Iam8bit has announced that they’re adding the soundtracks of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden to their ca?talog of vinyl albums. They will be available for preorder on December 14 at 9am PST.

If you’re already deeply invested in owning the series�soundtracks pressed in vinyl, your soul will feel incomplete without these two. Both the Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden albums appear to be supplemental single LP albums, containing only music unique to their versions of the game. The bulk of the tunes are already on the Persona 3 and Persona 4 vinyl releases, both of which ??weighed in o??n four discs.

With that in mind, if you’re looking for the most enduring songs from the two games, you’d probably be better off with the vanilla versions. Persona 4 Golden, for example, doesn’t include Heartbeat, Heartbreak, a song that has been playing on a loo??p inside my skull f??or about a decade.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like these two albums are going to fit in the Persona 25th Anniversary Slipcase. They will have to sit cold and alone beyond the embracing walls of the rest of the collection. On the positive, their covers are done by Drew Wise, a longtime contributor with Iam8bit and the artist who did all the 25th Anniversary covers. The Persona 3 Portable cover is even a mirror of the vanilla Persona 3 cover, but features the version’s exclus??ive female protagonist instead.

Both the Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden vinyl will be up for preorder on December 14, 2023 at 9am PST. Both albums wi??ll run you $31.99 American greenbacks.

The post Finish your Persona vinyl collection with iam8bit’s Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden Soundtracks appeared first on Destructoid.

A whole slew of indies to watch

Today, Double Fine and iam8bit aired anoth?er installment of Day of the Devs. It's a regular celebration of indie games, shining a spotlight on upcoming games and their creators.

The Day of the Devs selections usually don't disappoint, and this year's Day of the?? Devs held after the Summer Game Fest 2023 kick-off stream was solid. Alongside some games we knew of beforehand, there were some exciting new announcements, both from known creators and newer teams in the scene.

From the Chicory team's latest endeavor to ??a mind-bending world-moving puzzle game, there's a little something of everything. If you missed the stream, or are just looking to find that one game you have a foggy recollection of, here's a recap of everything shown.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDXcGEo1TfU

Everything shown at today's Day of the Devs SGF 2023 showcase

• We start the show off with Beastieball, a new turn-based sports RPG from Wishes Unlimited, the team behind Wandersong and Destructoid's 2021 GOTY Chicory: A Colorful Tale. Rather than music or art, this time Wishes is tackling sports, with a monster trainer twist. Coach a team of Beasties and enhance their teamwork, helping them bond over the course of volleyball-style battles. It looks directly up my alley, and I can't wait to learn more.

[caption id="attachment_384464" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Wishes Unlimited[/caption]

• Heart Machine keeps things going with another look at Hyper Light Breaker, the 3D third-person roguish adventure set in the Hyper Light universe. It's set "decades" prior to Drifter, and will see the Breaker (you) tackling an open world and tough bosses. The co-op and roguelite elements do seem like they'll add quite a bit to do for Breakers around the world.
• Life's tough? Well, let's head to Simpler Times, a world-premiere reveal from Stoneskip. This story follows Taina, who's preparing to move out of her childhood home and start a new chapter. Much like Unpacking, it seems to be about the vibes and sentimentality of a home left behind and the changing of seasons in life.
• Viewfinder is one that's been on my radar for a while now, and Sad Owl Studios is showing some more footage of it here. For those unfamiliar, it's a puzzle game where pictures can become objects in the world by simply placing and changing your view. It's a little magical to watch it in motion. For fans of Portal or Superliminal, this one should be on your radar too.

[caption id="attachment_384466" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Sad Owl Studios[/caption]

• For a bit of a surprise, here's Hauntii, a gorgeous top-down action-adventure from Moon Loop Games where players haunt objects and people to solve puzzles. It's a novel concept, made all the better by a wonderful art style.
• You might remember Cart Life from years ago. It was an indie darling and made quite a splash before disappearing from storefronts. Well, it's coming back. AdHoc is partnering with original creator Richard Hofmeier to make a new version of Cart Life for modern systems. It's nice to see a piece of history preserved like this.
• Helskate is a mixture of Tony Hawk skateboarding and action-RPG brawling. Toss in a dash of demonic influence, and that's pretty much what Phantom Coast is building. It looks like a lot to take in, but for those who want to fight and shred at the same time, it could be a potent combination.
• Ever wondered what you'd do if you were only half a head? Well, that's Henry Halfhead every day. This puzzle game from Lululu Entertainment sees you hopping into and moving things, like a self-driven Cappy from Super Mario Odyssey. It's got a fun look and some inventive puzzles, just from what we've seen today.

