Atlus's production team is considering revitalizing earlier entries in the Persona franchise, specifically the first two installments, through remasters or complete remakes. This initiative is seen as a crucial step in preserving these important cultural works for contemporary audiences. However, the discussion extends beyond Persona, highlighting a pressing need for similar treatment of several PlayStation 2-era Shin Megami Tensei titles that remain largely inaccessible to modern players.
Detailed Report: Atlus's Remake Strategy and Unaddressed Classics
In a recent conversation with Rock Paper Shotgun, Kazuhisa Wada, a prominent producer at Atlus, articulated the studio's philosophical approach to game preservation. He suggested that bringing older titles, such as Persona 1 and 2, to current platforms is an essential duty, ensuring that these creations endure and remain relevant in the evolving landscape of gaming. Persona Revelations, originally launched on the PlayStation in 1996, saw a partial re-release on the PlayStation Portable in 2009. This pioneering Persona title, distinct for its first-person dungeon exploration and isometric overworld perspective, predates the iconic social links system that would define later entries in the series, linking it more closely to the traditional Shin Megami Tensei style. Persona 2: Innocent Sin, which followed in 1999, shifted to a third-person exploration model, further evolving the nascent series.
While the prospect of updated Persona titles is met with enthusiasm, the report underscores a critical oversight: the numerous brilliant Shin Megami Tensei games from the PS2 era that are languishing on outdated hardware. Although a somewhat unpolished PC port of Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne exists, and a thorough remake of the standalone title Raidou was released last year, other significant entries remain neglected. Notably, Digital Devil Saga and its sequel, revered for their distinctive Press Turn combat system, are conspicuously absent from modern platforms. Furthermore, Shin Megami Tensei 4 continues to be exclusive to the Nintendo 3DS, presenting a significant barrier for many players despite the availability of SMT 3 and 5 on PC. The argument is made that these PS2-era Shin Megami Tensei titles, due to their relative age and the ease with which their graphics could be updated, are arguably in greater need of re-release than their Persona counterparts.
From a journalist's perspective, this discussion highlights a fascinating tension between preserving fan-favorite franchises and addressing the accessibility of foundational but lesser-known works. While the Persona series has achieved widespread acclaim and continues to expand its audience, there's a strong case to be made for prioritizing the Shin Megami Tensei titles that have shaped Atlus's unique identity. The call for a structured re-release roadmap, starting with Shin Megami Tensei 4, followed by Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2, and then Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, reflects a desire to honor the breadth and depth of Atlus's legacy. This strategy would not only delight long-time fans but also introduce a new generation to the more mature, often surreal, and always captivating world of Shin Megami Tensei, ultimately enriching the entire Atlus library's accessibility and cultural footprint.