Versus Mode, Round 3 - Persona 3 vs Persona 4, Ready? Fight!

Warning: The following presentation contains major spoilers, reader discretion is advised.

It’s a high school brawl as Tiger and Rabbit clash head-to-head to see which Persona game reigns supreme. Is it Persona 3? Originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2007, it received an ultimate edition called FES in 2008 and a PlayStation Portable release in 2010. Or is it Persona 4? First released in 2008 on the PlayStation 2, it was later remade as Persona 4 Golden on PlayStation Vita in 2012. Both games are similar but have striking differences. Tiger and Rabbit set out to prove which Persona game is the best.

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Tiger: Persona 3 or Persona 4, which one is better?

Rabbit: This again? We’ve had this conversation multiple times.

Tiger: Exactly. I thought it was time we finally put this on tape and officially battle it out.

Rabbit: ^crosses arms^ You know I’m going to win this one, right? That’s the only outcome possible.

Tiger: *shakes head* Keep dreaming, there is no way my beloved Mitsuru could lose to your Rise.

Rabbit: She’s so old though.

Tiger: She’s awesome but I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves.

Rabbit: In this edition of Versus Mode, Tiger and I will be fighting over which Persona game is the best, Persona 3 or Persona 4? I, obviously, am choosing Persona 4.

Tiger: And Persona 3 is the game I’m going to use to pulverize you with.

Rabbit: I dare you to try.

Tiger: While the games are very similar, after all they are from the same series, there are some major differences.

Rabbit: They’re both developed and published by Atlus, both directed by Hashino Katsura, share the same artist in Soejima Shigenori, and the music for both games was composed by Meguro Shoji.

Tiger: They both appeared first on PlayStation 2 before getting expanded versions. The two games also share the same in-game world with cameos of Persona 3 characters in Persona 4. A lot of the characters from both games also appear in Persona 4 Arena and Ultimax, the fighting game spin-off series.

Rabbit: We’ll be focusing on Persona 3 FES and Persona 4 Golden in this Versus Mode.

Tiger: Persona 3 takes place in Iwatodai, a city built and managed by the Kirijo Corporation. There’s this strange event called the Dark Hour, a period of time that separates the days. It results in the majority of people turning into coffins, unaware of what happens within this hour. During this time, reality is changed with creatures called Shadows, roaming the city and preying on the minds of those who are still conscious. Being attacked by Shadows in the Dark Hour leaves the victim in a catatonic state outside of this time, which the media refers to as Apathy Syndrome. The local high school, Gekkoukan High School, also is affected by the Dark Hour, transforming into the labyrinthine tower known as Tartarus. All of these events lead to the creation of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad or SEES, a group of Gekkoukan High School students who are determined to solve the mystery that is the Dark Hour.

Rabbit: Wow, that’s kind of depressing.

Tiger: To me, Persona 3 is the darker of the two stories, even though 4 centers on a bunch of murders.

Rabbit: That is true. Persona 4 is located in the rural town of Inaba, where unexplained murders have taken place. This usually peaceful town is now plagued by strange fog and bodies being hung from television antennas, to which the police have no known cause of death. During this time, students at Yasogami High School hear a rumor about the Midnight Channel. If you watch a switched-off TV during a rainy midnight, you will see your soulmate but so far, the only people seen on this channel have turned up dead.

Tiger: See, how is that happier? People don’t really die during the Dark Hour; they just get turned into vegetables.

Rabbit: But Iwatodai is a depressing location, especially as the game progresses. Eventually the entire city is covered in garbage and doomsday graffiti.

Tiger: There is an “end of the world” vibe going on at the end of the game, that’s for sure. Even with the murders though, Inaba stays pretty upbeat. I don’t know, I like the characters and all but I just found Persona 3’s group to be more grounded. I mean, a teen idol, really?

Rabbit: Persona 3 has a death robot that is obsessed with the main character. And what about your best bud falling in love with the enemy?

Tiger: At least there is an actual enemy in Persona 3, I disliked Persona 4’s ultimate bad guy. Yes, it was fun not knowing who the murderer was at first but eventually, I felt that we got strung along in the end.

Rabbit: I do feel that Persona 4 has the best characters, like Narukami Yu.

Tiger: Point of order, we’ll be using the Anime names since the protagonists can be renamed by the players and because some of the manga use different names as well.

Rabbit: While his parents work abroad, Yu moves to Inaba and stays with his uncle, Dojima Ryotaro and cousin, Nanako. While attending Yasogami, he befriends fellow Inaba transplant Hanamura Yosuke. Yu is also joined by two of your classmates, Satonaka Chie and Amagi Yukiko. They travel through a TV and find themselves in the world of Shadows.  Later on in the game, they are also joined by biker-esque Tatsumi Kanji, mascot Teddie, and idol Kujikawa Rise, yay for Rise, and detective Shirogane Naoto. Together, they race against time to stop the murders of those who appear on the Midnight Channel.