[caption id="attachment_384480" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Lululu Entertainment[/caption]

• I'll fully admit, it took me a second to vibe with COCOON. At first blush, it seems like a top-down action-adventure game. And while its base mechanics facilitate that particular style, it was the world manipulation that really drew me in. Each area is a world, contained within an orb, that can be manipulated and moved between other areas. It's a Matryoshka doll of worlds. It's really clever. And Geometric Interactive's COCOON is now something I'm really looking forward to later this year.
• Été, which is French for summer, is a relaxing game from Impossible about a painter traveling abroad for a summer. Paint the world around you, do commissions, and befriend the locals as you master your painterly ways. This seems like a really good way to chill out with some artsy vibes, and the way you can remember and recreate things around you is a really clever touch.
• We take a brief pause in the games news for some event news: Indie Megabooth is back! I'm very happy to see this after the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the events scene.
• Now we return to the showcase with Summerhill, from Land & Sea, which looks like a serene story-driven puzzle game about a shepherd, a dog, and a flock. This is from the team behind the Alto's Adventure series, and it's got a great look and neat idea driving it.

[caption id="attachment_384465" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Land & Sea[/caption]

• I am up-front about my personal biases, and yes, one of them is social links in games. So Eternights, an action-RPG with heavy dating sim elements from Sutdio Sai, is laser-targeted at my interests. It feels like between this and Loop8, we're getting a new wave of games exploring relationship mechanics in RPGs. And I just think that's swell.
• Retro Gadgets is an inventive-looking gadget creation station from Licorice EHF that's already in Steam Early Access. You can build, solder, and customize little trinkets to do all kinds of things, from the look of it. This seems ideal for people enamored with the idea of retro engineering, but don't feel ready to start soldering just yet.
• Have you played a ton of Tears of the Kingdom, but still need more physics-driven building in your life? Well, Mars First Logistics looks like it could deliver just that. Build rovers and transports to deal with all the issues of getting things across the planet Mars, and even engage in some co-op action. Shape Shop's Mars builder will hit Steam Early Access on June 22.

[caption id="attachment_384463" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Shape Shop[/caption]

• Die Gute Fabrik, the makers of games like Mutazione and Sportsfriends, bring a big end-of-show reveal for their new game, Saltsea Chronicles. You play as the crew of a ship in search of their captain, managing their needs and expeditions as they search the world over. The art's great, and I love the card game that has different regional rules. It looks like a story with a big focus on the world and its denizens and should be one to keep an eye on.
• Finally, we close out with a reminder that Double Fine and 2 Player Productions' PsychOdyssey, a docu-series following the making of Psychonauts 2, is out now. I'm still watching my way through it, but I'll say right now that it's an incredible, very real look at the development process of video games. Highly recommended.

That's all for this Day of the Devs SGF showcase. Let us know what ??y?ou dug in the comments below!

The post Everything shown at the Day of the Devs S?GF 2023 showcase appeared first on Destructoid.

Switch, PS4, and Xbox One editions announced

You might've already dipped in, but if not �or if you're fine doubling up �then it's good to know that a physical edition of Cuphead is on the way from iam8bit and Studio MDHR.

As shared on Twitter, the Cuphead physical edition is "coming soon" to Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. The DLC, The Delicious Last Course, will be included on the disc, which i?sn't always ?the case but would've been egregious in this situation �it's so crucial.

As for regional releases, "Cuphead will come to retail with ESRB, PEGI, USK, and ACB versions," according to iam8bit.

//twitter.com/iam8bit/status/1575470762235875329

The distributor is taking "keep me in the loop" email sign-ups today �but no word on release timing yet. With how widespread the Cuphead brand has become, I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunities to snag a physical copy at a reasona??ble price.

An eventual spiffy collector's edition would be great to see as well �there's so much art to consider �but an all-inclusive standard physical release is a good step.

It's tr??uly one of my favorite games of the last decade, and for many of us, even folks who have moved mostly to digital, it's worth adding to the physical collection.

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As well as an exclusive edition from iam8bit

One of the most intriguing games of the summer is an adventure starring a cat �being, well, a cat �in a human-less city. Stray releases digitally for PS??4, PS5, and PC on July 19, but if yo?u're looking to pick up a physical copy, that's coming later. You've got two options.

The most basic physical edition of Stray on PS4/PS5 is due on September 20, for $40, and there's also an iam8bit exclusive edition for $45 that's shipping in Q4 2022.

According to iam8bit, pre-orders for the standard retail edition of Stray will "start to open up this week," so keep an eye on your preferred retailer. The exclusive edition, however, is up for grabs today wi??th no deadline to worry about yet �??it's an "open pre-order."

