So what would you folks want in the inevitable Persona 5?

[Ichirou]

Here's what I'd be interested in for a next-gen Persona game.  Add yer wish lists.  No Himus allowed in this thread.

- P3 took place in a city, P4 took place in inaka (countryside).  P5, I think, should go with an even bigger city, like Tokyo or Osaka, and use a lot of recognizable landmarks.  The game should let you explore a bit more.  An overworld like the one in Sakura Wars 5 would be amazing.

- High school setting is a tradition in Persona games (the only game that hasn't used this setting has been the second half of Persona 2, so this should be kept for P5.  However, I'd like a return of more non-high schooler Persona users, like P3 had (Aigis, Ken, Koromaru), as this adds more variety to the cast.  Maybe have at least one character who's really obsessed with the occult like the school nurse in P3.

- Social links should be expanded a bit more, with more choices in conversations and maybe multiple paths to let you rank up.  I liked P4's idea of having most of your s-links be your party members, but I miss being able to interact with people like the old bookshop owners from P3.

- More school events.  P4 included the school festival (which was sadly missing from P3), so how about other things like sports day?

- P3 Portable lets you make goods during club activities that you can later give to your friends (cell phone straps, banana cupcakes, etc.).  This should definitely be kept for P5 and expanded, if possible, since it's another reason to do the school club s-links.

- A return to the more randomized dungeons of P3.  P4's dungeons weren't nearly as much fun, even if the settings were more unique.  In P3, I could literally spend hours just exploring in the dungeon, leveling up, fusing personas, searching for unique items, doing Elizabeth's quests, etc.

- Return of Elizabeth.  Margaret just wasn't as interesting/amusing.  Return of Philemon too.

- I'm happy with the battle system being the way it is, but it'd be cool if they could figure out how to let you use guns like the first game did.

[demi]

- Return to real Meguro music
- More darker theme
- No dating or sims (school theme is ok, just no dating or sims)
- No lyrics in music

Done

[Ichirou]

Agreed with everything you posted except the third part.  I like the social interaction stuff a lot, even the very limited "dating sim" aspect.

I thought P4 was actually darker than P3 in a lot of respects, with all the murders that happen, and especially with how grotesque the actual deaths are.

[demi]

[Ichirou]

Too bad the original Persona has aged so badly.

[demi]

Wow, real Persona

[Ichirou]

I do agree with you that P3 and P4's battle music is awful. :/

They actually changed the battle music in P3 Portable and the new music is even worse...anyone know if the male character route kept the original battle music at least?

[Bebpo]

-Keep the music and art like P3/P4
-Keep the battles like P3/P4 but with new systems
-Make it a real rpg like P1/P2 and not a dungeon crawler
-School life is fine, but add more interactivity to those portions like Tokimeki Memorial

[Great Rumbler]

H scenes

spoiler (click to show/hide)

[close]

[Ichirou]

Man, I dig the dungeon crawling, why would you want to get rid of that?

[Himu]

No s-links
darker story ala Persona 2
traditional rpg formula like persona 2
basically a suped up persona 2 with modernized smt features

[archie4208]

I'd rather Atlus spend their effort on a new mainline game instead.  SMT4 in glorious HD.  

[demi]

I do agree with you that P3 and P4's battle music is awful. :/

They actually changed the battle music in P3 Portable and the new music is even worse...anyone know if the male character route kept the original battle music at least?

lol. all they had to do was keep the music from the original for Persona PSP and they fucked that up. I mean really.

[Great Rumbler]

Man, I dig the dungeon crawling, why would you want to get rid of that?

The dungeon crawling is about 75% of the game! I wouldn't cut it out completely, but I would like for them to figure out a way to drop that percentage down a bit, without sacrificing gameplay.

[Himu]

No more Persona for a few more years unless they can freshen up the formula without resorting to slinks.

