Atlus Metaphor: ReFantazio Thread - Atlus JRPG by Persona Veterans

[Abu Antar]

Who the fuck are Atlus?
Get the fuck out

Who the fuck are the people mentioned in the title?
Get the fuck out

Here's the first piece of artwork illustrated by Persona 5 character designer Shigenori Soejima

Atlus will announce a brand new, non-Persona, non-Megaten, fantasy RPG project via a Niconico live stream on December 23 at 20:00 JST.

The project comes from a new production studio within Atlus called “Studio Zero” led by Persona 5 director Katsura Hashino, who is also the project’s producer and director. The latest issue of Weekly Famitsu, due out on December 22, will feature an interview with Hashino and Atlus consumer software department supervisor Naoto Hiraoka, who will discuss the new studio and project.

We shouldn’t have to wait too long for news, though. Information should leak from the magazine within the next 12 hours.

Here’s a message from Hashino via Studio Zero’s official website:

25 years ago, the Atlus RPG uttered its first cry. Speaking of RPGs in those days, the stories in so-called “fantasy” worlds were mainstream. The Shin Megami Tensei series was released as an “opposition” to such a “common” world view, and the Persona series was released as its spin-off. Both series, even today in their latest entries, have always been made with the concept that it will be a counter to the times. And now, in addition to continuing the titles within those series, what will our approach to a new RPG be? That is, to challenge the norms of the genre gamers have been consuming for decades. The challenge is about to begin. We would be happy if you would stand by for the moment we began from zero and the moment we began our challenge from zero.

— Katsura Hashino, producer and game director

http://rpg.jp/

 

[CryptRat]

Turn-based, please.

 

[Abu Antar]

I want an SRPG.

 

[Hobo Elf]

My body is ready.

 

[Damned Registrations]

In before dating sim rpg for iphones.

 

[aweigh]

i want them to make a fantasy-version of early SMT/Persona 1 game(s).

- turn-based combat of the "blobber style"
- 1st-person view during navigation of maze-like places (i.e. "dungeons")
- full-party control of at least 4 units
- more focus on dungeons and quests, enemy design, persona design and way, way less work put towards trying to shove-in "gameplay areas" in-between huge stretches of non-interaction (cutscenes, everything school-related in recent personas, etc).

I definitely don't mind if it's open-world or overworld or whatever, though, i just want at LEAST 4 units to control in numbers-heavy turn-based combat with places to explore that are actually dangerous or, at least, feel so the 1st time.

Something in a fantasy setting with similar execution to Strange Journey, released on a system capable of better graphics (SJ was for DS); that would be a-ma-zing.

 

[Hobo Elf]

i want them to make a fantasy-version of early SMT/Persona 1 game(s).

- turn-based combat of the "blobber style"
- 1st-person view during navigation of maze-like places (i.e. "dungeons")
- full-party control of at least 4 units
- more focus on dungeons and quests, enemy design, persona design and way, way less work put towards trying to shove-in "gameplay areas" in-between huge stretches of non-interaction (cutscenes, everything school-related in recent personas, etc).

I definitely don't mind if it's open-world or overworld or whatever, though, i just want at LEAST 4 units to control in numbers-heavy turn-based combat with places to explore that are actually dangerous or, at least, feel so the 1st time.

Something in a fantasy setting with similar execution to Strange Journey, released on a system capable of better graphics (SJ was for DS); that would be a-ma-zing.

Isn't that basically Etrian Odyssey doe? I don't know, I don't think they are going to make another blobber dungeon crawler to compete with an existing series of theirs, especially since they are putting emphasis on trying different things. My money is on them making an SPRG, probably going to move in on the Fire Emblem territory. They have a bunch of SRPG spinoffs, but they don't have their own series for it. It just feels logical to me, but who knows.

 

[aweigh]

the devil is always in the details, but SJ plays very differently to an EO game, of course that is only obvious to us, who're used to these sub-genres within a sub-genre: you are probably right in terms of general audience appeal, although don't they have 2 well-selling SRPG hybrids already, the Devil Survivor 1 and 2 series for NDS/3DS?

I wouldn't mind a super paint-by-numbers fantasy-themed JRPG either, as long as its done well.

 

[Abu Antar]

I suspect that they might do an action game.

Source: My ass

 

[Hobo Elf]

you are probably right in terms of general audience appeal, although don't they have 2 well-selling SRPG hybrids already, the Devil Survivor 1 and 2 series for NDS/3DS?

