LittleBigThings: LittleBigPlanet Vita Beta Sign-Ups Live!

You all know I loves me some LittleBigPlanet, so a chance to play it early and free (legally) is a chance that I am entirely too enthralled with trying for to pass up.  And such a chance is available now, with the LittleBigPlanet Vita Beta sign-up form that was so conveniently offered.  It's rather light on details of course, but if the recent printed publications are anything to go by (Playstation:  The Official Magazine and Game Informer) then that June release date for LittleBigPlanet Vita is more firm than I would like (yet at the same time I love it since it's not too far off), so the window for an effective Beta period is shrinking.  Still, nothing's set in stone and we'll just have to see when it's officially announced, patiently or otherwise.

The sign-up form couldn't be easier:  "What's your basic info (Email, PSN, DoB)?  What LBP games have you played before?  Do you have a Vita?  Have you ever created and shared a level in a LittleBigPlanet game?"  That's it.  Literally, those are the only things required; it takes somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple minutes and can, thankfully enough, be filled out -on- a Vita's internet browser as I found out.  Since I saw it on LiveTweet and simply -had- to do it right then before I forgot.  Which reminded me about the handy little exploit you can use with LiveTweet and the Internet Browser - If you open a page through LiveTweet, it'll open the Web Browser and go to the site....whether you have a game active or not.  So you can search whatever you want in that one window, but of course, tabbing out of it and then trying to re-enter will provide the "The Following Applications Must Close" screen, so you better get the info you want and make sure you know it as it's not exactly quick reference.

It's a strange prospect to me, that of being involved in a Beta of a game, since while I have been in quite a few, I never really had anything of an attachment to them.  I was in the Beta for Uncharted 2's Multiplayer mode, both Modnation Racers Betas (PS3 and PSP) and the Invite-Only Playstation Home Closed Beta (which seems a little cheapened now that it's been in open beta for...years.) off the top of my head, and with respect to the games mentioned, I've never cared much to the end of it or beyond.  Outside of my strange obsession with Home that has admittedly died out after the bad situation I had with it months back, meaning that I haven't gone back to it since.  Still, I find myself wanting to hop back into it every now and then to sate my decorating needs, or even hoping that something similar will come out for the Vita, but that's neither here nor there.

LittleBigPlanet Vita's Beta, should I get into it, will likely be the first Beta I get into that'll really leave a lasting impression on me.  I say this all the time when it comes to LittleBigPlanet-related things, but I really, really intend to make use of the Level maker with this and since I'll have no worries about using it for an extended period of time, as well as being able to use it whenever I want, I'm sure I can squeeze in some actual work into it.  Even if I don't, I'll be rather delighted just to get the actual game when it comes out and work with it and, thankfully, the Vita Snapshot feature will offer a little incentive for me, odd as that might sound.  I think that being able to actually throw down some Behind-the-scenes shots here easily would be something that will give me that little kick of incentive to keep at it.  As well as being able to just sort of share work with others to get advice perhaps.  I see a lot of potential for lasting appeal with the Vita version of the game, is what I'm getting at, and I sincerely hope that everyone else sees that as well, considering what an important franchise it is to me.

Soul Sacrifice Looks Brutal, Awesome

Look at the screenshot above.  Now look at your Vita.  The above screenshot is concept art for the oft-teased (at least, in the last week or so) "Soul Sacrifice", a game which has just now started spilling out delicious delicious information.  A game that will be on the Playstation Vita, and a game that looks wonderfully screwed up.  A game that has literally planted itself on my radar simply by being insanity given form in a budding thing.  And a game that I will no doubt be following fairly intensely in its development process.

