Revelations: Persona enjoyed a Windows and PlayStation Portable port back in the day, but that was more than 20 years ago now. That porting trend continued through PlayStation's various consoles. Revelations: Persona was released by Atlus for the PlayStation in the United States in 1997 and is the first in the Persona series of games. Notable for being set in modern day, the plot involves an unnamed protagonist and his classmates at St. Hermelin High School. In Revelations: Persona, the player navigates and interacts with the world via multiple means. While traversing the main city (which serves as the game's overworld), the world is seen from an overhead perspective. Unlike future entries in Persona series, buildings and maze-like outdoor areas are navigated in a first-person perspective. Megami Ibunroku Persona is the first game in the Persona series, which is a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise developed by Atlus. In North America it was released as Revelations: Persona. Revelations: Persona is the first game in the Persona series with it taking place in 1996 and it being the first Persona game to be released. Although Revelations: Persona uses Americanized names.
General information
Title in Japanese: 女神異聞録ペルソナ (megami ibunroku perusona)
Japanese Releases:
- PlayStation on 20 September 1996.
- PlayStation on 27 July 1997, as a ‘PlayStation the Best' version.
- Windows on 25 March 1999, as a port of the PS version published by ASCII Corporation and Digicube.
- PlayStation Portable on 29 April 2009 as a remake of the PS version.
Western releases:
- PlayStation on 24 June [?] 1996 in North America, published by Atlus.
- PlayStation Portable on 22 September 2009, published by Atlus.
- PlayStation Portable (digital only) on 11 August 2010, published by Atlus.
Manual (PSP NA version)
Story
Welcome to Mikage, home of St. Hermelin High school where you, the protagonist, spend your days. It's a town rich with history, though the ruins and shrines of the town stand in contrast to the modern structures. One such gleaming new building is the high-tech Mikage office of SEBEC, erected about 10 months ago.
But as befits a company whose name seems to echo an ancient Egyptian crocodile god, there are dark rumors circulating about SEBEC and Takahisa Kandori, the young branch president overseeing the Mikage operations. Suspicious men in black suits have been seen all over town, the eerie clanking of underground machinery echoes in the dead of night, and the ghost of a girl clad in black has been seen wandering the offices… but despite the rumors, the people of Mikage don't have an inkling of Kandori's twisted ambition as he glares down at the peaceful town. (p. 4)
As the protagonist, you are one of those oblivious to Kandori's schemes. You're in the middle of your second year at St. Hermelin, a private high school, leading an ordinary life alongside classmates such as Mark, Yukino, Nanjo… and Maki, the young and somewhat bitter girl who was born with a weak constitution and has been in the hospital for the past year.
In this ordinary life, their brief youth drifts by… the students have only a hazy grasp on their dreams, hopes, and anxieties for the future. It's in this climate that the divination game 'Persona', which supposedly allows you to see your future self, gains popularity. When you and the others try playing the 'Persona' game, it sparks a series of strange phenomena, and the awakening of the power of their hidden selves-the power of their Personas.
Just as the students visit Maki at the hospital, Kandori's grand plan goes into motion, throwing Mikage into chaos. The group is caught up in the cataclysmic events, and their involvement with the SEBEC incident will change them forever… (p. 5)
Characters
Protagonist
A second-year student in Class 4 of St. Hermelin High. He acts as the player's alter ego.
Maki Sonomura
A kind, polite girl whose repeated, lengthy hospital stays have sheltered her from the world. She's currently confined to her hospital bed, where she's been for the past year. According to classmates who visit her often, she seems to be doing better lately, and some think she may be able to return to school soon. (p. 6)
Masao Inaba
Nickname: Mark
Son of the owners of Inaba Dry Cleaning in town. Thanks to his other's pampering, he's a spoiled young man who doesn't listen to anyone. He hates that his mother still calls him by his childhood nickname of 'Massy', so he makes his friends call him Mark. His desire to get away from being a mama's boy leads him to conspicuously rebel against her whenever possible. (p. 7)
Hidehiko Uesugi
Nickname: Brown
He's a shifty guy who's bold around timid classmates, and timid around bold classmates to the point that he'd never defy them. His skill at getting ahead in the world makes him well-liked by his teachers, but since he devotes himself so totally to projecting an image of strength, he's terrified people will learn of his weaknesses.
Kei Nanjo
The extremely self-confident heir to the wealthy Nanjo family. He's very smart, but his arrogant, pragmatic demeanor acts as a wall between him and his friends. His butler Yamaoka, rather than his distant parents, was his biggest emotional support when growing up, as well as the chief source of his current confidence.
Eriko Kirishima
Nickname: Elly
A student who recently returned from a stay in America. Her striking features, due to her one-quarter American heritage, and her elegant demeanor make her popular enough at school that there isn't a student at St. Hermelin who doesn't know her. She's slightly eccentric in her fearlessness and keen interest in the occult. (p. 8)
Yuka Ayase
A frivolous girl who tries to act like a stereotypical high school girl in real life. She doesn't bother thinking about anything difficult, and insists on living for the moment, but she wonders inside if that's really the best way. Though she has a sharp tongue, it's hard to hate her, even though she tends to make trouble for those around her.