Tiger: I thought I would like Yukiko a lot more than I did. She looks like your typical yamato nadeshiko. A shy girl who’s elegant and popular at school but doesn’t realize it yet and she has some odd quirks.

Rabbit: Like her laughing fits that seem to happen at strange times.

Tiger: I gotta admit that her Shadow was one of my favorite moments. Pretty funny stuff.

Rabbit: Yes, all of your teammates have to face their Shadow selves in the TV world before they unlock their Persona. This Shadow represents their darker selves with a lot of personal fears and anxieties manifesting themselves in overt ways. Kanji’s is the best by far.

Tiger: Yes, that one probably takes the cake. I thought most of them were very well done except Naoto’s Shadow. That entire character felt rushed and to me, Naoto appeared a little too late in my opinion. So, I know Rise is your favorite but do you have a second fav?

Rabbit: I think Chie is my other favorite, she’s the most normal out of all of them and I really enjoy her can-do attitude. I actually thought she would’ve been my top pick, since I usually don’t go with the Idol type but Rise won me over in the end. Plus, she’s actually really helpful in combat, unlike Fuuka.

Tiger: Yeah… but the rest of the Persona 3 cast are awesome! Yuuki Makoto is also a transfer student but unlike Yu, his parents died in an accident in Iwatodai ten years earlier. He naturally has the ability to function in the Dark Hour, which is revealed when he first arrives at the SEES dormitory. There he meets classmate Takeba Yukari, and upperclassman Kirijo Mitsuru. Mitsuru’s classmate, Sanada Akihiko, lures a powerful Shadow back to the dorm, which overpowers the SEES members. Yukari takes Makoto to the roof, in hopes of saving him, only to be attacked herself. Makoto then picks up her Evoker, a gun-like item that summons Personae, and uses it to defeat the Shadow. After that, he officially joins SEES along with fellow students Iori Junpei and Yamagishi Fuuka, android Aigis, ex SEES member Aragaki Shinjiro, elementary student Amada Ken, and the awesome dog Koromaru.

Rabbit: I LOVE Koromaru! He’s the dog's woof!

Tiger: Of course you would love the dog. He is pretty great. He was one of my mains and did very well until the last freaking boss.

Rabbit: *giggles* You also love Mitsuru, I don’t get that.

Tiger: She’s very cool and mature. She also is an Ice Queen and can heal. I probably would have liked Yukari more if she wasn’t an absolute idiot in battle. Speaking of which, this is where I feel the games are the most different. In Persona 3, you can only control Makoto which can be bothersome.

Rabbit: Persona 4 isn’t like that at all.

Tiger: *sticks out tongue*

Rabbit: So who were your mains during your last playthrough?

Tiger: Makoto of course, with Koromaru, Yukari, and Mitsuru. I could destroy every enemy with ease, even Death I had no problem with, until the last freaking boss. Apparently, according to a few guides, Koromaru and Mitsuru are the worst characters to bring with you to the final battle, go figure.

Rabbit: Here we go; another Night Queen rant.

Tiger: *throws up hands* Yes! Another Night Queen rant, freaking Night Queen! That move is unfair on so many levels! Not only does the final boss get to throw out attacks two turns in a row, freaking Night Queen can charm, enrage, and panic all of your characters!

Rabbit: And we all know what happens next.

Tiger: I tried to beat that boss so many times, I eventually had to backtrack to an old save, replay almost two in-game months worth, and then face the boss with my newly leveled up characters. Do you know what happened then?!

Rabbit: We all know what happened next.

Tiger: *waving arms in air* The boss didn’t use freaking Night Queen once on me, not once! I did all that work for nothing!

Rabbit: You did finally beat the game though.

Tiger: All that time grinding so I could defeat that move and Night Queen was never used.

Rabbit: At least in Persona 4, I never had any issues like you had where Yukari refused to do anything, even though she could have healed you because, in Persona 4 you can control everyone. Yay!

Tiger: It also makes the game much easier, where’s the challenge in that?

Rabbit: Persona 4’s support member is also a lot more useful. Rise can tell you enemies’ weaknesses, tell you party members’ status, and even join in on the action.

Tiger: Yeah, I will admit I found Rise a lot more useful than Fuuka.

Rabbit: My mains were Yu, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko-

Tiger: Wait, you just stuck with the original four characters?