You've probably been thinking to yourself "Why is he eating his hand?" or something similar while looking at the above picture and I assure you, I will get to that in all due time.  First, I should probably explain the premise of the game, or at least what little bit of it has been shared.  You play a wizard that is the slave of a more powerful mage and, at some point, a demon comes by with a magical book that seems to serve as the 'hub' by the way it sounds, since it apparently lets you 'experience' the different events inside, indicating that it would ideally be the actual storyline and the way it progresses.  The wizard that you play is meant to be -your- wizard and as such, you'll be able to change their appearance to your liking, and I imagine the style in which the wizard specializes in will be up to your whims as well.

Speaking style, I of course mean fighting style, which hasn't been detailed too much, but the little bits that have been pointed out are....quite a thing.  They're the focus of the game for a very obvious reason when you get into it, and will likely be the main thing you either love or hate about the game.  You see, the magic used in Soul Sacrifice all works off of, well, "Sacrifices".  Whether it be an item, likely health or, for the big, bad spells, parts of your body itself.  Literally.  You see, the picture at the top of the post here depicts a wizard using the "Excalibur" spell, for which the required sacrifice is, uh....your spine.  So he literally rips his spine out through his mouth and the body part is used as an instrument of death, likely for a short period of time only.  After which, one could assume it just sort of...uh....goes back in.  Maybe.  Similarly, other spells discussed so far are "Greipnir" which sacrifices....the bones in your fingers, s'far as I can tell, to turn your hand into an extending instrument of torture, and "Gorgon" which requires an eye, thus summoning other eyeballs that fire lasers.  Seriously.

Some will likely take well to the rather over-the-top insanity that the game clearly has at its core where others will simply say that it's 'trying too hard'.  I'm sure with my history and the praise I've had for it so far makes it fairly clear which camp I'm in.  And still others won't know what to think beyond "How is he walking around if he ripped his own spine out" to which the obvious answer is "Shut up, that's how".  One does not question the merit of using your own spine as a weapon, but rather must simply applaud the ingenuity involved in even -thinking- about that, much less the backbone guts to actually do it.  Of course, with only these three spells being the ones I've seen so far, that's only the tip of the ice berg and I can't wait to see just what else they can think of along those lines.

Of course, there is a downside to ripping apart your own body in various ways to destroy your enemies.  Who would've thought, right?  Apparently, from a few pieces of information pulled together, the baddies of the world may just be other wizards who wielded the same sorts of spells in the same situations (fighting the wizards before them) until they twisted and mutated them into that which they sought to destroy.  It's a vicious cycle thematically, and might just come into play in the gameplay itself, especially with the Multiplayer aspect of the game that plays up on the slight "Monster Hunter" vibe the game carries.  Which is to say that there will be lots of rather large monsters that will be much more fun to take out with a friend or friends, and the Vita's capabilities will allow just such a thing to occur.

Despite the rumors and comments about the art style of Soul Sacrifice, From Software, the makers of Demon's and Dark Souls, has nothing to do with the game.  In fact, it's one of those (I'm assuming) rare games that actually have three different developers behind it working cooperatively.  Soul Sacrifice's trifecta come in the form of Sony's Japan Studio, Marvelous AQL and Keiji Inafune (or rather, Inafune and his development studio Comcept I would assume).  If you had managed to hear word of Inafune accidentally admitting to working on a Vita game, well, this would be the one and it's...certainly not what anybody expected, I'm quite sure.  Still, it looks quite out there and as I've said, I'm already looking forward to it just based on the little information we have.  There should be a trailer here soon for the game, so when it comes out, I'll link it here for your viewing pleasure!

Update!:  As I said, a trailer went up today, so let's take a gander, yes?

Still no real gameplay, but it does show what "Excalibur" looks like in motion and it's just as brutal as you might expect.  Also, at the tail end of the video, it gives a little glimpse at just what you might expect after using such a high-end spell:  Death.  Of course, with a game like this, that might not be quite as much of a barrier as you might expect; after all, the creatures of the world are only creatures because they were so badly disfigured after using so many strong spells.  Death in battle seems to be able to serve as a primary tactic as this siliconera post goes on to say.

