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Tag: Persona 3

  • Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: 5 New And Old Games We Can’t Wait To Play

    Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: 5 New And Old Games We Can’t Wait To Play

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    The Crimson Diamond is AVAILABLE NOW!! (Launch trailer)

    Play it on: Steam
    Current goal: Solve an old-fashioned mystery

    A few weeks ago, I mentioned how I was captivated by Unavowed, a point-and-click adventure from the folks at Wadjet Eye. Well, I’ve finished that one (it was great) just in time for a brand-new entry in the genre to come along. And while Wadjet Eye’s output is most reminiscent of ‘90s adventure games that offered full voice acting and elegant drag-and-drop interfaces, this new game, The Crimson Diamond from designer Julia Minamata, is influenced by an earlier era of adventures, ones that ran in EGA and had you typing in what you wanted your character to do. I can’t wait to explore its mysteries.

    The Crimson Diamond is perhaps most reminiscent of Sierra adventures, especially the Clara Bow games which saw their plucky heroine tossed into murder mysteries during the roaring ‘20s. It casts you as Nancy Maple, a young woman investigating the discovery of an unusually large and valuable diamond in a town in northern Ontario, Canada. It’s clear from the trailer that her investigations will find her encountering people with motives of their own, some of them sinister, and land her in no small amount of peril. Sign me up!

    People often talk about the evolution of adventure games from text parsers to purely graphical interfaces as a net good, as if text parsers were just a crutch, a relic from the genre’s early days that we no longer needed, but I’ve always thought of them as two fundamentally different approaches, each with their own strengths. I think there are ways in which the presence of a text parser can encourage creative thinking that a purely graphics-based interface doesn’t always allow for, and in addition to digging into the plot of The Crimson Diamond, I’m eager to see how it uses this design element that so rarely gets employed in modern games. All in all, it sounds like a perfect fit for a cozy weekend. —Carolyn Petit

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    Austin Williams, Carolyn Petit, Moises Taveras, Kenneth Shepard, and Ethan Gach

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  • Kotaku’s Essential Guide To Persona 3 Reload

    Kotaku’s Essential Guide To Persona 3 Reload

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    Screenshot: Atlus / Kotaku

    It can be tough figuring out how to manage everything Persona 3 Reload throws at you. Between school life, social life, and fighting demonic shadows during the Dark Hour, your time in Gekkoukan High School is hectic, to say the least. So whether you’re returning to Persona 3 or playing it for the first time via the brand-new remake, here are some tips for how to get the most out of every day on the game’s calendar. — Kenneth Shepard

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  • Palworld, Persona 3 Reload, And More Of This Week’s Best Tips

    Palworld, Persona 3 Reload, And More Of This Week’s Best Tips

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    Image: Pocketpair

    As an expansive survival game, Palworld has a variety of stats you can increase as you level up, leading to different strengths and weaknesses over the course of your character’s life. As is customary for many games like this, you can usually alter, or “respec,” these stats later on. Palworld lets you do this by way of “Memory Wiping Medicine,” which you can craft with the right items. – Claire Jackson Read More

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    Kotaku Staff

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  • Persona 3 Reload Debuts Live-Action Trailer

    Persona 3 Reload Debuts Live-Action Trailer

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    Publisher Atlus revealed a new trailer for P-Studio’s Persona 3 Reload, which releases early next month. The live-action trailer features actor Aidan Gallagher, best known for playing Number Five in Netflix’s superhero show The Umbrella Academy.

    Persona 3 Reload live-action trailer

    The trailer shows Gallagher slowly walking through several scenes from Persona 3 Reload before eventually breaking into a run. “Time is something no one can escape,” Gallagher narrates. “No matter which path you choose, it delivers all to the same end. Time is limited. Soon, the end will come. It’s all up to you now. The world does not need a script that is already written. The time has come to wield your power, accept your destiny, and seal your fate.”

