Atlus

Game Description: Maya Amano, a cub reporter at the Seven Sisters High School is trying to solve a series of gruesome murders in Sumaru City. That’s the setup for Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, an engaging RPG with somewhat serious overtones. Maya and friends will wander through a world of monsters and demons on a quest to save the city from the grips of The Joker. In addition to monsters you can outwit rather than outfight, you’ll also come across rumormongers that can be told lies that will change the entire complexion of the game. Throughout the city there are also engaging spells that let you call on additional personas to help defeat the Joker and solve the case. This engaging RPG is filled with realistic monsters and demons, 80 different persona spells, captivating dialogue that both informs and entertains, eerie music that sets the tone for the game and a rumor system that lets you affect the game's events and story.

While most games in the genre place an onus on fighting and leveling up your characters, Eternal Punishment relies far more on having the right personae equipped than being at a high level or having the newest weapon. That demons can be contacted and battle avoided adds another twist to the formula as well. Brawn doesnt win many battles in this game, and reaching the end successfully will require a great deal of forethought and experimentation.

Thousand Arms is a game that is so distinctively Japanese through every part of its fiber, that only a user base familiar and understanding of the cultural, Japanese nuances present in it will be able to comprehend and enjoy the game. Its localized release clearly signals that such a phenomenon has taken place in the United States.

According to ESRB, this game contains: Mild Animated Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes

Game Description: After being forced to leave Kant, Meis Triumph makes his way to the capital city of Boyzby where he meets Sodina. Her brother, Jyabil, takes Triumph as an apprentice blacksmith. Unfortunately, the gang that forced Meis to leave his home is headed to Boyzby. Guide Meis as he tries to stop the rushing invaders using his blacksmithing abilities to improve the weapons and items that his comrades carry. Hopefully, that will be enough to help them save the world in Thousand Arms.

About the only thing I can see that will add to Chi's review is to further reiterate how meaningful this release is for the anime fan. It's is like an anime movie with RPG elements. All the standard elements are there from the submissive women to the stoic (and often cold) men who always seem to get the babes. The whole dating thing was a bit unsettling at first, but it was so simplistic that I got into it pretty easily and the results were more fun than not.