Innocent Sin casts you in the role of Tatsuya Suo

Persona 2: Innocent Sin for the PSP has been, in some circles, a very long time coming. Originally released in 1999 by Atlus for the Japanese PlayStation, this PSP port represents the first time the game has ever been available on American soil. Its sequel, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is a beloved classic among RPG aficionados, though many fans were unaware that it was actually the second half of a larger story arc.

Those who were aware have likely been crossing off the days until Innocent Sin's release. As a huge RPG nerd myself, I am happy to report that Innocent Sin was well worth the wait. The game sometimes fights itself with archaic mechanics and dated visuals, but in the end, Innocent Sin emerges the victor thanks to its unique sense of style and a level of gameplay and thematic depth that even the best modern RPG's would be hard pressed to beat.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin Screenshots
Persona 2: Innocent Sin Screenshots

For those late to the party, Persona 2: Innocent Sin is one of many titles developed by Atlus as part of a larger RPG "brand" known as the Shin Megami Tensei series (or MegaTen for short). Nocturne, Digital Devil Saga and Persona are but a few of the most recent IP's in this long running family of games. The MegaTen series is known for keeping with the hardcore tradition of the JRPG, and Innocent Sin is no exception. Genre staples such as level grinding, random monster encounters, turn-based combat and undirected dungeon exploration are all present.

If your idea of a challenging RPG is a Final Fantasy with a double digit number next to it, you are in for a very rude awakening. Innocent Sin was developed 12 years ago when RPG's were very different from what they are today. Players who find the "old guard" of RPG game design infuriating need not apply. Those of you still playing and enjoying Eternal Punishment need to stop reading this review and go out to buy Innocent Sin ASAP. For those in between, read on to discover if this unique gem is the right game for you.

Innocent Sin casts you in the role of Tatsuya Suou, an emotionally removed yet widely admired teen attending the prestigious Seven Sisters High School. Sevens is home to the most popular, most attractive and most academically successful students in all of Sumaru City, the fictional town in which the game takes place. Trouble has come to Seven Sisters, though. Students are becoming afflicted with wow gold gold4wower.com a mysterious disease that disfigures their faces. Other students are enacting a schoolyard ruse called "The Joker Game" in which they wow gold use their cell phones to summon a man called The Joker who either makes your dreams come true or steals them from you, essentially wiping you from existence. The new principal is acting very strangely and rumors are beginning to circulate that the school insignia has been cursed.

That last bit about rumors is important. It becomes apparent to Tatsuya and his fellow adventurers that rumors, no matter how farfetched, are becoming truth. The result is a series of bizarre, rumor-fueled happenings ranging from the personally devastating to the globally threatening.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin Screenshots
Persona 2: Innocent Sin Screenshots

It's a wonderfully original story that creates a serious commentary on the average person's willingness to believe anything they see or hear while making teenage ennui manifest in tangibly dangerous ways. If you renamed Sevens to "Sunnydale High" you would be half way to a Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG... and I mean that as a great compliment.

Much like Buffy, things go from lighthearted and personal to heavy and far-reaching quickly. This is no high school "coming of age" tale. The story contemplates the nature of sin, and the difficulty of forgiving others and one's self. The cast of characters, who initially appear to be typical young adults, share a dark past. By the time the credits roll, they end up being memorable in a way few video game characters ever are. The "what happens when perception becomes reality?" question at the story's core is as relevant today as it was when the game was created in 1999.

Refreshingly, this element of the plot also factors heavily into the actual gameplay when you start conversing with various NPC's around town and even the enemies you encounter.

Yes, you read right. You can actually have a chat with the monsters in this game