Persona series

It has Never More Reincarnation version play in it too.

... So yeah, it's clearly a YMMV thing. I've never played it: though the extras are interesting, I don't own a Vita, and the system hasn't really got anything else of note at the moment.

If the Vita had more games and I actually had money to spend on such a thing I would buy Golden. Unfortunately, the only other thing on the Vita that I might like to play is Disgaea 3, so it's simply not worth the investment right now.

Someone should get Namco to export their Tales Vita titles over here. That'd get the system moving.

Hey guys the PS 1 version of P2: EP is coming out for the PSN!

...part of me is pleased but then the other half remembers hearing the voice acting for those older cutscenes. -shudder-

Ah well. Positive thinking and all that. (Still want PSP version Atlus)

Alright, bought the wrong PSP so no Kingdom Hearts for me. Instead, elevator pitch Persona for me, if you would.

The original?

edited 16th Feb '13 1:31:10 PM by phoenixdaughterAM

I bet they're building up to it.

Any that's available for the PSP. I think the first three are. Or whatever, just the series in general. Gameplay, plot, tone?

Persona 3: Shoot self, gain magic monster summoning, kill monsters, date everyone.

As opposed to Persona 4: 'You're not me! OK you actually are.'

Don't forget the "fuck all the women" part.

The first game is... Interesting. It's a hybrid of normal and tactical RPG tropes, and is a might bit complicated.

The second game is actually a pair, and both are very solid, if somewhat tradtional, RPGs with an Urban Fantasy flair to set them apart.

The third game is a combination of and RPG and a Dating Sim, and is very fun, if a little poorly paced.

The tones of all five games are somewhat dark, but ultimately optimistic. They all make heavy use of Jungian psychological theory and Tarot Motifs, the later two more so than the first three.

edited 16th Feb '13 2:23:04 PM by Pulse

Persona: Fan of old-school PS 1 RPGS that are harder than they should be! This is for you.

Persona 2 IS and EP: More easily recommended as these games improve on the mechanics of the original and give us a higher staked story-line.

Persona 3 Portable: More of a visual novel styled but this is the game to get for the PSP if you only get one. Male Protag is the same as always and Fe MC is a nice twist on the same game. (And a good way to bring in Social Link improvements from Persona 4)

Well, now that I'm in mid-July things are starting to pick up in Persona 3. I'm still been having a lot of fun with it, though, especially after I got used to the differences between the P3 and P4 battle systems.

Not sure if I'd like the dating sim part, but I'm a huge fan of Earn Your Happy Ending, at least.

At least in Persona 4 and the female route of Persona 3 Portable, the dating part is optional (also, your friends in P4 get more powerful the more you hang out with them). Also, they're pretty decently written (though P3's male protagonist has some pretty sketchy moments in some of the weirder ones).

To add to what's been already said;

Persona 2: Apart from being a refinement of the P1 system (basically, you can make some rather amusing contracts with common enemies as opposed to fighting them, and the fact that every party member can switch Personas adds quite a bit of tactical flexibility), it has arguably the best (craziest) plot in the series, since the whole premise is about rumors coming true if enough people believe in them. Also has probably the least base-breaking main cast in the series. P2 is also the only game in the series where you have working adults as party members, and it's probably by far the darkest entry, though it still ends on a fairly hopeful note.

Persona 3: Everyone has mentioned Social Links, but it also added in a calender system where you have to juggle school, work, hanging out, and BEATING THE SHIT OUT OF MONSTERS. Also, the combat system has been changed up; among other things, there are no more random encounters, and only the protagonist can switch personas. Has some pacing issues, and I sometimes get the feeling that the writers were still finding their feet with regards to the S-Links, but it's understandable, considering Atlus was trying something new for them. It still has a decently in-depth overarching plot and an underlying darkness, but the calender system gives the game a more "slice-of-life" feel, with plenty of breather moments to break up the drama.

Persona 4: Basically a refinement of P3's gameplay mechanics and Social Links (with most of the improvements being incorporated back into Persona 3 Portable); for one thing, doing the social links will make your party members stronger. Unlike the previous games, it takes place in a small rural town, and has by far the happiest mood in the series. It has the thinnest plot of all the Personas (basically, it's a bare-bones murder mystery), but I think it more than makes up for it with atmosphere, by using its "slice-of-life" elements (Social Links, mandatory calender events, etc.) to make you feel quite emotionally involved with the town and the people living in it, particularly your party members and your family. The Vita remake adds quite a bit of new features, but I suspect you won't be getting that anytime soon. This game and Persona 2 are probably my favorite entries in the series.

edited 16th Feb '13 5:21:38 PM by umbrellasareawesome

Well the first of the two Persona 2 games ends with the Main villain winning. So it's not exactly happy

Also I love Maya's theme

edited 16th Feb '13 10:32:26 PM by Saya1

Well, I personally look at the duology as one game, and EP's ending is fairly hopeful, even if it's bittersweet.

I find it sad that Eikichi's theme didn't get a remix for the PSP Innocent Sin...

You know, I've been thinking...

In P1/2, the random enemies were demons, and the games had the "demon contact" system that the mainline SMT games used. Various responses had various results (e.g., you may get cards with which to fuse into Personas, or other helpful items, or whatever).

On the other hand, P3/4 dispensed with all of that, and made the enemies be Shadows (and you obviously cannot contact a Shadow). You can only get new Personas either through successful "Shuffle Time" winnings, or through fusing.

Now, what I'm wondering is this:

If P3/4 had retained the demons as enemies and the "demon contact" system, what would each characters' possible methods of contacting demons be?

Do you think Persona 4 Arena is a worthwhile investment? Y/N?

Yes.

I like Arena, even if I haven't had time to play it much.

Absolutely.

Best game that arksys put out this decade.