Artist and Persona fan Hiimdaisy has penned this amazing, loooooong comic that does a great job of outlining the opening scenes of Persona 4. Great reading for Persona fans, or those wanting to learn more about Persona!

Actually, it's great reading for anyone, since even Persona/JRPG haters will find some stuff to chuckle at.

Persona @ Hiimdaisy [via GameSetWatch]

久慈川りせ [Hobby-Wave]

Pre-orders are currently being taken taken for the 3.5 inch figure, which is slated for an August release. Looks neat, but does his head come off?

Kuma PVC [Hobby Search via Tomopop]

If so, I can sympathize. But if your reasoning is "I pay no more than $26 American for any PlayStation 2 game" you really have no excuse. It's Amazon's "Deal of the Day," one of a half dozen PS2 titles getting the cheap treatment in the old Gold Box. At $25.98 USD (shipped!), we can't imagine how you could leave it on the virtual store shelves.

We're hoping the next "Lightning Deal" is Yakuza 2. Even if it isn't, a new copy of Persona 4 for under thirty smackers will more than make up for it.

Persona 4 [Amazon - thanks, Joseph!]

And though it’s about the lead character’s ultimately linear story arc, this framework subtly becomes about the player’s self, too.

Persona 3 and Persona 4 largely share the same main core gameplay concepts. Players begin as a nameless, faceless protagonist, and conduct that character through the events of a story as it unfolds across the calendar school year. The activities the player chooses in the simplicity of daily life come to bear on the gameplay just as much as more conventional dungeon runs and battles – if not more so.

Perhaps most characteristic of the series, though, is the way that the gameplay subtly encourages players to enter the protagonist’s shoes, to take on the lessons of his experiences, and to turn the lens on themselves.

The Malleable Protagonist
To some extent, this open-ended character experience is part of the established function of the silent protagonist. These heroes tend to possess few defining characteristics of their own, and the player selects each and every thing they say and do. The lead character, then, simply acts as a medium for the player’s own interaction with a game’s character and world.

But the recent Persona games take the silent protagonist a step further. In both games, the lead character is a teenage boy – that’s not the unusual bit. With his classmates, he uses alternate “selves” called Personas to fight an encroaching evil. This boy learns from the beginning he’s special – unlike his fellow Persona-users, he can employ not one, but many different Personas. In other words, he has a nearly-limitless number of possible “selves” he can select at will.

The ability to change Personas is a functional part of the core gameplay. The advantage in battle of being able to change out what essentially translates to combat skills for different ones, or stronger ones, is simply part of the game mechanic.

But thematically, the game’s lead character is an individual with an infinite number of faces. He’s told his ultimate nature, and the course of his journey, will depend largely on the choices he makes and the bonds that he forms. It’s true for the character – but even more so considering he’s at the behest of a player who will decide what sort of “self” the character has.

The idea that the silent protagonist will shape himself is illusory, of course – that’s the player’s job. But along the way, the game subtly demands players reflect on their own selves, too.

Three Versus Four
Although Persona 4 makes just about every appropriate iterative improvement on Persona 3’s design that one could ever ask for, many stalwart fans prefer the “darker” vibe of the third title, with its inferred undertones of suicide, depression and sexual deviance. P3’s distinctly forbidding feel, though, comes mainly from its almost negative take on the concept of the persona.

There’s a very subtle difference — P3 employed the multiple-persona concept to suggest a character who wore many different masks, but kept his heart hidden. Success in the game’s social relationships usually depended on telling characters precisely what they wanted to hear – even if it wasn’t the right thing, and even if it conflicted with beliefs and behaviors you chose to express with other characters. Underlying message? Starkly nihilistic in its own way, suggesting that all others ever really know of your “self” is the mask you choose to show them.

By contrast – and with a lot more clarity — P4 presents the idea that an individual may have many different “selves,” some public, some private, and yet the individual’s encouraged to embrace and accept them all, even when it’s difficult. In fact, in P4, denying one’s alternate self creates a mortal danger. A facet of the self that’s repressed can become a dangerous dark side – and that’s true for real-life humans, too.