    The trailer concludes with a montage of Persona 3 Reload gameplay.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maL1PDVsGpo

    Persona 3 Reload is a remake of the 2007 game. Despite the name, it is actually the fourth mainline Persona game and part of the sprawling Megami Tensei franchise. The game stars a high-school student who returns to his home city ten years after his parents died in a car accident. After gaining the ability to summon a manifestation of his inner spirit called a Persona, he joins a group of fellow Persona users called the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad or SEES. Together, they must save Tatsumi Port Island from dangerous Shadows and unravel the mystery of The Dark Hour.

    Fans have wanted a Persona 3 remake for some time, with Atlus finally announcing Reload last year. The new game includes features introduced later in the series, such as several quality-of-life improvements from 2016’s Persona 5. The remake will launch for PC PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 2.

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    Daniel DeAngleo

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  • Persona 3, GTA 5, And More Of The Week's Essential Gaming Tips

    Persona 3, GTA 5, And More Of The Week's Essential Gaming Tips

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    Image: Ubisoft, Atlus, Rockstar Games, Mundfish / Shedworks / Nintendo / Claire Jackson / Kotaku, Screenshot: Remedy Games / Kotaku

    If you’re stuck on a tricky boss fight or a challenging puzzle, or just want to make the most of your time with a new release, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the tips we found most helpful this week.


    Everything We Know About Star Wars Outlaws

    Kay and ND-5 speak in a bar.

    Image: Ubisoft

    Massive Entertainment’s upcoming open-world Star Wars game, Outlaws, is coming to PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S sometime in 2024. The game doesn’t follow Jedi and deal with The Force, but instead will give us a look into the seedier side of life in the Star Wars universe as it follows the exploits of a smuggler and scoundrel in an open-world format encompassing multiple planets. Let’s take a look at everything we know about the next trek to a galaxy far, far away. – Kenneth Shepard Read More


    You Need To Play Persona 3 Before It Leaves Xbox Game Pass

    The cast of Persona 3 stands against a white background.

    Image: Atlus

    Persona 3 Reload, the from-the-ground-up remake of Atlus’ beloved PlayStation 2 role-playing game, is coming out on February 2. But while the 2006 classic is getting a modern retouching very soon, it won’t include everything added to the original in the updated Persona 3 Portable and Persona 3 FES editions, the former of which is on Game Pass right now for Xbox and PC. So if you want to play one of the best additions to the base game, you still have a chance before Persona 3 Portable leaves Game Pass on January 14. – Kenneth Shepard Read More


    GTA V Is Leaving Game Pass, But These Great Games Will Remain

    A white man aims an assault rifle just off camera.

    Image: Rockstar Games

    If you’ve been playing Grand Theft Auto V or GTA Online via Game Pass lately, you might need to pony up and buy a copy to sustain your criminal enterprise. Rockstar’s crime saga is expected to leave Xbox Game Pass in about two weeks. – Claire Jackson Read More


    Kotaku’s Weekend Guide: Four Great Games To Kick Off The New Year

    Images from Atomic Heart, Sable, and Zelda are arranged in a collage.

    Image: Mundfish / Shedworks / Nintendo / Claire Jackson / Kotaku

    Happy new year! This week the Kotaku weekend guide returns with a brisk list of games for your consideration. Maybe some of these you hadn’t considered playing before, or perhaps others have been sitting on your backlog. In that case, consider this your reminder to get working on that stubborn list of yours. – Claire Jackson Read More


    The Whole Alan Wake ‘Remedyverse’ Is On Sale Right Now On PC

    Alan Wake looks off screen with a disturbed look on his face.

    Screenshot: Remedy Games / Kotaku

    If you’ve been eyeing (or playing) Alan Wake II lately but haven’t yet played any of the other titles in Remedy Games’ growing “Remedyverse” of connected stories, then you might want to take a look at the Epic Games Store right now. During its “Developer Spotlight” sale, Alan Wake Remastered, Alan Wake American Nightmare, Control, and both the standard and deluxe versions of Alan Wake II are all available for some pretty generous discounts. – Claire Jackson Read More

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    Kotaku Staff

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  • Six Years Ago, The Most Stylish RPG Ever Revived A Dying Genre

    Six Years Ago, The Most Stylish RPG Ever Revived A Dying Genre

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    Now that we’ve entered the final few days of 2023, the year’s bumper crop of new game releases has slowed to a trickle. With long, lazy days looming ahead, it’s a lovely time to cuddle up with one of the biggest, beefiest games in your backlog. And if you’re looking for beef, RPGs are the way to go. On December 15, Atlus announced that Persona 5 crossed a major sales landmark. The modern fantasy RPG and its spinoffs have now sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Nowadays, the Persona series seems like a sure bet. But just a few years ago, itwas a niche fascination for a few devoted weebs. If you haven’t checked it out already, now’s your chance.

