Persona 5 (PS4, PS3) - WW launch discussion

[Tornak]

General Information:

• Developer: Atlus.
• Publisher: Atlus (JP and USA) and Deep Silver (PAL territories).
• Director: Katsura Hashino.
• Producer: Katsura Hashino.
• Designer: Naoya Maeda.
• Artists: Masayoshi Suto and Shigenori Soejima.
• Writers: Katsura Hashino and Shinji Yamamoto.
• Music composer: Shoji Meguro.

Synopsis:​

Persona 5 is a fantasy based on reality which follows a group of troubled high school students: the protagonist and a collection of compatriots he meets. These disturbed and troubled teenagers gradually realize that they are living in a toxic and dangerous world resembling a prison full of slavery, oppression and injustice, ruled by corrupted and twisted adults. They can't live with the system and can't live without it, and simply existing means they are at risk of being doomed and condemned to a life of slavery.

In order to seek freedom, liberation and justice, they live dual lives as rebellious Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Using a mysterious smartphone app, they undertake fantastical adventures by using otherworldly powers to enter the hearts of people (specifically, corrupt adults in positions of power) in order to re-shape and transform them. The Phantom Thieves realize that society forces people to wear masks to protect their inner vulnerabilities, and by literally ripping off their protective mask to unleash their Personas and confronting their inner selves do the heroes awaken their inner power, and using it to help those in need. Ultimately, the group of Phantom Thieves seeks to change their day-to-day world to match their perception, end slavery and see through the masks modern society wears.

So who's here going to play this? I haven't preoredered it or anything yet, but I might buy it from Amazon so that I can play tomorrow. This is going to be my first Persona, as 4 (iirc) was released quite late and stealthily and my English level wasn't that good back then (and I couldn't play the PSP ports either as mine died around that time).

Anyways, I'm pretty pumped about this. I'm by no means crazy about Japan or its culture (despite generally liking quite a few things from there and my favourite games being Japanese), but I really like the setting and atmosphere of the Persona games, as well as the artstyle (still not sold on the MC design, but the style is so damn good, especially with more adult characters -whether here or in Catherine-).

I honestly haven't watched much of the game, so, while I know how the general gameplay loop is, I have little idea of what to actually expect. Really excited about the slice of life stuff.

PS: I'm surprised we haven't any thread for the WW launch (unless I missed it), but feel free to delete this thread if there's anything wrong.

 

[Lulcielid]

So who's here going to play this? I haven't preoredered it or anything yet, but I might buy it from Amazon so that I can play tomorrow. This is going to be my first Persona, as 4 (iirc) was released quite late and stealthily and my English level wasn't that good back then (and I couldn't play the PSP ports either as mine died around that time).

I plan to pick this game on PS3, a console I do own.

PS: I'm surprised we haven't any thread for the WW launch (unless I missed it), but feel free to delete this thread if there's anything wrong.

Because technically speaking the WW launch date (April 4th) has yet to come, for reference this thread of yours was created at April 3rd, 18:47 in Japan. By that time the farest place on the east side of Earth (Chuckotka in Russia) would have still been at April 3rd 21: 47. This is me just being pedantic .

Spoiler: Screenshot reference for time differences

The time might now match with what I wrote because I took the picture hours later but the point still stands.

 

[Tornak]

I plan to pick this game on PS3, a console I do own.

Because technically speaking the WW launch date (April 4th) has yet to come, for reference this thread of yours was created at April 3rd, 18:47 in Japan. By that time the farest place on the east side of Earth (Chuckotka in Russia) would have still been at April 3rd 21: 47. This is me just being pedantic .

Spoiler: Screenshot reference for time differences

The time might now match with what I wrote because I took the picture hours later but the point still stands.
View attachment 737

Haha, I know, it's still (obviously) Monday here in Western Europe! I just figured it was in the wild in a pretty consistent manner, considering how many people seem to be playing the game (like in Neogaf and such).