P4’s social relationships are more complex and more genuine, too, and while this lightens things up a bit in contrast with P3’s darkness, it often encourages the player to do a truthful self-evaluation and to make an emotional investment – thereby building immersion, and making it more possible to adopt the protagonist’s journey as one’s own.

A Moment Of Reflection
Persona 4 also has an ingenious way of encouraging players to visualize relating to themselves within a video game. The game’s story hinges on the concept of the Midnight Channel , an odd TV show that can only be seen at midnight on rainy days. Initially an urban legend bolstered by the rising spread of rumor about it, it’s soon revealed to play a central role in the game’s story.

As the player watches the exposition of Persona 4 unfold, waiting to be drawn into the events on the screen, the protagonist is also being drawn into a television screen — literally. Early on, the character learns he has the power to enter the TV – to be immersed – in order to address its dangerous portents.

One of the most fascinating moments of the entire game is watching the protagonist’s first experience with the Midnight Channel, as part of the game’s introductory period. On a dark night, the protagonist approaches the smooth, black frame of his television set and stares into it, waiting for the show to begin.

At first, all he sees is his own reflection. The screen is dark enough that if your own TV screen reflects at all, you’ll be able to see your own reflection at the same time. Depending on where you’re sitting, your mirrored face may even transpose directly onto the protagonist’s.

You’re watching yourself watch your character watch himself in a TV screen, a superimposition as briefly dizzying as the spiraling, black and white transition that fills your own screen whenever the character enters his TV.

Seek The Truth
At the same time, one of Persona 4’s central narrative themes seems to be that because reality’s created by belief, one can never wholly trust what the eyes see. The protagonist and his companions become truth-seekers, of a sort, in their attempts to solve a murder mystery and figure out the Midnight Channel. This also becomes a central theme for the gameplay throughout, as the player is always rewarded for investigating beyond the visible.

The climax of this immersive marriage of gameplay and narrative is actually in the game’s closing sequence, after the central conflict has apparently been resolved. Without spoiling anything, the game’s optimal ending can actually only be achieved if the player picks up on a few unanswered questions – and then repeatedly defies and ignores the customary in-game text and menus to try to resolve them.

In that way, players of Persona 4 are always being asked to do the very same things, consider the very same big-picture choices, that its heroes are simultaneously confronting. The story is about a boy discovering his alternate selves – and who then becomes the player’s alternate self at the same time. Who says there are no good gameplay-narrative mergers?

What do you think your “Shadow self” would look like? What kind of Persona would you have?

[Leigh Alexander is news director for Gamasutra, reviews games at Variety,and maintains her gaming blog, Sexy Videogameland. Her monthly column at Kotaku deals with cultural issues surrounding games and gamers. She can be reached at leighalexander1 AT gmail DOT com.]

While not quite as spectacular as last year's Atlus holiday greeting card, this year's offering makes up for it in form factor and sheer marketing value. The inside of the card, which can be seen below, features signatures from the whole Atlus USA team, along with the groan-inducing greeting, "Beary Happy Holidays from the Atlus Family." Did you guys really have to go there? The grizzly pun was the polar opposite of what I expected. That was really quite unbearable. I can't bear it! I thought you guys prided yourselves on high koala-ty! It was so overbearing! Why didn't you send one to Adam Bear-enblat?

There, I'm done.

Taking the series from the city into the Japanese countryside, Persona 4 is a murder mystery featuring a group of school children who discover a bizarre realm inside their television sets where their innermost thoughts and fears become a reality.

Does the 4th chapter in the series manage to live up to the high level of polish and style fans have come to expect? Journey into the bizarre world of the video game critics to find out.