    Back in 2017, when Persona 5 first debuted outside Japan, critics and audiences had largely soured on turn-based role-playing games, waving them off as dated and passé. The previous year, Final Fantasy XV ditched menu-driven gameplay for rapid-fire action combat that was flashier and faster than the venerable Square Enix series had ever been. It seemed like turn-based RPGs were a thing of the past—until Persona 5 set the world on fire.

    Buy Persona 5: Amazon

    The game takes place in modern-day Tokyo, and follows a group of teen vigilantes known as the Phantom Thieves. By day, they’re just conspicuously attractive high school students. By night, they summon demonic Pokémon known as Personas to fight crime and corruption in supernatural dungeons known as Palaces. P5’s stylish, anime-inflected presentation stood out in the late PlayStation 4 era, which skewed heavily toward realism. Innovative combo mechanics kept enemy encounters feeling snappy and unique. The game drew sky-high review scores and currently sits at an enviable 93 on Metacritic. Not too bad for a genre past its prime, right?

    Persona 5 Royal – Take Over Trailer – Nintendo Switch

    An expanded and enhanced edition, Persona 5 Royal, was launched worldwide in March 2020. Royal came to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox consoles in October 2022. And like any good video game phenomenon, Persona 5 spawned a heap of crossovers and spinoffs. In addition to a dedicated anime series, the cast appeared in a rhythm game (2018’s Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight), a Switch-exclusive action RPG (2021’s Persona 5 Strikers), and this year’s strategy RPG, Persona 5 Tactica. Oh, and protagonist Joker also joined the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. 

    Persona 5 isn’t without flaws. Okumura’s palace, which you’ll encounter late in the game, is an absolute chore. And the game’s portrayal of same-sex relationships is about as subtle as a sack of hammers. Oh, and it easily takes more than 100 hours to beat. If you can forgive those shortcomings, it’s an excellent way to wile away the final hours of 2023—whether you play the vanilla version or Royal.

    Persona 5 Royal is available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, and is often on sale for $30 or less. (Used copies of vanilla P5 on PlayStation 4 are even cheaper!)

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    Jen Glennon

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  • What Each Edition Of Persona 3 Reload Will Get You

    What Each Edition Of Persona 3 Reload Will Get You

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    Persona 3 Reload, a full-fledged remake of Atlus Games’ beloved 2006 role-playing game Persona 3, is set to release on February 2, 2024, for Xbox, PlayStation, and Windows. So take a deep breath and relax, you’ve still got a bit of time to play through October’s busy fall releases before hunkering down for an RPG-filled winter.

    The remake is far from being the definitive version of Persona 3, given its lack of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 3 FES content, which means no appearance from fan-favorite female protagonist Kotone Shiomi. However, its various pre-order versions (and the bonus items that come with them) might soften the blow for longtime fans. Here’s a guide for what each pre-order version of Persona 3 Reload will get you.

    Check Out Persona 3 Reload: Amazon 

    Read More: Hands-On: Persona 3 Reload Remakes The One Thing That Didn’t Need Remaking


    Persona 3 Reload Physical Edition

    Atlus

    Price: $70

    What You Get: Pre-orders of any version of Persona 3 Reload will get you the base game, as well as six Persona 4 Golden background music tracks as bonus DLC. The bonus DLC will let you listen to “Reach Out to The Truth,” “Time to Make History,” “I’ll Face Myself,” “A New World Fool,” “Fog,” and “Period” in P3R. So if you just wanna jam to some P4G tunes and don’t wanna pay a little extra for something extra, this is the version of P3R for you.