This group of players decided on sacrifice and a wounded sorcerer set himself on fire to cast the spell Salamander. The other three players decided to sacrifice Cerberus and claim the reward.

One player sacrifices himself so that the others can finally finish off the creature, or even offer it salvation, after the end of the battle.  They will then be rewarded accordingly.  I've seen elsewhere that such a sacrifice from a player can result in a large buff for the remaining party as well, though I imagine there are other advantages.  And of course, it won't always be completely necessary for three players to reap the benefits of a victory; I'm sure part of the challenge comes in at finding out just what these times are.  With such a system in place, though, I'm curious as to hearing just how the lasting effects work.  After all, after playing your character online with others for so long, you'll likely use enough magic for disfigurement, but it seems a little odd to reward your players for success by rendering their characters to being awful abominations.  Regardless, it's something curious and great to look forward to, since even though localization is just 'an option' at this point, this is almost assuredly coming this way.

Let's Talk About Minecraft - XBLA Release Edition

I've said it a few times before and I'll probably say it again, but I've been fairly eagerly awaiting news on the XBLA version of Minecraft, as while I still don't own a 360, I based my hopes on -a- console version meaning that there could be -more-, and I still stand by that, no matter what Mojang says.  I'll cling to my hopes, damnit, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!  Now while the game has not officially launched, it's close enough - so much so that there are already people with the game (obtained via gift codes, legally mind you) and youtube accounts to show off for we unwashed masses.  One such example of this is ChimneySwift11, a fairly well-known Minecrafter, who already has five episodes (of this writing) of a little mini-series of Minecraft for XBLA appropriately titled "Minecraft on XBox" (Linked to the first episode since the show-list doesn't seem to be up yet).  In fact at this point, it's pretty much my only exposure to the XBLA version of the game and it's....a bit worrying honestly.

First of all, the big thing which is big enough to me to be the elephant in the room, is that the game is actually not based on the Release Version of the game.  I kind of understand this, since it was really started before the Release Version came out, but....at the same time, if you base a version of a game on anything, it should be the version that is officially a real not-beta, not-alpha game.  That's just kind of basic theory here, so I would imagine that the whole point would be to hold off porting the game until said Release Version was portable but that's why I'm just writing about games, I guess, instead of making them.  Anyways, the reason why it's a big deal is just that - It's a pretty damn big deal since the game was based off the Beta 1.6.6 version of Minecraft which was far before a lot of the 'integral' game mechanic parts came into play.  Namely a hunger bar, Enchanting, and Potion-Making.  I'm....not quite sure, even, if The End realm was in 1.6.6, but I doubt it, and I highly doubt that it was added to the XBLA version as, you'll notice, I said "based off".  Minecraft XBLA, at this point, does carry some changes and some improvements (such as the quick-shift from chests to inventory and vice versa), but by-and-large, it seems like a Beta build of the game.

This pretty much further compounds the "Is Minecraft really a game" debate as, with the release version of the game that had this and that, The End Realm, a 'boss' and a credit roll ending, the answer could pretty much be swayed in favor of saying "Yes".  There was 'depth' in the form of gaining experience that was then used to Enchant Items to your whims, as well as the potion-making that could be used to add further strategy to your playstyle, and while the NPCs did absolutely nothing, they still existed.  It skirted lines, but from the 'crossed' side of them, whereas before that, before the Adventure Update and the additions in the Release Version, solid arguments could be made for the side that said "No", and as someone who sees the XBLA version in the wake of the current version, I'm inclined to agree, as it's basically like seeing into the future from what was and seeing not only what doesn't exist in Minecraft XBLA, but what -still- doesn't exist in the base version of the game for PC.