Game Informer
Evil is most disturbing when viewed through pure eyes, and Persona 4 delves into the subject with haunting effectiveness. The game’s morbid story juxtaposes the innocent lives of high school students with brutal crimes and hidden shame, filling the plot with discordant and compelling moments. Supposed best friends bury resentment for each other, outwardly happy kids wrestle with intense fears of rejection, and ordinary people become the centerpieces of gruesome crime scenes. This isn’t an RPG for anyone who is content to marry a princess or save some crystals.

RPGamer
One thing that Persona 4 does remarkably well is craft a believable and intriguing mystery that keeps the player guessing throughout the entire course of the game, and at certain points even requires the player to figure out the missing piece of the puzzle, or leave the case unsolved forever. The characters are interesting and interact wonderfully with each other, and in particular, the inclusion of family for the main character does a lot to heighten the emotional impact of many situations encountered in the game. As the game nears its conclusion, the build-up is so intense that it may be difficult to put down the controller.

IGN
there is no longer a mega dungeon like Tartarus was in P3 and FES. Instead, each dungeon is a more individualized representation of characters and their personal fears, issues and psychological hang-ups. As a result, each dungeon is "themed" with different problems that these characters are struggling with, all of which your party will need to overcome to eventually save that person. Shin Megami Tensei games have always explored serious and even controversial issues, but some of the ways that it's handled in Persona 4 is incredible. This includes giving you a greater insight into some of the characters' problems, ranging from sexual identity to the dissection of personal identity in the celebrity spotlight.

Worth Playing
Perhaps the biggest change to the combat system comes from the fact that you can now control all four members of your party, instead of just the main character. You can issue direct commands, and the game is a lot more fun when you know that your allies won't waste their turns on a useless attack or fail to heal your main character in desperate situations. Even if the bosses tend to be a bit harder, the entire game feels much fairer since you're not depending on the AI's support. When you lose a battle in Persona 4 , it feels like it was your own fault and not because your ally decided do something stupid, and that makes a big difference in some of the game's more difficult fights.

1UP
What really sets Persona 4 apart, though, is its endearing, relatable cast. While I loved Persona 3, I never really warmed to most of my cohorts, who suffered from what I like to call Ian Ziering Syndrome — thirtysomethings impersonating high school kids. From the moment my spunky tomboy classmate invited me to sit next to her in Persona 4, though, I felt an immediate connection — and the sense that these could've easily been guys and gals I went to high school with. They're all normal kids with mundane problems: a big-city dude who's adjusting to life in the country, a girl whose friendship with a classmate might not be without ulterior motives, a girl who's trying to reconcile her public image with her private desires. Nothing earth-shattering — just the personal, internal battles we all fight.

Kotaku
Persona 4 is a solid game for anybody who likes dungeon crawling. But it’s worth mentioning the vicious cycle of sequels to good games: 1) If the first one was so good, thinks the developer, why not make the next dozen or so just like it? 2) If the first one was so good, thinks the fan, I’m going to buy the next dozen or so no matter what the reviews say. 3) If the first one was so good and I hated it, thinks the skeptic, I’ll never buy it no matter what the reviews say. 4) So if everybody has already made up their minds, thinks the game reviewer, why the hell am I writing this again?

Looks like just about everybody agrees!

Let’s not waste time arguing that Persona 4 is fundamentally different than its predecessor, because it isn’t – and nobody said that was a bad thing. Instead, think about the pros and cons of the game in terms of dusting off your PlayStation 2; because that’s the biggest challenge the game presents: Finding space on the surge protector to plug in your outdated console.

Loved
Choices: Whether it be weird answers to test questions, sprawling dungeons with plenty of doors that lead to nowhere, or the three (technically four) possible endings, Persona 4 doesn’t skimp on offering the player plenty to do. If you get bored of grinding levels, there’s Persona-fusion. If you hate Persona-fusion, you can go to school. If you hate school, you can get a part time job. If you don’t want to work, you can join a school club and max out a relationship level with a girl, then invite her back to your bedroom. A few limitations apply – some dialogue choices, after school jobs and relationship possibilities can’t be accessed unless you’ve raised your Knowledge, Courage, Diligence, Understanding or Expression high enough. But, hey, there’s plenty of ways to get those scores up – up to and including gorging yourself on ramen.

