Catherine: Full Body Will Get A Demo On Switch, File Size And Other Details Revealed

Can't wait for this all-over again.

Day 1buy for me

"Atlus confirms that the upcoming Switch edition will include a number of previously paid-for DLCs as standard."

Oh good. Sometimes I'm a bit hesitant to pay full MSRP for a game that's cheap on other platforms, but stuff like this helps. Plus it's fully portable!

Between Paper Mario and Catherine, July is going to be a great month.

Sadly, I had already purchased the PS4 re-release before they even announced this was on its way. Can't really justify a triple dip as I had the original too.

Bought the game for PS3, PC and Vita...will I buy the Switch version? Most likely

Nice to see Joker in his third switch game, that's almost impressive considering P5/P5R are on PlayStation.

PreOrdered and now Demo that is a good way to sell games.

Wasn’t planning on buying this game, but I’ll give the demo a try; my mind has been changed before after playing the demo of some games.

Cant wait. Was a great game before. Looking forward to seeing some changes and just climbing the tower again.

I will try out the demo to see if it's for me first. I've wanted to play this game, but the gameplay looks confusing to me.

Glad to see no crossplay, as Switch can't properly handle crossplay as it is.

Love this game so might double dip for Switch

Never got around to playing this on PS3 or Vita. Definitely will support some Atlus titles on Switch.

@mesome713 People complaining about no cross play remember this is Sony's fault, not Nintendo. Both Nintendo and Microsoft have been on board with cross play, but Sony doesn't play well with others.

This is one game from Atlus I’ve always wanted to play but never got the chance to. I’m very excited to finally get my chance to play it — and I’m sure my girlfriend will be wondering what in the hell I’m playing. Lol.

Having all the DLC included free is what's keeping me interested in the re-buy. It all seemed neat on PS4 but was super pricey for what it was. Lack of crossplay is a mild bummer, but there will still be a community and multiplayer isn't the main draw anyways. This is one of my favorite games ever, will probably triple dip.

@Link41x What? There are multiple games on Switch with crossplay that are just fine.

@KoopaTheQuick It is a bit pervy I guess, but it’s a fantastic game.

I wonder how much will have to be downloaded for the physical edition.

@KoopaTheQuick I'd say there are two or three cutscenes that go a bit far - for a game anyway, if it was TV it would probably be fine. But the game overall is amazing.

-Besides I played this one the family TV when I was 11, and it was fine (mostly) so it's nothing major.

Puzzle games aren't really my thing, but I will try out the demo and go from there. The PS3/PS4 versions caught my eye when they released but I never purchased them.

Not buying this transphobic trash

How am I supposed to meet a small friend and recall our childhoods and enjoy a journey to the dark, if my small friend plays on PS4?

I've only made awkward eye contact with Catherine on PS3. I... might get this on Switch, though more in the hopes of sending Atlus a message to bring more of their games to Switch. Obviously, I want to see Persona 5 on the system... not Royal, mind you; the gameplay improvements are great, but I found myself complaining about the inconsistencies in the added story content to the point where, despite not having played the original, I feel like I could enjoy it just as much.
I would like to see Persona 4 Golden on the Switch, mainly because the Vita does not deserve it's exclusivity, and I don't know how different it is from P4 vanilla beyond the new story that revolves around Marie, so I can't say I'd prefer the original P4 on Switch over Golden.
I never played any of Persona 3's variations, but apparently FES and Portable both have their own unique quirks that make either one worth playing, but maybe Atlus should fuse them together for a P3+, offering the best of both worlds.
Outside of the Persona/SMT games, I'd love to see more of Atlus' past games get another release on Switch, like Dokapon Kingdom and 3D Dot-Game Heroes.

@IanC14 here we go again (most people are great at complaining, but bad at trying to solve issues)

That doesn't mean I ignore the issue, I do know few T people and they don't really care about what happens in this game, real life issues are far more bigger problem for them than a silly game (and why complain about a good game, complain about the people that came up with this idea)

However even if they cared about the game, there it is it's a game and that is the main reason they don't take it serious (and yes I asked them, especially the one that ordered the game)

However I assume it would be a different thing it something like this happened in a big title like GTA or CoD, more people buy them.

@Kimyonaakuma Also the joker outfit in Tokyo Mirage Session. We have Joker everywhere in the switch, except in his own original game.

