In Persona 3, you’ll assume the role of a high school student, orphaned as a young boy, who’s recently transferred to Gekkoukan High School on Port Island. Shortly after his arrival, he is attacked by creatures of the night known as Shadows. The assault awakens his Persona, Orpheus, from the depths of his subconscious, enabling him to defeat the terrifying foes. He soon discovers that he shares this special ability with other students at his new school. From them, he learns of the Dark Hour, a hidden time that exists between one day and the next, swarming with Shadows. These monsters have been steadily claiming victims aptly nicknamed “The Lost”—people who’ve inexplicably become mindless zombies. Under the supervision of school chairman Shuji Ikutsuki, he joins his new companions in confronting this threat to humanity…

With your school as the primary battlefield, you’ll be forced to juggle between two lives: student by day, defender against evil by night. And your greatest challenges await you on the eve of each full moon.

The manufacturing issue with the art book was brought to our attention mere days prior to the initial ship date, and was a scenario both unforeseen and beyond our control. Our disappointment and frustration is tempered by the knowledge that the final product will live up to our standard of quality and also the expectations of our fans.

Commenting on the release of Persona 3 on PS2, Naoki Katashima, Executive Vice President of KOEI Europe and KOEI US, said, “Persona 3 is one of the most highly regarded RPGs of recent times and we are delighted to be able to bring this renowned title to European gamers. We look forward to continuing to work with Atlus to bring the very best Japanese RPGs to Europe.”

While many are willing to sacrifice the art book in favor of the game alone, the package we have spent the last few months designing, one intended to honor the series and reward fans for an eight year wait, would be irreparably compromised if we were to revise or abandon the deluxe package. Without the art book, the outer box would lack the structural integrity to endure shipping; all extras would need to be discarded. Again, this deluxe set was created for the fans of Shin Megami Tensei and Persona, and we are determined to see the special release through to the end.

Key Features:

• Engaging Social Link system lets you build intimate relationships with friends and love interests alike!
• Unforgettable characters and professionally-acted dialogue bring the story to life!
• Massive replay value with over 20 Social Links and a complex storyline encompassing a full school year.
• Highly stylized designs grace the beautiful 2D character portraits, detailed 3D animations, and heart-pounding cut scenes!
• Intense, strategic battle system; find and exploit enemy weaknesses with the help of your allies!

Currently available in Norht America, Persona 3 is scheduled for release on PS2 across Europe on Feb. 29, 2008.