Symbolism: I never liked the whole shooting yourself in the head thing in Persona 3; it was too emo. Also, I just didn’t get some of the “philosophical” arguments made by the characters throughout the game. Persona 4 either cuts the shit when it comes to making up excuses for villains to be villains and teenagers to be angsty – or it offers a semi-plausible explanation for why there’s this magic world that only you can enter where your inner self manifests as a tarot card that summons a monster. Having logical symbolism helps me concentrate on enjoying the game instead of spending whole cut scenes “WTF?!” and trying to click through them as fast as I can.

Murder She Wrote: Here’s the plot: you’re a transfer student sent to live with your uncle, a police detective, in the sleepy town of Inaba. Once you get there, people are abuzz about this phenomenon called the Midnight Channel. If someone appears on the Midnight Channel, they suddenly go missing in real life. If it rains, his or her dead body appears in the town on the first foggy day after the rain clears. As the game progresses, people you know start appearing on the Midnight Channel and gameplay revolves around trying to save them. The murder mystery angle makes the dungeon crawling more bearable. Not only are you actually concerned about the victims you’re trying to save, but it breaks down the actually “dungeon” into smaller, more bearable chunks. And being governed by the weather (instead of the full moon from Persona 3) makes your time-management of crawling versus school life more urgent.

Naughty Nurses – Oh, Japan, the way you regard the medical profession as a den of sin is beyond me. But I think working up my Diligence score to get the part-time job at the hospital was one of the best treats Persona 4 has to offer… even if it did raise ethical questions about statutory rape.

Hated
Gameplay Extension: They wouldn’t call it dungeon crawling if you could blow through the whole thing in half an hour. But… (spoiler warning!) three — technically four — endings? Two fake-out last boss/dungeons? And the three massive dialogue chains you have to go through to get the “true” ending – wherein if you blow one response you automatically get one of the bad endings? At some point (probably in the last 15 hours of the game), you’re going to think enough is enough. You might even deliberately go for the bad ending just to give yourself a sense of closure that Persona 4 seems so bent on depriving you of.

Fishing: Game designers, please don’t add fishing mini-games unless you’re going to do them well. Persona 4 is the epitome of pointless fishing game mayhem. You don’t have to do it to progress through the game; if you do do it, the rewards you can get by trading your fish with the old man by the river are no better than if you save up your money and buy equipment from the shopping channel on Sunday; and the way you do it blows. If I wanted to button mash, I’d go play any game besides a dungeon crawler.

“Wizard Did It”: Part of the fun of murder mysteries is the guessing game. You have this idea that you can solve them based on the evidence presented to you – and in good murder mysteries, you can. That’s why crime drama shows like Law & Order are still on the air after nearly 20 years. Persona 4 makes much of its murder mystery plot – but it doesn’t work the way a murder mystery is supposed to work. Instead, it works like an episode of Xena as described in that Simpsons episode: “Every time you see something that doesn’t make sense, a wizard did it.” So, every time you feel inclined to “solve” the mystery – don’t.

Why is this on the PS2? – I’ve bitched about this before. Atlus says it has found that "in both America and Japan, the vast majority of Persona fans are still using their PS2s to play RPGs. Atlus’ first priority was to create a deep and engaging RPG experience without alienating their fans, and with the PS2’s large install base both here and in Japan, developing for the last generation console made more sense." It's a classic case of “If you build it, they will come,” if you ask me. Besides, I’d love to see some of the amazing Persona designs in next-gen graphics. Is it so wrong of me to want Shin Megami Tensei goodness on my PS3?

Persona 4 is a solid game for anybody who likes dungeon crawling. But it’s worth mentioning the vicious cycle of sequels to good games: 1) If the first one was so good, thinks the developer, why not make the next dozen or so just like it? 2) If the first one was so good, thinks the fan, I’m going to buy the next dozen or so no matter what the reviews say. 3) If the first one was so good and I hated it, thinks the skeptic, I’ll never buy it no matter what the reviews say. 4) So if everybody has already made up their minds, thinks the game reviewer, why the hell am I writing this again?