[bork]

-Keep the music and art like P3/P4
-Keep the battles like P3/P4 but with new systems
-Make it a real rpg like P1/P2 and not a dungeon crawler
-School life is fine, but add more interactivity to those portions like Tokimeki Memorial

NO

[demi]

They should just use Digital Devil Saga's system. Those were better than Persona 3 and 4.

[Mr. Gundam]

What do I want? HD graphics.

[Ichirou]

No more Persona for a few more years unless they can freshen up the formula without resorting to slinks.

OP says no Himus in this thread.  gtfo

[Bebpo]

-Keep the music and art like P3/P4
-Keep the battles like P3/P4 but with new systems
-Make it a real rpg like P1/P2 and not a dungeon crawler
-School life is fine, but add more interactivity to those portions like Tokimeki Memorial

NO

300 floors wasn't enough for you?

[Ichirou]

P4 took place in inaka (countryside).

Ah, our very own "according to keikaku!" incident! thumbs up

- i doubt they'd get away with it but moving it away from school to be set in, say, an office would be interesting though ultimately probably disasterous. Hell, set it in an Eikaiwa (english conversation school). Not that the school setting isn't interesting.

- i don't mind the battle musics in either game, and i think the lyrics add something to the game.

- darker darker darker themes please

- increased consequences of social links, increase play offs against each link set.

- if it has to be a dungeon crawler (which i personally don't mind) , more interesting dungeons would be appreciated

- i assume it's still on the PS3? It SHOULD be on a next gen system of some sort and should look the part whilst keeping the art style. Some one dies if this looks like an upscaled PS2 game or it ends up on the PSP (though, hell, i'm at least getting more play time with P3P than i would get at home )

 

I've heard plenty of English-speaking Japanese people casually talking about inaka, so I figured an explanation was in order.

I don't really like the Eikaiwa idea, but how about it taking place in an international high school?  That way they could include some foreign Persona users.  Could be interesting.

The office idea is .  I don't think a game where you control a party of salarymen Persona users would do too well, though to have one character like that could be funny.

Regarding social links, I'd like if there were more alternate social links.  In P4, if you chose to join the music club, you'd have one (Sun?) social link, but if you chose the drama club, you'd have another (but still for the same arcana).  That could be fun and would encourage repeat playthroughs on New Game +.

Nothing has been announced regarding, but all rumors I've heard point towards the next Persona being a PS3 release.  I would fucking rage if it got announced for the Wii or something.  This would be the game that would tip the scales towards me buying a Triple, at any rate.

[bork]

300 floors wasn't enough for you?

Wasn't?

I'm playing P3 for the first time now!  I like the dungeon crawler aspect, particularly the randomly-generated floors.  Haven't progressed much because I keep replaying where I'm at (still in the beginning), grinding away and getting new stuff.

Maybe by the time I'm done, P4 Portable will be out.

[Ichirou]

What lyte said.  One of the things I disliked about P4 was how much smaller the dungeons were (well, that and how they fucked with the camera) compared to P3's infinite randomized possibilities.

I want a huge 500 floor randomized dungeon with lots of loot, alternate costumes, and quests from Elizabeth/Margaret/Theodor/whoever.  Maybe make the quests more unusual, too, like having certain events take place within the randomized dungeon instead of in the town like P3 and P4 had.

[demi]

500 randomized floor dungeon is fine. That's called "post-game content" where I am from

[Ichirou]

I also want the main character to die at the end, to no one's tears.

[Ichirou]

P3P was the first game in the series with social links and a randomized dungeon.

[Mr. Gundam]

The whole school thing has been played to death, an office/salaryman setting would be nice. Heck, anything other than jr./sr. high school would be welcome.

[Ichirou]

The office idea is .  I don't think a game where you control a party of salarymen Persona users would do too well, though to have one character like that could be funny.

well yes, though it could be pulled off and could pull in many "grey" gamers!

I dunno - the idea of some "evil corporate system" where you are in some Japanese equivalent of The Office could work! (no)

 

lol, I'm pretty sure most Japanese "grey" gamers would prefer to relive the halcyon days of their youth by playing as teenagers macking on high school girls.

