Persona 4

[Beware the talking cat]

Huh. I was playing on normal mode, so maybe that was why I could get through all the dungeons in two days.

[ainsoph9]

Ok. Necro-post, only because I am currently playing this game. I have about 40 some hours logged into it already, which puts me about July 11 or so. (This will change today for sure.) Anyhow, I am thoroughly enjoying this game, especially the camping trip, which was hilarious. It has been interesting watching the anime for a comparison as well. There have been some distinct differences between the anime's choices and my own. For instance, I went with the soccer team versus the basketball team. I have also maxed out my S. Link with Chie, not any of the other girls. Speaking of S. Links, what is the max level you can go with the girls in the game without it backfiring on you? Also, I find it somewhat troubling that no one has bothered to make a guide for creating personas. In any case, for those of you who liked the camping trip stuff, some videos are below. Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Spoiler! :

[Setherzam]

Ok. Necro-post, only because I am currently playing this game. I have about 40 some hours logged into it already, which puts me about July 11 or so. (This will change today for sure.) Anyhow, I am thoroughly enjoying this game, especially the camping trip, which was hilarious. It has been interesting watching the anime for a comparison as well. There have been some distinct differences between the anime's choices and my own. For instance, I went with the soccer team versus the basketball team. I have also maxed out my S. Link with Chie, not any of the other girls. Speaking of S. Links, what is the max level you can go with the girls in the game without it backfiring on you? Also, I find it somewhat troubling that no one has bothered to make a guide for creating personas. In any case, for those of you who liked the camping trip stuff, some videos are below. Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Spoiler! :

Haha, there's the funny thing. As long as you max out each girl one at a time, it will never backfire on you. I think you can bring each girl up to 6 (it'll warn you) before you have to be exclusive. After that point you have to focus on one girl at a time until they reach 10, then you can go right back to fooling around with everyone.

[ainsoph9]

Well, I have been able to max out Chie and Yukiko without any problems. I made Chie the MC's girlfriend and was able to take the "just friends" route with Yukiko. Most of the links with my team are pretty high right now. I am at the part just after the second school trip, which was absolutely hilarious. I have about 60 hours or so logged in so far.

[Khaleel]

Well, I have been able to max out Chie and Yukiko without any problems. I made Chie the MC's girlfriend and was able to take the "just friends" route with Yukiko. Most of the links with my team are pretty high right now. I am at the part just after the second school trip, which was absolutely hilarious. I have about 60 hours or so logged in so far.

Almost a Month since that message. Finished the game already? And, yes. King's Game...

Well, my favorite girlfriend route can't be saying here, because is a spoiler. But, i played the game dub in japanese and sub in english and...well, Rise voice actress...I can't belive: RIE TSUNDERE-SAMA. <3

[ainsoph9]

I am probably about 10-20 hours max from finishing it. I am on December 13? in the game, which should give you a clue as to what I am about to do. I have several S. Links maxed out, but I know that I will not be able to get all of them maxed out. All of the MC's stats are maxed as well, except for Diligence. I cannot remember if I said this or not, but I did choose Chie for my girlfriend in the game. (I do find it funny how some of the girls blush.)

The King's Game part was funny, but the funniest part to me was the first school trip.

As for Rise's voice in Japanese, it really does not fit Rise's character because Kugimiya Rie is known for being the "Tsundere Queen," which Rise is definitely not. I have been playing the game in English, so my exposure to the Japanese voices has only been from the anime. While I do like most of the Japanese voices more, I do find Yosuke's English voice to be much more entertaining, despite my like for the Japanese voice actor. I just find that Yosuke's Japanese voice makes him sound like a whiny creep, which does not really fit his character.

[ainsoph9]

FYI, I just beat Persona 4 at 111 hours and 30 minutes. It is actually probably less than that in actual time, given that I let it sit for several hours, despite the retries. Now, I think I will go for some VNs.

[darcwizrd]

So I just started playing Persona 3 on my laptop and 2 minutes in I realized I hate the dubbing. But then again it's rare to find any good dubbing. But aside from that I like it so far even though I haven't done anything. And I was thinking about playing P4 but the anime sort of ruined it for me so i don't know what to do.

[ainsoph9]

The anime does not do the game justice. Play the game, and you will see almost immediately why.

[darcwizrd]

On another note, does anyone else think P3 should have an anime too. I think Persona: Trinity Soul really shouldn't even count. It's more of a drama than anything.

[ainsoph9]

Agreed.

[b0mb3r]

Jesus I feel drained. I marathon this game nearly two weeks on and off. I clocked 66 hours with true ending but I must have invested 100-120 hours into this game. Seriously longest rpg I have ever played. It blows Super Mario RPG, FF7, Fire Emblem, Zelda, and other Rpgs out the water. It took me 70 hours to beat KOTOR and I have beaten it twice with both gender and light/dark ending. But there is a shining light in this horizon. I played this game on the pcsx2, meaning HD Glorious. After I heard persona 4 was coming to vita with hd graphics I forgotten I have persona 4 on my computer, so I decided to played it. The 2nd best thing? English subtitles with Japanese dubs. No annoying English dub to hear just pure quality. Anyway I have mix feelings with this game as I will explore in the spoiler tab, to protect from newcomers from reading it and ruining the game for them.