    Persona 3 Reload Digital Deluxe Edition

    Atlus

    Price: $80

    What You Get: P3R’s digital deluxe edition will get you the base game, six bonus P4G tracks, the game’s 64-page digital artbook, and its 60-song soundtrack of newly arranged and all-new songs by the Atlus sound team.


    Persona 3 Reload Digital Premium Edition

    Atlus

    Price: $100

    What You Get: P3R’s Digital Premium Edition includes the base game, P4G’s bonus tracks, the digital artbook​ and soundtrack, as well as all of Reload’s DLC on launch. Here’s a description of P3R’s DLC pack:

    • Persona 5 Reload Phantom Thieves Costume Set
    • P5R Shujin Academy Costume Set
    • P5R Persona Set 1
    • P5R Persona Set 2
    • P4G Yasogami High Costume Set
    • P4G Persona Set​

    Persona 3 Reload Aigis Edition

    Screenshot: Atlus / Walmart / Kotaku

    Price: $200

    What You Get: Last is the big kahuna: Persona 3 Reload’s Aigis Edition. Pre-ordering this eye-wateringly expensive version will get you the base game, a physical art book, a two-disc P3R soundtrack, a P3R DLC pack voucher​, and an Aigis figure. There’s no clear information on the size of that Aigis just yet, although it looks like a standard 6-inch prize figure.

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    Isaiah Colbert

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  • What To Expect At Anime Expo 2023

    What To Expect At Anime Expo 2023

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    If, like me, you’re making your way toward Anime Expo, the self-proclaimed “largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America” this coming weekend (yes, the Otaku of Kotaku will be there!), you may be feeling overwhelmed. But fear not! If you have no earthly idea what must-see events the great congregation of weebs has in store for you or how to make the most of your precious time during the expo, here’s a helpful guide to all the biggest panels at the four-day convention.

    Anime Expo, which takes place from July 1 to July 4 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, revealed a cavalcade of anime trailers and info on highly anticipated series like Chainsaw Man, Mob Psycho 100, and Trigun Stampede during last year’s event. This year’s convention is looking to maintain that energy with many must-see events as well. While the offerings at this year’s expo include listening to live music from DJ Diesel (that’s Shaq btw), samurai sword training, and discussing the LGBTQ+ themes in Sailor Moon, this list will only cover where and when big-name anime studios will host panels and chat with visitors.

    Read More: Your Summer 2023 Anime Guide: What To Watch And Where It’s Streaming

    It should also be noted that, while last year’s expo ultimately did require proof of covid vaccination or a negative test result, this year those requirements have been dropped, according to the event’s health and safety guidelines.Anime Expo, however, “strongly recommended” attendees get vaccinations and/or booster shots before attending and wear face masks while inside the Los Angeles Convention Center. Without further ado, here’s your definitive itinerary guide to the biggest panels at Anime Expo.

    Image: Anime Expo /Kotaku


    July 1

    Welcoming Ceremony

    Where: Main Events

    When: 10:30-11:20 a.m.

    Bungo Stray Dogs Panel

    What’s Happening: Bungo Stray Dogs creator Kafka Asagiri talks about how he went about crafting the popular mystery manga series.

    Where: JW-Platinum

    When: 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m.

    Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead World Premiere

    What’s Happening: The world premiere of the anime adaptation of Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, which premieres on Hulu and Netflix on July 9.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 12:30-1:50 p.m.

    Bandai Namco Panel

    What’s Happening: Bandai Namco Filmworks, known for making anime like Mobile Suit Gundam and Cowboy Bebop, reveals news on its upcoming anime shows “and more.”

    Where: Panel Room 408 AB

    When: 2-2:50 pm

    Netflix J-Content Presentation

    What’s Happening: Netflix provides new info on anime like Pluto, Pokémon Concierge, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead, and the final season of Beastars featuring producers of those respective shows during its “From Japan to the World” presentation.

    Where: Main Events

    When: 3:15-4:05 p.m.

    Toho Panel

    What’s Happening: Toho hosts a lineup of panels featuring industry professionals from anime series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family, and My Hero Academia.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 2:30-3:50 p.m.