@Indielink I didn't say crossplay wasn't a thing on Switch just that it sucks on Switch. Fortnite comes to mind as the best example of one sided competition due to not having the same draw distance, not having the same framerate or being at a lower visual fidelity rate. Epic had to listen to the long listed complaints and spin the Switch players into their own lobbies with phone users it got so bad. Every game the Switch has crossplay in, the Switch players are at a disadvantage against the more powerful platforms.

I've had a passing interest in this game. The demo will help me decide if it's for me.

@Link41x That same gap exists between PS4/Xbox owners and people who play on PC. Even with the gap, crossplay is good. It expands lobbies, reduces wait times to get into games, and it extends the overall lifetime of a game. It's also just a generally pro consumer thing to do.

Fortnite is a mess because Epic hasn't gone back and optimized anything on Switch in the last two years. At launch the game ran decently enough that gyro helped bridge the gap a bit. Rocket League, Paladins, and Killer Queen all do a great job at offering fairly equal experiences.

@IanC14 here you go again..

@JSDude1 I've only just joined the site mate. I haven't even decided on a avatar yet.

@Venus_Adept Totally forgot about that, hopefully they stop the cameos and just port P5R already!

I thought Catherine was a single player only game?

@IanC14 Huh.... I played this years ago when it released on ps3. Don't remember anything transphobic about it. Then again, I don't search for things to be offended by. What exactly is this referring to ingame? Anyone know?

This is a game where videos don't help me and I need to try it out for myself to get a feel for the gameplay. Very much appreciated.

Let's see how long it takes the crazy right and left wing people to hijack this comment section, like what happened with the Ion Fury review article. God forbid anyone have a nuanced viewpoint on anything these days.

@Quantaur Erica the waitress is trans.

Some people are uncomfortable with her depiction and/or how other characters react to her. Others think she's great.

I'll play the game and figure out how I feel for myself.

@ReaperExTenebris @Quantaur It's very simple: one of the characters is a transgender woman. Everything in the story that happens to the men precisely and only because they are men happen to her as well, leaving only one conclusion to be drawn, that transgender women are truly men. That's transphobia, pure and simple. Ignore bigots like @BeautyandtheBeer and the people who upvoted his ignorance. His is the one fabrication in this comment thread.

@JimmySpades Because that character is biologically a man, therefore not a real woman (or woman in any circumstance), don't really know how you can argue against the facts but you keep trying.

Calling me a bigot is funny, you know nothing about me and base it one one logical comment. I actually identify as a tankard of beer so am certainly for the cause of people being what they truly feel they are.

@Ralizah it's already too late I'm afraid...☹️

"God forbid anyone have a nuanced viewpoint on anything these days."
Totally agree. I hate it that everything on the internet seems to have to be either black or white, especially when politics, gender and such are brought to the table. Which, to be fair, is way too often if the fact that a Nintendo site like this regularly devolves into a dumpster fire is of any indication.

@ReaperExTenebris exactly. It's essential to hear both sides of the argument before stubbornly charging into battle headfirst, but it seems that is the exception rather than the rule on the internet.
I for one have never played Catherine but I'll gladly listen to both sides.

@Kimyonaakuma technically fourth if you wanna count the joker skin for the avatar in Sonic Forces 😂

@clvr @ReaperExTenebris

Two things occur to me.

1) I think a lot of people, looking to be offended, often see prejudice when something can be better explained as a difference of viewpoint. For example, many feminists are often demonized for pointing out that it's offensive to lump trans women in with cis women, since both have different lived experiences when it comes to gender. Cis women can't really understand gender dysphoria, and transwomen can't really understand what it means to live your entire life in a patriarchal society as a biological female. In the case of this game, the writer might not subscribe to the same sort of ideological viewpoint surrounding gender identity politics that many Westerners do. This clash in cultural and personal understandings of gender and identity might make some people uncomfortable, but I think it's usually unreasonable to immediately jump to buzzwords like "transphobia" to explain away differences in understanding of an issue.

2) If the character is biologically male, and certain things in the game only happen to biological males, then it makes sense for the stuff happening to males to happen to the trans character. I don't see that as being "transphobic." But, of course, I think it's primarily down to execution, and the treatment of the character on a textual level. I think it's pretty clear when a piece of media is trying to explicitly denigrate a character.

@Ralizah Why wait? It's an article about entertainment on the internet. There are only two conclusions to be drawn from that: Every facet of it must be disguised political statements, and each of those statements has only two sides: the right one and the wrong one.

Unless you're one of those tri-side freaks that refuse to choose the right side when it announces itself.