Rabbit: ^grins^ Yup, they’re the best! I really didn’t want to break them up once the other players became available, it would’ve been sad. The combat is the same as Persona 3 where you explore dungeons, fight Shadows in turn-based combat, can use physical and Persona attacks, and then you have your daily life gameplay. I like being able to fully control my party though, it saves me the headache of having characters sit there and do nothing when they could have saved you from defeat.

Tiger: I just realized we haven’t even discussed what a Persona really is.

Rabbit: Oh yeah, I’d describe them as cute little soul demons that you can summon to aid you in battle. All of the characters, expect the main protagonist, have a specific Persona which is like an alternate representation of their true selves. Each Persona also has a specific element which they use in their magic attacks.

Tiger: That’s the gist of it, though I wouldn’t have quite described them that way.

Rabbit: Like any high schooler, when you play a Persona game, you have to balance out your daily school life while fighting Shadows at night.

Tiger: I don’t remember having that dilemma when we were in school…

Rabbit: After fighting Shadows every night, you still have to wake up and go to school, study, hang out with friends, and even work a part-time job. These experiences create bonds with the people you meet, called Social Links, and through these connections; your character begins to grow in ability.

Tiger: The Social Link system really defines the Persona games. It’s quite complicated trying to find equilibrium between leveling up via combat and spending time with your friends. Plus, you have to choose wisely which Social Links you want to focus on, forget to hang out with someone for a few weeks and you might lose your connection to that person. 

Rabbit: It’s these relationships that really make Persona games special. I love the non-playable characters in Persona 4. I liked hanging out with the old widow Kuroda Hisano and the mysterious Fox you meet at Tatsuhime Shrine.

Tiger: I really enjoyed spending time with Miyamoto Kazushi who is a member of your sports team. I also liked Bebe Geraux, a French exchange student; and Suemitsu Nozomi, the Gourmet King.

Rabbit: You have weird taste in friends.

Tiger: I’m not the one that hung out with a Fox. Anyway, both games are really great JRPGs but I’m still sticking with my guns on Persona 3 being better than Persona 4. The story is tighter, the characters are deeper, and the gameplay is challenging. Persona 4 is too light and bubbly for my taste.

Rabbit: Bubbly-ness is what makes Persona 4 so awesome. It has a great murder mystery, lovable characters, and I thought the ending was pretty good. For me, it was much more enjoyable than 3, plus I could take it with me on the go!

Tiger: You know what we haven’t talked about yet?

Rabbit: What’s that?

Tiger: The music of Persona 3 and Persona 4.

Rabbit: I guess that means it’s time for a Bonus Round!

Versus Mode Bonus Round – Burn My Dread vs Your Affection, Ready? Fight!
Tiger: *yells* I WILL BURN MY DREAD!

Rabbit: Oh no! The best song from the Persona series has to be Your Affection.

Tiger: That song is so chill though. C’mon, Burn My Dread even has a rap in the Last Battle version! *puts sideways baseball cap on and raps* There’s a no man’s land, no man ever survived. Invisible hands are, behind you just now. If you ever win that, race against rage then, you’ll be king ‘cuz, it’s no man’s land.

Rabbit: Word to your mother. Your Affection talks about flowers though, awesome flowers! Ones that bloom in tears, turning misery into meaningfulness!

Tiger: What does that even mean?

Rabbit: It’s groovy. ^starts to dance^ You can’t help but groove to this song. Oh yeah, See’mon and dance Tiger!

Tiger: *Turns Burn My Dread back on* This has to be Meguro Shoji’s best song. It's sung by Kawamura Yumi and Lotus Juice does the rap vocals. There’s even a more relaxed version for you if you don’t like the Last Battle or Reincarnation versions.

Rabbit: Well My Affection is also Meguro Shoji’s best song and it’s sung by Hirata Shihoko. It also has a Reincarnation version that rocks, so there!

Tiger: It doesn’t rock at all. That’s why Persona 3 has the better soundtrack, the battle themes are the best. Persona 4 is just too lighthearted.

Rabbit: You may think that but Persona 4’s music is upbeat, it’s great driving music. It makes every day seem sunny and bright when you listen to it.

Tiger: I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

Rabbit: ^grins^ We’ll just turn misery into meaningfulness!

Versus Mode, Round 2 - Yakuza vs Sleeping Dogs, Ready? Fight!

Warning: The following presentation contains major spoilers, reader discretion is advised.

It’s a battle of the East as Tiger and Rabbit brawl over which organized Asian crime game is the best. Yakuza is a series that spans over 5 main games and 5 spin-offs. The original Yakuza was released in 2006 on PlayStation 2 and saw its sequels brought stateside but more recent entries have yet to be released in the West. Sleeping Dogs came out in 2012 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC and was re-released this year on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in an all-inclusive “Definitive Edition.” Triad Wars, a PC spin-off game, is set to release in 2015.

