BT writes: When I called Danny Baranowsky the “Nobuo Uematsu of indie games” I was prepared for a lot of reactions–anger, confusion, polite disagreement. What I wasn’t prepared for was an alternate suggestion for the “the new Uematsu.” As it turns out, I’m not the only one who thinks that Atlus is the new Square Enix, as long-time Megami Tensei composer Shoji Meguro has quietly worked his way up into the hearts of JRPG fans everywhere, producing some of the most beloved soundtracks of the last decade.
It would be easy enough to spotlight his work in Persona 3 and 4. I’ve already written plenty about the scores to those universally acclaimed titles, due in no small part to the way in which their soundtracks support the thematic framework of each narrative. However, I’ve decided to spotlight a lesser known Persona entry for both your education and my amusement. I present to you: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona for the PSP.
Demon negotiation is a Shin Megami Tensei staple. Ever since Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei was released on the Famicom in 1987, players have been able to talk with their supernatural enemies and attempt to get them to join their ranks. Each game offers its own variation on this unique form of communication and recruitment, but Shin Megami Tensei: Persona has one of the most interesting and realistic approaches to the mechanic.
How Atlus’ localization of the popular Persona games have helped the JRPG make a resurgence in the West.
NIS America has always done a great job of localization and has helped the genre as well.
Never got into Persona but so glad to see the series making it's way to the US with such polish.
A lengthy and informative interview on Persona 1 has been translated into English for the first time.
The interview originates from the Persona World book, which came with the Megami Ibunronku Persona Digital Collection that released in 1998 as a Windows 95 CD-ROM.