Welp the phobia controversy discussion happened. Theres definitelly gonna be a battle in here and people arent going to listen to either side. Bad mouthing peoples opinions or ignoring facts, its all the same.

@Link41x Nintendo Switch handles crossplay pretty well. How did you get that crazy idea that it doesn't? Watching too many amateurs with YouTube videos?

"You can't play with friends on PS4"

Would be a hard sale to convince anyone I know with a PS4 to play this in July regardless.

It also debuted at #19 in the US and vanished. They probably thought PS4 crossplay not even worth the effort with the # of copies out there.

I'm certainly not the best person to provide insight into transphobic media depictions, but I have played this game through 3 times (twice during its original release in 2011 and again for the ps4 rerelease) and I dont think any malice was intended. These transgender characters are actual people in the story, and I think are nuanced and thoughtful given the context and time period the game came out. It's a great puzzle/story game and I'll be buying it on switch for sure

@Ralizah wow, that's gotta be one of the best comments I've ever read.

Point 1 really encapsulates internet confrontation in a nutshell: sometimes, as you rightly say, the overly exacerbated tones on the internet spark arguments that might've perhaps never happened during a civil eye-to-eye conversation.
I'm guilty of that myself, of course: when I look back on some of my comments in hindsight I can see some degree of "overreactiveness", if that's even a word.
Because when you see a clear-cut statement written on a random forum (or social media), by who knows who, from who knows where...well, that's when biases have a field day 😅

@Ralizah Well put.

If it really includes all DLCs, it sounds like a good deal.

@mangowuvvr69 I want to say the dlc costs about $15 - $20 total on the PS4, so its a good deal. However, the quality of the DLC itself is debatable.

@Agramonte Any particular reason you're trying to justify Sony's position? If Nintendo refused crossplay you'd be first in line to criticize them.

@ReaperExTenebris No, the game is definitely transphobic, and not just characters. Part of me hates saying that because of how it plays into the internet's habit of seeing everything in black and white, when reality, both in general and in this specific case, is more nuanced, but I'm not going to pretend that because of that I have to allow @BeautyandtheBeer to pretend his bigotry and ignorance are merely opinion that require my acceptance.

The character in question is fully drawn and not a stereotype. I don't believe the developers intended malice. I do believe that intent matters, having seen the racism card being played to condemn what is essentially cluelessness too often; so perhaps a there's a better word that would connote that the developers tried and failed to send a better message than they did. And arguably anyone who is dismissing the game as garbage not worth playing is overreacting as vehemently as any beer-besotted bigot we've come across, and making claims equally indefensible. But any discussion should center on the nature and magnitude of the problem, not whether or not there's a problem in the first place. That's a given, at least to anyone approach the game in good faith.

Thinking about buying it eventually, do I need to play the first game?

@okimoki This is the only game. It's just an expanded version of the original release.

@Ralizah I’ve played Catherine and I know that you also noticed the kinda dodgy stuff in the Persona games so it’s not a big surprise that Atlus sorta put their foot in it this time. I don’t wanna spoil anything but there’s a certain point where they show the characters if they had perfect lives and Erica hasn’t transitioned. They literally are saying that she would be better off as a man. They also deadname her in the credits. It’s a decent game and actually handles other themes really well but I can’t blame people for finding the way they handle Erica extremely distasteful.

I loved the original game on Xbox 360, the only non-Nintendo console I've ever had (my bro got it for FIFA).

I can't wait for this on Switch.

That said, the transphobic Erica stuff was terrible and I'm sorry the haven't fixed that in the remake. Doesn't make the game awful, and doesn't mean I won't play it, but I will call it out for what it does. I'm not surprised that Atlus is behind the times, given how backwards Japan is toward all QUILTBAGs. Makes America look positively progressive on the issue.

@marandahir

"Makes America look positively progressive on the issue." Haha, I know! I was always disappointed they didn't have half the courage to make Kanji legit gay in Persona 4. He just "decided" he wouldn't be and that was him "overcoming his shadow". That's sending a pretty bad message. Still an overall good game, but Altus ain't breaking the Japanese mold, that's for sure.

Anyone know if this is all on the cartidge?

I don't know anything about this, I've only seen the direct trailer, it looks so weird and crazy, day 1 buy

I have this game on PS4 and I loved it. And I really don't understand why everyone is getting so upset about it.

@JimmySpades Where does it say SONY said they could not do it?