Yukino Mayuzumi
A reformed girl gang leader whose frank personality and strict manner of speech lead other students to rely on her as a sort of big sister. Her part-time work has given her a maturity and level-headedness that other students lack, but when it comes to her most admired and idolized teacher, she has a hard time keeping her cool.
Saeko Takami
The homeroom teacher of Class 4 at St. Hermelin, which seems to be a collection of 'problem' students, including the protagonist and his friends. Her spirited nature has won their admiration; she has them firmly in hand, but is understanding and warm towards them as well. She's also a graduate of St. Hermelin High.
Takahisa Kandori
The talented young branch president of SEBEC, which set up shop in Mikage recently. But dark rumors circulate around bother the growing company and Kandori himself. In Mikage, the company has a reputation for being shadowy and secretive, and people are highly distrustful of Kandori. (p. 9)
Soundtrack (PSP first copies edition)
[Message from Meguro on inside of CD insert:] The days seem to pass very quickly; it's already been 13 years since I joined Atlus. Revelations: Persona was my first assignment at the company, but now that the game is coming to the PSP, there was something deeply moving about creating music for it again.
For the music in this Persona, I took the balance of sound and music that I fostered in Persona 3 and 4 and applied it to this game, while also trying to maintain the original atmosphere of the game to create music that would resonate with players whose first exposure to the series was with Persona 3 and 4.
I also attempted some new techniques on these tracks in order to express the two-sided nature of Persona through the music. For example, while the opening track has a pop feel to it, partway through it suddenly breaks out into an intense rock passage. I also placed a second melody behind the main melody (a technique call obbligato) in many of the tracks. Even when it came to the lyrics, I changed the symbolic portions of segments of the English lyrics into Japanese. These are just a few of the techniques I played around with.
Indian dirt bike serial numbers. I feel that careful listening to this soundtrack, after playing through the game and being totally immersed in the world of Persona, will result in the deepest enjoyment of the music. Please play through the game at least to the ending—multiple playthroughs would be even better!
-Shoji Meguro
Composer
Disc 1
- Dreams of a Butterfly
- Persona's Door
- Paranormal Phenomena
- My Name is Philemon
- Name Entry
- Bestowing the Persona
- School Days
- ICU Panic
- A Lone Prayer
- Mad Hospital
- Guidance
- Mikage Police Station
- Appearance!
- Strange Atmosphere
- Let Butterflies Spread Until the Dawn
- Maki
- SEBEC
- The Girl in Black
- Battle with Tesso
- Shopping
- Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy's Theme 2009
- Aria of the Soul
- Persona Fusion
- Quest for the Expel Mirror
- Kama Palace
- Mikage Ruins
- Lost Forest
- Mana Castle
- Confrontation
- Bloody Destiny
- Persona
Tft version 1.26. [backside:]
Disc 2
- Ice Castle
- Frozen St. Hermelin
- Search for the Shards
- Sweet Slumber
- Hypnos Tower
- A Warning
- Twisted Revenge
- Nemesis Tower
- Prison of Death
- Thanatos Tower
- Eternal Night
- Devil's Peak
- Queen Asura's Descent
- Night Queen
- Morning at St. Hermelin
- Agastya Tree
- Daily Life
- Tension
- Haunted Mansion
- At Deva Yuga's Door
- Deva Yuga
- Closed Heart
- Smile
- To Alaya Cavern!
- Alaya Cavern
- Space
- Avidya World
- Sea of Consciousness
- Overcoming Sadness
- To a Shining Future…
- Bringer of all Misfortune
- Pandora, the Last Battle
- Maki's Confession
- Season of Cherry Blossoms
- Voice
- Dream of a Butterfly (Instrumental)
Revelations Persona Walkthrough
女神異聞録ペルソナ (Megami Ibunroku Persona: Be Your True Mind)
Japanese Release: September 20, 1996
Retail Price: ¥6,800
US Release: 1996
Retail Price: $49.99
In Japan, Megami Ibunroku Persona: Be Your True Mind was released as a spin-off of the main Shin Megami Tensei series. Many ideas from the main series were brought over to this title including a heavy reliance on demons, conversation with those demons, a focus on Japanese locales, moon cycles, first person dungeons and the overworld map. However, in terms of storyline and flow, the titles differ rather strongly. Due to my lack of Japanese knowledge, however, the names in this section of the site will be based on the US version that was released afterwards.
The interesting thing about this title at the time of its release was how different it was from the general, RPG norm. It didn't focus on warriors and wizards, a foreign, medieval setting or an evil threatening an entire world. The characters, at heart, were normal students in a normal town. Of course, this town gets twisted and the characters inadvertently gain incredible powers, but it certainly was not another Final Fantasy.
