by Jay "THE FLEA" Wade
The cult classic game Persona has returned to the Playstation after many years, in one of the most unique RPG’s to ever be made on the system.
The story takes place in modern times, you play as young reporter for a magazine named Maya. She takes her friend and goes to a high school to do research on a serial killer called the joker (who wears a bag on his head) who kills from rumors that spread through the city. When she talks to the kids at the school, she finds his latest victim. She meets a cop who’s hunting down the Joker. The Joker attacks them with demons he’s released. She and her party find out they have personas, spirits within them to protect them so to speak. The three meet up with a hacker and the hunt for the killer is on. But the demons he’s released onto the city stand in you way as you hunt for clues to his next victim. The story line feels more like something out of Clock Tower or a survival horror then an RPG. It’s refreshing to play a different style of RPG.
The Battle style is vary unique. You have to set your battle strategy then sit back and watch. your able to change the strategy at any time during the battle. This battle system takes a lot to get used to.
I’d recommend changing the system to single battle mode so you can work out your strategy for every turn. The other unique battle feature is talking the enemy into liking you and giving you special tarot cards. You turn these tarot cards in to get new personas abilities.
It’s a bit strange to enter a battle and answer questions from the enemy and hope your answer is correct so the demon will like you and give you cards.
You’ll also have to spread rumors to protect his next victim or lure the killer to where you can trap him. The graphics is basic anime style. Like in Suikoden 2 or Breath of Fire 4, only with a modern Goth look and feel. The story pulls along with FMV anime animation. They are nice and fun to watch but there has been a better anime seen in video games. Also included with Persona 2 is a bonus disc of behind the people who made the game.
Overall if you’re an RPG fan and like horror style games, you’ll get a kick out of persona 2.
PUBLISHER: ATLUS
GRAPHICS: 8 MUSIC & SOUND: 7 CONTROL: 7
SECRETS: 8 ORIGINALITY: 10 FUN & REPLAY: 8
OVERALL: 8