What Minecraft really needs, and what it's been getting very, very slowly, is quite simply:  More.  More what?  More everything.  More mobs, more blocks, more biomes, more NPCs, more interaction, more recipes, just more things.  I hate to draw the comparison to the game that got compared to it a lot at release, but, Terraria released with more content in the form of unique blocks and items than Minecraft has even -now-, or if not more, then close.  Regardless, it received a lot of post-release support (which has unfortunately dried up due to the two dudes splitting up) which infused even more -things- into the game, yet managed to leave stones unturned.  (which is why I say unfortunately, since there seem to be a lot of unfulfilled developer promises involved)  There are just now more than 20 mobs in Minecraft, both passive and unfriendly (Zombie, Skeleton, Spider, Creeper, Slime, Silverfish, Cave Spiders, Endermen, Ghast, Blaze, Magma Slime, Zombie Pigmen, Pigs, Sheep, Chickens, Cows, Squids, Wolves, Ocelots, Testificates, Iron Golems, Snow Golems, Ender Dragon), and the last new mineral to be added to the game was Lapis Lazuli, which was a while ago and remains fairly useless, despite Minerals being a fairly untapped resource for the game.  (Pardon the pun)

The point I'm trying to hammer in here is that the Minecraft of now on PC doesn't have a whole lot of what it really needs, and the Minecraft of now on XBLA has drastically less than the PC version.  I don't know the full extent of what it lacks, as I've stated a couple times, but I can tell right now that it is in a big way.  And while there are apparently plans in place for fast and plentiful updates for the XBLA version, it's already entirely too far behind.  Especially with the way in which Minecraft has been updating lately, however unofficial it may be.  I'm talking about the Snapshots, of course, which are basically "the update thus far, or what works of it" that get released every week as an optional download from the main site, adding a few new things with each one, which can be big or little.  It's mainly used for testing those updates on a broad scale before the next full update includes the sum of them.  Thus, as examples of Snapshot additions, the books within which you can write from the last snapshot and the cocoa plants from the next (or one of the next) will all be in the game proper when the next official update drops, provided they don't break the game entirely.  Unless the next update (or the one after, depending on the actual time between them) for the XBLA version can match parity with the official release version of Minecraft on PC currently, it'll always be a game of catch-up and, depending on when and how that content gets added could be an additional problem.

I guess a little of the green in my eyes has been taken away by seeing how this has gone down, as I honestly can't think of Minecraft in the context of how it was back in 1.6.6 anymore, in terms of things to build or experiences to be had.  I can hardly say that it's the same game and it doesn't really matter, even, since it's....quite different and in ways that are quantifiable and large.  Still Minecraft as a basis is tantalizing for me who has nothing of it.  I'm sure if my only option was to buy a computer for Minecraft or be able to play a rather old version of it on something I own (particularly my Vita), I would opt for the latter and happily so, but that option isn't before me, so it's a little easier to say I'm not too interested in the XBLA version of the game.  Regardless, I'll be taking a look at it to see just how easily it comes to parity with the PC version, or if it really ever does.  Certainly something to watch.

God, Do I Hate Spring

I say this a lot, and I do mean a lot and while I honestly hate repetition in spoken statements like that, I feel that I have to keep stating it because it's always true and relevant:  I hate Spring.  I hate how, aside from E3 leaks and random announcements here and there, there's not really a whole lot of gaming news, as is referenced by sites feeling the need to tease and reveal games that will never be released and then follow up said 'reveal' with a whole lot of information about the game that will never be released, obtained presumably because the game will never be released.  (Keep an eye out on that post, kids, because I'm going to update it one of these nights with the last recent update which is mind-blowingly stupid)  I hate how the ever-shifting weather, allergies and heat take my normally good-at-doing-things (like using vocabulary) mind and throws that out the window, leaving me sitting for hours trying to think of things that would take mere minutes on a cooler, better day.  And I hate how, on those rare nights where it might be cool enough, or where I might just be lucid enough, to do something relevant to anything (like post here, or get some good post material), it's usually fucking storming, meaning I'm stuck with DVDs or purely portable gaming.