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Tiger: You ready to do this, Master Asia?

Rabbit: I’m so ready, bring it on Paco!

Tiger: Paco? Who’s Paco?

Rabbit: I have no idea; I just thought that it sounded like a gangster’s name.

Tiger: Wow… that is kind of racist.

Rabbit: Hey, I thought the Godfather was all about Italians. To my defense, I’ve never seen those movies.

Tiger: Wait, how can that be?

Rabbit: I don’t like R-rated movies.

Tiger: Oh wow, the Godfather is an awesome movie, I especially love the sequel.

Rabbit: All I know is ^in a crackly voice^ “I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse.” ^throws up horns^

Tiger: Please stop. You just aren’t cut out for the mob.

Rabbit: I be gangsta.

Tiger: You be trippin’.

Rabbit: Sun On Yee, woot woot!

Tiger: Ooookay. I think that’s enough of that. Let’s get on with the battle, shall we? It’s an all East affair with Yakuza and Sleeping Dogs fighting it out to see which game is the best.

Rabbit: Woof!

Tiger: *rolls eyes* My choice, which is clearly the best game, is Yakuza from the glory days of the PlayStation 2.

Rabbit: There’s a new one coming out soon, right?

Tiger: Which I hope we will see soon! Anyway, I’m focusing on Yakuza 1 and 2 on the PlayStation 2 for this Versus Mode.

Rabbit: Hey! That’s not fair since I’m only fighting with one game, you can’t tag team.

Tiger: I just had this image of you summoning up Sleeping Dogs Pokemon style.

Rabbit: Wei Shen, I choose you!

Tiger: Anyway, the only reason why I’m going to reference both is because… they are so stupid similar that I get them mixed up.

Rabbit: ^crosses arms^ Fine, and my champion racehorse is the awesomesauciest United Front Games’ game, Sleeping Dogs. The reason why this game is so awesome is because it’s open world and yours is not. It has an awesome driving mechanic, great combat, and a really well done story… Yakuza, not so much. I’m actually surprised you didn’t pick this game since you love open world environments so much.

Tiger: Yakuza is an open world game too, abet on a much smaller scale. It also has the most satisfying beat-em-up combat with a great story and an even better setting. Kamurocho is one of the coolest places to just kick back and relax or beat up a bunch of thugs. Plus, who doesn’t want to be a badass Yakuza member? And I will tell you, Kiryu Kazuma is the baddest of them all.

Rabbit: You are such a perv, Kamurocho is a redlight district! At least in Sleeping Dogs you spend your time enjoying the sights of beautiful Hong Kong. The map is quite large and while it might sound like a pain to explore the city, driving in this game is so much fun that you won’t want to use the quick-travel option.

Tiger: I can’t believe you would judge me; you’re the one who dated two women at the same time in Sleeping Dogs. *shakes head* Sheesh, Kamurocho is much more than just your run of the mill redlight district, it’s-

Rabbit: How do you even know what a run of the mill redlight district is like?!

Tiger: *glares* It’s a figure of speech, Rabbit. Anyway, it’s filled with many different attractions such as the Millennium Tower and Stardust. Kamurocho has fantastic restaurants to try like Matsuya and Atenshi. If you need to do some shopping, you can stop by Don Quixote or M-Store. Then, when you’re ready to party the night away, you can visit Asia or Club Ageha. And no trip to Kamurocho is complete without stopping at Club Sega Nakamichi or the Karaoke Palace.

Rabbit: You aren’t the only one who can play tour guide. It was my dream job before yours anyway. ^clears throat^ The city of Hong Kong sits on a lush island with breathtaking views of the ocean found almost everywhere. The city is vibrant and full of life with it being a popular destination to visit and live. Hong Kong is divided into four neighborhoods. North Point is where many of the game’s characters call home. The Night Market, Yau Ling Park, and Club Bam Bam are notable attractions of North Point. The luxurious Central Neighborhood is where all the rich and powerful people go to play. The beautiful Victoria Park is found in this neighborhood along with the Central Hospital and K-Bar. Up next on the tour is Kennedy Town where Hong Kong’s cemetery is located. Lastly, we have Aberdeen which encompasses a small island to the south of Central. Many of its residents live on houseboats and enjoy the spectacular scenery. ^sticks out tongue^ Beat that you silly cat!

Tiger: While that sounds all good and fine, but what about your game’s character? It doesn’t matter how cool your surroundings are if you have a lame character. Yakuza has the coolest and most badass wanna-be-dad you can find-

Rabbit: Huh?