Yeah, that's my reasoning. For us there's ton of variety within the dungeon crawling sub-genre, but for most people it's all the same shit. Even Wizardry and Ultima Underworld are the same lol. Devil Survivor is great, but maybe Atlus wants a series dedicated to SRPGs. And Devil Survivor is shackled by SMT and has to follow certain tropes and conventions of said series. My guess, based on their message, is that they want to build up a new franchise from the ground up, most likely to dominate a new niche.

I suspect that they might do an action game.

Source: My ass

Who can say for sure? Maybe they want to make Weeb Souls.

 

[Martius]

Radiant Historia in hd? That could be interesting!

 

[Siveon]

As long as its not in high school, or the fantasy equivalent, I'm good.

Though fingers crossed for SRPG most likely on PS4.

 

[hackncrazy]

Anything without daily life school dating sim and I'm in.

Please, do something with focus on gameplay and not on developing my homossexual side.

 

[LESS T_T]

I actually want them (or any other developers, really) to develop daily life aspect even more than Persona games.

Just not in the form of branching visual novel, but more interactivity, exploration, simulation (not as in dating 'sim'), detailed schedule, and a plenty of activities. And more organic interactions between daily life and supernatural dungeon aspect (C&C tm).

And yeah, hopefully not set in high school or the fantasy equivalent. I secretly want a Devil Summoner game that blends daily detective life, detailed investigation gameplay, and dungeon crawl.

 

[Hyperion]

http://www.dualshockers.com/2016/12...-soejima-meguro-involved-platforms-undecided/

Last, but not least, the illustration that teased the announcement, which you can see above, is not the heroine of the new game, but it’s simply representative of the attitude of the new studio.

Whatever that means...

 

[Abu Antar]

Damn, reading some more, it sounds like we can expect this game in 2030.

 

[CryptRat]

I'm almost sure that by "genre" they mean "fantasy RPGs" and what they mean is that they usually make something different so they can use their own norms, make the games they want and fill their own niche, but this time, on the contrary, they're making some generic fantasy game and their challenge is to manage to make a game which will be able to compete with other fantasy rpgs and to please players who have the habit to play a lot of such games. They want to challenge some norms of classic fantasy rpgs in their own one.

 

[Ayreos]

I love how much attention this has been getting for something not even in development. Is it because it's a new Atlus IP? Because it looks like an old school RPG? Because of the good art? All of the above?

 

[Hyperion]

Atlus. New IP. Persona developers. Fantasy RPG.

 

[Hobo Elf]

There are many reasons to be excited, but Atlus is the only reason I need. I've yet to be let down by a single Atlus title.

 

[Siveon]

There are many reasons to be excited, but Atlus is the only reason I need. I've yet to be let down by a single Atlus title.

Not a big fan of those indies they published. But other than that, yeah they've been pretty good. My entire 3DS library is mostly just Atlus games.

 

[Abu Antar]

Shiieeet. There's absolutely nothing. See you in 2025.

 

[Hobo Elf]

There are many reasons to be excited, but Atlus is the only reason I need. I've yet to be let down by a single Atlus title.

Not a big fan of those indies they published. But other than that, yeah they've been pretty good. My entire 3DS library is mostly just Atlus games.

I don't count anything that they publish as an Atlus title. That would be doing a disservice to the actual developers. I meant any game that's developed in house by Atlus has yet to fail me.

 

[Hyperion]

http://rpg.jp/

Official website for the game. Expect updates to be posted there periodically. They haven't even recruited a team yet.

http://www.polygon.com/2016/12/23/14069726/project-re-fantasy-atlus-persona-creators-new-fantasy-rpg

Atlus explained in a news release. “The number 0 is the ‘Fool’ arcana for tarot cards — the void from which all other things begin — and punctuated with the imagery of a young child on a journey. Atlus and Studio Zero describe Project Re Fantasy as “a complete departure from the [Shin Megami Tensei] and Persona series, and a return to the roots of where the Japanese games industry began with fantasy role-playing games.” The goal is to create a “traditional fantasy RPG with distinctively Atlus flavor.”

Should be turn-based at least.

“We haven't determined yet what platform our new game will be, and I imagine this project will take a long time until completion. But we'll be working hard at this challenge to truly deliver something new and incredible for all our fans.”

 

[Talby]

Atlus version of Pillaz of Eternity, this will be.