Persona 5 PS4 Review

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There was a tremendous improvement between Persona 4 and 3. And while I found Persona 4 to be fantastic, I had no idea it would become a breakthrough hit like it did. Its numerous spinoffs were evidence of its popularity – they even made a god damn fighting game! However,Persona 4’s success made me incredibly skeptical of Persona 5. How would Atlus top Persona 4? How much would Persona 4’s runaway success influence them? The last thing I wanted to see was a Chie knock off.

It was quickly apparent Persona 5’s cast differentiated themselves very well. Ryuji Sakamoto was a convincing dumbass that I actively wanted to slap silly. Ann Takamaki had an embarrassing outfit in the Metaverse but was offset by her kindness and determination for doing the right thing. Morgana was less outrageous than Persona 4’s Teddie and served as the Director of Sleeping for the player. I could go on with the rest of the cast but the key takeaway was how much of the cast had quirks, faults, and qualities that gave them a sense of dimension that I did not see in Persona 4’s cast.

The interactions with adults seemed generally pleasant and “normal” in Persona 4. This made it incredibly baffling to witness Persona 5’s awkward and unusual dialog exchanges. It was immediately apparent during the opening moments in the interrogation room and continued well into Sojiro’s introduction. The weird interactions would persist till the very end. It’s easy to attribute such oddities to questionable localization but, at the same time, I found it ended up somehow working for Persona 5’s theme of mistrust and misunderstandings with adults. Most interactions among the students and teammates seemed fine but with the adults? It can’t be helped, I guess.

I appreciated the amount of effort poured into realizing each target’s Palace. It was a step up from the retextured random dungeons from previous games; I appreciated the fact that each one had a thematically relevant gimmick. Castle infiltration, bank and casino heists didn’t exhibit many mechanical differences but it was better than running through hallways hoping to find the next staircase down. They could have trimmed the padding down a bit for the latter Palaces but in the end though. 

It seemed like the developers weren’t too keen on completely ditching the mindless and wayward dungeons of the past. Mementos was there for me to drill down and revisit from time to time. Thankfully side quests and gated progress gave me just enough reason to visit Mementos and a reason to leave. It was the epitome of mindless.

The combat received its share of additions and tricks in an effort to break monotony but it ultimately boiled down to exploiting enemy weaknesses and knocking them over for “All-out Attacks”. It’s still very much a turn based battle system and I had my fair share of Game Overs due to negligent play. It’s not brain dead easy but it brushes awfully close to it in spots. I don’t know how to make the battles more engaging but tossing out each elemental attack in search of a weakness was not a complicated strategy. The final bout leaned towards the more complex side of things and I wished there were more bouts like that throughout the game. Also, can they finally step away from the idea of the game ending when the protagonist gets incapacitated? Other people can resurrect as well.

As the Persona series makes its way onto the big stage, it was only fitting to see the game’s locale transition towards a metropolitan city like Tokyo. Persona is in the big times now and nowhere was it more evident than on the subway map; Shinjuku, Shibuya and other districts were now available for exploration. They had their share of shops, theaters, and activities to partake it in. Unfortunately I felt they were severely underutilized in the Social Link interactions.

I didn’t discover any mind blowing information by interacting with my teammates – they merely reinforced and elaborated on what I already knew. Time spent with Confidants yielded more flavorful stories that gave me more insight to the different citizens of Tokyo. I approached each one armed with a lot of intrigue. Unfortunately, they ended up with a side quest into Mementos. A few stories justified the use of the Phantom Thieves to change hearts and get the individuals out of sticky situations but others seemed like dangerous overkill. I understood the need to take down a con artist taking advantage of poor and uneducated people but should the Phantom Thieves be dealing with a controller mother What happened to just talking it out?

Recognition and online fame became a staple theme throughout the game. Not long after the formation of the Phantom Thieves, a fan site popped that tracked the group’s popularity. A voting poll showed how the people of Tokyo saw the Phantom Thieves. As more and more targets were taken down, the site’s meter would rise. Comments flashed by below the meter, giving some pretty convincing “internet comments”. They surfaced this data on transition/loading screens. They reinforced the idea of public opinion and popularity through the use of ambient chatter when we’re out on the streets and subway. TV stations regularly reflected the latest happenings of the Phantom Thieves. And if that wasn’t enough, they dedicated a screen to show off text bubbles of the public’s thoughts and opinions on all sorts of topics including the Phantom Thieves. I chose to downplay the need for recognition through my dialog choices but it’s difficult to ignore that when Ryuiji wants to leverage his Phantom Thief fame to pick up girls. By the end of the game, the entire group were seeking recognition in order to save themselves and everyone in Japan.

