Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

[iCherries]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRqgC-RuL08[/youtube]

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for the Nintendo 3DS. It is a spinoff of the Persona series, which itself is a subset of the Megami Tensei series, combining characters and elements from both Persona 3 and Persona 4, with gameplay elements from the Etrian Odyssey series. It was released on June 5, 2014 in Japan, on October 23, 2014 in South Korea, on November 25, 2014 in North America, and will be released on November 28, 2014 in Europe, and December 4, 2014 in Australia.

[spoiler=Initial Plot Summary]At Yasogami High School in Inaba, where a culture festival is being held, a strange bell rings, trapping the Investigation Team inside the school. Meanwhile, the members of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), find themselves transported to the Velvet Room elevator, which suddenly winds up at Yasogami as well. Discovering a labyrinth hidden below the school, the two groups meet up and explore the area, fighting "shadows" along the way, in order to regain the memories of new characters Zen and Rei, which the characters believe will lead them to freedom. The dialogue and events vary depending on the player's choice to follow either the team of characters from Persona 3 and/or Persona 4.[/spoiler]

Discuss the newest, non-waifu simulator Persona crossover game that's confirmed canon.

I'm a little shocked no one bothered to make this.

[Makο]

Based on what I've heard, it's technically confirmed canon, but they forget everything at the end of the game. For all intents and purposes, non-canon.

 

Is this correct?

[iCherries]

That's probably something you should opt to cover in spoiler tags. But that is correct for the most part.

[spoiler=Though,]From what I've heard, it seems Aigis is the only one who does remember it all.[/spoiler]

[Resident Fascist]

Meh. Mainstream SMT > Waifu Simulator. That being said, I absolutely hate this game's "cutesy" art style, it drives me mad and really puts me off the game because such a thing does not fit for Shin Megami Tensei. I'm just wondering how we can go from

 

[spoiler='This'][/spoiler]

 

 

 

[spoiler='to this'][/spoiler]

 

 

 

[spoiler='to this unholy abomination'][/spoiler]

 

I'm not sure why it's suddenly a trend to moemoe desu desu everything like it's designed for 11 year old girls, but for fuck sake keep it out of my SMT. I've heard the gameplay is pretty decent, though.

[Lonk]

It's not a waifu simulator, so that automatically makes it the best Persona game.  Still pales in comparison to the rest of the SMT franchise.

[Maeriberii Haan]

It's not a waifu simulator, so that automatically makes it the best Persona game.  Still pales in comparison to the rest of the SMT franchise.

 

fool, best persona game is Innocent Sin!

 

Ahem.

 

Anyway, it's Persona Odyssey, pretty much. They're trying something new in the franchise, and tbh, it looks pretty fun.

 

Still waiting on that SMT vs FE deal though.

[iCherries]

Meh. Mainstream SMT > Waifu Simulator. That being said, I absolutely hate this game's "cutesy" art style, it drives me mad and really puts me off the game because such a thing does not fit for Shin Megami Tensei. I'm just wondering how we can go from
 
[spoiler=This][/spoiler]
 
[spoiler="to this"][/spoiler]

[spoiler="to this unholy abomination"][/spoiler]
 
I'm not sure why it's suddenly a trend to moemoe desu desu everything like it's designed for 11 year old girls, but for f*** sake keep it out of my SMT. I've heard the gameplay is pretty decent, though.

I agree, the main line of SMT games will always be infinitely superior to Persona. It sort of pisses me off seeing Atlus feed the Persona 4 fanbase but just toss SMT IV at us and expect us to shut up for a good few years.

Though, this one Persona isn't a waifu simulator like 1 and 2 weren't. And imo, the chibi arts add to the game's reformed charm. Persona is the truest form of weeb the SMT series will get. Just, in this case, Persona finally has more to offer than arguments over the best girl. It's actually focusing on more gameplay instead of dating sim'ing your way to Telos or no-Okami.

I do enjoy the dark themes of Nocturne though, everything felt perfect save the complete silence of no voice acting from the non-Demon npcs. Good to see another classic SMT fan.
 

It's not a waifu simulator, so that automatically makes it the best Persona game.  Still pales in comparison to the rest of the SMT franchise.

 
My thoughs exactly. Persona breaking the chain that made it annoying is what will make this game truly shine.
 

fool, best persona game is Innocent Sin!
 
Ahem.
 
