02/02/2009

CONTEST TIME! Calling All Persona 4 Fans And Fan Artists

by Matthew Edward Hawkins

UPDATE 3/18/06: There is now a second grand prize! Details below.

Perhaps some folks out there might recall that, at the end of my Persona 4 review in late December, I made mention of an art contest! And since then, nothing much else has been said, mostly because I didn’t want to make a fuss until I finally had the intended grand prize in my hands.

Which finally happened late last week, thanks to the fine folks at Atlus (special thanks goes to their main PR dude and all-around awesome fellow Aram Jabbari for digging deep into the company’s reserves). So again, time to sharpen up those pencils and fire up Photoshop, cuz it’s time to draw!

Here’s the deal: I want a neat drawing (or collage, or sculpture, or whatever) related to Persona in some way, either 3 or 4. And so what’s the incentive? Well…

GRAND PRIZE: A (SEMI-ENHANCED & MODIFIED) PERSONA 4 SOCIAL LINK EXPANSION PACK!!!

Yes, the much sought after, extremely expensive on eBay, limited edition pre-order bonanza that was only available on Amazon for a very short amount of time, that virtually everyone missed out on, including myself! Included in the package…

- A sealed copy of Persona 4 for the PlayStation 2. Once again, check out my review to find out why it’s easily the best JRPG in the past ten years or so, though I recently read someone say that it’s “basically PS2′s equivalent of Chrono Trigger”, which sums it all quite nicely to be honest. PLUS, in addition to the game disc is the first half of the soundtrack on CD!

- A copy of the Persona 4 soundtrack: Side B. This is the other half of the AMAZING music from the game, again one of the top soundtracks of 08!

- A copy of the Visual Data art book. Which was actually a pre-order incentive at stores like Gamestop and not part of the Amazon package that I’m throwing into the mix anyway. Why? Because I love all you people. That, and I already own two different Japanese editions anyway (hate to brag and all).

- A Persona 4 year 2009 calendar. Unfortunately, it’s a bit beat up, due to no fault of my own, but UPS’s. Almost everything I get from those jerk-offs is messed up someway or another. So sorry about that, but it’s still totally useable!

- A Persona 4 t-shirt. This one is actually not the same one that was part of the package, but I guess was whatever Aram had lying around the office, but it’s still very nice, and beggars can’t be choosers, right?

- A Teddie plushie, which is easily the grandest item of them all…

… Isn’t he SO cute?!?! So much so that I almost want him for myself! But a deal’s a deal. And wait, there’s more!

Plus there’s…

ALTERNATE GRAND PRIZE: A SEALED COPY OF THE PERSONA 4 OFFICIAL DESIGN WORKS FROM JAPAN!!!

What you see above is from my personal copy, so once again, one very lucky person will be received a brand new, still sealed copy of this flat-out wonderful compendium, which includes over a hundred pages detailing the beautiful artwork that is found in the game. A must have for any fan of Persona or video game aficionado in general!

So here’s the deal, and it’s because I’m such an indecisive person: I will choose two winners whose work I deem to be the absolute best, the cream of the crop (which ain’t gonna be easy, I can see that already). And then I will RANDOMLY choose one of the two to ask which prize they would prefer, the Social Link Expansion Pack or the Design Works book. Whatever that’s not chosen will go to the other person. Simple enough?

RUNNER-UP PRIZES: A RANDOM (YET STILL VERY HIGH QUALITY) WII OR DS OR PSP GAME, MAYBE EVEN PERSONA 4 AS WELL!!!

You tell me what system you have, and I’ll pass along a game for it, from my vast library of extra stuff that publishers have passed along. But it won’t be a clunker, no worries, I’m not here to waste anyone’s time or energy. Thus far, in my repository I’ve got stuff sealed copies of Okami, Boom Blox, a King of Fighters title, plus Sonic Rush Adventure (which is like the last good Sonic game to come out). There might actually be more by the time the contest is over with; I will basically try to send something to everyone that really impresses the hell out of me.

On, and this is kinda important: Whoever wins the grand prize, if he or she already has a copy of P4 and would rather switch it out for something else, like the aforementioned titles, then that’s totally doable! In that case, P4 will then become of the runner-up prizes.

Already I’ve gotten a few very neat submissions, but since I know my original post was more than likely missed my most, due it being Xmas Eve and all, figured another shout out was in order. Oh and this time, there is a deadline, which some have asked. It’s APRIL 18! That’s actually my birthday, so if I end up having a party, all my drunk friends will help me choose the winner. The address to pass all entires along to is matt at fort90 dot com! And naturally, all the winners and other highlights will be published here. Get to it!

  • http://drifth.deviantart.com Drifth

    I’ve never actually played the game but I have a friend who is obscenely obsessed with it. I’ve been curious about it for a while now though so you can count me in!

    Nice incentives, btw. ART BOOK. WHOO. 8D

  • Greywolf

    Is this only for people in the United States? Is Canada included?

  • https://www.fort90.com/journal/?fbconnect_action=myhome&userid=1 Matt

    Everyone from the Great White North can join in!

  • http://www.nithak.deviantart.com Nithak

    Whoa. Great prizes. Haha, now I’m all excited! So when’s the deadline?

  • http://Posscat.deviantart.com Livvi

    Oh shi–..
    I want so badly *______*
    Can people from UK join?

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