Tiger: Just roll with me. Yakuza centers on Kiryu Kazuma better known as “the Dragon of Dojima.” Kiryu was a member of the Tojo Clan who was about to start his own subsidiary group before taking the fall for the murder of his boss. When the game starts, he is finished with his 10 year prison sentence and returns home to Kamurocho only to be marked for death by the yakuza community. He soon finds out that 10 billion yen has been stolen from the Tojo clan and that a little girl named Haruka has something to do with it. He eventually starts taking care of Haruka while trying to track down the money. Things happen, people die, yada yada, and then you get an awesome ending. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot but it involves a pretty explosive final battle.

Rabbit: ^raises eyebrow^ Yada yada?

Tiger: I’m ignoring you.

Rabbit: Aww, you’re just a sad ‘iddle kitty cat with a daddy complex.

Tiger: *makes a fist* Shut your trap! And for your information, the only “daddy” I like wears number five and he left me.

Rabbit: ^snickers^ Ooh, I think I struck a chord.

Tiger: Kiryu is a great character; he’s kind and compassionate but also willing to beat the living daylights out of you if you cross him. There’s even a review from an actual yakuza member that said Kiryu was like an old-school yakuza who kept the streets clean.

Rabbit: Your dude may be living in the past but my guy is a modern mobster. Wei Shen was born in Hong Kong but moved to San Francisco when he was young. The move was an attempt by his mother to save Shen’s older sister, Mimi, from drugs and the Triads that controlled Hong Kong. While stateside, Shen joined the SFPD and became a rising star in the force. During this time, he was reprimanded six times for violent behavior and fighting, but due to his natural aptitude for police work, he was never dismissed. His cultural background landed him in a special task force that specialized in Asian gangs and Asian organized crime.

Tiger: That guy is hard boiled.

Rabbit: Hey, no interrupting. Shen’s sister eventually died of an overdose and their mother committed suicide over the loss. Shen used his position in SFPD to infiltrate the gang and eventually track down the dealer who supplied the drugs to his sister. He not only gunned down the dealer but also killed a high ranking member of the gang during his rampage. His superior at the department covered up the murders and Shen was never charged of the crimes. Many in the department believed that Shen was responsible for the murders and these rumors caught the ear of Thomas Pendrew, the superintendent of the Hong Kong Police Department. Pendrew recruits Shen to infiltrate the Sun On Yee, the most notorious Triad in all of Hong Kong.

Tiger: That guy actually sounds morally ambiguous; I didn’t think you like those types?

Rabbit: That’s the great thing about Sleeping Dogs; you can choose where you draw the line. Want to stick to your cop ways? You can by not hurting civilians. Want to prove your worth to the Triad? Shoot everyone that gets in your way! By doing this, you earn experience points for whichever faction your actions align and you’ll start to unlock special moves. This double life is what makes Sleeping Dogs’ story so compelling. Shen starts out with a mission to complete but soon is accepted into the Triad family. He has to decide if he’s going to do what he was hired to do or turn his back and join the lifestyle his mother sacrificed everything to try and save him from.

Tiger: I’m actually surprised by you, Rabbit. You usually don’t pick characters like him so I’m glad you’ve expanded your video game tastes.

Rabbit: Well, I really only played the game because it had the word “dog” in the title and I thought Shen was cute.

Tiger: *rubs brow* Oh geez.

Rabbit: Hong Kong is so cool, unlike Japan.

Tiger: How can you say that?! Japan is our home country.

Rabbit: I know, but we haven’t been there since we were little. All I remember is going to Wendy’s, the mall, and getting corn on our pizza. We might as well have been in Kansas.

Tiger: Wha? Why Kansas.

Rabbit: Because people eat a lot of corn there?

Tiger: Are you just trying to offend everyone you can with your blanketed stereotypes?

Rabbit: Hey, I’m just saying.

Tiger: It’s true though, I mean about what we remember from Japan. I would add McDonald’s and eating hamburgers with rice patty buns but that’s about all.

Rabbit: And ice cream! Weird waffle-esque ice cream sandwiches. And going to Disneyland. And strange toilets. Oh, and don’t forget all the pigeons.

Tiger: I think we’re getting off track here. Let’s talk about gameplay because we know both games have great settings and cool characters but gameplay is where it’s at.

Rabbit: Well Sleeping Dogs combines the best of both worlds with its action-adventure gameplay. Shen can run, jump, climb, and swim all over Hong Kong as well as drive cars, boats, and motorcycles. There are some great RPG elements with earning XP to unlock new combos and abilities. I mentioned it before, but you gain XP by pulling off different moves such as environmental kills for Triad XP or minimizing property damage for Police XP. While Shen can shoot guns, the bread and butter are in the melee combat system.

Tiger: I like toast and jam.

Rabbit: That’s what my baby feeds me.

Tiger: I’m her loving man.

