Hello again, readers! Today marks the official launch of Persona 4 Golden for PS Vita. The team at ATLUS has been very hard at work preparing this title, chock-full of new content and maximized for the beautiful PS Vita hardware, and we’re super-excited to be able to bring this game to all of you.

While we don’t want to spoil anything, it’s really difficult to keep this level of enthusiasm up without sharing any of it with people who would like to listen. There’s been quite a bit of attention paid to the characters of Persona 4 Golden, and with that in mind we’ve asked some of the staff here at ATLUS about some of their favorite NPCs. We might even share some strategies and insights into the game!

Nich Maragos, Editor

“I’m fond of the twins who rope you into the telepathy experiments they perform. Helping them out with their trial and error over the course of the game is one of my favorite examples of how many small, quirky stories P4 has going on in the background throughout your year in Inaba.”

Mai Namba, Translator

“Kanji’s mother was my most favorite NPC in the game because not only is she accepting of Kanji’s hobbies, she sees nothing wrong with them and even encourages him to pursue said hobbies. How could you not like a mom like that!?”

Christian La Monte, QA Tester

“At first glance Ai Ebihara seems to be everything that not only the player, but the rest of Yasogami, should despise. She is actively vapid, materialistic, and heartless. Until, like all others, she becomes aware of her true self. Ai is afraid of showing emotion or weakness, and this manifests itself as an Ice Queen exterior. If the protagonist can see beyond this, he can unlock the doors that she has closed her entire life. It’s a great feeling when the greeting she gives is no longer a disdainful ‘Of course you’d want to hang out with me’ and instead becomes ‘I’m so happy to see you,’ after her fury cools. Although she treated a lot of my party members disdainfully, I think she eventually gets over that.”

Mike Meeker, Editor

“I really like the ailurophobe’s journey of discovery. But, out of anybody, I think Morooka gets a bad rap. I get the feeling that he used to be an optimistic and hopeful teacher, but years of disappointment in the educational system have worn him down into the cynical, hateful shell you see in the game. There are occasional glimpses showing that he actually cares about his students’ well-being and is more than just an angry guy doing a job he hates.”

Scott Williams, QA Lead

“Yumi Ozawa is one of the more focused, intense, and talented characters in the game. A little melodramatic and manic at times, she wears her heart on her sleeve and is one of the most cheerful people the protagonist will encounter, when the mood strikes her. She also has my favorite line in the game.”

Elwood Cruz, QA Tester

“Ms. Kashiwagi was probably one of my favorites (especially when teamed with Hanako). I thought she was hilarious right from the start. Plus she’s always ready for a bikini competition. I have a soft spot for Hisano, though. I really enjoyed her S. Link. Her perspective was an interesting change of pace from all the other characters.”

Clayton Chan, Editor

“It was really tough to localize all of Wallet Misplacer’s poetry so it fit into the space constraints, so she’ll always have a special place in my heart, along with Spacy Girl and Errand Boy. (Atlus needs to continue their stories as grown up protagonists in a game at some point.) If I have to pick a favorite, I gotta go with Funky Student. I like characters that are unusual blends of archetypes, and the Venn diagram intersection that Funky Student lives in is quite small. I learned this firsthand by growing up as a kid who was also really into hip-hop and riddles. He’s kind of a bizarro, more outgoing version of 6th grade me, so Funky Student’s my bro fo’ sho! (Did you spot him in P4A?)”

Rob Stone, QA Lead

“The fox at the shrine. *yip* That SP recovery in the TV World…”

Allie Doyon, QA Tester

“This is a nearly impossible decision, as every character big and small seems to charm me in one way or another, but I think I’ve made my choice. Melting hearts far and wide with the purest love for her local department store, it’s The Inspiring 6-Year-Old Role Model, Nanako! She’s always so kind and sweet, even when she’s home alone and has to do all the chores and cooking by herself. What a trooper! Hang in there, Nanako!”

There you have it! Hopefully you’ll all get the chance to find a character that you’ll grow fond of when you’re playing the game. Who’s your favorite NPC? Leave us a comment! Don’t forget, P4G is out today, so run out and grab your copy. And those of you who pre-ordered we hope you enjoy your DezaEgg skin (it really does look quite awesome with the P4G wallpaper).

As another ‘thank you’ to the fans, we are also excited to offer a chance for 20 lucky PS Vita owners in North America to win a copy of the game — keep your eye on @PlayStation on Twitter today for more details!

Greetings, PlayStation.Blog readers and ATLUS fans! I’m aware that some PlayStation RPG fans still haven’t heard of Persona 4 Golden, the latest in ATLUS’ best-selling Persona series, which hits North American store shelves and PlayStation Network on November 20th.

So what is Persona? Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 is Metacritic’s PlayStation 2 Game of the Year for 2008. Persona 4 places you in the shoes of a high school student who needs to strike a balance between school, a social life, learning more about his family, and, as it happens, investigating a series of gruesome murders that may or may not involve a psychedelic world that lies behind the screen of every television in town. Whether beating up Shadows or tackling schoolwork, the choices you make will come to affect how others see you, and how you see yourself.

In both Persona 4 and Persona 4 Golden, you play as transfer student (insert name here) who moves to the sleepy country burg of Inaba. When you arrive, things quickly take a turn for the weird when you learn of a series of murders taking place in the town. You decide to do some investigating on your own, journeying into a mysterious world that you never knew existed, facing off against creatures from the very depths of humanity’s collective psyche.

