Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 3 was well on track to come out today (July 25th) right up until Monday (the 23rd), when it was discovered that the included art book ran into some printing issues.  Finding out two days before shipping that a major part of the package isn't ready to go can't be a pleasant experience, and the end result is that, though the game is complete, the ship date is now August 14.  The choice was either abandon all extras to ship on time or wait a couple of weeks, and I'm glad to see that Atlus didn't hesitate to make the right choice.  It's been eight years since Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, after all, and three weeks is barely a blip on the radar in comparison. Just try not to think about the summer gaming withdrawal and it'll all be ok.

The transition from E3 '06 to E3 '07 was a jarring one, with the size downgrade being only the most obvious change.  The central hangar where the E3 show floor was held was supplemented by several hotels where exhibitors demonstrated their biggest titles behind closed doors, all but defeating the point of having a smaller, press-only event in the first place.  Additionally, press meeting rooms would be used, cleared out, rebuilt in about 15 minutes or so, and then everyone would troop back in.  A smaller, more exclusive E3 isn't that bad an idea, but a less effective one doesn't help anybody.  So, onwards with the evolution.

Now that everyone has come home, a survey has been sent around indicating the possibility of more changes for next year.  A few tweaks to efficiency are a given, of course, but bigger differences are also being discussed.  It's pretty obvious that the E3 organizers are aware of the problems, as indicated by questions about Barker Hanger and the Fairmont Hotel, which were farthest away from the hotels where events were scheduled.  Also up for the possibility of change is the date, with options being discussed for May through August.  The most surprising change for regular E3 attendees is a potential move from LA, though, to San Francisco, Laguna Beach, Sand Diego, or Santa Monica.  Or maybe E3 will stay put in its home city.  Who knows at this point?  The only thing definite is that more changes are coming.

Everyday Shooter, an indie twin-stick blaster, has been snapped up by Sony to be a PSN title.  Formerly planned as PC shareware, Everyday Shooter has been in the pipeline for a while now, but the release date has been something of a mystery.  Getting bought by Sony and reworked for the retangular demands of 1080p, rather than the square-ish area of a PC monitor, explains quite a bit.

Everyday Shooter will be an abstract twin-stick musical album of levels.  Each stage, in addition to having an all-new graphic style, enemies, and (equally as important in this game) music, will also have a new combo system for maximizing the score.  Much like an album, every song is different while the musician's style shines through.  That's not just a dramatic simile, either, because the music's integration into the level gets as much attention as the graphics.  Every sound effect in the game is designed to complement each level's music, integrating sound, visuals, and gameplay into a theoretically-seamless whole. 

Why yes, this is one of my most anticipated games of the year.  While final details are still a bit fuzzy, you can believe we'll be giving Everyday Shooter plenty of attention as it slowly makes its way to release.

Get it here, and be a better person for it.

See! Odin Sphere get an average review score!

Thrill! As The Red Star gets a whopping two page review!

Travel! To Japan, for the Squeenix Party 2007!

LOL! @ PS3! It's a good issue, you should check it out.

Sonic hasn’t had a happy couple of years. The games sell well enough, but the quality has sunk through the floor, culminating in the wretched PS3/360 Sonic the Hedgehog. Sonic and the Secret Rings on Wii was kind of ok, but that’s hardly a ringing endorsement for what used to be Sega’s flagship mascot. Finally, though, a bright ray of sunshine breaks through the oppressive clouds of doom hanging over Sonic’s head with the announcement of Bioware working on a Sonic RPG for the DS, due sometime in 2008.

At this point, that’s the whole story right there- Bioware, Sonic RPG, 2008. Gameplay, visual style, characters, and even a name are all a mystery at this point. About all we’ve got to work with is a sense of anticipation for a Sonic game that’s finally going to be worth playing, and the lingering question as to why the only good Sonic in recent years has been on the DS.