Anyway, it's Persona Odyssey, pretty much. They're trying something new in the franchise, and tbh, it looks pretty fun.
 
Still waiting on that SMT vs FE deal though.

I've never played the Odyssey games, so I'm really looking forward to this experience with all of these familiar faces with the gameplay. They present Map Making in Atlus' stream as a real adventure and marking your trails. It's really nifty.

i dont even think smt vs fe exists at this point

[Smear]

Is this actually any good? Big fan of both P3 and P4 (although I never actually finished P4 ;-; (did finish the anime though)).

considering buying

[iCherries]

I've played a bit of it myself and so far it's a lot more engaging than the two. Mind you, I'm more hyper over the fact that Minato and Souji (Makato and Yu) are actually talking to each other with real, voiced dialogue. That, and Junpei.

[Smear]

I've played a bit of it myself and so far it's a lot more engaging than the two. Mind you, I'm more hyper over the fact that Minato and Souji (Makato and Yu) are actually talking to each other with real, voiced dialogue. That, and Junpei.

I literally love Junpei he's the best. and qq chidori i ily u

and they're voiced? do they suit their character i dont know this scares me

[Makο]

That's probably something you should opt to cover in spoiler tags. But that is correct for the most part.

[spoiler=Though,]From what I've heard, it seems Aigis is the only one who does remember it all.[/spoiler]

...perhaps I should have, but to be fair, who didn't really expect it?

[Trebuchet MS]

P3 meets P4 meets Etrian Odyssey. I've already gotten behind that, but I need to locate one before being able to properly evaluate gameplay.

[iCherries]

After a little longer with this game, I'm sort of disappointed to say the gameplay feels as slow as it does in the original games. It's definitely more strategic overall but it just... takes so long now. I didn't think it was possible since there's no social links or fatigue system.

I literally love Junpei he's the best. and qq chidori i ily u

and they're voiced? do they suit their character i dont know this scares me

 
It's a bit weird, the one you play as isn't voiced except in battle. The other's personality is formed if you're not playing as them. Minato has a bit monotone and sees people in a different manner, but he's still polite so it's not like his movie incarnation. Souji is exactly how the anime/Arena portrays him.
 

...perhaps I should have, but to be fair, who didn't really expect it?

 
well they all couldve died instead and got reincarnated with their previous memories intact
 

P3 meets P4 meets Etrian Odyssey. I've already gotten behind that, but I need to locate one before being able to properly evaluate gameplay.

Do so quickly!

[Kazooie]

okay i know nothing about persona games

 

i know nothing about SMT games.

 

i don't even know if they're the same damn thing or not ;-;

 

would this be a good place to start, or would that be like shooting myself in the foot

[iCherries]

okay i know nothing about persona games
 
i know nothing about SMT games.
 
i don't even know if they're the same damn thing or not ;-;
 
would this be a good place to start, or would that be like shooting myself in the foot

Even though the game sort of just throws in you and expects you to understand whats left of the basic Persona mechanics, you don't actually have to play Persona 3 and/or 4 to get into it. It gives you a mostly blank slate and doesn't bother you with the character backstory details (at least it hasn't to me yet).

This is an okay place to start. But I'd recommend trying 3 and 4 first just to grasp the missing pieces of the game.

[Makο]

well they all couldve died instead and got reincarnated with their previous memories intact
 
 

I suppose. Not an option that really came to mind.

 

It's just, when some crossover thing like this happens, it always just screams non-canon, and even if it is canon they find a way to weasel out of it.

 

That being said, is it fun?

[Kazooie]

Even though the game sort of just throws in you and expects you to understand whats left of the basic Persona mechanics, you don't actually have to play Persona 3 and/or 4 to get into it. It gives you a mostly blank slate and doesn't bother you with the character backstory details (at least it hasn't to me yet).

This is an okay place to start. But I'd recommend trying 3 and 4 first just to grasp the missing pieces of the game.

 

Thanks Cherry!

I've been meaning to look into the series for a bit now, but I really had no place to start. I'll hopefully see about grabbing these sometime.

[iCherries]

I suppose. Not an option that really came to mind.
 
It's just, when some crossover thing like this happens, it always just screams non-canon, and even if it is canon they find a way to weasel out of it.
 
That being said, is it fun?

 
Understandable. Crossovers that happen in the middle of a series' timeline instead of at the most recent end always wind up not even mattering in the end. It's sort of disappointing, considering Atlus' level of genius plots.