Has there ever been an RPG that had a salaryman-type character as a playable member of your party, actually?  There must've been.

The whole school thing has been played to death, an office/salaryman setting would be nice. Heck, anything other than jr./sr. high school would be welcome.

Persona series has always had a high school setting, though (other than the latter half of P2).  That's one of the staples of the series.

[Mr. Gundam]

I love how RPGs characters in their mid 20's are these weary, grizzled veterans.

[Ichirou]

I love how RPGs characters in their mid 20's are these weary, grizzled veterans.

And they're constantly being called "old man" by the teenagers in the group.

...

[demi]

They should just make it like TWEWY

[Ichirou]

That one DID come to mind, but something other than that, that isn't focused on running a corporation?

[iconoclast]

There's nothing in particular that I want from a Persona 5 actually. If they take the P3/4 formula and build on top of it, I'll be happy with that. If they go in another direction, I'll probably be happy with that too since Atlus is awesome. I do love the music in P3 and 4 though and I hope they keep that style for the next game in the series.

But really, I just want a new console SMT game. This generation has been going on for 5 years and Atlus hasn't even announced one yet. I'll even settle for a Wii game at this point.

[bork]

You'd think Atlus would have released P3 and P4 for the Wii as well.  Seems like an easy port and more money for them.

[Bebpo]

You'd think Atlus would have released P3 and P4 for the Wii as well.  Seems like an easy port and more money for them.

No rpg audience on Wii in Japan.  Not worth the brand dilution.

[magus]

no more one more

[Third]

What do I want? HD graphics.

This.

[Ichirou]

no more one more

That would fucking ruin the battle system. NO.

[ch1nchilla]

HD graphics, more depth for all the social link shit, optional MINIGAMES for the clubs instead of mini cutscenes, larger overworld, etc. Tokyo. Do it in Tokyo. HD graphics mostly.

[MCD]

a good game.

[tiesto]

How about make the character a Japanese foreign exchange student in the States? Also, real dungeons not random dungeons.

[Ichirou]

How about make the character a Japanese foreign exchange student in the States? Also, real dungeons not random dungeons.

No thanks.  At least the schedules and activities have some semblance to reality to them in P3 and P4.  I wouldn't want to play through whatever Japanese people think American high school is like.

[ch1nchilla]

I think having an American (or British or whatever. Foreign.) foreign exchange student in Japan as part of the cast would be cool though.

[Himu]

Persona won't ever abandon the school setting. It's been part of its identity since day one.

[Himu]

Also, I want Persona 5 to be on the 3ds to make the hdfags to commit seppuku.

[Himu]

hauahua

[Ichirou]

At least the schedules and activities have some semblance to reality to them in P3 and P4

as a brit, i dont feel this at all.

plus - a lack of hot crumpets betwix the buttox :/

It takes place in a Japanese high school.  The schedule, activities, and setting are all as accurate as could be expected considering the designers and writers grew up in Japan.

Set it in another country and you'll have shinto shrines in the middle of Central Park, like in Sakura Wars 5.

[Ichirou]

hauahua

I said no filthy Himus in this thread.  Now shoo!

[Ichirou]

It takes place in a Japanese high school.  The schedule, activities, and setting are all as accurate as could be expected considering the designers and writers grew up in Japan.

in P3 it seems a bit too lose to be anything - so it doesn't really feel like "school" school. Which isn't entirely a bad thing!

Is there that much in the way of scheduling though? i mean, perhaps it gets more and more involved at the back end of the game (P3) but so far it just seems a bit adhoc (again, not an issue)

You can't max out your social links, and thus get the most powerful personas, if you don't schedule correctly.  Hold off on the non-school s-links until you're in summer break since you won't be able to do the school-related s-links then anyway.  You'll have to reach a proper balance if you want to be able to max them out.  There are actually s-link guides on Gamefaqs that let you max out all links on the first playthrough, which is otherwise nearly impossible.