Here's what comes in the (slightly pricier) box:

[caption id="attachment_334617" align="alignnone" width="1365"] _{The physical Exclusive Edition of Stray for PS4/PS5.}[/caption]

Stray's exclusive edition has a matte black sleeve, a 14.4" x 24" poster featuring our inquisitive hero, a "fuzzy, pettabl??e" chenille patch, and six art cards.

Something else to keep in mind: digital copies will normally cost $30 (though there's currently a 10 percent off discount on Steam), and Stray will also be playable at no extra cost on PS4/PS5 if you're subscribed to PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium.

I'm glad the wait isn't too long for the physical version, as that can be a frequent concern. Best case, maybe you can check out the game with PS Plus Extra to see if it's worth adding to your shelf, withou?t needing to fully double-dip (or wait until September).

Annapurna Interactive and BlueTwelve Studio recently posted a "spoiler-free introduction to Stray," if you're curious to see a bit more about the game and its world. This knocking-stuff-over tweet is also another biggi?e �I feel like? it sums up the game's whole vibe.

//twitter.com/A_i/status/1546558650600148992

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Celebrating 25 years of fantastic tunes

As any Persona fan knows, the franchise's e?lectr??ifying soundtrack is a key component of what makes each of the five mainline entries so completely memorable and iconic. As much a "character" as the many protagonists, villains, and love interests that the series has blessed us with.

In honor of the Persona series' 25th anniversary, merchandiser iam8bit has unveiled a vinyl soundtrack collection, which collates the scores of the five mainline entries in the beloved RPG franchise. The Persona 25th Anniversary Boxset offers up the haunting, dungeon-crawling tunes of the original Persona, to the bubblegum stylings of Persona 4, and the instantly recognizable jazz sound of Persona 5 �15 LPs, culminating in almost nine hours of music. Each LP is individually colored in fitting with the tone of its respective game, and housed in sleeves featuring faithful art from iam8bit veteran artist Drew Wise. The col??lection is then housed with a super sleek, super stylish slipcase.

Ok, so it's damage time. The Persona 25th Anniversary Boxset will retail for $400 total. Alternately, fans can pick up Persona 3, Persona 4, or Persona 5 individually for $100 each, while Persona and Persona 2 are available in a double pack for $90. For those who may have already purchased the Persona 5 collection, iam8bit will be offering the opportunity to purchase the slipcase separately, so that you can complete your collection without double-dipping Persona 5.

Yes, it's expensive, but such is the way of vinyl in the modern age, which has seen something of a serious price hike in recent years. For 15 colored LPs, this price seems snug, (though that certainly doesn't mean it's cheap). If you're interested in bagging one of these gorgeous sets, then pre-orders open on December 14 over on the iam8bit store. Be sure to factor in shipping or any potential customs and handling charges. The Persona 25th Anniversary vinyl collection will ship in two waves, wit?h the first wave arriving in the third quarter of 2022.

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Pre-orders open ahead of a Q4 2017 release

The next vinyl from iam8bit is a big one: Persona 5!?? It's such a good candidate that I can see it pushing people into game vinyl o?wnership for the first time -- assuming they have the money.

There will be two sets, both of which will ship in Q4 2017:

• The Essential Edition ($100) with four records featuring a curated track listing.
• The Deluxe Edition ($175, limited to 1,000) with six records featuring all 110 songs.

If you're wondering about the strang??e cover, that thing is just a placeholder.

For this vinyl release, iam8bit is bringing fans behind the scenes with videos, photos,? and i?nterviews chronicling its creation, from mastering to test presses to vinyl production and packaging. And at the end of it all, we'll see the final album art, which will be "the result of an intimate collaboration between iam8bit, Atlus, SEGA and a to be announced, top secret artist."

Persona 5 Vinyl Soundtrack [iam8bit]

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With what else, a vinyl soundtrack

Thankfully, one of my most anticipated games of the year, Rez Infinite, will not be relegated to a digital-only release due to the efforts of distributor iam8bit.

The company has announced that it'll publish a "Rez Collection," which comes with a physical copy of Infinite (which is iam8bi??t's first published ?PS4 game), and a vinyl soundtrack, as well as a 48-page retrospective book that includes both art and the history of the series.

It's tough calling it a series, because the original game out in 2001, Child of Eden was released in 2011, and Infinite is due in 2016, ?but here we are. Hopefully the latter does well enough to warrant re-releases on current platforms.

The post Re??z Infinite is getting a pretty dope phy?sical edition appeared first on Destructoid.

IT GLOWS, YOU GUYS

I recently started collecting some vinyl from games and movies I enjoy (judge me as you will), and I'm having fun with it. But it ain't a cheap hobby by a long shot! Recently I was able to snag that fancy Hotline Miami 2 vinyl, and hoo doggy did I get sick of ramen that week. Now iam8bit is trying to send me further in the red with two limited-release glow-in-the-dark Ori and the Blind Forest LPs.