I was actually tempted to get the PS3 version myself, it being 20 € cheaper, but I can't bring myself to changing my room's domestic console for just a game, nor playing with a DS3 (as I don't think the visual and performance improvements in the PS4 are that significant at all).

I'm honestly pretty hyped all of the sudden, as two weeks ago I wasn't really that sure about getting this soon (ME:A being messy and, apparently, not too good helped a bit). Can't wait!

 

[Lulcielid]

Haha, I know, it's still (obviously) Monday here in Western Europe! I just figured it was in the wild in a pretty consistent manner, considering how many people seem to be playing the game (like in Neogaf and such).

I guess the some stores broke street dates?

I was actually tempted to get the PS3 version myself, it being 20 € cheaper, but I can't bring myself to changing my room's domestic console for just a game, nor playing with a DS3 (as I don't think the visual and performance improvements in the PS4 are that significant at all).

I would personally take the cheaper deal.
You could have both consoles on the same room, I have both my PS2 and PS3 together.

 

[Tornak]

I guess the some stores broke street dates?


I would personally take the cheaper deal.
You could have both consoles on the same room, I have both my PS2 and PS3 together.

Yup, that'd be it. Always happens, but I don't think I've ever gotten a game before its launch date (not that I've tried too much. Well, I actually went to a couple stores when GTA V had still a few days to release).

And yeah, I could do that, but man, I just can't play with a DS3 anymore (although there are actually some games that come with an option to use a DS4, come to think of it). Still, I'd rather make my not too abundant PS4 library bigger than it is (and the steelbox of the PS4 day-one edition looks quite nice, even though I'm not the biggest fan of these cases).

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have played a little bit by night.

 

[Hey Everyone]

Can't wait to play it on my PC

 

[Jubileus]

Never played a Persona game before but I'm gonna pick up P5 as my first title in the series.

Any suggestions on what to expect? I keep hearing Persona is good so I'd like a general idea going in.

 

[Lulcielid]

Never played a Persona game before but I'm gonna pick up P5 as my first title in the series.

Any suggestions on what to expect? I keep hearing Persona is good so I'd like a general idea going in.

The story is told in a similar style to a visual novel.
The PERSONA game stories are independant from one another.
It´s a turn based RPG.
The MC is a silent avatar character (with certain degree of own personallity).

The following only applies to Persona 3 onward:
The gameplay is divided in three forms:

1. The first form is something akin to a high-school and social simulator. In this form you organize your schedule on how to want tackle your high school activities (studies, school activies and similars), social interactions (bonding with people in different levels and ways) and miscellaneous activies (Hobbies, procrastinating, taking on requests/jobs)
2. The second form resemblance a dungeon crawlling game. Dungeon exploration and fighting there is the main way to level up your characters.
3. The game uses a calendar system, here is where you will have to manage how to spend your time wisely since certain activies and interactions are tied to specific days at specific times (random i.e: a certain person who you want keeping bonding might only be available during Sundays afternoons), the number of activies you can perform per day are limited (For example, in the afternoon of a certain day you could have 5 activies and 5 friends available at the same time but you can only pick 1 before proceding to the evening, where the options available are different). Moreover, certain non-important events and plot important events have deadlines.

Gameplay tips:

1. You get instant game over if the MC is K.O, so healing the MC has more priority than helping your teammates. (This feature is exclusive to Persona 3 onward)
2. Use buffs and debuffs spell a lot. Mostly for boss fights or super strong special enemies, in normal fights is not so frequent.
3. While having a balance in your schedule is theorycally best middle ground, I would suggest spending slightly more time interacting with characters and doing activities than grinding in dungeons.

This is all the revelant stuff.

 

[Jubileus]

The story is told in a similar style to a visual novel.
The PERSONA game stories are independant from one another.
It´s a turn based RPG.
The MC is a silent avatar character (with certain degree of own personallity).