I just couldn’t empathize with their desire for online recognition but I appreciated Atlus for trying to tackle this phenomenon. Seeing Ryuji, Ann, Futaba, and gang get visibly upset that strangers were not recognizing their efforts for good was perplexing. It wasn’t like their real selves were being assaulted and yet they were consistently bummed out by the unsavory comments. I didn’t have time to worry about the relationship between our hero personas and the public, I had Social Links to maximize.

As I progressed, I wanted to maximize the time spent on Social Links development and minimize the time I spent in dungeons. By maximizing sneak attacks, swapping teammates in and out of combat, and tactful play, I tend to wrap up a palace with over a week to spare. This meant I would be spending a lot of time thumbing through Social Link or activity dialog boxes. It was then that I realized how much padding there was within each Social Link. I want each interaction to build upon the character’s story and not just a brief scene in a ramen shop. I would have also appreciated more hotspot options and scenes that took place within the major districts. Tokyo is a big city but it looked like everyone only enjoyed a handful of hotspots across this big city. I would have liked to compete with Ryuji at the batting cages or play some arcade games with Futaba.

The music and style of Persona 5 was undoubtedly stellar. I love the soundtrack to bits. Many tracks make repeat appearances throughout the game and I continued to jam to them all despite hours of exposure. Even the overly stylized menus never lost their charm. It’s not the most technically proficient title but running at a faultless 60 FPS with these stylish visuals makes for a very pleasant impression. I could have done with fewer loading screens though. (Likely a remnant from its legacy as a PS3 title as well.)

It’s always bittersweet to reach the end of the of a long game like Persona 5. Hanging out with the Phantom Thieves was a regular ritual for weeks and now it’s all over. I didn’t find the twist and final chapters of the game to be particularly wowing like Persona 4’s but I was left satisfied. I will gladly relive the good times through the game’s soundtrack though. I I wouldn’t say this game was a giant leap forward like Persona 4 but they expounded on the modern Persona formula in appreciable ways. If they were a bit more mindful of the excess and addressed some of the weaker aspects of the game for future installments, there’s a bright future for Persona.

Verdict:
I love it

Ratings Guide

Game of the Year 2017 Day 3 of 3

Best Old Game of 2017

Winner: Firewatch

Firewatch wins this category on a technicality because I simply didn’t play many older games in 2017. I was at odds with Henry’s cowardly ways; it’s very rare that I don’t find any redeeming qualities with the protagonist of an  game let alone an adventure game. He was a coward who ran away from his problems. I made it my mission to steer him back home and away from the allure of Delilah. I related to his growing infatuation with her even though she was nothing more than a voice. 

I came away reinforcing my own definitions of infatuation, love, and unconditional love. And for someone who was in the middle of a budding relationship, that proved to a bit helpful.

Best Game of 2017

Winner: Yakuza 0

Yakuza 0 is a masterful blend of wacky and touching moments. It took me on a wonderful journey through 1980’s Tokyo that left me wanting more. Giving Kiryu’s backstory more airtime was nice but transforming Goro Majima into a more than just a wacky nuisance was the real winner here.

I’ve played my fair share of Yakuza games starting with Yakuza 2 and the sheer amount of stuff to engage with in Yakuza 0 was astounding. Not all of it was of stellar quality but I found myself enjoying the journey and not wanting to end. I even flirted with the idea of returning to 0 to mop up leftovers.

Runner-ups:

2. Super Mario Odyssey – There may have been way too many Moons to collect but for the vast majority of the time, Super Mario Odyssey was a joy to play. My only complaint? It didn’t quite dazzle me like Super Mario Galaxy did but then again, how many games can live up to that masterpiece?

3. Persona 5 – I’m technically still in the midst of playing this game but I really enjoy it. I – like many others – have a strong affinity towards Persona 4 and its cast of characters, so I was curious what Atlus would do to win me over with a new cast of characters. After a bit of an awkward and rocky opening, I’m finally hitting my stride with the game.

I adore the music and style which they unsurprisingly nail. But I’m a bit surprised with how invested I am with the characters and their stories. They’re grabbing with their shocking nature but I’m sticking with them to see how they handle these “classic tales of woe” in these modern times.

4. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – In a year filled with open world goodness, Uncharted games feel especially antiquated with their restrictive climbing mechanics and instant death pitfalls. But once I got my Uncharted legs back under me, The Lost Legacy was a wonderful way to revisit the mechanics of Uncharted 4 without the long commitment of reliving Nathan Drake’s final epic.

5. Metroid: Samus Returns – Almost any effort would have been seen as a success coming from Metroid: Other M. Metroid: Samus Returns not only successfully remade Metroid II: Return of Samus for 2017 but they also proved capable of taking the franchise forward with fresh new additions to Samus’ core moves.

6. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild – There’s a lot of promise shown in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I think Nintendo struck gold with this new take on 3D Legend of Zelda. But I want something more than dazzle. I want more to do and I don’t mean more shrines. Creative types had a ball coming up with clever ways to torment the denizens of Hyrule. If only I had the knack for making my own fun. Then maybe, I would have loved Breath of the Wild a bit more.

