Live Blogs Jung complexes and icy masks: Let's Play Persona (PSP)

phoenixdaughterAM2012-07-14 15:25:10

Welcome one and all to my very first Let's Play. Today is the first of many days that we shall venture into this strange and Cash Cow Francise starting series called Persona. But what is Persona?

First up, the Persona series is a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei franchise. It's intent was to be a more accessible game within the franchise since all of the games are considered Nintendo Hard. This appears to be a big sucess as this spin-off franchise is now extremely popular within the RPG gaming sub-set. Persona 3 is noted for being Atlus big success and breakthrough into the western gaming market.

But what of this game? What of the first installment? In Japan it is regarded as pretty good and did well. The US...let us just say that Atlus didn't get their famed Wooyleism status without going through hell first. Which was one of the big marketing points Atlus USA made for the re-release, which is what we will be Let's Playing. After the success of Persona 3 and Persona 4, Atlus decided to remake the original game for those who did not have the chance to originally play these games.

While I have played Persona 3 Portable over and over and over and over again and have taken on Persona 2: Innocent Sin, this game will be my first playthrough. Note I didn't say blind. I did already watch a walkthrough for plot reasons, meaning that while I know what's going to happen, I have no idea what's the optimal situation for it. So let's dig into Shin Megami Tensei: Persona and see what terror and tough bosses await for us!

Comments

Otherarrow Since: Dec, 1969

Jul 15th 2012 at 1:57:09 PM

You didn't talk to Reiji's mom twice did you? If you did, you can't recruit Reiji. Of course, I want to say she says something that makes it clear (like saying "Oh, never mind, don't worry about Reiji" or something, but I never did it)

Don't worry about the gambling. I completely ignored it and made it through the game just fine. I think, at most, there are a few totems as prizes.

...What are totems? When the Velvet Room becomes unlocked (which is, for SEBEC, during the third dungeon I want to say? Could be the fourth. After the first boss.) you can fuse Personas using the spell cards you get from demons. Totems are things you can add to the fusion to make specific Personas that can't be gained in any other way. You get the Ultimates this way much later in the game, but you can also regain the Initials if you find their totems and can fuse fun stuff like Lucifer, Satan, Brahma, Nyarlathotep and so on.

phoenixdaughterAM Since: Dec, 1969

Jul 15th 2012 at 2:00:42 PM

I still find Blackjack fun so I will play on occasion. And yes, there are weapons for prizes but I can manage without them.

-laughs at fusing Nyarlathotep- Oh the irony!

Otherarrow Since: Dec, 1969

Jul 15th 2012 at 2:10:56 PM

Only Reiji can actually use him. This makes it doubly interesting, because Nyarly in this game is the Persona of Reiji's hated half brother.

...Are we hiding who the villain is? You already hinted at it not so subtly. And the game reveals it almost instantly after the first dungeon.

phoenixdaughterAM Since: Dec, 1969

Jul 15th 2012 at 2:20:11 PM

Hide it for now. There are some people who are unspoilered among us. But I was more thinking of Narly's role in Persona 2 but that is an interesting tidbit as well.

EndarkCuli Since: Dec, 1969

Jul 15th 2012 at 2:41:13 PM

Just in case spoilers get out of hand, I'd like to remind everyone that the tedious and roundabout method of editing a comment is to go to the main Liveblog select screen, click on the number of comments your liveblog of choice has in total, and then find which comment of yours you would like to edit. Here's a quick link to all of this Liveblog's comments, by the way.

Getting back to the main matter, I found the casino to be quite handy when preparing for the Snow Queen plot, since you need every advantage you can get if you want every character to end up as excellent. And as for your continued progress in whatever path you choose, keep it up, because we're all rooting for you!