Persona 4 Arena: Pursuing My True Self...Again

You know what?  Confession time: I actually wasn’t expecting much out of Persona 4 Arena’s story. 

Heresy, I know.  How could I call myself an Atlus zealot if I wasn’t willing to go knocking on doors and proclaiming the coming of our savior?  But really, can you blame me?  Fighting games -- BlazBlue notwithstanding -- aren’t exactly known for their stories, and the transition from a linear format in the original Persona 4 to an inevitably-what-if-Yosuke-had-to-save-the-day format seemed like a motion that would only hurt the overall narrative.  And again, this is a fighting game; my time would be better spent learning how to properly zone with Naoto’s Hair-Trigger Megido instead of uncovering the mystery behind why Teddie’s decided to start moonlighting as a pimp.

But for Atlus’ sake -- and to find out why, purportedly, Elizabeth is on the moon -- I figured I’d give it a shot.  And I’m glad I did; format issues aside, P4A is a worthy successor to the canon.

(Warning: spoilers for Persona 4 and Persona 4 Arena to follow.  If you haven’t played either of those games -- and if not, then you should be playing those instead, you foolish fool! -- then get ready to have a ton of spoilers lopped onto your plate.  Like a healthy serving of spaghetti laced with plywood.)

I should have played Final Fantasy 6...

I now know the definition of empathy.  

I know I do a lot of bellyaching about Squeenix and Final Fantasy 13, but I realized that even if I bring up legitimate points, my pain -- if you could call it that -- is nothing more than a paper cut.  Considering that this scene, with only a meager bit of contest, made me tear up and start reflecting deeply on my life, I can only begin to wonder how wide a gash this scene must open in true, die-hard FF fans.

Maybe it's just the fact that opera music and current-tech touch-ups managed to make that video what it is; maybe if I watched the original scene in its SNES glory, I wouldn't have been affected as much.  Or maybe I'd have tears streaming onto my laptop for a solid hour, knowing that the same company that brought us that with severe technical limitations (but in exchange, with ingenuity and ambition) has brought us...other things...well, it certainly helps put one's preferences and actions in perspective.

Video games.  They're pretty great most of the time.  But sometimes...sometimes, they can do something more.  You know what I mean?

...Sorry, I'm rambling.  I, uh...I think I need to go take a walk or something.

I Hraet You (28)

Beat 28: A Highly Persuasive Argument via Armaments

JP ran a hand over his face as he struggled to open his eyes.  “Argh…jeez Louise.  I feel like a rhino stomped on my lungs.”  He shook his head; considering the fact that he’d used a phrase like “jeez Louise”, he still had some grogginess to get out of his system.  Nevertheless, he managed to sit upright -- albeit in a slouch -- in the van’s back seat.

Or rather, the sedan’s back seat.  The half-torn, leather upholstery was a far cry from the van’s cotton, and the distinct smell of fried foods and cigarettes made his nose start to burn.  But among those scents, he smelled one slightly unfamiliar.  He’d heard things about it, and had done a little research on the side, and could make a guess -- for some reason, the car smelled like gunpowder.

“Okay, what exactly did I miss?” JP asked.  He looked to his left.  He didn’t even notice the fifty- or sixty-something Hispanic woman.  Nor did he notice the reed in her mouth.  No, the first, and only thing he saw was the shotgun aimed at his face.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” she said, holding the barrel a few inches from his nose.

JP stared at that shotgun for a full minute.  He turned away and raised a hand.  “Can I go back in the fire?”

Kingdom Hearts 2! But First, "The Two Ps"

I’ve been thinking about Kingdom Hearts a fair bit.  The games that I’ve played -- a whopping two -- and the games that I haven’t; make no mistake that in spite of all my nitpicks and qualms, I still like this franchise a whole lot.  It’s got potential and character; plus, I think that we need it (i.e. Kingdom Hearts 3) now more than ever.  At least, the KH3 I envision, and the one fans deserve -- not something created with Squeenix's current mindset, but with the Squaresoft sensibilities that drew us all into the universe into the first place.

Why the sudden revelation?  Because you see, a new issue of GameInformer came in yesterday.  Apparently, EA is gearing up to release Another Goddamn Shooter Army of Two: Cartel of Shadows The Devil’s Cartel. 

Sigh.  Here we go again.

I Hraet You (27)

Beat 27: Proper Roadside Etiquette is a Societal Treasure

Patton swerved around the corner, with enough momentum to make the van slide on two wheels.  That alone would’ve been enough to make Trixie puke, but the thought of where they might soon head left her searching for a barf bag.  “Ya can’t be serious, pal,” she said, her face starting to pale, and her mouth starting to get that salty feeling it often did just before a purge of the gut.  “Ya seriously wanna leave the country?”

“It’s the only way to save my boy for sure.”  Patton didn’t even bother looking at her; he just kept his eyes on the road, his mighty moustache bristling in the wake of his spoken resolve.

“But…but that’s just crazy talk!  Ya can’t just pack up and skip town!  Ya got a lotta stuff to take care of!”

“…You’re right.”

