Atlus' Tactical JRPG 'Lost Dimension' Coming To PS3, PS Vita

Sony Computer Entertainment's President and Group CEO Andrew House is reflected in the display screen of a PlayStation Vita handheld game console as he speaks during an interview with Reuters in Makuhari, east of Tokyo September 18, 2014. Sony Corp's game division head said he hopes the unit can raise its profit outlook for a second time this financial year as sales of the latest PlayStation console and subscription services for games and other content far exceed expectations. Reuters/Yuya

Ever since Sony launched the PlayStation 4 at the end of 2013, virtually every new videogame has been restricted to the current-gen console. Its predecessor PS3 has been left in lurch when it comes to new games. However, despite the drought of new releases for the last-gen console, the Japanese publisher Atlus -- known for the highly rated Persona series of games -- has brought a new release for the platform.

"Lost Dimension" isn't your average JRPG. This party-based RPG incorporates tactical gameplay elements and has a rather nifty trick up its sleeve. The game puts players in the shoes of Sho, a member of U.N. sanctioned S.E.A.L.E.D. team tasked with stopping international terrorist called The End from, well, ending the world. Sho's team members possess unique powers that the player must leverage to save the planet. However, unlike a regular party-based RPG, this game randomly assigns one of your party members as a traitor.

"Well, let me paint a nightmare scenario for you: your pool of warriors that are leveling up and gaining experience have a few traitors in their midst, and as you inch closer and closer towards the final boss, you’re forced to kill one of your teammates -- hoping against all hope that you figured out enough clues along the way to be able to correctly identify which one of them is actually a traitor," explains Atlus Corporation's John Hardin through the official blog post. "And after you repeatedly undergo this pattern of trial of accusations and executions (bear in mind this is on top of a full day of combat) you’re squaring off against the final boss, only to have several party members turn on you because SURPRISE, you picked the wrong traitor."

This unique gameplay twist has players levelling up their characters while being constantly mistrusting of them. All the time and effort spent levelling up a character can potentially go to waste when he/she is found to be a traitor and switches sides to fight against the player. Thankfully, Sho has psychic power that helps him read minds to try and figure out which one of the team members is a mole, as noted by VG247.

"Lost Dimension" technically isn't a new release, but this critically acclaimed tactical RPG was earlier a Japanese only title released earlier in 2014 for the PS3 and PS Vita. Atlus has now created an English version of the game that will be relaunched for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita consoles. The game is priced at $40 and will be launched sometime in summer 2015, according to Siliconera.

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