Persona 4 was developed and published by Atlus, released in North America on December 9 for the PlayStation 2. Retails for $39.99. Completed game on Easy Mode to get all three (technically four) endings. Started second playthrough on Normal Mode to maintain my self-esteem and tested out Hard Mode to see if it was really hard (it is).

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

I get the feeling this is a sort of swan song for the aging console, but what do you guys think? Is this the last time a PS2 title will grace the cover of a major multi-platform gaming mag, or does the little black box still have some life in it yet?

Persona 4 perfects the high school dungeon crawling formula, spacing dungeons out with story-driven themes and adding more plot points and suspense to angst over. Also, now you can go fishing, which is exactly like fishing in most other RPGs that make you fish - except for your have to button mash quite a bit more. Essentially, Persona 4 is Persona 3: it looks the same, plays the same, and most of the enemies and Personae are exactly the same. And it's on PS2, which is kind of lame, because the PS3 has been out for a while now and sooner or later Atlus will have to catch up (and not with another Operation Darkness, please.)

Some tweaks have been made to gameplay – you can now edit your party’s battle tactics such that you control their every move. This is great if you get a bum AI character who likes to waste time casting Makajama when they should be casting Recarm on the other idiot AI that just died. But you probably won’t have to worry too much; the AI in Persona 4 seems just a bit smarter than it was in Persona 3. And maybe it’s just me, but the school seems smarter too. I do not remember having to answer any questions about nautical dawn or Egyptian face makeup in high school…

The biggest change of all, though, is the plot. Persona 4 is about one gray-haired angst-bucket (that would be you) transferring to a rural high school so he can live with his detective uncle while his parents go off on a yearlong business trip abroad (great parenting, that). Funny you should be living with a detective, as the sleepy town you’ve come to seems to be experiencing a spate of murders. They all seem to be tied into a strange phenomenon called the Midnight Channel. To see this crazy thing, you have to wait until it rains at night and then stare at your TV screen exactly at midnight. If someone appears, they’re marked for murder.

Your job, of course, is to save them – since you have this magical ability to enter the TV (courtesy of one long-nosed creepy guy from Persona 3). You extend this power to several high school chums you acquire in the first few hours of gameplay, and before you know it, you’re off crawling in dungeons in TV land.

The dungeon crawling feels different than it did in Persona 3 because you’re watching the weather, not the moon. After a victim appears on the Midnight Channel, you have until the next foggy day to find them and save them. If the fog rolls into the town before you’ve saved them, the victim dies and it’s game over. The routine of dungeon crawling centers on the victims’ inner evils – each dungeon is themed based on whatever angst they’re dealing with. For example, we went to a dungeon modeled after the victim’s inner dreams of having a prince come carry her away from her boring everyday life. This dungeon shaped up to be a huge castle with posh red carpets and stained glass windows.

If you played Persona 3, it’s no secret that the entire game revolves around symbolism (come on – shooting yourself in the head?), and that symbolism represents more things the more vague it is. The symbolism in Persona 4 is not as vague as it was in 3 (and you won’t be shooting yourself in the head to summon Persona), so to me, everything makes way more sense and the dungeon crawling doesn’t feel as monotonous because there’s a clear goal at the end of each multi-floored area: save the angsting teen!

In the castle level, we were out to save a girl named Yukiko – a modest mousy girl who helped her family run the local inn. Inside the TV world, her inner self manifested as “Princess Yukiko” – a pink-clad princess with a penchant for red lacy panties. Oh Japan, I love you so. Our gray haired hero went into the castle to save her, accompanied by his newfound friends Yosuke and Chie, Yukiko’s best friend. Our party got a little help from a weird teddy bear-looking thing called – wait for it – Teddie. Teddie lives in the TV and gives our hero some emo-looking glasses to help him see through the “fog” of the TV world so he can save his friends.