Nobody stopped Mega Baseball 3 or Call of Duty: Warzone from doing crossplay with PS4 in 2020. Just like Minecraft got the green light last Dec. SONY's position since Oct 2019 is that publishers can do crossplay.

I am not blaming Nintendo for Mortal Kombat 11 skipping Crossplay on Switch (it is only for Xbox and PS4). They simply do not want to do the work just like Atlus.

@R_Champ Kanji is really one of the biggest missed opportunities in JRPGs. His story could have really been groundbreaking for the time but they kinda copped out. I still like his character but his progression was mostly him going from ‘I’m a tough guy’ to ‘I also like to sew’ while Yosuke acts disgusted by him on a regular basis.

@clvr It's pretty easy, especially online, to 'overcompensate' when dealing with unreasonable people. In the presence of positive reinforcement in certain social circles, this accelerates the individuals' increased tendency toward tribalistic thoughts and behaviors, and, in the long term, toward the disintegration of public dialogue in general.

@nessisonett Well, like I said, I can't say much without the narrative context, but it's not really a stretch to think that most trans peoples' lives would be improved if they didn't experience gender dysphoria and feel a disconnection with their assigned sex. I know in an age of transtrenders and the politicization of gender identity politics this isn't really a popular viewpoint, but in a "perfect" world there probably wouldn't be trans people. Gender dysphoria is a horrible psychological affliction, and, if you knew what it's like, you wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy. It's not like with gay people where all you have to do is remove some pointless stigma and everything is good.

Anyway, Japan isn't really on the same page with this issue as most of the Western world, and that's going to be reflected in the media being produced in the country. It's fine to question the treatment of gender and identity in Japanese media and to feel uncomfortable with it in your own Western social context, but there comes a point where standing in constant judgment of it, labeling it transphobic, and talking openly about the need for the people producing said media to be "educated" or "enlightened" on the issue becomes a sort of woke cultural imperalism (to be clear: I'm speaking generally; I'm not accusing YOU, in particular, of anything).

Bigotry against trans people is real, but I also feel it's important to show some restraint in what labels we apply to things. For example, as an American, if I hear someone being called a "nazi," I don't know if that means said person is actually a white supremacist or if they just support certain economic and social policies that the other person finds distasteful. And that's a problem, because it eventually waters down the meaning of the term.

Like I said, it's fine to be uncomfortable with how this stuff is treated. One of my favorite game series really disappointed me with how it treated a certain gender-nonconforming character, for example, and, like you know, I wasn't really cool with the depiction of gay people in Persona 5. The dialogues opened by these interactions with other cultures and their media is how the world grows together. But it has to be a dialogue, a give-and-take, as opposed to moralistic lecturing that'll just end up alienating the very people we're trying to reach.

@Ralizah It’s definitely true that the world would be a less interesting place without artists that I personally don’t agree with on any level. Ignition by R Kelly is a bop even if he is really not. I did a dissertation on vorticism and futurism which I love despite a majority of the artists being literal fascists. Even staying within games, the Dragon Quest composer is really quite homophobic even by Japanese standards but I still love his music in those games. You’ll definitely have to play Catherine to make up your mind whether you personally find the way Erica’s treated is distasteful or not. It’s just interesting to see a lack of commentators saying ‘keep politics out of video games’ when it’s stuff like this, compared to Celeste or Baldur’s Gate.

This has reminded me to preorder.

I’ve been wanting to play it for a while and it comes out near my birthday.

@Aurumonado
I want to know this too. How much is on cart if I buy physical, and how much space do I have to download additionally (if any)?

I really don't want to buy an 11+ GB game digitally and then have to figure out how to fit it onto my already crowded mSD cards if there's a physical version that greatly reduces the on-drive space taken.

I think the only thing preventing this race between game-space-size and mSD card/HD data space from going on forever will be eventually game creators won't be able to churn out high quality games of that size without enormous development lead times. Maybe games like No Mans Sky suggest that we'll return to an era of Procedurally Generated titles at that point, though… If the computer can build 90% of the world space, then this race will go on forever.

For now I guess I'll have to figure out the physical card's carrying of that 11+ GB, and if it's worth it versus sending some of my other games on mSD to the cloud like I've done when I wanted to play huge games that are download only.

@JimmySpades You should see his love poetry to Sony on Push Square...wow. Gushing ain't the word.

@WiltonRoots The next time I'm bored--which has generally been happening about a dozen times a day recently--I just might do that. Laughing at absurdity seems like the perfect activity nowadays.

@JimmySpades I could literally write his posts for him.