Spoiler! :

Social links irks me. It wouldn’t bug me if the people lives would be a bit more interesting. But it was like slowly watching a boring k-drama. I know it has some renai element but I personally feel it didn’t use the element as well I thought it would have. I pretty much max the social link with all the ladies but there is one thing that bug the hell outta of me. Naoto. She was my favorite character and I really wanted her to be my girlfriend. With high exp in VNs I knew how to make the girls fall for me but Naoto? Just friend-zone. To find out later you can only date her in the 2nd play through ruined for me. It sucks that the only social link I couldn’t get was nanako and her dad. I was one level away from social max them before they were snatched by the storyline.

Speaking of the story. My god it was very linear. I immediately knew it was the gas station worker was the bad guy. Was just waiting when he (or she) was gonna appear. Also it kinds of obvious it was Izanami as I have Izanagi. Adachi was very easy to spot due to troupe. The character weren’t that interesting in themselves but it was fun watching them interact with each other. While the unconscious world of human suppress thoughts lead the creation of an entity with the wish to devour the world with humanity’s darkest desires but so what? The method and execution feels a bit out of place, a sort of half-ass mystery with little to no explanation. At least the synopsis of persona 3 leave me an impression of a stronger storyline. What’s the connection b/w the game anyway?

Other than that gameplay wise was fun. It’s nice to see where the orginal idea of pokemon came from. The elemental weakness, while old, has a nice twist when everyone attacks. That always makes me giddy. I think the strongest draw with me is the music. The music is the strongest motivator to keep on playing. Heaven is my favorite OST. Overall I think the theme, with the idea of accepting yourself, is a good sell. I find it ironic b/c I wonder people came to play games to run away from themselves but find character contradicting their actions. Maybe that’s what they were trying to sell. I give this game a B.

Well that’s that. One last question. Should I watch Persona 4 animation for the hell of it? To see the comparison?

[ainsoph9]

b0mb3r, let me say one thing first: loosen up a little and enjoy the ride. Sheesh.

Persona 4 is a long game, but I found that it was enjoyable for the most part for the game play and humor-factor alone. I can understand what you mean about the S. Links being irksome, but taking them from a VN standpoint really helps. The one thing about the S. Links that bothered me was the fact that I would have had to play the game ten times before exploring all of the possibilities. No thanks.

While the story is linear, the focus of the game is more on the player being able to work within that linearity.

Spoiler! :

It still upset me that Nanako dies, even if it was briefly.

Linear? Yes. Have a strong impact regardless? Yes.

Persona 4 takes place a few years in another town after Persona 3 within the same universe.

Personally, after playing Persona 4 and watching the anime, I would say several things.

1. If you did not like Persona 4 the game, you will probably hate the anime.
2. The anime does not add that much to your Persona 4 experience.
3. The anime feels like a bad Saturday morning cartoon for the first few episodes.
4. The anime really drops the ball in some key places, especially the more humorous sections.
5. The anime takes some heavy liberties at certain points.
6. The anime needed to be twice as long to do the game justice.
7. The battles in the anime are sometimes kind of pathetic.
8. Some things about the S. Links in the anime...need work...

[b0mb3r]

Sorry ainsoph if I sound a bit restless. Is just I heard many good things about this game but I feel like the payoff wasn't exactly what I wanted it. I personally don't think is one of the greatest jrpg I have played but doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable. To me this game is like a roller-coaster, at the beginning it builds up to a height and when it descend there was suppose to be some kind of thrill or rush, instead it decline the same pace as it climb it. So while it still have the twist and loops of a regular roller coaster it wasn't as fast. Still to me, enjoying a slow roller coaster is fun for me.

What do you mean play ten times? Why would you need to play ten times? Also the relationship b/w p3/p4 while take place in the same universe I'm more curious the roles shadows play overall. The common theme in the persona game is that they're simply entities of human suppressed thoughts? I know in the regular shin megami is making pact with demons.

[ainsoph9]

Sorry ainsoph if I sound a bit restless. Is just I heard many good things about this game but I feel like the payoff wasn't exactly what I wanted it. I personally don't think is one of the greatest jrpg I have played but doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable. To me this game is like a roller-coaster, at the beginning it builds up to a height and when it descend there was suppose to be some kind of thrill or rush, instead it decline the same pace as it climb it. So while it still have the twist and loops of a regular roller coaster it wasn't as fast. Still to me, enjoying a slow roller coaster is fun for me.

It might not be the best JRPG ever, but it certainly had its merits. I must admit that it kept my attention and interest much more than Persona 3 ever did. Persona 3 just kind of dragged on and on until I did not really care anymore. I still have not finished Persona 3 despite the 100+ hours that I have logged into that game.

What do you mean play ten times? Why would you need to play ten times? Also the relationship b/w p3/p4 while take place in the same universe I'm more curious the roles shadows play overall. The common theme in the persona game is that they're simply entities of human suppressed thoughts? I know in the regular shin megami is making pact with demons.

If you want to get all of the variations of the routes for the girls, you would need to play the game an inordinate number of times. The game does not allow for you to cheat on the girls like in Persona 3, but there is a way to do it technically. It is just very difficult and dangerous to do so - that is, unless you want your S. Links reset for the girls.

I am not sure how the Shadows are linked with one another on a game-by-game basis; however, I think that you are mostly correct.