In a perfect world,
Atlus would be the Activision of the gaming world. (The fact that “Atlus” doesn’t clear Word’s
spell-check but “Activision” does is proof in itself.)
Imagine an alternate
reality where Call of Duty was a
no-name, niche title with a small but dedicated fanbase, and the games
themselves -- while competent, as they currently are -- had to impress with
other elements besides overblown graphics and astronomical marketing
campaigns. And imagine the inverse, in
which Atlus -- the small-time company with a big heart -- became the most
well-known company on the planet. A
purveyor of games that pervade the public consciousness, from pop culture to
(of course) the rooms of millions of gamers.
The resources to create products with production values that rival
Hollywood, with a certain caveat: everything you love about Atlus games, from
the story to the characters to the themes to the punishing, strategic gameplay
remains intact. It just gets turned up
to eleven, with a spiffy veneer and most of all, the respect it deserves.
It would only be a
matter of time before one of two things happen.
One: Atlus becomes drunk with power and turns to evil. Or two: they destroy the world. Neither of those things sounds very
pleasant.
Be glad this dog isn't real.
So, while I wish that more
people could enjoy Atlus games, I suppose it’s in a good place. The fans are in an exclusive, untainted club;
the kiddies can have their CODBlops while the MEN take on Atlus’ next sickening
challenge. Funny though; I think
the bros might find a lot to enjoy about Atlus games, particularly the games in
the Shin Megami Tensei line. Namely, because they’re full of dope-ass bros
for you t tag-team demons.
(All right, screw
this. I’m adding “Atlus” to Word’s
dictionary. They deserve it.)
Now, in all fairness,
I’m no expert on the Shin Megami Tensei
series. I’ve only played about five
games -- starting with Persona 3,
then Persona 4, Devil Survivor and Devil
Survivor 2. (In terms of other Atlus
games, I’ve dabbled a bit in Devil
Summoner 2, almost finished Etrian
Odyssey 3, and of course I completed Catherine,
as I’m sure my gushing has indicated.) For
argument’s sake, let’s stick to those first four titles.
Before the story gets
too hasty -- and the game reveals its unflinching hatred of you, the player --
there’s a common thread that’s getting harder and harder to ignore. You play as a silent protagonist of varying
improbable appearance; it isn’t long before your peaceful days are over and you
discover some dark power lurking inside you -- the perfect weapon to fight
against the nightmarish hordes and mysteries that plague your stomping
grounds. Notable villains include:
shirtless revolver Jesus, a giant tie-dye stripper with a satellite for a face,
the tower of Babel, and aliens that look like a mathematician’s worst
nightmare.
That happened. Did I mention these are Japanese games?
But I digress. It’s the party members who are most important
to the SMT series, and while you can
expect a plethora of unique individuals, several games in its lineup have a
certain habit: you meet up with one male character and one female character
within the first hour -- minutes, even -- of game time. It’s likely that I’ll talk about the SMT ladies at a later date, but for now,
let’s talk about the guys. It’s a matter
of subjectivity of course, but I’d argue that meeting the new guy -- the
“brosona,” if you will -- is a highlight of every game thus far. They’re quirky. They’re colorful. They remind you that even though your team is
saving the world, they’re still high school kids at heart. They have their beliefs and opinions. They’ll support you at some points, and
contradict you at others; in the end, though, you can always count on them to
have your back. Just like a real bro!
Well, bro in the
figurative sense. Not the Urban
Dictionary definition of bro (i.e. the one that makes you lament the existence
of the human race), but a good male buddy you can believe in and pal around
with. So…basically, not much of a bro at
all.
Can we just pretend as a species that this never happened?
At any rate, let’s take
a look at four such brosonas. Why
four? Because four’s my lucky number.
(Spoilers to
follow. You’ve been warned.)
Junpei Iori (Persona 3)
Broccupation: Grown-Ass Man
Ah, Persona 3. The game that made me an Atlus faithful. If I had known how much a game I’d spent
twelve lucky dollars on would affect me, I wonder how I would have
reacted. Well, no sense in wondering
about it now. What’s done is done -- and
oh, what fun I had with Junpei.
Junpei starts out as
your typical high school boy (and unlike some of the other characters on this
list, he looks the most bro-ish). An
average student at best who rarely studies; always has an eye out for the cute
girls in school; brash and cocksure, but quick to freak out when there’s real
danger mucking about. He starts off
stereotypically, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. His antics constantly entertain, and he
injects some lightheartedness into a game with an overarching theme of
death. It also helps that he hits like a
runaway freight train in battle; I gave him a sword with a high critical hit
ratio, and he tore through everything in his path.
Not that Junpei’s
without his depth. His character arc has
him going through several trials -- chief among them, his growing rivalry with
you, the super-awesome leader protagonist who (if you choose) can date six
girls at once without repercussion. He’s
jealous of you for a while, and his inferiority complex gets the better of him
at times, but after a while he manages to get over it and becomes a loyal
member of the cause. All well and
good…but his evolution doesn’t stop abruptly afterward. It starts when Junpei starts falling for a
girl named Chidori -- who just happens to have a sword in her head.
She looks...stable.
Over the course of a
few months (if memory serves), Junpei starts trying to establish some rapport
with her -- this, in spite of the fact that we know this girl runs with the
game’s villains. But he stays alongside
her for a while, and bridges the gap between K-Fed impersonator and creepy
drug-taking teenager haunted by a murderous fragment of her psyche given form. Naturally this match made in heaven makes it
to a serious stage -- and it’s unfortunately interrupted when Junpei and the
other heroes go up against the villains.
Junpei takes a fatal blow, but Chidori sacrifices her life to resurrect
him. A relationship will do a funny
thing to a guy; it makes them mature, take a closer look at their lives, and
help them see the line from the present to the future. Junpei’s no exception. Chidori’s death turns him from a goofball
to…well, less of a goofball, but someone who’s fiercely dedicated to the cause
rather than doing it for some grade-A lulz.
Junpei matures just as
much as any other character in the game in spite of his tomfoolery; that’s all
the more evident in the expanded version of the game, Persona 3: FES. After
exploring the mysterious dimension that’s appeared in their dormitory due to a
time anomaly (just go with it), the gang finds themselves at an impasse. Given the chance to go back into the past and
undo the death of a friend, some of them are all for it. Others, well aware of the fact that he died
for a reason -- and that preventing his death would cause the end of the world
-- object. Junpei shows a level of
thinking that goes beyond picking sides; knowing that none of them can have
their way without unanimous agreement, he holds onto his share of the time key
macguffins until everyone calms down and thinks this through. It’s an act of selflessness to be sure, for
the sake of harmony. But more importantly,
it highlights just how much of a man he’s become. Torn between responsibility and hanging out
with his old friend again, he’s nevertheless unable to cast aside his opinions
for the team. No bellyaching. No wishing for more hot girls to show up. Just doin’ what he does best: being a
grown-ass man.
Unfortunately, you
learn that the hard way. You end up
fighting Junpei (and his dog buddy) in what may very well be the hardest fight
in the game. Bear in mind that this is
an Atlus game -- a company who once posted “we get off on your pain” in a
response to fans -- and you have the recipe for a half-dozen hours of getting
your ass whooped.
But it’s worth it. Because Junpei’s your bro.
Tune in next time when I reach out to the truth and discuss Persona 4. Be a hero. Check it out...you know, when I finish writing it.
That's a guy, just so you know. Yeah...Japanese games are...interesting.
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