Persona Series

[hoyster]

Playing P5 now and having lots of fun with it. The only thing that teally irritates me is that enemies can just curse one-shot Joker and the game is over, since he can't be revived. Basically forces you to equip him or cast something on him to prevent those. Hate to lose like 1 hour+ progress because of that.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Not sure this is worth starting its own thread for and this seems like the most logical place. Is anyone picking up SMT Nocturne Remaster? Consensus seems to be that it's just fine, though maybe not totally worth a full price given that it's not been fully remade or anything.

I have never played an SMT game because I sort of skipped out on the PS2 and beyond era, only getting back into things a few years ago. I'd like to pick this up but part of me thinks it will go on sale relatively soon. Another part of me is worried that maybe the physical run won't be too extensive, so it's better to just buy a copy now and forget about it. Does anyone have any guesses or insight into how that is determined? Would also love thoughts on the remaster in general if anyone has played it.

About to finish P5 Strikers tonight probably, on a semi-unrelated note. I've enjoyed it a fair bit and it's much longer than I expected it would be (I'm at around 60 hours), though I have to say that it's a little repetitive and in general I don't feel as incentivized to make a crazy persona list because there's only so much you realistically need in battle.

 

[The Macho King]

Skipped out of lunch early to pick up SMT V. Going to fire it up when I get home.

Super psyched.

Not sure this is worth starting its own thread for and this seems like the most logical place. Is anyone picking up SMT Nocturne Remaster? Consensus seems to be that it's just fine, though maybe not totally worth a full price given that it's not been fully remade or anything.

I have never played an SMT game because I sort of skipped out on the PS2 and beyond era, only getting back into things a few years ago. I'd like to pick this up but part of me thinks it will go on sale relatively soon. Another part of me is worried that maybe the physical run won't be too extensive, so it's better to just buy a copy now and forget about it. Does anyone have any guesses or insight into how that is determined? Would also love thoughts on the remaster in general if anyone has played it.

About to finish P5 Strikers tonight probably, on a semi-unrelated note. I've enjoyed it a fair bit and it's much longer than I expected it would be (I'm at around 60 hours), though I have to say that it's a little repetitive and in general I don't feel as incentivized to make a crazy persona list because there's only so much you realistically need in battle.

About 5 months late - I picked it up. If you already played it, yeah maybe not worth it, but a) it's nice having it handheld, and b) there are some QoL improvements that I really dig (don't have to keep re-rolling for skills on fusions, for instance). Also Raidou >>>> Dante.

 

[Commander Clueless]

I'm very curious to see what people think of SMTV.

I admit my first look at it, the graphics really put me off but it's getting incredible reviews and looks fun.

I'm a relatively recent (2017) Persona convert (5 and then 4), wondering if I will enjoy jumping into the parent series.

 

[PeteWorrell]

I'm very curious to see what people think of SMTV.

I admit my first look at it, the graphics really put me off but it's getting incredible reviews and looks fun.

I'm a relatively recent (2017) Persona convert (5 and then 4), wondering if I will enjoy jumping into the parent series.

Depends if you like dungeon crawling and if you don't mind not having the social sim aspect of the recent Persona titles. The main series is very fun but it is almost a completely different beast in terms of tone and difficulty.

 

[The Macho King]

I'm very curious to see what people think of SMTV.

I admit my first look at it, the graphics really put me off but it's getting incredible reviews and looks fun.

I'm a relatively recent (2017) Persona convert (5 and then 4), wondering if I will enjoy jumping into the parent series.

So - maybe? Combat will be familiar, but it is light on plot and narrative, and the gameplay is pretty much entirely combat based (no real social aspect to speak of). I love it *and* Persona, but I could see someone not liking it despite liking P5. Very different game, despite the obvious shared DNA.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

About 5 months late - I picked it up. If you already played it, yeah maybe not worth it, but a) it's nice having it handheld, and b) there are some QoL improvements that I really dig (don't have to keep re-rolling for skills on fusions, for instance). Also Raidou >>>> Dante.

I did end up getting it and was pretty heavy into it but then got sidetracked with life stuff and just sort of put it down. I'm in the Amala Temple and hoping to maybe finish it up over the holidays.

SMT V is going to be a buy for me, but I'll probably see about a sale. Currently in the middle of Yakuza: Like a Dragon and have a few other games in my backlog, though maybe if I burn through Nocturne, I'll be craving more.

 

[sabresfan129103]

Anyone picking up Persona 5 when it comes out on PC on Friday? I almost beat it on PS3 a few years ago, but I stopped playing and completely forgot the plot. I've heard good things about Royal, so I think I'm gonna get it.

 

[Jovavic]

I'm happy that more people will get to play 3 and 4 now, since they are both better than 5

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

4 hours into Persona 5 and starting to get interesting. Takes a while to really get going and open up, like the Yakuza games.