In a word, I just hate how Spring makes me feel:  dull.  Sitting about, unable to come up with anything really positive and interesting to talk about despite a full two hours or so passing by, and then figuring out something that I can actually articulate about somewhat, only to be a little dissatisfied with the way I ended up saying it, yet unable to go back and change it, it's kind of painful.  This is pretty much precisely why I make no guarantees during Spring (and Summer) because it's a complete toss-up as to whether or not I'll honestly be able to sit down and write something up in a given night.  I do everything I can, scour every source and try to think of anything and everything that might be interesting enough for me to talk about for four or so paragraphs, but sometimes they just come up empty.  This would be one of those nights, honestly, despite a few ideas rolling around in my head.  This is purely because I couldn't think of a good way of expressing them because I'm just 'bleh' tonight as I am most nights with this goddamn heat.

I will say that it bothers me much more that I can't write and I want to, rather than what it might seem in that I can't write and I feel obligated to which I don't by any means.  Outside of self-obligation which again is more want than anything.  After all, the whole reason for this blog is so that I can write things on a regular basis to try and hone my skills.  While these conditions simply add more challenge, they...well, add challenge and are thus able to give me pause if not outright halt sometimes.  The added challenge to that is to come up with things that I can always talk about, which I sort of have in Music! and other such posts, but at times, I can't really think of appropriate themes for those either.  It's fairly rough, I confess, and made no easier through the whims of mother nature.  Still, I'm working at it and will likely continue to do so through the season, hopefully coming up with something before it ends.  With any luck, the other side of Spring and Summer will see a brisk Fall that will allow me some leeway.

Still, there's plenty to look forward to in terms of Portable Gaming, as we've covered, so that'll handle a good amount of posts with that alone.  I'm especially looking forward to Resistance:  Burning Skies as it'll be the first real look into what an FPS on the portable system can be, which might give us an idea for future titles.  (Killzone Vita, Bioshock Vita, Call of Duty Vita, etc.)  I haven't looked into it too much as I hope to buy it on-sight to sort of make up for skipping 3 (which I still regret), though I also hope that in doing so, I don't take anything away from 3.  While I doubt it's a real possibility, it's still one, but it's one that I'll have to deal with.  I really doubt there'll be any way I can buy, play and finish Resistance 3 between now and, uh...a couple weeks from now.  Stranger things have happened, however.  We'll just have to see by the time I have that shiny little blue case in my hands.

It occurs to me now that I spent four paragraphs talking about how I couldn't think to write.  And then the word "paradoxical" comes into my mind and I smile because I don't get to use that word enough.  Here's hoping for less random mumblings next time however.

Persona 3 Portable - I Beat It

Studious readers of not only the blog, but the sidebar twitter might realize that I actually beat Persona 3 Portable a few days ago, but those same people will understand that I was trying to wait until I could talk to my buddy Haplo who is whom I turn to for Persona matters.  Unfortunately, I assume he's been busy with school or something and hasn't been on, and in the meanwhile, this has been eating at me and I just can't write anything until I write this one out.  As with my Thoughts So Far post a little while back (not a link in this portion because spoilers), I am going to be, well, spoiling things, so I don't want to catch people unawares.  Considering I've beaten the story (and taken a peek at the story for The Answer since I'm not hunting my copy of FES down to play it), I have a pretty good stock of what happened.  So, without much further ado, let's get this goin', yeah?

As warned, thar be spoilers after the break.

XSEED Localizing Ragnarok Odyssey (Maybe)

I don't generally like linking to places that aren't Joystiq or Siliconera because, well, I've just used both those sites for a while now and they seem pretty reliable.  (Despite my whinging here and there about them)  Which is why I've used them for a while.  But every now and then, there's something that gets announced elsewhere that grabs my interest enough that I just have to go for it.  This would be one of those such times because GamesRadar seems to think that XSEED has announced localizing Ragnarok Odyssey for North America (as well as another title that I haven't looked into).  I say 'seems to think' because I can't find info about it elsewhere quite honestly.  Joystiq and Siliconera hasn't mentioned it, despite the even apparently happening last night, nor does their official site (which...hasn't been updated lately it seems) or their Facebook page mention it in an official capacity.  And even then, XSEED has already broken some hearts lately regarding localization, so I'm not exactly bursting with excitement.  Basically, I'm saying that I'm not going to trust this one right off.