Rabbit: You’re a man?!

Tiger: That’s just what the lyrics are! *pouts* Anyway, continue.

Rabbit: As I was saying, the melee combat system is where all the fun is at. Shen can attack, grapple, and counter in a variety of ways. He can even pull these off with or without weapons. There are also really great environmental attacks that you can pull off, eliminating your enemies in some crazy and violent ways. Combat is always fast and furious in Sleeping Dogs. You can’t just keep pounding the attack button and hope to mash your way to victory. Often it takes timing and thought to throw out the right combinations of moves, but it’s always fun and exciting to slam that baddie’s head into the wall to finish him off.

Tiger: For a moment there, I thought I was talking with all that violent stuff.

Rabbit: ^crosses arms^ I’m only violent in video games; you’re violent in real life. I do have to add how awesome the racing is in Sleeping Dogs too. I know, I’ve brought it up already but it’s so fun cruising around the city in a fast sports car or on a tuned up motorcycle. The races around the city add opponents for you to challenge and try to beat. They can be brutal to win but it gives you a nice break from the action and when you do beat them, you get some solid dough to buy even better cars.

Tiger: Sleeping Dogs combat system actually sounds a lot like Yakuza where it’s heavily focused on melee. Kiryu can also use guns but it’s more fun to just punch someone’s face in. You can also pick up objects lying around the environment to defeat your enemies. From bats to folding chairs, whatever you find can be turned into a weapon. As you defeat enemies, you gain experience that can be used to unlock more moves and abilities. Though Yakuza lacks vehicles, there are a lot of mini-games you can play. You can go to the batting cages, play a few games at the casino, or check out the arcade. There are a ton of sidequests too.

Rabbit: Ooh! I love those.

Tiger: I don’t mind them when they add something to the story, but so many are tacked on and feel like busy work. Luckily, the sidequests in Yakuza actually help Kamurocho come alive. From the barkers handing out tissue to the little beggar girl you can help, there’s a lot of things going on in that game.

Rabbit: OMG, remember all those barkers in Las Vegas?

Tiger: *laughs* Yes, and they also were handing out tissue amongst other things.

Rabbit: Those weird collectable cards with strippers on them. Those were fun.

Tiger: Yeah, you really just need to walk around the Strip with your hands in your pockets; otherwise they’ll just shove stuff into your hands.

Rabbit: Sleeping Dogs has a lot of sidequests but no barkers, luckily. You do get girlfriends, quite a few to pick from. Those were kind of fun, I liked the different personalities you get to meet.

Tiger: And date all at the same time.

Rabbit: To my defense, I didn’t realize I was doing that until she came up and slapped me in the face.

Tiger: *laughs* Kiryu has girlfriends too, sort of. You get to woo the girls from the host club in Kamurocho and even get their phone numbers. But nothing really happens since you just buy them stuff and they laugh at your jokes. Speaking of that, the hostesses have terrible voice actors in the first game.

Rabbit: Oh really?

Tiger: Yeah, Sega redid everything in English and it was pretty bad. Not terrible, but it wasn’t great. The second game, however, had the original Japanese voices which is so much better.

Rabbit: Sleeping Dogs has a great voice cast. I love how they switch back and forth between English and Cantonese. They even have some famous actors too. Will Yun Lee plays Shen and does a fantastic job. Lucy Liu, Kelly Hu, and Emma Stone are also in the game.

Tiger: Kiryu is voiced by Kuroda Takaya but you would know him as the Recycler from R.O.D. the TV.

Rabbit: Sonny Wong! He’s Darcia in Wolf’s Rain too, right?

Tiger: Yup, that’s him. There’s another R.O.D. the TV alum with Goda Ryuji being voiced by Iwasaki Masami.

Rabbit: Who played Drake Anderson! Wow!

Tiger: Haruka, the little girl Kiryu takes care of was voiced by Kugimiya Rie who also played Alphonse Elric from Fullmetal Alchemist and Mikan from Rental Magica. Though in defense of the English version, Majima Goro was voiced by Mark Hamill and he did a great job with that character. We’ve actually covered a lot about these games, any closing statements?

Rabbit: I just have to say that overall, I love how morally gray Sleeping Dogs is. You play a cop that may have murdered someone to exact revenge for his dead sister. He then goes undercover in a serious Triad only to find out that he is more like them than he originally thought. It’s a fun push me/pull me situation for Wei Shen. On one side, he fights for justice and the safety for the citizens of Hong Kong but on the other side; he fights to protect this new family he’s been adopted into. I just really love this conflict that he has to face with almost every decision he makes.

