Given the time between Persona 2 and Persona 3, I was pretty shocked to learn Atlus already has number 4 in the works, and there is already a bit of info floating around about it. The game will be for the Playstation 2, so it seems Persona is not ready for the jump to next-gen just yet. Persona 4 is scheduled to be released on July 10th in Japan.

Atlus has been careful to keep the team members you get in Persona 4 tightly under wraps. So far we have a decent amount of information about the following characters:

In Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, Tartarus was where the player went to do battle with shadows and move closer to finding the truth of the game. Persona 4 has a similar dungeon themed system. It comes in the form of an urban legend called “Mayonaka TV“, or “middle of the night TV.”

I got kinda sick of trying to read those crappy Famitsu scans of Persona 4, and trying to load the video so I bought the newest issue with the DVD. Luckily it plays in my laptop even though it says it is for Japan only. Between the 4 page spread and watching the video, I have made a good deal of progress with the Protagonist’s story:

Video

Job class: Cheerleader or Idol (応援師)
Ma-bility: Lovely Song (ラブリーソング)
Ma-bility Effect: All allied characters receive a 5% stat increase
Prerequisite: Cleric(female) and Sage level 45
Suggested weapons: Gun, Staff
*NOTE* Must also pass bill entitled “応援師を作りたい”, or “I want to make a Cheerleader” for 400 mana in home room.
Move: 4
Jump: 25
Counter: 1
Throw: 4

Houkago Shounen is for anyone who remembers the bitter-sweetness of childhood. The story takes place in Japan in 1976, yet it is timeless and if properly translated would surely make even the most foul-mouthed sailor weep like a little girl.

The other day when walking around Kobe I stumbled upon Otaku capital of the world. Amidst the blatant and not-so-blatant child pornography I managed to find a store that sold some individual Disgaea Palm Scenery figurines. Unfortunately they did not have the Kunoichi or Yukimaru figures, but much to my nerdy delight they had the thief from Disgaea 2. I pretty much hated the thief in the first Disgaea due to a wretched attempt at voice acting, so I never really used one.

It seems like I always deliver new Baroque media with bad news. The guys over at Nintendo Power did not care much for the upcoming Baroque for the Wii. According to Atlus’s newsletter they had the following to say about the game:

Job class: Shaman (呪術師)
Ma-bility: Kaazudo Dance (カーズドダンス)
Ma-bility Effect: All enemy characters on the map have their stats reduced by 5%
Prerequisite: Sage and Magician (female) level 25
Suggested weapons: Spear, Staff
*NOTE* Must also pass bill entitled “呪術師を作りたい”, or “I want to make a Shaman” for 400 mana in home room.
Move: 4
Jump: 20
Counter: 1
Throw: 4