Jan 292014
A quick tour through the PS1 days, then a plethora of Persona PS2 picks.
0:00:00 – Dream of Butterfly (SMT Persona)
0:12:23 – Police Station Dungeon (Revelations Persona)
0:15:11 – Normal Battle (Revelations Persona)
0:21:27 – BIKINI LINE (Persona 2)
0:22:48 – Map 2 (Persona 2)
0:33:47 – Memories of the City (Persona 3)
0:36:23 – Mass Destruction (Persona 3)
0:39:47 – Heartful Cry (Persona 3 FES)
0:48:59 – New Days (Persona 4)
0:51:14 – Specialist (Persona 4)
0:53:25 – SMILE (Persona 4)
0:56:44 – Reach Out to the Truth (Persona 4)
1:06:55 – Shadow World (P4G)
1:11:35 – Let’s Go to the Beach (P4G)
1:14:16 – Snowflakes (P4G)
1:26:00 – Nevermore (P4G)
Awesome! new episode of VGMpire!
This is another series I am not really familiar with, which should make for a very exciting and new experience to listen to! ^^
I finally got around to playing Persona 3: FES this week after a false start last year – my power went out before I could save and I never went back to make up that lost progress – and the soundtrack has been pretty enjoyable so far.
Also, it’s nice to see a new VGMpire posted on the day I randomly come to this site. I really need to get into the habit of visiting more often.
Yes Yes YES! So excited for this episode. It was actually a combination of this show and Radio Radar that got me to try out Persona 4 last year. That quickly became one of my all time favorite games and made me a fan of the series. I just recently ordered Persona 3 Portable and am excited to try it out. I really love the crazy music from Persona 4 and 3. It’ll be cool to hear your (or maybe Henry’s) picks from the early games too.
Did not disappoint. I liked most of your picks. I still haven’t played Persona 4 Golden. I will need to get a Vita at some point to play it and relive the Persona 4 experience. I was pleasantly surprised by the Persona 4 Golden songs that Henry picked. I haven’t listened to much of the unique music from P4G. That “Shadow World” opening is really good.
One additional pick I would have included from Persona 3 is “Burn My Dread (Last Battle Version)”. Maybe it’s a little too spoilery to include final-boss music in one of these podcasts, but man I love that song. One of my favorite workout songs. It immediately gets me pumped up and motivated.
I wonder if we might see a Sonic CD episode soon – what with the release of OCRemix’s Sonic CD Remix Album. Whatever you choose next, I’m sure it’ll be entertaining though.
I’ve been so tempted lately to just irresponsibly buy a vita so I can play P4G and download P3P. I guess I should wait for the Slim though. Either way I’m excited to listen to this, the persona series is definitely one of my top favorites.
Oh also! If you want more Persona-ish music, there are these fans that have done some crazy stuff. I forgot exactly what the group was called but I guess they decided to create a whole soundtrack for a possible “Persona 5” (this was mooooonths before persona 5 was revealed to be a real thing) They have battle tracks, boss themes, overworld themes and the thing is that they all sound totally professionally done. Also in the style of the persona series.
Personally my favorite is the boss theme Soul Check – http://youtu.be/ls-r5wRemM4
Thanks for the tip. Definitely checking that out.
Just want to point out that the fans mostly just compiled different songs that already exist. There are some minor differences though.
Like Soul Check for example is just an instrumental version of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E57LEjf6pw
Oh! And they did give credit to the original artists, it was just in Japanese so it’s easy to overlook.
I’ve almost bought a PS Vita twice – mainly to play Persona 4 Golden & Gravity Rush – but stopped short each time because memory cards were expensive.
Now time to play the waiting game till everything is appropriately priced.
I know this isn’t an SMT episode exactly, but if you haven’t heard the map music for SMT4 you’re in for a treat.
*clap* *clap* *clap* You’ve finally done it. I can die happy now, you heroes among men, you gods in the skins of peasants.
Some suggestions for if you do more Persona music. From Persona 3, Shadow, Want to be close, Joy, Changing Seasons, Deep Mentality, Nyx, The Battle for Everyones Souls. From Persona 3 Portable, which I was sad received no mention, Wiping All Out, Way of Life, Time. From Persona 4, Castle, Mist, Signs of Love, Backside of the TV, The Almighty, and without any doubt Heaven. From P4 the Golden, Memories. I also really like Spirited Girl from Arena, but I digress. Good first foray into Persona, but this needs to be more than just one episode.
And if you need some from the earlier games, in Innocent Sin, Knights of the Holy Spear, and Maya’s theme are really good. I also like Ginko’s theme, but it is weird, as in it has cat sounds.
Lucifer I Choose You!
Great show to all. I never got to play Persona 4, but I did watch the anime. And I would say the opening theme “Sky’s the Limit” is one amazing Engrish song. Also, I feel like one series that is absent from VGmpire that should really be there is the Katamari series. I just think it is one that is super easy to do a show or multiple shows on. I even use “Katamari on the Rocks” as my wake up alarm! Keep the shows coming!
PS: Miku’s hair is BLUE dammit!!!
It’s that weird aqua shade were some people say it’s green, but I agree. Miku’s hair is blue.
YEAH! Just the thing I needed to brighten my day. I wouldn’t consider myself a “hardcore” Persona fan but I LOVED Persona 4 and Catherine. Thanks for making a great episode (and for staying on topic!)
I should add that my overall favorite from Persona 4 wasn’t represented in this episode: Alone.
You opened the fridge.
It’s the same as it ever was.
Sad!
I can only listen to that song for about a minute. Heartbreaking.