Yes, I'm a sucker for wanting a thing because it glows. But it was also a damn good soundtrack??! There are only 500? glowy editions and will cost $50, and the standard one is blue/purple running you $35. The two 180-gram vinyl will also feature art from Aya Kakeda and come with a digital soundtrack code. Pre-orders open April 29, 9:00am PDT, with an estimated release of Q3 2016.

It glows, dangit.

The post Damnit, Ori and the Blind Forest’s vinyl glows in the dark and I’m broke appeared first on Destructoid.

Shipping next year

My favorite modern game soundtrack belongs to Dustforce, but Ben Prunty's celebrated music for FTL: Faster Than Light isn't far behind. Time and time again, these albums have he?lped calm me down when there were just too many things fighting for my attention. ?They're great to work to.

Prunty is releasing a deluxe vinyl set of the FTL soundtrack through iam8bit and it's about what you'd expect after the past few releases (Hotline Miami 2 and Super Hexagon first come to mind). Pre-orders are open now for $35, with shipping expected to begin in Q1 2016??.

A (EXPLORE)
1. Space Cruise
2. Milky Way
3. Civil
4. Cosmos
5. Deepspace
6. Debris
7. Mantis

B (EXPLORE)
1. Engi
2. Colonial
3. Wasteland
4. Rockmen
5. Void
6. Zoltan
7. Federation (Bonus)

C (BATTLE)
1. Milky Way
2. Civil
3. Cosmos
4. Deepspace
5. Debris
6. Mantis
7. Engi

D (BATTLE)
1. Colonial
2. Wasteland
3. Rockmen
4. Void
5. Zoltan
6. Last Stand
7. Victory
8. Horror (Bonus)

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Begin

At first glance, I just liked the colors of these limited-edition Super Hexagon vinyl records.

Then I realized the sleeve?s are partially clear and, holy crap,?? the records are hexagonal!

The EP features "Courtesy," "Otis," "Focus," "Fucusedest," and "Focus Finale" by Chipzel. Expect pre-orders to go live August 13 at 10:00am Pacific on iam8bit?. It's $25, and the colors are random.

Super Hexagon EP [iam8bit]

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The Famous Chunkies by Alex Solis

Outside of occasional gags like Doughnut Drake in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, I tend to forget how generally fit mo?st mainstream videogame characters are. Leave it to artist Alex Solis to remind me of that fact with his upcoming art show, The Famous Chunkies, which depicts over 100 pop culture characters -- including Mega Man, Fox McCloud, and Princess Peach -- as, well, round.

"While watching a Ninja Turtles movie with my daughter, we noticed that despite their strict pizza diet, ??the turtles could tirelessly fight crime and battle villains," said Solis. "This is pretty common with characters in other cartoons and comic books -- they somehow have amazing superpowers despite eating super bad-for-you junk food. I thought this could be sending mixed messages to kids. I created this series to raise awareness about unhealthy eating?? habits. I wanted to show what these characters would actually look like if they ate so much junk food."

If you're in or around Los Angeles, you can RSVP for tomorrow's art show and book release hosted by iam8bit. The event begi??ns at 7:00am Pacific at 2147 W Sunset Blvd.

Until then, check out the chunky videogame characters (especially Sonic and his golden doughnuts) in our image gallery below. Prints will be available from iam8bit.com on Friday morning.

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Remember your school pictures?

iam8bit has something really fun lined up for this year's Game Developer's Conference, set to ?go down in San Francisco in late March. In an email to me earlier this afternoon, iam8bit Founder Jon Gibson said, "This seriously may be one of the most hilariously awesome things we've ever mounted." I totally agree.

GDC is like a High School reunion every year. You see your friends before school, again between classes, you go to lunch tog??ether, and you talk sh*t about each other at night when you go out. There are cliques divided betwee??n nerds and cool kids (though no jocks), and running in the halls is frowned upon. The Press Room is just like detention. 

The Class of GDC: Photo Playset is a snapshot experience for attendees to j??ump into and have fun. iam8bit will have hair and makeup artists on hand to get that cheesy school picture look you remember, and will have ugly sweaters and dresses to put the final touches on. 

They had me at "laser backd?rops," folks. I'm going to get my hair feathered and put on a cable knit sweater for the ultimate school picture. I'm also going to insist that all attending Destructoid staff do something similar. 

What will be fun is that iam8bit plans on roping in industry leaders and famous faces from the event into t??he Photo Playset. We have ??got to get Gaben in on this. 

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