The following only applies to Persona 3 onward:
The gameplay is divided in three forms:

1. The first form is something akin to a high-school and social simulator. In this form you organize your schedule on how to want tackle your high school activities (studies, school activies and similars), social interactions (bonding with people in different levels and ways) and miscellaneous activies (Hobbies, procrastinating, taking on requests/jobs)
2. The second form resemblance a dungeon crawlling game. Dungeon exploration and fighting there is the main way to level up your characters.
3. The game uses a calendar system, here is where you will have to manage how to spend your time wisely since certain activies and interactions are tied to specific days at specific times (random i.e: a certain person who you want keeping bonding might only be available during Sundays afternoons), the number of activies you can perform per day are limited (For example, in the afternoon of a certain day you could have 5 activies and 5 friends available at the same time but you can only pick 1 before proceding to the evening, where the options available are different). Moreover, certain non-important events and plot important events have deadlines.

Gameplay tips:

1. You get instant game over if the MC is K.O, so healing the MC has priority than helping your teammates. (This feature is exclusive to Persona 3 onward)
2. Use buffs and debuffs spell a lot. Mostly for boss fights or super strong special enemies, in normal fights is not so frequent.
3. While having a balance in your schedule is theorycally best middle ground, I would suggest spending slightly more time interacting with characters and doing activities than grinding in dungeons.

This is all the revelant stuff.

Sounds pretty awesome.

Thanks heaps for this.

So it's one of those game will have multiple endings depending on my actions throughout the game? Lots of replay value then. Looking forward to playing this

 

[Tornak]

I ended up getting it yesterday and could play for a couple of hours last night.

I'm playing on hard (this only affects battles' difficulty, right?) and, while I haven't done much battle-wise yet (I spent a tremendous amount of time exploring even when I know it's not what I should be doing), I've found the combats to be fun and challenging enough.

STORY AND GAMEPLAY SPOILERS FOR EARLY PERSONA:

Spoiler

Stopped right after getting Ryuji's Persona (pretty cool outfit design) and went to bed both in the game and in real life as it was a bit late already.

The story, like some gameplay mechanics, might seem a bit overwhelming at first, considering it seems like a slow burn, but I'm actually kind of engaged already, at least in regards to the PE teacher stuff, what with Ann and Ryuji himself.

Visually impressive despite it being a PS3 game. I mean, you have VERY rocky textures that shouldn't be that blurry at all, and non-interactive NPCs having no faces, limited animations, no physical body and such help the game to have that level of detail in other areas, but yeah, very pleasant-looking. As in, I might not be a fan of some designs (like the MC's; not too much at least), but the artstyle is on point. So, so good.

Also, incredibly comfy, especially when it rains and all.

I'm still on a hard path where I don't have much freedom, and I honestly appreciate that, as I'm one to easily get stressed over stupid long RPG shit like this (choices, schedules and such). But, even if I'm still in a glorified tutorial, I've already spent a good chunk and have done almost nothing. This game is gonna be long.

PS: the steelbox is actually pretty cool, and I don't usually like those. This game is AESTHETIC.

Also, speaking of visuals. Are there enough outfits in-game or are all of them DLC (I've seen a few free ones, but the cool ones are paid)? As in, could I get MC's glasses out (I've seen them equipped, but that might just be a battle item) or change his daily life appareance (while out of class)? I'm guessing the costumes are only for dungeons.

 

[Storm]

didn't played the game, but i'm already in love with these two tracks:

 

[yeah_93]

I need to see how I can get my hands on this. Super excited for it.

 

[Tornak]

I haven't been as immersed in a game in such a long time. To a point where I'm, in only 3 days, 11 hours in and every moment I'm not using my free time during daytime to play eats me inside. So fucking engrossing, seriously.

The first few in-game days I actually looked up a mini-guide Eurogamer pulled up (very scarce in details, only talking about what you could do -like, day "x": read "x", go to work, hang out-), but now I've gotten the gist of it. The calendar-based stuff doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would (I hate being pressured into doing something in a specific given time; I guess not having a time counter and just advancing by actions help).

