment's.

Spoiler

Rumors become reality and it's driven by the "fight" between Nyarlatotep and Philemon, but unlike in Eternal Punishment, they lose at the end (mainly because Nyarlatotep kills Maya). The things that come true however are weirder than in Eternal Punishment IIRC.

There's a limit to how far out a story can get, regardless of the premise of "rumors become reality." This is as far past that limit as they could make it.

Innocent Sin spoilers:

Spoiler

Hitler comes back to life and invades Japan to find a superweapon the Mayans (who are aliens) left in Japan.

That's past conspiracy theory. That's past even narcotics. That's just throwing darts at a bunch of random historical words.

Oh, and my favorite game story of all time is Suikoden 3, for those asking.

 

[Rad Party God]

I loved Devil Survivor and Strange Journey, but I don't have a PSP and this won't change my mind either. They should be making more original SMT games or other RPGs instead of remaking old ones... unless they're going to be released on the DS of course...

 

[Necromancer1991]

.....WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE ONLY REMAKING THE FIRST GAME...RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But seriously I want this, I loved the remake of Persona and I liked Persona 3 & 4.