Last year Atlus confirmed that Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, which has been out in Japan since August last year, will be coming to North America on 16th April 2013.
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers is an updated version of the Saturn original, and it will be the first time the game has travelled outside of Japan.
The 3DS exclusive naturally has a lot of improvements and updates over the original game, one of which was a vast increase in the amount of voice acting. Siliconera recently asked Alex Armour, the man currently handling PR duties for Atlus, if the voice acting would be as extensive in the localised North American adaptation.
He replied by saying:
We did not shy away from making the game fully English voiced. It’s almost as much as the JP version but it is cut back just a touch. It’s still a very robust production for voicing.
This led people to believe that there wouldn't be a whole lot of voice acting in the North American version, but it appears this is not that case and the game will still feature plenty of blabbering. Atlus has clarified that only some of the minor NPCs have had their voice acting removed.
In a post on the Atlus forums, the developer said:
The voicework that was cut was the map NPCs. The reason we cut that was because the JP version used one voice for every type of person: every man had the same voice, every woman had the same voice. It was pretty ridiculous, since these are definitely not the same person. To save time (and, yes, costs for studio work and actors), and to improve the work as a whole, we took out that bit.
Those who pre-order a copy of Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers from participating stores will receive a limited edition box set containing the soundtrack to the game. Naturally, it'll be available on the 3DS eShop as well, but you'll get no special CD that way.
Are you looking forward to playing this, North America? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
[source siliconera.com, via atlus.com]
Comments 21
Acceptable loss. Just gimme the game!
EU release date? 2017 or never?
Well I didn't know it even had voice acting so I guess it doesn't bother me one bit. I will be picking this up on day one. Now to get through EO4 first!
It is a damn shame the 3DS is region locked.
April 16th! Maybe i'll pick this up for my birthday.
Not too big of a deal for me. I just want more Nemissa <3
Already pre-ordered mine.
Waiting for my pre-order over here... =)
Tempted to import a US 3DS, I doubt this will come to Europe anytime soon (if ever), considering we are just getting Devil Summoner Overclocked next month or so (You know that 2009 DS game, and 2011 3DS game for Americans, that's sequel is already bloody out!) I wish we could get beyond the time of Region Lock next generation; If everything's going digital why restrict it?
Also regarding this game and voice acting; if it turns out like Virtues Last Reward, we won't even get English voice acting Has Fire Emblem been confirmed for Europe getting dual audio? Time to import me thinks.
Region lock is killing all the fun.
Maybe we need a way of pressuring Nintendo of Europe to publish these kind of titles that are already available in the US. With SMT vs Fire Emblem being announced, you would think Nintendo would be pushing for more SMT awareness across all regions.
It is not 1990. We live in 2013, the digital age and the gaming region differences are a STUPID relic from the past from when EU TV sets were different from US ones.
I really don't get why US and EU are different markets. There is no real reason why Soul Hackers for example won't be available at least as a digital download in April for both EU and US.
I am not familiar with x-box, steam, ipad (I never tried any of them) etc but seems that only Nintendo and Sony keep this region tradition thing.
They really need to stop voiceovers in english, it sounds horrible.
I would rather english subtitles, with jap voiceovers anyday, it sounds sooooooo much better and they could save money by just doing subtitles, it's a WIN WIN.
I can't believe companys ain't already doing this, it's like trying to watch Bleach with english voices it's soooo funny and weird and just lameeee. The Bleach in jap with eng subs is always the best. '' BAKA ''! xD
@belmont steam also has region locked releases due to different game cost policies, but that doesn't seems to be the case here.
I'm a big fan of english voice acting hence I'm glad to hear they cut out a part which only benefits the game itself. Will probably pick this game up if it ever comes over to PAL land.
@SneakyStyle Have you actually heard the voice acting Atlus uses. For English its actually very good! Overclocked was some of the best work I've heard in any video game.
Eh, no big deal. Most companies would have just cut out the voice-work altogether to save on costs, especially since it is some niche JRPG.
85 percent of dubs are fine it is the fact people hear a lot of things in Japanese first and just think its better even when they don't understand it. It is just human nature to thing exotic things are better then what your culture gives out
THIS IS HORRIBLE! THIS IS A TRAGEDY! THIS IS...not that bad, actually. I'll live.
Honestly, I would just prefer the original Japanese voices with dubs.
i already have mine pre-ordered too. can't wait to get this game
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