    A screenshot shows characters from Delicious in Dungeon gathered around a pot of food.

    Screenshot: Trigger / Kotaku

    Studio Trigger Panel

    What’s Happening: Studio Trigger is presenting the world premiere of the first episode of its upcoming series Delicious in Dungeon and a first look at a new anime from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners director, Hiroyuki Imashi.

    Where: Main Events

    When: 1:45-2:35 p.m.

    Mappa Panel

    What’s Happening: Mappa CEO Manabu Otsuka and producer Makoto Kimura will discuss behind-the-scenes info on its upcoming anime shows.

    Where: JW Marriott Ballroom

    When: 3-3:50 p.m.

    The Ancient Magus Bride Season 2 Panel

    What’s Happening: Studio Kafka will be hosting live drawing, cosplay, and behind-the-scenes discussion events as well as the premiere of Ancient Magus Bride season 2’s first episode.

    Where: Panel Room 408 AB

    When: 3:30-4:50 p.m.

    Spy x Family Panel

    What’s Happening: Crunchyroll is hosting a panel with voice actor Takuya Eguchi, who plays Loid Forger in Spy x Family’s Japanese cast.

    Where: LA Convention Center Main Events Hall

    When: 5-5:50 p.m.

    Mashle: Magic and Muscles Panel

    What’s Happening: Voice actors Chiaki Kobayashi and Alek Le, the Japanese and English voices of protagonist Mash, respectively, discuss the first season of the anime.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 8-9:20 p.m.


    Premieres

    Read More: The Top 30 Best Anime Of The Decade, Ranked


    July 2

    Fuji TV Panel

    What’s Happening: World premiere of NieR: Automata creator Yoko Taro’s new anime KamiErabi GOD.app by Studio Bones.

    Where: 403 AB

    When: 10-11:30 a.m.

    Mappa x Crunchyroll Panel

    What’s Happening: Mappa discusses and gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at popular anime titles like Jujutsu Kaisen.

    Where: JW-Platinum

    When: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

    Dark Horse Manga Panel

    What’s Happening: Dark Horse reveals new releases and answers questions about manga series like Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Mob Psycho 100, and Berserk.

    Where: 408 AB

    When: 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.

    A screenshot of the anime adaptation of Junji Ito's Uzumaki.

    Screenshot: Production I.G. / Adult Swim / Kotaku

    Production I.G x Wit Panel

    What’s Happening: Production I.G and Wit present information about shows like the highly anticipated anime adaptation of horror creator Junji Ito’s Uzumaki.

    Where: Main Events

    When: 12-12:50 p.m.

    Warner Bros. Japan Anime Panel

    What’s Happening: Warner Bros. hosts panels for the new seasons of Record of Ragnarok and Bastard!!!- Heavy Metal Dark Fantasy.

    Where: 408 AB

    When: 1-2:20 p.m.

    Undead Unlock Panel

    What’s Happening: TMS Entertainment gives fans a first look at the anime adaptation of Undead Unlock featuring the Japanese voice actors for Shen and Fuuko Izumo.

    Where: Main Events

    When: 1:30-2:20 p.m.

    Studio Bones 25th Anniversary Panel

    What’s Happening: Studio Bones president Masahiko Minami and Cowboy Bebop character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto reveal new info on their upcoming cyberpunk anime, Metallic Rouge, as well as discuss some of their earlier work.

    Where: JW-Platinum

    When: 2:30-3:30 p.m.

    Yoshitaka Amano Panel

    What’s Happening: A panel with legendary Final Fantasy artist Yoshitaka Amano, featuring a live drawing, a discussion of his work, and the announcement of an upcoming anime project

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 2:40-3:30 p.m.

    Jujutsu Kaisen Panel

    What’s Happening: Crunchyroll hosts a panel discussing behind-the-scenes info on the previous and upcoming season of Jujutsu Kaisen with the team behind the show.

    Where: Main Events

    When: 3-3:50 p.m.

    Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Panel

    What’s Happening: Aniplex producer Yuma Takahashi and the Japanese voice actors for Demon Slayer’s Tanjiro Kamado and Muichiro Tokito discuss the anime’s latest season, the Swordsmith Village Arc.