Fantastic episode. P4G was my first Persona outing and it’s easily one of my favorite RPGs. The fracnhise is distinct in so many notable ways and the music is high on that list. Great jams!
I’ve noticed that while I love many recent games, my ‘favorites’ are all from the era of my childhood. Persona 4 Golden is the rare gem that has trumped nostalgia and taken its rightful place as one of my favorites. This episode is happy++. Thanks to HenereyG (NONOnonononononono..) for helping bring this one together. (Seriously, I look forward to him giving his twitter handle out on air. that shit cracks me up. love that dude)
One of the things I noticed while listening is that the music for P3 has more hiphop/rap elements in it. Since P3 is set in the big city it gives the game a more urban feel. P4 backs off from this which makes it feel more rural to match the setting.
Awesome episode. Bought a PS Vita and P4G before coming to Tokyo and just finished it recently because of all the long train rides I have to and from work. What a fantastic game, might be one of my favorite of all time. The soundtrack in particular is brilliant, ever song is super catchy and has such variety from dungeon to dungeon. Think my favorite track has to be the 8 bit sounding music for the dungeon that is themed after old NES games, that track is a straight up banger. Also really enjoyed the new battle theme they added for P4G, the main bass hook is so good that it got me take up learning bass guitar again (still can’t play that song though).
Great episode. And thank you so much for not getting into what the lyrics are actually saying because nothing ruins a persona song faster than understanding the Engrish, it’s much better to just hear what you want to hear.
I have pretty much zero connection to this series. Looking forward to giving this episode a listen over the weekend though.
[…] A quick tour through the PS1 days, then a plethora of Persona PS2 picks… LISTEN NOW […]
Persona!
One of my absolute favorite series of all time and I’m glad you guys finally gave it a look. You could very well do a Rocktober of the P3/P4 series alone. There’s the Persona 3 PSP remake, the movies, Persona 4 Arena, the originals…. On and on and on. I’m sad that none from P3P made it onto the show as there are some great ones. Atlus added a brand-new girl protagonist as an alternate universe with new S. Links and events and of course, music. The battle theme Wiping All Out always gets me pumped. Of note from P3 and P3: FES are When the Moon’s Reaching Stars, Iwatodai Dormitory, and Interstice of Time (10 minutes long!). And the battle music from 3 and 4 alone–ugh, I could go one for days. Great show, guys!
Well, I’ve listened to this episode twice and I’ll do so a few times more, probably. So needless to say, I quite enjoyed the music of this episode ^^
However, I didn’t really like any of the songs that use lyrics, there’s just always been something about using lyrics in videogame music that I find intrinsically annoying. The rest of the non-vocal tracks I liked almost universally.
Heck, only game in recent memory that I remember actually LIKING the music having lyrics was in MGR: Revengeance, and that’s because those songs flat out sounded more like rock music than videogame music.
I missed out on all this stuff when it came out. Thanks for catching me up on some great music.
Great episode. Some of that music was really catchy.
I have always wanted to try and get into a Persona game. But I know they are long and I just don’t have the time. When Henry said one of them was 80 hours for just the story, I wish I was a kid again.
Excellent ep, before I even made it halfway through I went ahead and bought Persona 2: Eternal Punishment for $5 on PSN since Atlus had the Persona sale on there. I’ll hold off on getting any other title until I beat this one. Only an hour and a half or so in but I’m really fascinated by it!
This series has really awesome music. I think I remember “Reach Out to the Truth” in the JRPG Battle Sampler episode from way back. I recall being weirded about by it having lyrics, but then I remembered how much I love Blue Dragon’s “Eternity” despite its hilariously cheesy lyrics and vocal performance by Deep Purple’s Ian Gillan. Listening to it again in this episode though, I can’t get the song out of my head. I love it!
“Mass Destruction” is pretty great too. J-Rap…very interesting. When he raps “Fear’s awake / anger beats loud, Face reality” I keep hearing “Face McCafferty.”
Also, I couldn’t have been the only person who heard Henry say “FES” and thought “Fez? Like Phil Fish’s Fez?”
Great episode. I have only play persona 4 golden all the way through and not enjoying persona 3 FES that much still enjoy the music
I’ve never actually played a Persona game before. I’ve always been vaguely interested but wasn’t sure what the mechanics were or how they worked together. Henry did a really good job of introducing the series, and now I’m really excited to play Golden when I manage to get my hands on a Vita.
Also the music was really good, one of my favorite episodes.
Really loved this episode. Never played the persona games, but I really want to start!
Really good stuff here again. Just started P4 recently and having listened to you guys playing the tracks from 3 I think I’ll try and track down P3 as well! Glad Henry mentioned he couldn’t find the CD price in Japan, I live here at the moment and had to ask like a moron where the price was too.
Don’t know how you feel about live albums but you should check the Persona concert album out:
[…] and Persona’s music is some of the best in the genre. Hell, I loved it so much I did a whole podcast on the subject. In fact, Persona 4’s music is so great that a Vita exclusive spin-off is coming this […]
[…] So yeah, it’s going to be a long time before I actually get my hands on Persona 5, but I have a feeling it’ll be worth it when it happens. Hmm, maybe I can really step up my Japanese studies in the meantime. I’m sure I can be proficient enough to be able to play the Japan release next summer, right? I mean, how hard could it be? Oh, by the way, if you’re looking for more Persona talk, check out the Persona-centric episode of VGMpire that I hosted. […]
[…] with classic-style dungeon crawling but with outstanding writing, unforgettable characters, and an unbeatable soundtrack? Do you love bear-related puns? Then you need this game in your life. I can bear-ly believe anyone […]