^This is good to know because I have never played any persona game but... looking at that trailer..I really want to try it but I also don't want to be so disconnected
oo this explanation helps a lot
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Please explain the Persona series to a n00b
- Thread starter FiveMinuteHero
- Start date
^This is good to know because I have never played any persona game but... looking at that trailer..I really want to try it but I also don't want to be so disconnected
Werewolf Jones
Member
While you were too busy playing video games and lurking GAF during your high school years people were out there socializing and doing cool things with a gf. You too can do this too by playing the Persona series and re-living those moments you missed out on. Also comes with bonus RPG gameplay and fusing demons that play tribute to a Japanese manga that started off as Fist of the North Star meets Dracula.
RelentlessRolento
Member
Ok, yeah I get you now.
Yeah, I could see P5 doing the same, but the trailer seemed they are trying to make the game more action based/friendly.
That might help with the long tirades and spoken word.
ie. If it's closer to Cathrine but still a Persona game I think I'd enjoy it.
Perfect Cha0s
Member
Other people have covered the structure of the games, so I won't go there.
If you don't intend on playing either of the recent games, P3 or P4, I'd advise you to check out the Giant Bomb Persona 4 Endurance. P3/4 are hard to describe, I think, because the games ultimately end up being what you make of them. You can scrape by in the dungeons and focus on the character development stuff (social links), you can focus on dungeons and completely ignore the other characters, or you can (and should) do both, since the social stuff makes you stronger in dungeons, and there really is a ton of content in each of the games.
The characters are typically fun while not being over-the-top to the extent that it clashes with some of the heavier themes the story, or their personal development arcs, tries to tackle. Some of the non-party social links can be hit or miss, but the main cast usually has good arcs that build on their characters nicely.
If you don't intend on playing either of the recent games, P3 or P4, I'd advise you to check out the Giant Bomb Persona 4 Endurance. P3/4 are hard to describe, I think, because the games ultimately end up being what you make of them. You can scrape by in the dungeons and focus on the character development stuff (social links), you can focus on dungeons and completely ignore the other characters, or you can (and should) do both, since the social stuff makes you stronger in dungeons, and there really is a ton of content in each of the games.
The characters are typically fun while not being over-the-top to the extent that it clashes with some of the heavier themes the story, or their personal development arcs, tries to tackle. Some of the non-party social links can be hit or miss, but the main cast usually has good arcs that build on their characters nicely.
How else are people supposed to learn about the composition and taste of the sweat of alien species?
I see. I remain super skeptical about it having major action elements, but I guess we'll see.
Robert at Zeboyd Games
Banned
There are a lot of great gameplay improvements in Golden though including...
The ability to directly select which skills carry over (instead of retrying over & over until you get the ones you actually want).
More difficulty options.
Skill cards.
A much better post-battle reward game.
Stronger secondary characters (they changed their ability lists somewhat).
The ability to fast-forward through scenes.
Shorter load times.
An online feature that lets you see popular choices for that day.
None of this stuff is essential, but it all combines to make the actual gameplay a lot better in Golden than it was in the original game. Plus, there's all the new content too.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
what's stopping you from playing persona 4 aka the pinnacle of all that is games
The Artisan
Member
none of the characters from any of the persona games are in more than one? none of the persona games have anything to do with each other?
Dylan Sexbang
Banned
It's an episode of Scooby Doo in Japan. They even have a dog.
Matt Attack
Member
There are Persona 1 characters that appear in the Persona 2 duology. For Personas 3 and 4, outside of occasional cameos and references, the games are standalone. There are crossover games though like Persona Q and the Persona 4 Arena games that feature siginificant interactions between the casts of Persona 3 and 4.
John Kowalski
Banned
They're Meeting and Loving Chie simulators.
Paper Sparrow
Member
It has this guy.
Zionga all the fools.
Zionga all the fools.
"I don't wanna go in dungeon! It looks berry scary."
"Eyyy Teddy, would ya do it for a teddy snack?"
The Artisan
Member
so persona 5 is starting a new cast of characters. and i'm guessing there will be a p6 to complement it.
do all the persona games at least take place in the same universe?
Matt Attack
Member
3 and 4 absolutely do. I'm pretty sure that 1 and 2 are in the same universe as the others as well, but don't quote me on that. There's a huge shift in terms of both gameplay and tone from 1&2 to 3&4 so that they honestly feel like different series altogether.
I would be surprised if 5 didn't have an entirely new cast, and as such I don't think there should be anything stopping somebody from starting there. Any possible overarching story between the various games would likely be dealt with in a spinoff like Arena instead of the mainline series.
bobawesome
Member
Yeah, that's a great reason to miss out on a series of games you may potentially like.
These threads...
I ignore all games/movies/books that have obsessive fans!
... I don't do much of anything ever.
AcademicSaucer
Member
Just dont go in expecting great dungeon crawling, I hope Persona 5 changes that
The Artisan
Member
eh, so besides every 2 games, they really don't have anything to do with each other. not even the universe is consistent.
I don't like when games do that but p5 looks really cool. I'll get it when it comes out.
Aaronrules380
Member
1 and 2 are definitely in the same universe, and 3 and 4 are also definitely in the same universe. I'm pretty sure 3 and 4 are technically in the same universe as 1 and 2 (The velvet room and Igor appear in 2 as well as 3 and 4) as well, but there's a greater divide between those parts of the franchise. 3 and 4 are completely part of the same universe, to the point where they have canon crossover spinoffs in the arena games and Persona Q (Though the way in which Persona Q fits into the canon is weird because of some hijinks that are pulled to make it work in the first place)
The Artisan
Member
I get that, bro. It's come to my understanding that the persona games are related in pairs but outside of the pairs there is no relation whatsoever, not even in the universes. Is that accurate?
wait, what? they are all taking place in the same universe?