    Where: Main Events

    When: 4:30-5:50 p.m.

    VIZ Official Industry Panel

    What’s Happening: Masakazu Morita, the Japanese voice actor for Bleach’s Ichigo Kurosaki, joins Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead artist Kotaro Takata to discuss the upcoming seasons of their shows.

    Where: 408 AB

    When: 4:30-5:20 p.m.

    SEGA Presents: Dragons of Japan

    What’s Happening: RGG Studio hosts an hour-long panel about the upcoming Like a Dragon game featuring producer Hiroyuki Sakamoto, and the English and Japanese voice actors for Kiryu Kazuma.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 5:30-6:20 p.m.


    Premieres


    July 3

    Persona 5 Tactica Panel

    What’s Happening: Atlus West and Persona 5 Tactica voice actors give fans a closer look at the upcoming turn-based spin-off.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 10-10:50 a.m.

    Warner Bros. Japan x Wit Studio Panel

    What’s Happening: Warner Bros. Japan and Wit Studio reveal a “mysterious brand-new anime project” that it promises will blow fans’ minds. It’s apparently an isekai show.

    Where: JW-Platinum

    When: 10-10:50 a.m.

    Aniplex of America x A-1 Pictures Panel

    What’s Happening: Aniplex of America and A-1 Pictures reveal their lineup of anime for 2023 and some behind-the-scenes production info.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 11:30 a.m.-12:50 p.m.

    Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Panel

    What’s Happening: Viz Media celebrates the release of the second part of Bleach’s final season with Masakazu Morita, the Japanese voice actor for Ichigo Kurosaki.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 1:30-2:50 p.m.

    Crunchyroll Industry Panel

    What’s Happening: Crunchyroll announces new info about new and upcoming anime to the streamer.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 3:30-4:50 p.m.

    Hi-Fi Rush Panel

    What’s Happening: Hi-Fi Rush game director John Johanas and voice actors discuss developing Tango Gameworks’ rhythm action game.

    Where: 403 AB

    When: 3:30-4:20 p.m.

    My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Panel

    What’s Happening: Aniplex Producer Masami Niwa and Yamada voice actor Koki Uchiyama talk about the rom-com gaming anime’s first season.

    Where: JW-Platinum

    When: 4:30-6 p.m.

    Persona 3 Reload Panel

    What’s Happening: Atlus West gives players a behind-the-scenes peek at the remake of its beloved RPG series.

    Where: Petree Hall

    When: 7-7:50 p.m.

    Shin Megami Tensei 35th Anniversary

    What’s Happening: Atlus looks back on the past games and gives players a “glimpse into the future” of its RPG series.

    Where: 411

    When: 7-8:20 p.m.


    Premieres

    A still from The First Slam Dunk.

    Screenshot: Toei Animation / DandeLion Animation Studio / Kotaku


    July 4

    Undead Unlock Auditions

    What’s Happening: TMS Entertainment and Bang Zoom! Studios host open auditions for visitors to land a role in its upcoming anime, Undead Unlock.

    Where: Main Events

    When:10 a.m.-1 p.m.

    Horimiya: The Missing Pieces Panel

    What’s Happening: Crunchyroll hosts a panel for the rom-com spin-off of Horimiya featuring the anime’s director and Izumi Miyamura voice actor Kouki Uchiyama and a sneak peek at the first episode.

    Where: 408 AB

    When: 10:30 a.m.-11:20 a.m.

    Closing Ceremony

    Where: Main Events

    When: 4-5 p.m.

    Premieres


    Kotaku is covering everything at Anime Expo 2023, including big announcements at panels and exclusive one-on-one interviews with the industry’s biggest creators. Whether you’re a seasoned anime fan or a newbie, you can keep up with all things Anime Expo 2023 here.

       

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    Isaiah Colbert

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  • It’s Always A Good Time To Play Persona 3

    It’s Always A Good Time To Play Persona 3

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    Image: Persona 3

    The increasing popularity of the Persona series in the West has been a wonderful if slow-burning thing to behold, ramping up over the last decade to the point where Persona 5 was a Very Big Video Game Release, and re-releases of older games are now headline news.