 

[Mikeaveli]

4 hours into Persona 5 and starting to get interesting. Takes a while to really get going and open up, like the Yakuza games.

You are almost halfway through the tutorial! Lol

I'm playing on Hard and having a good time, though I seem to remember the first two bosses being tougher. The PC port is not amazing but still well done. I'm looking forward to seeing the new content as I only ever completed the original Persona 5.

 

[JWK]

You are almost halfway through the tutorial! Lol

I'm playing on Hard and having a good time, though I seem to remember the first two bosses being tougher. The PC port is not amazing but still well done. I'm looking forward to seeing the new content as I only ever completed the original Persona 5.

You're in for a treat, Royal is amazing

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Without giving away spoilers, just so you know, there are 1-2 things you need to make sure to do in order to get the extra content. If you want to be extra safe, you can look up a spoiler free guide, but the gist of it is pretty straightforward and telegraphed to you by the game: you need to make sure to increase the confidants of the new characters to Royal. Otherwise you can get locked out of the extra content.

I love the game and have been thinking about a winter replay but am not sure I have the time. The biggest gripe I had with it is that Hard is still not much of a challenge. Not the best comparison, but I just finished playing Soul Hackers 2 on Hard and it was at least a little bit of a challenge. I'm not the hugest fan of how SMT games tend to gatekeep certain skills or strategies with boss battles, but Persona just seems to give you too many options to the point where that isn't possible. The only boss I remember having trouble with is the 5th palace, but mainly because it was annoying.

Still, don't let any of that detract from the game. Once the game has its hooks in you, it's a stylish and fun ride.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Has anyone played the Switch version of Persona 5 Royal? I've heard good things about performance, so I decided to take the plunge and double dip, since I will be doing a ton of commuting in the new year and it seems like a good companion.

I guess technically, I've now triple-dipped, as I initially got P5 Vanilla for 9.99 when I first got my PS4, and then bought Royal for PS4 as soon as it came out. I was also tempted to jump on a PS5 Royal Steelbook for $30, but I'm not really a collector and it seemed too redundant.

 

[Dr John Carlson]

I'm playing through Royal on the Switch right now. First time playing a Persona game.

I'm hopelessly sucked in.

 

[Seedtype]

Just finished playing through Persona 5 Royal on PC. Great game and overall a solid port.
At one point, I went ahead and chose the bad ending and restarted with NG+ so I can have max social stats at the start, and also started using the OP personas that are included in the compendium already. It was fun to start over again, I really like the setup of the world and how the Metaverse stuff works.

I will say this, I probably heard the music of Persona 5 quite a few years ago, and needless to say I've been hoping it's comes to PC for quite a while. Heck, I bought and enjoyed Persona 4 Golden due to that hype. It was worth the wait for sure.

For Persona 6 I hope it will come out quicker on PC next time, but I do think it's pretty great to just have the definitive edition right from the start. Just don't make me wait for years, heh.

For Persona 6 I would like to see a couple of things:
-It would be interesting to me if they explore being an adult. I know the Persona games are suppose to be coming of age stories, but I don't think your life is just set as adults either. (Also, it is my understanding that the Japanese population is starting to really decline, I'm curious how that will affect the dev's viewpoints as they make the next story)

-Make romance options a more serious part of the story. I'm not talking about becoming a dating sim, but come on, having a partner really affects what you do with your personal time, and there should be a buff or something, lol.

TLDR: Persona 5 Royal is a good game, you should check it out. However, I suppose if you don't like anime stories or JRPGS it might not be your cup of tea.

 

[S E P H]

I beat P5R last weekend and holy smokes this is one of the best games I have ever played. Really strange they changed the ending from vanilla as this one was hit-and-miss for me, but everything else they added was brilliant. The characters, the story, and the palace were absolutely worth another 100+ hour playthrough easily. As I said about vanilla, this game is definitely one of the top 3 games I have ever played. The only negative I would give it is that they gotta cut some dialogue away during parts. I found myself trying to save and be done with certain points, but had to wait for an extra ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes to find a save spot. That needs to change for P6. A positive is that the game has an amazing soundtrack, but I am a jazz/funk fan so it fits excellently with my taste.

 

[PeteWorrell]

I beat P5R last weekend and holy smokes this is one of the best games I have ever played. Really strange they changed the ending from vanilla as this one was hit-and-miss for me, but everything else they added was brilliant. The characters, the story, and the palace were absolutely worth another 100+ hour playthrough easily. As I said about vanilla, this game is definitely one of the top 3 games I have ever played. The only negative I would give it is that they gotta cut some dialogue away during parts. I found myself trying to save and be done with certain points, but had to wait for an extra ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes to find a save spot. That needs to change for P6. A positive is that the game has an amazing soundtrack, but I am a jazz/funk fan so it fits excellently with my taste.