From there, it was all Persona 3 gameplay, right down to trying to whack the roaming monsters before they got you from behind so you’d get a two-turn advantage in the battle. Combat moves at its usually snappy pace – even snappier, if you’re calling all the shots for your teammates. You can mash on the Triangle button to perform rush attacks; and mercifully, the weakness system has been updated so it’s easier to exploit multiple enemies without having to give up your turn. (Oh, and the dog-pile option is still there – awesome.)

At some point, Chie ran ahead and we had to catch up with her – only to discover that she’d encountered her own inner self which then became the mini boss when Chie spazzed out about it not being her. Again, I’m going to stress the symbolism: Chie is a tomboy who wants to be the best at everything, but she’s secretly insecure. Her inner self, then, appeared as four of her – three washed-out gray zombie versions stacked on each other’s shoulder to support the fourth one, a gold-masked dominatrix with a whip.

Symbolism – gotta love it.

The mini boss fight went down okay and the inner self became Chie’s Persona Tomoe. Yay, now let’s go save Yukiko! But no! We have no more mana SP!

We backtracked out of the dungeon and returned to the entrance point of the TV world. Teddie led us back to the other side (conveniently located in a Walmart-style store with TVs big enough for three people to warp through) and our little band of merry high schoolers disbanded. Back at the detective’s house, there were few options besides going to bed, socializing with the uncle or his little daughter, or eating random food out of the fridge (raises the Courage attribute). Normally, you could go up to your room and do tons of stuff to build different attributes (study for Knowledge, work for Diligence, read for Expression, etc.) – but on days when you’ve done the dungeon crawling, your character is too tired to do anything but eat, talk, or sleep.

The PR rep loaded in a new save that was later in the game. While that was going, he answered a few questions about the weather system – where you can check forecasts and what times the fog will come (usually after two days or more of rain). He also explained that the weather will have an effect on fusing Personae in the Velvet Room; special bonuses may apply during fusion, which could change a Persona’s move set or stat levels.

The new game loaded in at some point after Yukiko had been rescued. It was summer, and there was some kind of school camping trip on. The next half hour was spent listening to voiced dialogue and watching all kinds of high school-related hi-jinks (girls can’t cook curry!). I gather the game tries to balance these cute scenes with the angst you get from dealing with murder mystery issues; time will tell if they succeeded at this.

We ended the demo with a lecture on social links (gotta have ‘em, gotta nurture ‘em if you want those cool Personae) and then were given swag:

1 T-shirt
1 Teddie plushie

(My cat was having none of either.)

Look for our review when the game comes out December 8.

"We are today able to announce that at no point in the future will we announce the release of a "FES" version of Persona 4,” said Tim Pivnicny, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The very finest, most definitive version of Persona 4 will be the one released on December 9, 2008.”

So there you have it, Persona fans! You can buy with wild abandon come December 9th, assured that you won't be shelling out $30 for an enhanced version somewhere down the road. Good to know!

Atlus Announces That There Will Only Be One (Very Awesome) Version of Persona 4

Unprecedented announcement-of-no-announcement shocks industry

IRVINE, Calif. - November 6, 2008
Atlus U.S.A., Inc. today announced to eager fans awaiting the release of the upcoming RPG epic Persona 4 that there will in fact be no enhanced or expanded version of the game released, as was the case with the game’s predecessor, Persona 3.

"We are today able to announce that at no point in the future will we announce the release of a "FES" version of Persona 4,” said Tim Pivnicny, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The very finest, most definitive version of Persona 4 will be the one released on December 9, 2008.”

This groundbreaking preemptive anti-announcement puts to rest concerns among many Atlus devotees that an improved version would be announced and released shortly following the release of Persona 4.

Persona 4 will release for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system on December 9, 2008. Each and every copy of the game will include Side A of the Persona 4 soundtrack for free, which features the work of famed composer Shoji Meguro. Fans who pre-order from select retailers will also receive Persona 4: Visual Data, a 100-page, full-color art book loaded with designs from master artist Shigenori Soejima (at GameStop, Amazon.com, EB Games (Canada), Game Crazy, and other fine retailers, while supplies last).