For the sake of argument and posting, however, let's assume that this is totally legit, both in announcement, as well as XSEED following through.  Because that would be pretty awesome.  (Also, it would make sense on cancelling GKH in that case, if they're working on two projects)  I haven't really followed Ragnarok Odyssey a whole lot because I worried that it would stay Japan-centric since, well, that seems to happen with good games.  Regardless, from what I've seen (Skip to 8:17 for actual gameplay), it looks like a Monster Hunter game with a really interesting art style and battle system.  And by really interesting art style, I mean it looks gorgeous from what can be seen on a camera recording a held Vita.  And by interesting battle system, I mean a really fast-paced one.

The thing about Ragnarok Odyssey is that it really is a game that we -need- since it is, as I said, basically Monster Hunter, which the Vita still lacks because Capcom is dumb.  Monster Hunter is a big deal, especially with the PSP, so having something of its kind, even if it's not MH itself, will be a huge boon.  Of course, Ragnarok Odyssey probably won't be the first by the time it comes out, nor the last, but the reason I bring it up, why I pin any hope on it is because it honestly just looks good.  On top of that, if the Japanese release is anything to go by (which it should be), the game will have a proper online system for multiplayer which was the real main draw for MH as a series.  Coupled with the Vita's in-built capabilities for online play, and it should be a real hit, or at least do decently while we await Monster Hunter 3 HD or Monster Hunter 4 or something.

For me personally, I'm probably going to end up snapping this up, depending on when it comes out.  While I'm not really a fan of Monster Hunter games (I've only had a little exposure, mind, without Online) I am interested in this simply because it seems like it takes the slowness out of MH (one of the things that has me iffy about the series for me) and, with any luck, it might have a single-player campaign worth a damn.  Probably not, but, well, there's a chance I guess.  Considering it's out in Japan, I imagine I could just look around for the answer but that requires effort - not only as a base, but for yet another game that I just don't have the time nor money for that I will end up buying anyway (likely).  It's like when you tell yourself you're on a diet but just keep buying cookies or stuff anyway because, hell, who are we kidding, they're delicious.  Also, because I'm sure if I don't get it (again, depending on when it comes out), I will have very annoyed friends with Vitas, because I will be unable to Hunt Monsters with them.

Update!:  A minor update here, but XSEED has confirmed not only the game, but the fact that it will be a retail title.  Which, by the very nature of Vita releases means that it will be a Retail and Digital title rather than simply digital, which XSEED has stated that they are going to do more of and is proving that with Way of the Samurai 4, ensuring that I'm not going to bother with the game.  Because I can't download a gig on my PS3, much less however the hell big WotS4 will be.

Persona 4: Golden, Officially Coming Out This Fall in NA

It's official, Persona 4: Golden (apparently formally dropping the "The") will be hitting western shores sometime this Fall which isn't as specific as we all might hope for, but it's at least a little better than "sometime in the future".  Yes, it's a port, an enhanced one at that, and as I've discussed before, we're apparently to hate any of these types of things, but hell, it's Persona 4.  Nobody's going to hate it based on being a port of itself for a handheld (especially given that it doesn't seem anything's being cut from the original), and if they're going to hate it for anything, it'd be over how they didn't like the original.  Though, I seem to see even more praise for 4 than I do 3, which I imagine is saying something.  I say this, that I see the praise, for the simple fact that, like Persona 3, I haven't fully experienced Persona 4 yet despite owning it on PS2 and this portable version will be my first exposure.

