The next topic for our new vlog series is Persona 4, which NG5 and I have been playing as much as possible since its release. This video only scratches the surface of my feelings about the game. For a more detailed review, read on.
I should mention that I will compare Persona 4 to its predecessor frequently, my apologies to those who have not played Persona 3. For my review I divide the game by its elements and discuss each individually:
Battle System – 1 More!:
Fighting in Persona 4 feels a lot like Persona 3 with some minor changes. As I mentioned in the video, I love the fact that allies can be controlled in battle by the player – a Persona first. After setting an ally to manual controls, they will remain that way for every battle afterward unless this setting is changed by the player.
While in dungeons, characters do not become “tired” like in Persona 3 – you are basically limited by your SP. Knowing when to call it quits or when to push on is important if you are low on SP. Being able to control your allies REALLY helps with SP consumption. Why attack with garu when Yosuke can do it for you? It is possible to recruit a certain NPC who makes dungeon crawling considerably easier… for a fee.
Another cool addition to battling is the guard option. If you know an ally is weak to a certain element and you fear an enemy may try to sock them with it, have them guard. Guarding prevents the attack from hitting “weak” and won’t grant your enemy a ”1 more.” This can be vital for harder battles where you may not be able to select your allies.
Overall, fighting feels fast and fun. Your goal in battle is still to exploit weaknesses in an attempt to pounce on a downed enemy. Perhaps some people complained that Persona 3 was too easy, because you’ll find that bosses in this game don’t mess around. One of the first bosses in the game gave me a bit of trouble. It attacked my party with a wave of fire, which Chie was weak to. The guard command helped and I ended up winning by a small margin.
Presentation – I Like the Flow of This Place:
Persona 4 features vivid colors and some great design. Everything from menus down to simple dialog boxes are refreshing in their appearance.
Since the game is for the PS2, the graphics aren’t earth-shattering, but my mantra is quality design is far superior to great graphics with bad design.
The game’s music works very well with the design of Persona 4 and succeeds in maintaining a youthful feeling (when it’s appropriate). The music is also wicked catchy… Currently my favorite song is Princess Yukiko’s Castle.
Story – Yin and Yang:
One of the reasons I love the MegaTen series is because it is dark. People you meet in Persona 4 will die. Not die as in “black out”, or “pass out.” Their corpses will be strung up on telephone poles or something equally dramatic. I find that the serious nature of the game helps immerse me in the story and keeps me playing.
The subtle humor the game maintains helps to balance this out, yet draws me in just as much. I feel like I can identify with some high school kids with a decent sense of humor, rather than some super serious muscle-bound warriors.
Social Links – Plays Well With Others:
The S-Link system is one of the best features that separates Persona 4 from other RPGs. By forming relationships and strengthening them, the Persona your character can wield will become stronger upon creation.
There have been a few tweaks to the system since Persona 3. For instance, there will be times when multiple S-Links can be strengthened at once by hanging out in a group. There are also times when you may not even be hanging out with anyone and an S-Link will go up. The other night I had a dream about Chie, which increased our relationship. Cool huh?
With so many people to befriend, it’s nice to have more options when it comes to increasing ties with them all.
Conclusions:
If you enjoyed Persona 3, then you will enjoy Persona 4. If you enjoy RPGs and have never heard of the Persona series, then this is a great place to start. I have really been enjoying making a name for myself in the tiny town of Inaba and living out my days. I don’t know what I will do with myself when my year is up, but I am sure I will have made a lot of great memories.
Related Entries:
All other Kotowari entries on Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 can be found here
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 Review and Vlog Part 1
The next topic for our new vlog series is Persona 4, which NG5 and I have been playing as much as possible since its release. This video only scratches the surface of my feelings about the game. For a more detailed review, read on.
I should mention that I will compare Persona 4 to its predecessor frequently, my apologies to those who have not played Persona 3. For my review I divide the game by its elements and discuss each individually:
Battle System – 1 More!:
Fighting in Persona 4 feels a lot like Persona 3 with some minor changes. As I mentioned in the video, I love the fact that allies can be controlled in battle by the player – a Persona first. After setting an ally to manual controls, they will remain that way for every battle afterward unless this setting is changed by the player.
While in dungeons, characters do not become “tired” like in Persona 3 – you are basically limited by your SP. Knowing when to call it quits or when to push on is important if you are low on SP. Being able to control your allies REALLY helps with SP consumption. Why attack with garu when Yosuke can do it for you? It is possible to recruit a certain NPC who makes dungeon crawling considerably easier… for a fee.
Another cool addition to battling is the guard option. If you know an ally is weak to a certain element and you fear an enemy may try to sock them with it, have them guard. Guarding prevents the attack from hitting “weak” and won’t grant your enemy a ”1 more.” This can be vital for harder battles where you may not be able to select your allies.
Overall, fighting feels fast and fun. Your goal in battle is still to exploit weaknesses in an attempt to pounce on a downed enemy. Perhaps some people complained that Persona 3 was too easy, because you’ll find that bosses in this game don’t mess around. One of the first bosses in the game gave me a bit of trouble. It attacked my party with a wave of fire, which Chie was weak to. The guard command helped and I ended up winning by a small margin.
Presentation – I Like the Flow of This Place:
Persona 4 features vivid colors and some great design. Everything from menus down to simple dialog boxes are refreshing in their appearance.
Since the game is for the PS2, the graphics aren’t earth-shattering, but my mantra is quality design is far superior to great graphics with bad design.
The game’s music works very well with the design of Persona 4 and succeeds in maintaining a youthful feeling (when it’s appropriate). The music is also wicked catchy… Currently my favorite song is Princess Yukiko’s Castle.
Story – Yin and Yang:
One of the reasons I love the MegaTen series is because it is dark. People you meet in Persona 4 will die. Not die as in “black out”, or “pass out.” Their corpses will be strung up on telephone poles or something equally dramatic. I find that the serious nature of the game helps immerse me in the story and keeps me playing.
The subtle humor the game maintains helps to balance this out, yet draws me in just as much. I feel like I can identify with some high school kids with a decent sense of humor, rather than some super serious muscle-bound warriors.
Social Links – Plays Well With Others:
The S-Link system is one of the best features that separates Persona 4 from other RPGs. By forming relationships and strengthening them, the Persona your character can wield will become stronger upon creation.
There have been a few tweaks to the system since Persona 3. For instance, there will be times when multiple S-Links can be strengthened at once by hanging out in a group. There are also times when you may not even be hanging out with anyone and an S-Link will go up. The other night I had a dream about Chie, which increased our relationship. Cool huh?
With so many people to befriend, it’s nice to have more options when it comes to increasing ties with them all.
Conclusions:
If you enjoyed Persona 3, then you will enjoy Persona 4. If you enjoy RPGs and have never heard of the Persona series, then this is a great place to start. I have really been enjoying making a name for myself in the tiny town of Inaba and living out my days. I don’t know what I will do with myself when my year is up, but I am sure I will have made a lot of great memories.
Related Entries:
All other Kotowari entries on Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 can be found here
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