It's... sort of fun so far. I'm a bit miffed over the fact that the game is as slow as Persona is regularly instead of high paced like SMT IV. But it makes you think a lot more and map making is really cool until the game is annoying you over every little thing about it.

How you set up your party and what you do with the people in both the front and back lines are really interesting. You can't just take the same party everywhere like you could before.

oh and

ORPHEUS LEVELS UP AND ACTUALLY GETS GOOD SKILLS PAST LEVEL 10
 

Thanks Cherry!

I've been meaning to look into the series for a bit now, but I really had no place to start. I'll hopefully see about grabbing these sometime.

No problem, they're definitely worth a grab despite all the gripping about it being 100% weeb. Personas are all great the first time around and Persona 4 is great about 8 playthroughs worth. The main SMT line is made up of pure genius. Persona Q has a lot of great going for it so far and it's well worth the journey getting to it.

[Makο]

 

oh and

ORPHEUS LEVELS UP AND ACTUALLY GETS GOOD SKILLS PAST LEVEL 10
 

HERESY

[Lonk]

okay i know nothing about persona games

 

i know nothing about SMT games.

 

i don't even know if they're the same damn thing or not ;-;

 

would this be a good place to start, or would that be like shooting myself in the foot

 

You should also start with SMT IV.  It's a great way to introduce you to the SMT series in general, and it's for the 3DS.

[asterr259]

As a player of SMT 3 and 4, Persona 2-4, the Devil Survivor games, Digital Devil Saga 1 and 2, and some lesser titles, I prefer the Persona series. I just find them more enjoyable.

 

Didn't play too far into this game(because it wasn't mine) only 4 or so hours, but mechanics are okay. Don't like the first person aspect, but that's just an Etrian Odyssey thing. As far the character designs go, it bothers me none. It could have been a 2D chibi-style side scroller and that would have been fine with me. I dunno it's just the first person thing when you're dungeon crawling that pulls me out.

[iCherries]

That sort of irked me too. The models themselves aren't all that much so I was wondering why couldn't they make more for just dungeon crawling? Not doing it in a battle I can understand since there's so much on the top screen... but why is the map still there on the bottom screen.

If it's one of the EO qualities I don't like about this game so far, it's that it never stops bugging you about the map. It's understandable when you have to remember some things for events. But when it comes to so much as the one single out-of-the-place tile you missed to get 100% on that floor, I get more than a bit pissed off. Same with the fact that I can't even seem to be on any screen in the game without it shoving the map in my face. An option to turn it on and off would be cool (if there's one already, do tell me).

That said, the game is really good for what it's supposed to be aside from the map irritations. SP is really precious in this game since skill costs are outrageous and your characters have so little SP early-mid game. Though, this actually brings up one of SMT's main gimmicks: Physical skills are always broken as shit. That's why demons reflect/null it endgame. Not only do they spare SP, but stuff like Shinkuuha is REALLY REALLY good. Unfortunately, Power Charge and Mind Charge cost a shitton.

The FOE system does what it's supposed to. Make annoying crawling enemies that take 10 minutes to kill if you're underleveled. The rewards are really worth it though.

Lastly in sharing my experience over the course of a week with this... Atlus shoved far too many comedy interrupts in the labryniths. They're funny and cute, but I feel sort of annoyed when I'm trying to remember something or trying to move quickly and the game breaks into another comedy routine. But I can let it slide... for the first playthrough.

also zen and rei are precious

[Airride]

I am patiently waiting for Christmas to get this, but it is something I REaLLY want. I've already seen how the game works and up through the first dungeon through one specific LPer/Livestreamer (SuperJeenius), so I know I want it.

 

...Though I'm reminded I still need SMT IV. Probably. Maybe. I dunno.

[Trebuchet MS]

So after a few days playing the game, I've unlocked the Sacrifice Spread and am actually loving it. Dump excess picked-up Personas to speed up the grinding of your existing ones? Yes please, especially when there're no Social Links to provide this bonus EXP.

 

Hama and Mudo are the bomb, though. Just made a Persona with both Mahama and Mamudo and it's been speeding up mob battles.

 

Am slightly frustrated with the particularly tight SP costs, though, especially when sub-granted SP can't easily make up for the gradually higher-tier skills.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

So it's perfectly okay with this being someone's first Persona game?

I've played a couple SMT games but not Persona, mostly because I lack the ability to play any of the Persona games right now. But I have a 3DS so I could totally get this.