In addition, hardcore fans can pick up the Persona 4 Social Link Expansion Pack (exclusively at Amazon.com), a bundle of rare North American-exclusive goodies unavailable anywhere else, like the Teddie plushie, 2009 Calendar, Side B disc of the P4 soundtrack, and more!

So, they've just announced that 15 randomly-selected...I guess I already went over this bit. Hit the jump for more information on the sweepstakes, or just go sign up and pledge your loyalty - or at least your mild interest - to the Atlus cause.

JOIN THE ATLUS FAITHFUL AND WIN TEDDI…if you’re one of 15 randomly-selected winners

IRVINE, Calif. - October 2, 2008

Atlus today launched the "Teddie for the Faithful" sweepstakes. Fifteen members of the Atlus Faithful fan service email list will be randomly selected to receive an 8.5" tall Teddie plush, one of the stars of the highly anticipated upcoming RPG epic Persona 4 for PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. This Teddie plush version, specially designed for North America, is making its debut to support the December 9 launch of Persona 4.

This sweepstakes is open to Atlus Faithful members worldwide. Existing members are automatically entered into the sweepstakes, and new fans that join by October 23, 2008 will also have a chance to win. Please see the official sweepstakes website for rules and sign-up.

The Atlus Faithful is free to join. If you are not a member, sign up to enter this exciting sweepstakes and to receive Atlus news, announcements, special deals, contests, promotions, and insider access. "Teddie for the Faithful" is only one of many special promotions presented exclusively to the Atlus Faithful! Don’t miss out! Join up here!

About Persona 4
Shortly after an urban youth begins a year-long stay in the countryside town of Inaba, the rural town's peace is shattered by a horrific murder that leaves no clues or suspects. As the lone incident develops into a series of bizarre crimes, he discovers that only he and his friends have the power to solve the baffling case, bring those responsible to justice, and restore harmony to his new home.

Key Features
• Balance your double life – Beyond intense battles, Persona fusion, and new weapon creation exists a normal high school life of friends, classes, and part-time jobs. The way you manage and integrate your activities within each day will determine how you progress through the game.
• Unprecedented team control – With a greater emphasis on developing bonds in the fight to solve the mysterious murders, strong friendships are key to your success. Directly control teammates in battle, earn greater party support for combat, and master individual Social Links to unlock your party's true potential.
• Find the true ending – 60+ hours of gameplay thrusts you into a deep mystery where midnight television leads to serial killings. You must investigate murders, rescue those who can be rescued, and unmask the culprit behind it all—or risk being forever shrouded in the fog of doubt.

Persona 4 has not yet been rated by the ESRB. Visit the official Persona 4 game site at http://www.atlus.com/persona4/.

I went to its wiki page (does that make me a hypocrite?), which says the game will be set in the countryside and the story involves a murder mystery. Weather replaces the moon as an event trigger. Also, no more shooting yourself in the head to get your magic on; the Evoker has been replaced by cards, which you destroy to unleash whoopass.

Persona 4 Web site [Atlus]

UPDATE: The host site is suffering some technical difficulties. Should be back soon.

If only there was a pill that taught you Japanese. *sighs*

Persona 4 Character Trailers [Gemega]

First Persona 4 Screens [Famitsu via Akayuki]

Persona 4 was just previewed in Famitsu yesterday and already someone has ripped the promo videos that came with the magazine. (Of course they are both in Japanese) They are both pretty lengthy, one being ten minutes, the other coming in at around eight. I've only recently been inducted into the angsty, head shooting world of Persona 3 and I must admit I find it quite fascinating. Sadly there is no head shooting in the new Persona but hopefully this new game will be just as intriguing as its predecessors.

Make the jump to check out promo number two!

[via Akayuki - Thanks, Squall]

Weekly Famitsu Info & Scans [Akayuki]