Tiger: Kiryu is in a different situation. He was always a part of the Yakuza lifestyle but he takes the blame for a murder that even outcasts him from these criminals. He spends almost the entire game trying to help the people who least want his help. On top of that, he finds out that the people he loved and trusted weren’t who he thought they were. All this happens while he tries to protect one little girl, one girl that everyone seems to want. It definitely makes you grow attached to the characters, even the bad ones, because they are all shown in a human light. No super villain that has no soul or a straight-laced hero that has no flaws; the characters in Yakuza possess real human characteristics which makes the game that much more enjoyable.

Rabbit: I have to admit, even though we battled it out to the end, it looks like we were pretty evenly matched. So I say there’s only one way to settle the score once and for all, in a bonus round!

Versus Mode, Bonus Round – Kiryu’s Tattoo vs Shen’s Tattoos, Ready? Fight!
Rabbit: Wei Shen’s tattoos are much cooler than Kiryu’s. For one, he has more and they also have a lot of meaning behind them. Take for instance the tattoo on Shen’s left arm, which is a depiction of the Taoist god of War, Guan Yu. This tattoo is interesting because in the game, both the Hong Kong police and the Triad worship him. Shen also has a tattoo of his sister, Mimi on his left arm, which was the catalyst that caused Shen to go after the Triad in the first place. Shen also has a few dragon tattoos across his body. Chinese dragons tend to symbolize power and intelligence but also ferociousness as well.

Tiger: Well, Kiryu doesn’t need a bunch of tattoos because he rocks the single best tattoo on the planet. Kiryu has a massive dragon tattoo that covers his entire back. It not only represents his commitment to the Yakuza lifestyle but it also represents who he is as a person. That person is someone who is wise but fierce and also powerful, someone who is called “the Dragon of Dojima.” What makes Kiryu’s tattoo even more impressive is that it’s probably done in the traditional style of irezumi, which is when ink is inserted beneath the skin using handheld needles. The procedure is usually expensive, very painful, and can take months to complete.

Rabbit: ^clasps hands over ears^ Stop! Stop! Stop! I don’t want to hear anymore about needles, okay? You win, just stop, just stop.

Tiger: *laughs maniacally* I guess that means this bonus round has revealed the true winner, me!

Versus Mode, Round 1 - The Legend of Dragoon vs Legend of Legaia, Ready? Fight!

Warning: The following presentation contains major spoilers, reader discretion is advised.

In the first edition of Versus Mode, Tiger and Rabbit will go head-to-head in an all out grudge match. Only one can survive, which game will prevail? Originally released on PlayStation in 2000, The Legend of Dragoon has become a cult classic with numerous requests for a sequel. Legend of Legaia got its sequel but the original released for PlayStation in 1999 remains a fan favorite.

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Rabbit: I feel we need a “suit up” montage like Sailor Moon or Ronin Warriors. Where the video shows us each donning the armor of our prospective game choices. You could wear Rose’s armor and I could wear Terra because we all know she’s the coolest Ra-Seru.

Tiger: And have one of those Drakengard 3 battle theme songs playing in the background.

Rabbit: Hai-yah! Karate chop-u-head-off!

Tiger: Welcome everyone to our first Versus Mode segment. The rules are a little different than with Q Attack. First off, instead of a yes/no question, we pose an either/or scenario. We pick sides right off the bat and duke it out-

Rabbit: In no holds barred battle to the death!

Tiger: Now who’s the violent one? I would totally whip you in a real fight.

Rabbit: Why do you think that?

Tiger: I have claws, you have… fuzzy ears.

Rabbit: My secret ultra special move is the Super Fuzzy Earhilator Power Punch that can be combined with my Ultimate Form Spinning Cotton Tail Tornado of Doom!

Tiger: *rolls eyes* Getting back to Versus Mode, we each pick a side and then battle it out to see who can reign supreme. So our first Versus Mode has us choosing between two PlayStation era JRPGs, The Legend of Dragoon and Legend of Legaia.

Rabbit: ^raises hands^ Oh! Oh! Legend of Legaia is the best!

Tiger: No way! It’s too cartoonish. The Legend of Dragoon is the better game; those CGI cut scenes, man!

Rabbit: Looks aren’t everything and Legaia has the better gameplay with the Tactical Arts combat. You basically accrue Art Points (AP) by dealing physical damage or taking damage, when you’ve saved up enough points you can unleash your Arts moves. You don’t just select the fight button like some other game I know but you actually input your moves using the d-pad to make combos. It’s like a turn-based fighting game. It’s definitely not a static experience like Dragoon.

Tiger: Hold your horses. While Dragoon is a turn-based JRPG too, it also doesn’t have you sit there and watch the action unfold on screen. In The Legend of Dragoon, your characters eventually obtain Dragoon Spirits which allows them to transform into their armor forms. In this form, they can use Spirit Points (SP) to unleash powerful attacks. Using these attacks bring up the Additions combat system which is kind of a like a quick-time event. It actually gets pretty hard to pull off the more powerful combos so practice is needed.