    So it’s easy finding people to talk to about Persona 5 , and to watch videos about it, and read articles about it. Same goes for Persona 4, which has now been ported enough times (I first played it on Vita!) that it’s in much the same space. Basically, when people talk about modern Persona games, they’re usually talking about those two games.

    Persona 3, a little less so, so in honour of its re-release this week I want to talk about it tonight, and see if I can get it added to your list of Games You Really Should Play.

    Sure, it came out in 2006 on the PS2, but this is a Persona game. We’re not here for the cutting-edge visuals (though we are definitely here for the art style). We’re here for the friendships, the conversations, the haunted school island, the wandering around like a bum teenager at the end of class. It’s a game, just like Personas 4 & 5, about time.

    Being the first “modern” Persona game, though—it broke from its predecessors and laid down the basic template the series has followed ever since—does mean Persona 3 has its rough edges. Its single enormous dungeon, for example, is hell, and for those who have only experienced Persona 5’s exquisitely dovetailed social links and subplots, you might find Persona 3 a bit creakier and more sparse when it comes to after-school activities. It’s also lacking some of the vibrancy and exuberance of the more recent games when it comes to its cast.

    Not that this last point is a bad thing! There’s a lot to love about this more earnest tale, which has a nice tight focus to it, and it also has a dog, which is awesome.

    Now that we’ve established how much I love Persona 3, I will now tell you that when it comes to deciding which version of the game to play, I love Persona 3’s handheld port—which just happens to be the version re-released this week—even more. Persona 3 Portable was first released in 2009 on the PSP, and I think it’s a modern marvel of game (re)design. It takes the heart of the Persona experience and re-crafts it for a portable platform in a way that Persona 4 Golden couldn’t come close to matching.

    P3P’s isometric redesign gives it an almost timeless look, one I wish we got to see with later games in the series as well.

    P3P’s isometric redesign gives it an almost timeless look, one I wish we got to see with later games in the series as well.
    Screenshot: Persona 3 Portable

    Because the PSP couldn’t handle the fully 3D overworld of Persona 3, or fit its lavish animated cutscenes into its limited storage space, both of those pillars of the Persona 3 experience on PS2 are gone. While the loss of the anime-style sequences was a bummer, and 3D gameplay was preserved for the dungeon and combat, what Atlus did to replace the 3D exploration was a stroke of genius. Instead of stripping back the 3D sections with low-res textures and simpler models, they threw it out and replaced it entirely with a static, isometric version of Persona 3’s world.

    This was, and remains, the superior way to play Persona. The series’ overworlds may have started to look busier in recent entries, but they’re still incredibly sparse in terms of what you can actually interact with. Trudging around them looking for a conversation or story sequence can be a drag. Persona 3 Portable’s system is a faster, cleaner way to spend your downtime, and has the added benefit of looking amazing. I held out hope for years that Persona 4 could get a mobile port that looked like this, and a small part of me is wishing for the same thing from Persona 5.

    And we haven’t even got to the best part about it! No, the best part of Persona 3 Portable was that in addition to the perspective change and some other bits of administrative tidying (like new difficulty options), the handheld port added a whole second protagonist, meaning that if you’d played through the main game already, well surprise, you could play it all over again and get a completely different experience.

    WHAT I DISCOVERED GAMING AS A GIRL

    “When I had the opportunity to play a favorite game all over again with Persona 3 Portable, I was happy to do so. I didn’t realize a virtual sex change would make the experience anything but the same as before.”

    READ MORE HERE

    With the original protagonist a boy, Portable’s addition of a girl meant your romance options were completely inverted, and it added new social links and dialogue options as well. Imagine being able to play through Personas 4 & 5 like this! Romancing Yusuke would be worth the price of admission alone.

    Having been very difficult to get hold of for years—at least in an official capacity—Persona 3 Portable is out now on PC, Switch, Xbox and PlayStation.

    This post was originally published in 2021 as part of our special Backlog Month series of features. It has been updated and republished for Persona 3 Portable’s impending re-release.

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    Luke Plunkett

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