You can still get the original ending if you don't complete certain requirements before the cutoff date. Kind of a waste since you don't get to access a lot of the new content. Definitely agree about the amount of dialogues. The same problem persists in Persona 5 Strikers which is a sequel but sadly does not cover the extra content found in Royal.

 

[S E P H]

You can still get the original ending if you don't complete certain requirements before the cutoff date. Kind of a waste since you don't get to access a lot of the new content. Definitely agree about the amount of dialogues. The same problem persists in Persona 5 Strikers which is a sequel but sadly does not cover the extra content found in Royal.

Yeah, I heard about P5: Strikers in terms of it being a game, but I never researched what exactly it is as P5 vanilla was my first ever time playing an Altus game. I originally thought Strikers was like what Nintendo did with Zelda, make an actual Zelda game - which was Breathe of the Wild - and then make a horde/wave style of game in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Is Strikers a legit sequel to P5 because if that's the case it is a must-have for me in the future?

 

[PeteWorrell]

Yeah, I heard about P5: Strikers in terms of it being a game, but I never researched what exactly it is as P5 vanilla was my first ever time playing an Altus game. I originally thought Strikers was like what Nintendo did with Zelda, make an actual Zelda game - which was Breathe of the Wild - and then make a horde/wave style of game in Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity. Is Strikers a legit sequel to P5 because if that's the case it is a must-have for me in the future?

The gameplay is completely different but it is a legitimate sequel with a story.

 

[TheDoldrums]

The only negative I would give it is that they gotta cut some dialogue away during parts. I found myself trying to save and be done with certain points, but had to wait for an extra ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes to find a save spot.

It's such a brilliant game that finding faults can feel like nitpicking, but yeah I agree. Sometimes they have a tendency to just ramble and restate the same things you already know. Like we don't need a 4th meeting with the Phantom Thieves to discuss what a bad guy Kamoshida is, we know!

 

[Andrei79]

Tried this one for an hour and I'm not necessarily wondering if it gets better, but if the gameplay changes. I think I've had about a total of 60 seconds of actual gameplay over this hour. There's a lot of exposition, running around, cut scenes, etc. It feels like watching an anime, with the over the top writing and everything. It's very well executed, but I'm starting to think it might not be my cup of tea if this is it. It was unnecessarily long to save as well, so I ended up playing more than I expected.

 

[Commander Clueless]

Tried this one for an hour and I'm not necessarily wondering if it gets better, but if the gameplay changes. I think I've had about a total of 60 seconds of actual gameplay over this hour. There's a lot of exposition, running around, cut scenes, etc. It feels like watching an anime, with the over the top writing and everything. It's very well executed, but I'm starting to think it might not be my cup of tea if this is it. It was unnecessarily long to save as well, so I ended up playing more than I expected.

I wouldn't say it changes, exactly. There's always a ton of over the top exposition, running around, cut scenes, etc. and long story sequences where you are unable to save. That said, the game opens up a few hours in and you get a lot more actual gameplay.

If you're feeling up to it, I would say play for a bit longer. It's extremely slow to start before it lets you off the leash.

 

[The Mars Volchenkov]

The “tutorial” is like 6 hours long. It does take a bit to get into the turn based stuff.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

These games always start a bit slow. So much world-building and systems to unload before they really hand over the keys. It's extremely well worth it and makes sense given the sheer scope of the game, but the first couple/few hours are pretty much always a bit of a slog. I don't think these are games where you can realistically start the game in media res any more than they do and have it work nearly as well.

For Persona 6 I would like to see a couple of things:
-It would be interesting to me if they explore being an adult. I know the Persona games are suppose to be coming of age stories, but I don't think your life is just set as adults either. (Also, it is my understanding that the Japanese population is starting to really decline, I'm curious how that will affect the dev's viewpoints as they make the next story)

I really don't see that happening. A core conceit of the Persona series is that it's set in a 'modern-day Japanese high school.' Aging up the playable characters likely means you're spinning off a spin-off...which is certainly not something Atlus is against doing even with this series, but makes it harder to believe that the main characters of a Persona game are going to vary too much in ages. There's also the cultural aspect of it...Japanese media hyper-focuses on the high school ages for a reason (and this is all spun off of a book with a high school setting) and I do think aging up the protagonists changes the messages of the games too much to be worth it.

That said, I would absolutely love to see an SMT spin-off set outside of Japan with older characters...but it would be a SMT spin-off and not Persona 6. Not that that changes all that much aside from marketing.

I'm just immediately picturing them feeling the need to fully embrace western design if they do this and have this be a more action-RPG than the impeccable Press Turn system to differentiate it from the rest of the SMT spin-offs and that'd just suck.