Rabbit: Well Legaia also has magical attacks and a “gotta catch ‘em all” gameplay mechanic. Once your three party members obtain their Ra-Seru partner, that is the cool little alien like spirit monster thingy, you can then cast magical spells. But these aren’t just your standard hocus pocus spells, with every Seru you fight in battle and defeat, you have a chance of absorbing their powers and acquiring a new spell. So you aren’t just limited to having a healer or a spell caster, all three party members can acquire the same spells, so you can balance out the healing load.

Tiger: That is another reason why Dragoon is better than Legaia.

Rabbit: What is?

Tiger: Legaia only allows you to use the same three characters throughout the entire game. In The Legend of Dragoon, you can choose your party members from a group of nine. Some of the best characters show up later in the game and sometimes you just want to have different spells or attacks on your team. Why would you want to be stuck with the same three characters the entire game?

Rabbit: Because they’re awesome! Vahn, the main protagonist, is so cool and calm under pressure. Noa, who is my favorite, is cute and spunky! Then there’s Gala who is a fighting monk, who doesn’t love that?

Tiger: With Dragoon you get to choose your characters though! You always have Dart, the protagonist, in your party as well as Shana and Lavitz Slambert early on. Shana isn’t that great so I always swap her out for Rose, who is absolutely amazing. Lavitz is the best until he dies. *sniffles* Then you get stupid Albert who sucks. But having a choice in which characters you use is the best.

Rabbit: The story is cooler in Legaia. The world gets covered by this mysterious Mist that turns the Seru into human leaching bad guys. As Vahn, your village is attacked and you get your Ra-Seru that allows you to use magic. You eventually met up with Noa and Gala who also have Ra-Seru. Then you band together to revive Genesis Trees, which nullifies the Mist, and destroy the Mist Generators across the land.

Tiger: Lame! As Dart, your village is not only attacked but destroyed by the Black Monster. There’s also a huge civil war going on and plots galore! I don’t want to go into too much detail but Dart obtains a Dragoon Spirit which allows him to transform into an awesome winged-armor wearing Dragoon. The music in The Legend of Dragoon is so much better too.

Rabbit: But can you fish?! Huh?! Huh?! Fishing is amazing in Legend of Legaia! That right there makes it the number one game!

Tiger: *laughs* Alright, I give up. We’ll let the readers decide which game they think is better.

Rabbit: See’mon Qbbits! Help me beat Tiger and her crazy band of Qgers!

Tiger: Before we wrap this up, we have a Bonus Round! Get ready!

Rabbit: Oh I'm ready, bring it!

Versus Mode Bonus Round – Rose vs Noa, Ready? Fight!
Tiger: This hand of mine glows with an awesome power; its burning grip tells me to defeat you!

Rabbit: The School of the Undefeated of the East!

Tiger: The winds of Kings!

Rabbit: Zenshin!

Tiger: Keiretsu!

Rabbit: Tempa Kyouran!

Tiger & Rabbit: Look! The East is burning red!

Tiger: Oh my gosh! I can totally picture you as Master Asia riding Fuunsaiki.

Rabbit: I could so rock that horse.

Tiger: For those of you that have no idea what just happened here, that was from Mobile Fighter G Gundam and I apologize for starting that whole thing. I wanted to do a quick bonus round about our favorite characters from this Versus Mode. Mine is Rose from The Legend of Dragoon. I can’t go into too much detail about why she is so awesome because it would spoil a major portion of the game, but she is so cool. Always serious and a bit cold, Rose is an absolute badass when she first joins your party. She is a rapier master, which makes her one of the stronger and faster characters in the game. She can also use vampiric magic and the only in-game character that has stronger abilities is the protagonist. Astral Drain baby!

Rabbit: My favorite character from Legend of Legaia is Noa! She’s an orphan who is raised by an awesome wolf named Terra. She’s a goofy and fun-loving person who fights with claws. I’d have to spoil the story to talk more about her but I love the way she looks. Her dark pink hair is awesome and she really becomes a great ally to the other party members. My favorite move of hers is her Super Arts called Triple Lizard, so awesome! She’s just a super fun character and really brings some laughs to the team.

Tiger: Alright, that’s it for our first edition of Versus Mode! I hope you enjoyed it and that you’ll continue to read TvR!

Tiger & Rabbit: These hands of ours are burning red! Their loud cries tell us to grasp happiness! Erupting burning finger! Seki! Ha! Love-love ten! Kyou! Kennnn!!!!!!!!