Excessive?  Yes.  Entirely too much so, considering I bought my copy of Persona 4 brand new at $40 years ago and barely even opened the case to read the manual.  Seriously, I didn't actually realize that my copy came with the Soundtrack CD until just now when I checked to see if my copy was still shrink-wrapped.  Because it honestly could have been.  Of course, the reason for not playing Persona 4 was because the battle system was apparently so improved that it made going back to Persona 3 difficult.  Is that true?  I don't know.  I honestly probably won't know because I don't intend on throwing Persona 3 regular or FES in my PS2 and playing it out, and Persona 3 Portable reportedly has a lot of influences from Persona 4 in it, system-wise, so I won't be able to properly judge.  So long as the story is as entertaining as Persona 3's, I'm sure I honestly won't care too much.

Speaking of P3P, I feel like I should share the amusing little coincidence I experienced - I beat Persona 3 Portable this morning at 6 something AM (because endgame means forget about time) and after the ending finished, I promptly conked out.  By the time I woke up and got around to checking my LiveTweet on the Vita, Persona 4: Golden had officially been announced for the US ala above.  As I stated elsewhere (at Penny Arcade) it's like they were waiting for me.  Which means that I have to apologize to you all for not finishing the game much much sooner, but, well, you've played it I'm sure, so you know how it is.  I just wasn't sure that I'd be able to swing it since I couldn't kill The Reaper and went on a little grind-a-thon after I worked the courage up to do so with Odin, Raphael, Loki, Gabriel and Horus.  And....other Personae that I can't remember at the moment.

But P3P is a topic for another post, so I don't want to steep too much of this one in it.  I mentioned how Persona 4: Golden will be an enhanced port and, from what I've seen, that's exactly what I mean.  While P3P had to make a lot of sacrifices for the PSP as the platform of choice (namely the ability to traverse the world in-model, instead seeing everything as a blip on a map), P4G seems as if it will have to make none of those sacrifices and will, in fact, have additional content on top of the original game in its entirety.  I'm....not quite sure what it all means, of course, having not played Persona 4, but I'm sure the list, which will follow here, will make sense to those who have played the game.

• A bike that lets you travel to another town
• Revised background graphics
• A winter event
• New Personas for the main cast
• Team Attacks
• Rotating TV shows (including a quiz with Teddie)
• A brand new character
• 1.5 times the amount of voiced dialogue

Again, about the only one of those that I can make sense of are the last two which are pretty self-explanatory.  I can't find information on whether this new character will be a party member, a social-link, both (perhaps) or just 'story-important', but she's new at least.  Also more voice acting which apparently makes people all groany because it's mostly likely, 99% probably going to be English-only.  Which is....uh, a bad thing, apparently.  I am not, nor will I ever actively participate in the "Sub vs. Dub" conversation beyond saying that there's a time and a place for both, and will instead say that the voice acting in P3P was pretty good, so I don't mind it whatsoever.  Of course, those are just the pieces of info that they're actively sharing with us, though it's also probably the only bits that really matter.  But, I mean, I hope we can hope for another in-game nod to a future title ala Vincent explaining his situation from Catherine in P3P.  (That was so neat to stumble across, mind, and I think it was P3P only?)

I kind of hate that "the Fall" (sorry, I had to do it) is so far away, but I'm sure I can keep myself entertained until then.  Resistance:  Burning Skies is coming up and at the very least, P4G is skipping June by a wide margin.  Regardless, in the meanwhile, I have New Game + and/or "Girl Mode" on P3P to keep me busy for those moments when I don't have anything else, as well as a whole other RPG that I haven't even touched.  (Legend of Heroes:  Trails in the Sky)  My point is, I have everything at my disposal to be patient for this which is fairly rare, and not something I'm going to take very lightly.  Still, it will be oh so sweet when I finally get my hands on that (presumably) gold and blue case.