Luckily, you’re not completely powerless. Each and every one of your party eventually gets access to a Persona, the inner self, and it is through these forces that you’ll learn to cast devastating spells and powerful physical attacks. The main character has a special ability, as well: the ability to change Personas among dozens of different spirits, with corresponding skills, strengths, and weaknesses. It is this ability to change Personas — improving and discovering new ones — that will make up the bulk of your efforts.

That’s not to say that the game finely cleaves the “RPG” part from the “social sim” part, oh, no. The bonds that form between you and other characters are known as Social Links, and each one takes on one of the Arcana that your Personas fall under. Basically, the better a friend you are to a person, the easier it will be to make and use the Personas that he or she represents within your mind.

These conversations aren’t just a chore to help you build better monsters — they’re full-on side stories. I’ve seen battle-hardened warriors cry manfully into their plaited beards when playing some of these scenes. What hope do you have? None, probably, but that’s okay. When you relate your tear-soaked tales to other Persona 4 veterans, we’ll all know what you’re talking about.

If you’ve played Persona 4, you might have noticed that there were a few points in the year where time skipped ahead, meaning you didn’t get to play out those days. This time, the story’s been reconfigured to give you back all that lost time, as well as giving you new fun things to do during these periods. Will you and Yosuke ever get your scooter licenses? What will happen in the main character’s love life now that Valentine’s Day is a playable event? Will Teddie learn the true meaning of Christmas? If you’ve never played Persona 4, then all this new stuff will be gravy on the mashed potatoes of fantasticness we’re already giving you.

There’s also an entirely new dungeon and a brand new Social Link for you to connect with. This character is seamlessly integrated into the narrative to provide context to the entire story. Additional details include all-new animated sequences for several major events and holidays, new costumes and weapons, and a metric ton of new voiced dialogue covering almost every event sequence. What more could you ask for?

Don’t forget: we’re offering a free PS Vita skin and accompanying wallpapers with pre-orders of Persona 4 Golden. Quantities are limited, so be sure you pre-order soon (and make sure the retailer you pre-order from is participating in this offer) or risk missing out. Of course, if you manage to get your hands on the sold out Solid Gold Premium Edition, you’ll get that PS Vita skin, along with a hard pouch, face protector, and stickers! We know they’re hard to come by, but keep an eye out on PS.Blog and the @PlayStation Twitter page, as we’re cooking something up to take care of a lucky fan. Otherwise, all versions physical and digital will be available for sale on November 20th, which is… coming up quickly! In any case, I do hope that you’re looking forward to this title, and that if you weren’t before, you are now. Thanks for reading!

This poor chump must have loaded up on MISSiles.

Take a trip back in time, to a simpler era where people lived in friendly communities, the Industrial Revolution was in full bloom, and people rode about town in those new-fangled two-legged Trotmobiles. That’s right. The automobile is still around, but the walking Trotmobile is much more popular, especially in Orion City, where the game takes place. Incidentally, that’s also where the nation’s largest Trot company is headquartered, and the Orion City Trotmobile Battle Tournament decides who’s the best Trot driver in the land.

At the start of the game, you’re out to make a name for yourself as an up-and-coming Trotmobile driver, with an antiquated machine and no respect. Luckily, you’ll earn the friendship of a mechanic named Venus, and the two of you will take on all comers in your quest for championship. Of course, if the game was all about gladiatorial combat, it would get a little dull. You’ll get a lot of say in how your character acts, and your responses might have an impact on what happens later… But I recommend going with your gut, because I and fellow editor Clayton Chan had a lot of fun writing all these lines, along with the other characters’ reactions. (The fact that the majority of the hilarity is voiced only adds to the majesty.)

Seriously, haven’t you ever wanted to say this to some irritating optimist at one time or another?

Back in the driver’s seat, you’ll find loads and loads of customization waiting for you in the shop. You’ll have a wide variety of parts and accessories to choose from when kitting out your Trotmobile, and some will give you an edge in combat while others will allow you to do the jobs you’ll be undertaking all over the city. You’re not alone in the tournament, though, and you’ll be facing a veritable menagerie of Trotmobile riders, designs and equipment loadouts in the ring.

How tough could this guy be? I bet he’s got a day job where he sits behind a computer all day.

You won’t have access to all the good stuff right from the start, of course, but that’s what the jobs are for. When you’re not fighting for the amusement of the crowd or exploring the wilderness, you can climb out of your vehicle to take on jobs all across the city and the surrounding areas, from simple deliveries to demolition work to ghost hunting and celebrity reporting. Take your earnings and put them into buying better parts for your Trotmobile, or else you’ll be caught unprepared for the challenges ahead, and even worse, people with questionable fashion taste will make fun of you:

Harsh! Are you just gonna that that guff? It’s even harsher when you hear it voiced. Some of our QA testers cried.

So, you’ve got turn-of-the century (the 20th century, you history sticklers) mechs stomping around, kooky characters, personal freedom, vehicle customization, and the ability to take part in a grand tradition of furious gladiator combat. (You’re a winner!) What more could you want? You probably want some multiplayer action, with up to 4 players or something. Well, fine! It’s in there like swimwear! You can even play with 4 players using a single copy of the game! Now what more could you want?

Personally, all I want is to make you aware of this game, and if I have to make my Trotmobile ride the Space Shuttle up into orbit and surf back down to Earth on a piece of the Space Station, I’ll do just that.

…No, Sammy, that’s not a real move. But that would be wicked awesome. Look for Steambot Chronicles Battle Tournament to hit on June 30th!