Spoilers for the first dungeon (almost done) and late April:

Spoiler

I left the game on the last (I think?) Safe Room in the first dungeon, right before encountering Kamoshida and a bunch of soldiers. It's 8 days until I'm expelled, I think. I'll probably get out and call it a day (or, now that I saved, go beyond to see how much further I can go).

The battle system is actually pretty fun, as it's fast, visually-appealling and has a nice web of strategies and system in it (nothing complex; quite straightforward, actually). I've already fused a couple of personas and have a nice enough team for this dungeon. I'm level 10 (or 9?) playing on Difficult (I can tell this is my first Persona by having been killed more than 8 times today. Most of those deaths due to having acted in some stupid manner).

Something that this game has done pretty well is building my expectations (I want to see what happens to Kamoshida), as well as my motivations (I really want to destroy that fucker). Ryuji is a total bro, Morgana is fun (although he gets tiring when telling you what to do and not) and Ann is pretty nice, has a nice background and I want to genuinely help her and her friend.

 

[Lulcielid]

Persona 5 topped UK charts on the 14th week of 2017.

97% of P5 sales come from the PS4.

 

[Tornak]

Persona 5 topped UK charts on the 14th week of 2017.

97% of P5 sales come from the PS4.

Really deserved. Haven't been so into a game since the PS1 days.

I can see the series having considerably more mass appeal after 5 (although in terms of development and marketing, I'm guessing that Atlus will keep doing the same, which is totally fine).

Yesterday, I finished the first Palace. Only thing so far (beyond small nitpicks) is how stressful the whole schedule thing is, as I have exams soon and I don't really have much Knowledge; but that's also the charm of it and something I love, honestly. I hope there are some time-expanding skills to get more of a day (I think there was one, but not one I've met so far).

 

[Jubileus]

Went to my local store yday to pick up a steelbook edition I reserved. Turns out they sold it to someone else... so they ended up giving me a staff copy

I asked if that would cause problems but they told me this staff member always reserves copies of game and never buys them so it's fine...

Well... I got my rare steelbook edition which is good. Gonna play it today and see what it's like. Really liked what I've seen and heard so far. Hopefully it doesn't take me too long to catch on how to play it properly since I've heard it can be overwhelming with the time schedule thing xD

 

[Tornak]

Went to my local store yday to pick up a steelbook edition I reserved. Turns out they sold it to someone else... so they ended up giving me a staff copy

I asked if that would cause problems but they told me this staff member always reserves copies of game and never buys them so it's fine...

Well... I got my rare steelbook edition which is good. Gonna play it today and see what it's like. Really liked what I've seen and heard so far. Hopefully it doesn't take me too long to catch on how to play it properly since I've heard it can be overwhelming with the time schedule thing xD

I'd say that you should read some beginners guide-like articles. You can find many of them through Google (RPGsite, Eurogamer...) and are pretty useful to know how to grow skills (and also which ones are more important, or what days and actions give more bonuses...), what Confidants might be more of your liking, etc. Actually, Eurogamer's walkthrough can be useful for the first few days, so that you get how the game's pace is to take advantage of the game's schedules.

Still, the game does a pretty alright job in explaining shit and slowly opening up. It's overwhelming because there are many systems ingrained in the game loop, but you get a hang of it quickly enough and it not having a time limit (you're the one forwarding time) also helps.

And yeah, I don't really like steelcases much, but this one is pretty beautiful, and has that PS4 plastic thing you can put on so that it (somewhat) fits the rest of your game library.

 

[Jubileus]

I'd say that you should read some beginners guide-like articles. You can find many of them through Google (RPGsite, Eurogamer...) and are pretty useful to know how to grow skills (and also which ones are more important, or what days and actions give more bonuses...), what Confidants might be more of your liking, etc. Actually, Eurogamer's walkthrough can be useful for the first few days, so that you get how the game's pace is to take advantage of the game's schedules.