Yes!
As you can tell, there's some misinforming going on because a lot of fans were introduced to the series by P3 and P4.
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
I wish when they remade Persona 2 they would've updated the battle system to be along the lines of modern Persona (without the Social Links and such, I mean the quicker pace battles), I love the characters and setting of Persona 2 (Tatsuya nails the badass look even being silent), but the actual game is...extremely dull, and I just quit when I got to that dungeon where you had to find the secret exit.
But you know, I was thinking, and it was brought up earlier in this thread, do you think the reason Persona is so successful is it appeals to a lot of people who never experienced the same sense of camaraderie in their actual school career? I never really had a close-knit group of friends like in Persona, and honestly I felt a weird since of "man, why wasn't my life like that?" when I played Persona 4. I guess it sort of appeals to a lot of people's deep desire to be the "cool kid".
But you know, I was thinking, and it was brought up earlier in this thread, do you think the reason Persona is so successful is it appeals to a lot of people who never experienced the same sense of camaraderie in their actual school career? I never really had a close-knit group of friends like in Persona, and honestly I felt a weird since of "man, why wasn't my life like that?" when I played Persona 4. I guess it sort of appeals to a lot of people's deep desire to be the "cool kid".
Aaronrules380
Member
I said 1 and 2 are probably in the same universe, it's just hazier. Regardless, I'd expect any game going forward to be linked to the p3 and p4 universe
Nightengale
Member
Same universe, but one could say that it's with P3 onwards that the universe has established a stronger 'constant' in terms of what's changed in the Persona universe.
Post-P3, we've got Shadow Operatives established, and basically more core Persona characters continuing to be involved with the lore of the setting on a grander scale that's not necessarily part and parcel of respective new stories within the Persona mainline games.
In a way, one could say that if a future Persona game tackles Shadows again in a non-discreet manner, it would be 'awkward' if Shadow Operatives weren't involved somehow, and that would drag P3 characters into the fray.
Post-P3, we've got Shadow Operatives established, and basically more core Persona characters continuing to be involved with the lore of the setting on a grander scale that's not necessarily part and parcel of respective new stories within the Persona mainline games.
In a way, one could say that if a future Persona game tackles Shadows again in a non-discreet manner, it would be 'awkward' if Shadow Operatives weren't involved somehow, and that would drag P3 characters into the fray.
Aaronrules380
Member
Yeah, that's probably a better way to put it. There are a few inconsistencies in the universe between 1-2 and 3-4 (Though there are various explanations I've heard for them), but they're still supposed to be the same universe
The Artisan
Member
okay, awesome. now that this has been established, I'm guessing since all/most of these games have new casts that the only thing we'll get that will connect p5 to the previous games will be... easter eggs, and maybe like settings.
Yeah, and most likely from Persona 3 and Persona 4 because:
1) They're hugely successful.
2) The head staff involved in making those games are working on Persona 5, so there's creative authority and freedom there.
It's still all in the same universe.
At most, one or two characters might make a cameo apperance, but that's it.
Nightengale
Member
Honestly, we don't know that. Just because P4 didn't have any major involvements from P3 doesn't necessarily mean future games won't. All it means is that in terms of the main cast, we're not getting a direct sequel that reprises the same characters from 3/4.
We've seen with P4Arena (it's canon) that the Atlus/Persona team has no qualms of having stories and characters from multiple games be intertwined if need be. And while they're not 'massive plot points', each game do have some loose not-entirely-closed-subplots that could potentially be tackled in future stories, if they want to.
Happened in DBZ too.
The Artisan
Member
uhh, what
cute avy tho
I see. are they... niche games? because I honestly never saw the hype behind them until p5. i feel like the success of the Ps4 may've reinvigorated the excitement for the series, but I could be totally off.
that sounds good to me man. i'm all for more, but who doesn't love cameos?
I understand that you're a newcomer to the series, so I'll do the dirty deed and resort to GameRankings to give a good idea.
Persona 4 and Persona 4 Golden (the definitive edition) are both the highest rated JRPGs since Final Fantasy IX.
Now, I'm not saying they're the greatest games of all time, but the hype for P5 is warranted. You are right, though, it's a niche series and that all may change now.
Nightengale
Member
Persona 3 and Persona 4 were PS2 games.
P4G was a great improved release of P4, but it's still the same story and characters we already loved... 7 years ago.
Furthermore, I would say that the Persona franchise has grown leaps and bounds over the past few years. 3/4 took what was super niche, into a highly popular 'niche', and then the animes, movies, spin-offs, etc fuelled and kept the IP constantly in some amount of spotlight, while there's a festering desire to see the next Persona.
The Artisan
Member
lmao, I thought you were trolling. cool
well, that must have something to do with its success. also, this series is very largely exclusive to playstation yeah? did the fighting game decide to be multiplatform because every other once-Ps3 exclusive, turned multiplatform?
Watch Da Birdie
I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
That's not Hitler, that's the Fuhrer. They're completely different!
Aaronrules380
Member
Completely different LOL
The Artisan
Member
I do not doubt that these are quality games worthy of their praise. And even if they're niche, that's not necessarily a bad thing... it'll just stagnate the game's sales and potential popularity.
But yes. Like you suggested, I think it may chagne with p5. the souls series was niche as well, but I think with dark souls 2 it became more mainstream, and the Ps4 release of it as well as bloodborne will hopefully make it much more mainstream.
Game literally names him as hitler.
Aaronrules380
Member
Name was censored in the english version to the Furher lol
Not in the PSP version!
Honestly, giving him the dealwithit.gif shades makes it even worse.
The Artisan
Member
One a side note, I think they should axe the Ps3 version and pour all their resources into optimizing the Ps4 version.