7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Mario Kart 8 was number 2 on my 2014 list and it still holds up 3 years later. It’s easily my favorite Mario Kart title and it’s even better with this refined package. This time around, I found additional joy playing the game with friends and family in 4 player splitscreen. It’s the first Switch game that I played like one of those Switch commercials.

8. Nier: Automata – I like many of the individual elements of Nier: Automata but as a whole, it felt short. The soundtrack is phenomenal — I still listen to it on a regular basis. But the bland world and basic combat left me wanting. And while I understand that playing the game multiple times to wring out additional endings is appealing to some, I generally dislike it. I don’t mind replaying exceptional experiences but unfortunately for Nier: Automata, it wasn’t one.

But that soundtrack? Keep that on loop.

9. Puyo Puyo Tetris – I didn’t get around to reviewing this game because I never got around to completing I did enjoy what I played of Puyo Puyo Tetris. The campaign is silly nonsense that overstayed its welcome but I admire their heart. It’s a fantastic game filled with nonsensical characters and great puzzling action. I know I will be returning to it time and time again which is why it currently sits as one of two digital purchases for the Nintendo Switch.

10. Yakuza Kiwami – I experienced the first Yakuza through Yakuza 2’s recap video so while I had an idea of how the adventures of Kiryu started, I didn’t experience it first hand. I rectified that this year thanks to Sega’s remake dubbed Yakuza Kiwami. It was certainly extreme but coming from Yakuza 0’s ridiculous panache, it felt a little toned down and disjointed. Granted this was faithful to the original game but I think they may have been a little too faithful. Still, it was good to see the likes of Yuya brought out of the dark ages of the PS2.

Checkpoint: So That Was 2017 Edition

What a year 2017 was. It started out real shitty (literally) as I started off the new year battling a nasty stomach illness. I reached a low point in February of 2017 where I was exceptionally harsh on myself for taking early relationships too seriously. I recovered quickly and not long after, I met my very special lady. She’s the one.

I won’t get into the nitty gritty details but her and GameDealsCanada have been the primary reasons why the posts on this site have been sporadic. Life is getting in the way but that’s okay. I’m still finding pockets of time to express and jot down some thoughts here.

GameDealsCanada continues to break personal records and I’m finding myself interacting more with followers. Everyone have always been supportive of my work but 2017 felt a little extra special for whatever reason. While the website remains largely the same, the backend deals posting process underwent a significant upgrade thanks to my girlfriend.

In 2017, I unexpectedly entered the 4K HDR arena with the purchase of my LG OLED55B6P. The old LE8500 bit the dust and I’ve been basking in OLED for the latter half of the year. I didn’t really take advantage of the new screen until I watched Planet Earth II on UltraHD Blu-ray in early Decemeber. That’s a beautiful showcase for 4K and especially HDR. Gaming wise, I started to take advantage of the 4K HDR goodness with Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

Speaking of delayed reactions to my new toys, I didn’t really take to Nintendo’s new platform until I brought it with me on a couple of Toronto trips. I didn’t really appreciate the hardware’s strengths until I sank my teeth into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and I was able to play the game everywhere.

Health wise, I’ve been alright. I’m maintaining my weight and keeping up with exercise but I can do better. I need to get myself back in a rhythm and schedule with the stretching, pull ups, push ups etc but at least I’m staying on top of getting my steps in. Something is better than nothing, I guess.

Gaming wise, 2017 was light for me. I hear there are a lot of fantastic games but I just didn’t have the time to play many of them. I’m struggling to make a list of eligible 2017 games that I’ve completed let alone a top 10 list that I’m happy with. I might cut it down to top 5 for this year.

2017 was pretty awesome for me on a personal level and I hope the good times roll forward into the new year.

I’m currently working my way through Persona 5. I think it may end up being my last game before the 2017 game of the year cut off on Resetera. So far, I’m enjoying it very much but at the same time, I find myself getting sleepy inbetween targets.

Persona 5 coming to PS4 as well

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Persona 5 will make its Japanese debut on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 some time in 2015.

I didn’t think it would. I thought Atlus wouldn’t be comfortable to develop for two platforms and port Persona 5 over to the PlayStation 4 after release. I guess I was wrong and Sony have made it easy enough to port to their latest console.

But why? It’s for the western markets. The PlayStation 4 will probably sail past 5 million units sold by the time Persona 5 makes its North American debut. I still have my PlayStation 3 hooked up but not everyone does. Many may traded in theirs in or shoved it into storage. If Atlus wants Persona 5 to make a meaningful splash in the west, it needs to be on the current generation of consoles.

Persona 5 is the last PlayStation 3 new release that I was waiting on. I still have a sizeable back log for the old console, so it will remain in my entertainment unit for quite some time.

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