“I am?”  Trixie shook her head.  “I mean, course I am!  I know yer worried about JP, but --”

“I should go by the house and pick up some supplies.  And a change of clothes.  I got a lot of paint on my pants today.”  He let loose a low rumble.  “Mmmmmm…and some steaks.  We can’t leave the country without steaks.  That’d be like spitting on the Liberty Bell.”

Four (Kinda-Sorta) Important Elements for a Good Story

I would like to consider myself lucky.  I’ve barely had Persona 4 Arena for a full 24 hours, yet it’s notably and easily exceeded my expectations.  The look of the game is fantastic.  It’s overflowing with style.  The combat, while intimidating at first, is easy enough to understand once you dive a bit deeper into the game.  There are plenty of little flourishes, from one of the game’s characters thanking Atlus and ArcSys for “sponsoring the program” to a slick main menu…and just in case you haven’t nerdgasmed at the sight of your favorite mystery-solving teens in glorious HD sprites, classic music plays in the background (along with plenty of new tracks, of course…accented by a bonus CD full of remixes guaranteed to get your toe tapping).

It’s been a while since I’ve played a game that made me want to stay up all night.  But lo and behold, P4A is just the game to make me want to do it.  And not just because of the fighting game arms race my brother and I ALWAYS have (though a fair portion of my time went towards trying to learn some Yosuke combos); it’s the story that made me want to swear off the sandman.  Even with just an hour or so of playtime, I can sense that my trust in Persona 4 -- which I consider to be a pillar of fine writing, video game or otherwise, as well as one of my Top 5 Favorite Games -- wasn’t misplaced.  In fact, I’d argue that even with a cursory glance, P4A’s story is even better.  I’ll likely discuss the game in more detail in the coming days, but for now I’ll just leave you with this image:

 I’ll acknowledge that there’s still a lot of time for P4A to go awry (and that I need to take of the fanboy goggles to view things objectively), but I’m pleased with the product so far.  But that aside, I want to focus on something a bit more to my speed.

I Hraet You (Elseworlds Special Edition)

(We interrupt this chapter of I Hraet You for a chapter of I Hraet You -- a very special guest chapter written by one Konstantine Paradias.  Read on and feel the supreme, overflowing love -- and read to the end for an even lovelier treat.  Of love.)

Trixie’s Audio-capture Log

Day Twenny-Five. I still havn’t managed t’make the damn thing understand my sexy southern drawl. Its mechanical incomprehension baffles me.

We’ve been cooped up inside this bunker too damn long now. Outside, we hear the screechin’ sounds them darn things make, their constant clawin’ at our thick met’l walls, the way they try to chew through the wirin’.

Sum of the other girls are gittin’ antsy, what with that cacoph’ny an’ all. Deirdre’s been tryin’ to amuse ‘em, hasn’t ‘ad much luck.

One a’ the girls threw a tin can o’ soy beans halfway through her act. I tol’ her Hamlet was a bit much, what with them zombie ‘pocalypse goin’ on an’ such, but she woulnd’t lissen. Said “Hamlet’s jes’ what them poor sows need” only she said it more refined-like.

Twenny-five days, twenny-five gals, alla us cooped up in one well-built hole in the ground. Plenty food, plenty water. Not a man in sight.

Wonder how long’s it gonna be ‘fore we turn on each other.

BlazBlue Appreciation Day: Why ArcSys is Amazing

I find it hilarious that I’m only two days away from owning Persona 4 Arena -- with the pre-order soundtrack, no less -- and now, out of nowhere, I have a new reason for irrational hype and girlish squealing.  A new fighting game is on the way…and you may have heard the name before.

BlazBlue is on its way back.  And it’s about to be better than ever.

Only you, ArcSys.  Only you.

I Hraet You (26)

Beat 26: Escape from New York, Or Something Like That

“Damn it!  Give me a break!”

JP just kept crawling and cursing as he moved through the vents.  His balled-up hands (one of which clutched a screwdriver) and uncovered knees bumped against the heating metal; between the darkness and the smoke starting to fill the vents, his visibility had long since nosedived.  He pulled his jacket and shirt over his nose.  “Damn it!  Damn it, damn it, damn it!” he growled, making sure to slam his fists down with each motion.  And for good measure, he added a quick “Son of a bitch!” 

If he’d been destined to die in there, he’d do so with the comfort of knowing that no one could stop him from swearing freely.

Keep Doing What You’re Doing, Squeenix: The Lightning Saga

Man, it’s getting late.  I’ve done all the writing I need to for one day, and I don’t think there’s anything else online of note.  Guess I’ll call it a night.

…Oh wait.  I forgot to check what’s on Siliconera.  I even have a tab open.  Well, let’s see what they’ve got, and then I’ll hit the hay.

Hmmm, Persona 4 Arena news.  Good stuff.  Gotta remember to work on getting that Naoto wallpaper from the Japanese site tomorrow.  3DS news…RPG news…a little something from Capcom…and…

Wait.  Wait, what?  What is this supposed to be?

What. 

What?

What?

And then I screamed a lot, shot Frieza in the face with a ki blast, and escaped from Namek in one of the Ginyu Force’s pods.

Now that that little story is out of the way, let’s talk about Final Fantasy 13 for a minute.