[Van Cruncheon]

an all-black cast

preferably the cast of what's happening

[Ichirou]

He's not a playable character, I think that's what ch1nchilla meant.

[Ichirou]

That said, knowing Japan, if they added an American exchange student, it'd probably look like Tiffany from Capcom's old fighting game Rival Schools:

[bork]

I don't understand how even today, your average American character in anime/Japanese games is always some happy-go-lucky dude or bouncy chick with blonde hair and blue eyes.

[brob]

I'd prefer it to be a console game, but seeing as how Atlus has put out SMT4 on DS and P3 on PSP all I really care about is that they don't resort to using the terrible cut-scene format of P3P in an eventual P5.

The battle system, music, visuals, etc. are all cool by me. Maybe they could tone down the whole saving the world thing in favor of a more localized problem (like I thought P4 was going to be up until the end :|).

[Ichirou]

Strange Journey isn't SMT4, dude.

You can't max out your social links, and thus get the most powerful personas, if you don't schedule correctly.  Hold off on the non-school s-links until you're in summer break since you won't be able to do the school-related s-links then anyway.  You'll have to reach a proper balance if you want to be able to max them out.  There are actually s-link guides on Gamefaqs that let you max out all links on the first playthrough, which is otherwise nearly impossible.

oh right, we are at crossed purposes then - i was more thinking about school schedules as in "History in the morning, then Chemistry later!"

I actually like the idea of working at getting the links and/or trading off one against the other and certainly don't want to spoil the first play through with a guide. But interesting - never thought about the non-school s-links stuff vs school.

You probably won't be able to max out s-links in your first playthrough (I'm probably going to miss maxing out at least four or five), but here's some tips to help you out:

Some jobs actually let you raise multiple stats (academics, charm, and courage).  Going to the arcade gives you bigger increases on certain stats (Print Club raises your charm, Horror House raises your courrage, Quiz Game raises your academics) than studying, going to the cafe, and doing karaoke.  However, the games are only available on certain nights.

There are two nighttime s-links if you're playing as a guy, four if you're playing as a girl.

Non-school s-links can wait till summer vacation - the 'dying young man' s-link levels up every single time you meet him (I think as long as you have a 'sun' persona card with you), however, so if you are free on Sunday (nobody calls you for an activity), make sure to go to the Naganaki Shrine to do that one.

Do the party member's s-links first (if you're playing as a girl, you will have a ton of those), since after certain events, they become unavailable for a time.  Do the Moon and Fortune s-links every single time you get a chance, since you only have a limited time to do those before they become unavailable.

[brob]

Strange Journey isn't SMT4, dude.

Atlus was treating as such in their PR. So I guess they disagree? It's not an important distinction anyway since they probably won't be returning to consoles any time soon.

[Ichirou]

Strange Journey isn't SMT4, dude.

Atlus was treating as such in their PR. So I guess they disagree? It's not an important distinction anyway since they probably won't be returning to consoles any time soon.

They never called it SMT4 in their PR. WTF?

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Lady Gaga soundtrack

[brob]

Strange Journey isn't SMT4, dude.

Atlus was treating as such in their PR. So I guess they disagree? It's not an important distinction anyway since they probably won't be returning to consoles any time soon.

They never called it SMT4 in their PR. WTF?

naw, but, like, they planted it in the series like dis: SMT, SMT2, SMT3, SMT:SJ. If you want to get fickle over the exclusion of a number, then great, but it appears atlus considers it main-line and not an off-shoot game like Devil Summoner, DDS and whatever else.

[Ichirou]

They never said it was SMT4 yet somehow I'm being fickle for saying it's not SMT4?

Yeah, it's a more central part of the SMT series than, say, Devil Survivor, but that's because of the staff involved.  It's still not SMT4, and I'm guessing the real SMT4 will be a console game...probably PS3.