Persona-fied

Probably wasn't expecting a post so soon right? Well, I'd figured I'd do this mini post since my big AJ order won't be coming in till September since there's an item that I want that gets released at the end of August in Japan. So yeah, that means I won't get the actual Zwei DVD until then :(. Anyways, I decided to takes some pics of Persona 3/P3 or how Atlus USA wants us to call (in NA at least) Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3. I got this on Thursday and was too lazy to take pics until this morning. Ppl who've known me and my gaming preferences, might remember that this game was my most anticipated RPG of 2006 (yes much moreso than FFXII). I was definitely not disappointed and it was probably my fave RPG of last year. I dig the whole anime sim it's got. I haven't finished FES yet and don't know when I'll get the drive. I decided to double dip on this cuz Mitsuru: "I wuv U...in English too", but seriously, I got it to support Atlus USA in bringing out awesome niche games and the package was really enticing, especially the artbook. I had skipped out the official Art of Persona 3 artbook (JPN) because of funds at the time and it wasn't "high priority" on my want list. Thus, it's been sitting in my cart since Dec. 2006. Another reason, is cuz I already have scans for the book. However, I finally remembered due to the NA release and included it in my upcoming AJ order ;). So on to the pics:

the gay box cover (gay due to the 'ipodness'), meh game cover (can't compare to the JPN one) and sweet artbook:

back covers (67 MB for a game save!!! :P):

The soundtrack CD is enclosed inside the artbook in a cheap paper envelope and not a CD jewel case that I was expecting. The track list is inside the instruction manual but there's no lyrics. It's only 1 disc contains 18 selected tracks (most of the good stuff) from the JPN OST (which has 58 tracks). If you really dig the music in this game (I did), I suggest you get the original Japanese soundtrack. It's 2 discs of aural pleasure.

The artbook is definitely the highlight of the package. It's a 52 page hardbound book. Very nice quality, though a little small. It feels like a series a fairy tale books I read as a kid. I made comparisons with the Japanese artbook in terms of artwork included. Well, to no surprise, the JPN was is superior. Though the US one contains a majority of the artwork in Art of P3 (JPN), it's still missing a few. It's minor stuff IMO. Minor characters like Chidori, Takeya etc. are given a headshot instead their full in-game art & expressions. Some minor characters are missing too. Main charas in-game art expressions are cropped to headshots as well, instead of full body. So yeah, minor nitpick, but just letting those know who are anal about this stuff like I'd be (hence why I'm picking up the JPN one as well).

I haven't played much of the English version yet, but localization is pretty good and it's always great to play a game in your first language. The English dub is superb. It matches the JPN seiyuus very closely. IMO, due to being a longtime anime watcher,the JPN dub is still better since you got uncomparable anime seiyuus like Mamiko Noto (!), Megumi Toyoguchi (!!) Maaya Sakamoto (!!!), Rie Tanaka (!!!!), etc. Still, the English dub is fantastic and it's unfair to compare. However, I'm still adjusting to the voices having played through it all in JPN and was acquainted with characters in that foreign tongue.

So yeah, if you dig anime & games, then this game is for you. Go buy it and hopefully they'll bring out Fes and sell it for 20 bucks....yeah...riiiighht.