Still, the game does a pretty alright job in explaining shit and slowly opening up. It's overwhelming because there are many systems ingrained in the game loop, but you get a hang of it quickly enough and it not having a time limit (you're the one forwarding time) also helps.

And yeah, I don't really like steelcases much, but this one is pretty beautiful, and has that PS4 plastic thing you can put on so that it (somewhat) fits the rest of your game library.

Yeah been looking at a few beginner pointers online. Gonna just get stuck in and take it from there.

It's so... stylish! Honestly the most stylish game I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Even the loading screen is snazzy. English voice acting is very well done.

 

[Jubileus]

So I've played 4 hours of the game thus far. A few observations.

It does indeed play out like a graphic novel. Very heavily focused on the story and dialogue, and not a lot of gameplay, but I'm fine with that since I'm always down for a good story, and it's the most important part of a game for me.

Pacing is a bit slow, and I can tell that it's going to be a very lengthy game. I don't think I even scratched surface for everything there is to do in this game since I'm still at the first Palace and it's very linear atm.

The direction for the story is a lot darker than I thought. Very intriguing. I like.

The English voice acting is very well done. I don't think I've ever encountered English dub for Japanese media that has been done as well as this game.

P5 is a very niche game though. I'm thinking of my friends who only play western and fps games, and I can't see them getting into this type of game. Their reaction is mostly going to be "why is there so much talking? Let me play something already! I'm bored of all this talking."

For all it's worth, I'm glad I picked up this game. Let see how everything unfolds. Loving the art style and presentation too.

 

[Tornak]

So I've played 4 hours of the game thus far. A few observations.

It does indeed play out like a graphic novel. Very heavily focused on the story and dialogue, and not a lot of gameplay, but I'm fine with that since I'm always down for a good story, and it's the most important part of a game for me.

Pacing is a bit slow, and I can tell that it's going to be a very lengthy game. I don't think I even scratched surface for everything there is to do in this game since I'm still at the first Palace and it's very linear atm.

The direction for the story is a lot darker than I thought. Very intriguing. I like.

The English voice acting is very well done. I don't think I've ever encountered English dub for Japanese media that has been done as well as this game.

P5 is a very niche game though. I'm thinking of my friends who only play western and fps games, and I can't see them getting into this type of game. Their reaction is mostly going to be "why is there so much talking? Let me play something already! I'm bored of all this talking."

For all it's worth, I'm glad I picked up this game. Let see how everything unfolds. Loving the art style and presentation too.

Yeah, pacing is really slow at first. The first few (well, more than a few) days are pretty lineal and don't allow you much freedom. And I would say that not even I have scratched the surface of the game, and I'm 20 hours in and advanced enough in the second Palace. For real, but, even I have done a lot, I still know that I have sooo much left (especially in terms of new party members, for example).

My main advice here would be this: try to save SP for attacks (especially against those enemies who you can't quickly beat by other means) and finish the Palace as soon as you can (or, at least, try to go as far as you can go everytime time you need to enter). If you do it all in one go, you have quite a bit of free time.

I made that mistake during the first Palace. The difficulty being in Hard was the last straw, but I also got sloppy and didn't care as much as I should about my SP (me being used to other RPGs where it's easily replenished). I actually bumped the difficulty back to Normal (right before the first Palace boss, so plenty of hours in), because I had read that you get less EXP and money, and that's a big nono for a game like this. Also, even if perfectly manageable, I was getting fucked hard at times by random enemies, so I was tired of reloading and losing progress.

Another thing: look up some of the attributes you get with Confidants. You're in the very early stages, so don't worry about them for now, but you should try and be prepared for their prerequisites (not all of them have). Take a look at which ones you like best and prioritize them (I know my goal is making SP more abundant and having more free time).

PS: one final thing! Look up what special things there are each day (like TV quizs, bonuses for reading/bath house..., special products...) and switch books regularly (in case you get a seat in the train: buy as much as you can in Shibuya and try to finish those from the library). And take care of your plant week by week!