In terms of gameplay, the title held onto much of its SMT roots. Players could still converse with demons, albeit in a different way. Conversation, as a whole, is deeper. It doesn't revolve simply around giving the demons money or items to their hearts content as much as it involves invoking certain emotions out of them. If you are able to interest a demon or make it happy, you're obviously going to get something far nicer out of it than if you frighten or anger it. Demons could no longer directly join your cause, but they still hold the important purpose of helping you out with items, money or, most imporantly, Spell Cards. Spell Cards can be fused at the Velvet Room. Depending on their level, demon group, the phase of the moon and which card you place first the fusion can result with different Personas. However, your characters must have a P-Level that is high enough to summon the stronger Personas.
Revelations Persona Price
The overworld is displayed with flat-shaded polygons and consists only of Lunarvale. Through the entirety of the game a force field of sorts keeps you from leaving the town. Luckily, the town itself is rather large compared to what people are used to in other console RPGs and takes a decent amount of time to visit from end to end. Upon entering these buildings you are presented with dungeons in a first person format. As you wander around maze-like corridors you'll come across various rooms you can enter. These smaller rooms are pre-rendered and contain various NPCs to speak with, items and save points. Your own team members will also be here and you can speak with them to get hints on what to do next as well as their general thoughts on issues at hand.
While in these dungeons and on the overworld map you can be attacked by demons. The battle system within Persona is turn based and relies on very specific choices from the player. Each character can carry a general weapon such as an axe or blade as well as a projectile weapon such as a gun. In addition to attacking with these weapons they can summon their Personas, use items they happen to be carrying or attempt to speak with the demons they've encountered. Demons are weak and strong to certain types of attacks, but your placement (which can be adjusted in the options) and their placement on the battle field is also of importance. Certain attacks do not reach the back row, for example, which can be both a benefit and a detriment.
Revelations Persona Psn
In terms of overall presentation, Persona wasn't really going to win any awards upon its release and it certainly has not aged well. The graphics are largely simplistic in both craft and animation. Many of the character and enemies lose the qualities of Kaneko's original designs thanks to the small sprite work, but they are still identifiable. The dungeons themselves flow well because they consist of polygons, but they are generally uninteresting and poorly textured. The gameplay is also interspersed with short FMV sequences, but these two are largely poorly animated and designed. How much of an effect this has on the player really is up to their own preferences. Beyond the graphics the game does manage to do a lot of things well.
Sound fares much better overall. While the English voices aren't exactly great, they aren't commonplace enough to be a major issue. However, Philemon, who has the largest speaking role in the game (although it still is small compared to other games), is beyond bad and almost painful to listen to. The music and general sound effects have remained completely intact on their way over from Japan. Each character has a variety of samples which helps break up some of the possible monotony. The music itself is Japanese rock and pop-esque and, while subject to personal opinion, is largely very good and contains some really strong dungeon themes.
The main thing that brought this game down for many players was the English localization. Names were heavily translated and many bear no resemblance to their Japanese originals. The main issue here is that despite all changes to the game to remove us from Japan the game contains such oddities as Shinto Shrines and Japanese song lyrics. Mark was changed into a young African American character for the release, which would not have been a major issue if it wasn't for his largely stereotypical dialogue. Various other characters were edited slightly. The translation itself had random references to American television shows and concepts, removed most mythological references for the demons and Personas and was generally just poorly written. The title was also obviously changed to Revelations: Persona and was marketed as the 'first in the Revelations series'. The only other game that was released under this was Revelations: Demon Slayer, a title that had absolutely nothing to do with Persona and was instead a localized version of yet another spin-off, Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible.
Atlus USA also toned down the difficulty of the game with various statistical changes. Enemies appear less often in the English version, have less Hit Points and give more Experience. Prices for various items are apparently even lower than a Yen to US Dollar conversion would require. Whether or not this is a problem largely depends on the player and his or her interest in higher levels of challenge. Regardless, Persona still remained one of the more difficult RPGs out there around the time of its release.
In addition to all of this, an entire quest was removed from the game. It involves the legend of the Snow Queen, told by Ms. Smith to your characters. She somehow has access to the mask of the Snow Queen, which transforms the school into an icy fortress and Ms. Smith into a version of the Snow Queen herself. The dungeon still exists in the title but is completely unaccessible by normal means. One can access it through some Game Shark/Pro Action Replay codes, but all of the dialogue within the area is complete a mess of mixed Japanese and English. The general accepted excuse for its removal was simply that Atlus was trying to release the game in time for Christmas sales and decided to leave it out. Unfortunately release dates don't make much of a difference if you don't make a decent attempt to advertise your title. As such, Persona was largely forgotten by consumers. Today your best bet for finding a copy of this title is on eBay. As of this writing complete sets go for around $25 to $40 on average.
© Tony
