Atlus says it is focused on making Persona 5 (MAJOR PERSONA SERIES SPOILERS)

[Wolf Kanno]

Skyblade - answering speculation is a bit easier than doing a full on analysis of all the social links between three games. Onto other things...

I don't think it would be terribly difficult to re-introduce either of them. (SPOILER)I mean Philemon usually makes about 2 appearances max in all three titles he shows up in anyway. Technically Nylarathotep and the Shadows are synonymous in origin as well. So I don't think it would too terribly difficult unless they were going to try to connect all 4 games together, then it might get a bit complicated.

It will be interesting to see how they write in the Shadow Operatives and Investigation Team into the future titles. I'm also curious to know if the fact the Investigation Teams Ultimate Personas are not canon either(Only Yu has his Ultimate Persona in P4Arena) or if this will become a future retcon as well.

I did think of another thing I would like to see, more gameplay benefits from the social link choices, specifically when you choose a sport team. Think of it like this. Your character chooses to join the Kendo club, so this allows them to use the Katana weapons, but they also get special benefits or items for using the weapon as well like adding strength or Agility bonuses when equipped with the weapon or giving them a higher critical hit rate as the sub-ability for their weapon. Maybe choose to make them join an archery club and get similar benefits from using a bow. Stuff like that. Maybe even find ways to give bonuses and more customization options to your other party members like the new Bike Riding Date mechanic in Persona 4 Golden.

I also want them to finally put in a music player into the game. Both Persona 2 entries had one, and P3 even has a music store that can't be used for anything and got my hopes up. I want to buy CDs again and listen to them in my characters bedroom.

[Skyblade]

While reviewing the P3 Social Links and ending, I had an interesting idea.

I want the ability to recruit my team based on which Social Links I choose.

Going over several of P3's Social Links, what you wind up doing with them is not that dissimilar from what you do in Persona 4. You work out internal issues the characters have, get them to face things about themselves that they didn't want to address.

The Hermit Link from P3P was the first one I thought about this way, when I was reviewing it on a NG+ playthrough, because Ms Toriumi really does go through quite a large review of her life in that link, reviewing how she acts, why she was complaining, what she really had problems with, etcetera.

According to Elizabeth, that's what the potential is. So shouldn't she have awakened to a Persona at that point?


Imagine if you could actually choose your party members by helping them awaken to their Personas. Social Links aren't just to strengthen your own Personas, but they help build and strengthen your entire team.


It's not going to happen, it'd be way too much trouble, but I think it'd be awesome.

[Wolf Kanno]

Yeah, but not all of the victims you save actually acquire Persona's after you face them, not to mention Yu and Adachi obtained Persons without facing their Shadow selves. Likewise Strega, utilized drugs to create the potential phenomena, and even the S.E.E.S. members themselves are all pretty screwed up yet still possess the potential. Part of me was actually thinking about this earlier, as to whether the Investigation Team members actually experienced the Dark Hour or not. It's likely they didn't since Junpei himself only manifested the ability to see the Dark Hour rather recently, whereas the game implies the P3 MC possessed the ability to see the Dark Hour since he was a child.

With all that said, I feel it just shows that having the ability to use a Persona is a special gift that goes beyond one being able to come to terms with themselves. The rules from P3 don't quite add up to P4's rules as characters like Mitsuru already obtain their true ultimate form for their Persona before you can even establish a social link with her. So in truth, the recent series haven't really given a very conclusive formula to determine how one obtains the potential.

As for the gameplay idea, my only issue with it is that it would probably slow the game flow or seriously alter how social links. It would really slow down the beginning of the game. Still, its an interesting idea and I can see how it could work as long as it was designed to have a set story party and then have the alternate Persona characters count as special side characters as opposed to full on party members.

[Roogle]

I am pleasantly surprised by the way the Persona series carries itself in a fighting game. The game is being picked by the fighting game community and it will be played at fighting game tournaments for years to come, provided that the game is not patched too lightly or heavily. The game does a good job of continuing the stories presented in Persona 3 and Persona 4, too, which is surprising since most fighting games are not heavy on story.

I think, though, because of the success of the fighting game that there will definitely be some kind of update or sequel to Persona 4 Arena -- so are those story elements to be added, possibly, being incorporated to Persona 5? I mean, I guess I'm wondering how much of the story is planned out right now. There are a lot of different directions it can take.

[Skyblade]

As for the gameplay idea, my only issue with it is that it would probably slow the game flow or seriously alter how social links. It would really slow down the beginning of the game. Still, its an interesting idea and I can see how it could work as long as it was designed to have a set story party and then have the alternate Persona characters count as special side characters as opposed to full on party members.

True, but it depends on how it's implemented. I mean, sure if you had to reach Rank 10 to recruit someone, yikes, that would slow things down a ton. But what if someone unlocked their potential at, say, Rank 3, and only unlocked their ultimate Persona at Rank 10?

And, yeah, you would need a default story party, but I still think it's a cool idea.

[Wolf Kanno]

The other thing I want back is Persona 3's user-friendly dungeon exploration options. I actually liked telling my party to either attack enemies without me (to help level quickly) and to explore the dungeon to cut down on time since the Persona series is a notorious dungeon crawler. Also changing the music to remixed Persona game themes in the dungeons is pretty cool too if you start getting bored with the dungeon theme. Tartarus was pretty bad but I also would have liked that option for Yukiko and Kanji's dungeons in P4.

I also want Persona upgrades for my party to be story based instead of just the Social Links, largely cause the storybased upgrades are just more dramatic and endearing. Yosuke realizing he should stop worrying about his problems is not nearly as compelling as (SPOILER)Akihiko saying his last goodbye to Shinji or Junpei going into a feat of rage after Chidori's death. Now if they want to bring back the Prime Persona's like they had in P2 and have those be the prize for Social Link completion, I wouldn't mind that at all. I know that Persona 4 Golden is kind of playing with the idea.


Also, playing through P3 again with its bizarre harem dating system makes me feel that after doing such a great job with Catherine, it might be interesting to actually allow your character to try to cheat (with obvious bad consequences if caught). I'm just curious to see what a system like that would be like though I know 90% of players would avoid it.

[Mirage]

It would be cool if P5 put us in a college or university setting instead of high school. Maybe if the characters were slightly above 18 years old, Atlus would be able to do more... terrible... stuff to them and get away with it. After all, they are adults!

[Jiro]

Well hey, now there's an idea. College kids this time!

[Wolf Kanno]

It would be cool if P5 put us in a college or university setting instead of high school. Maybe if the characters were slightly above 18 years old, Atlus would be able to do more... terrible... stuff to them and get away with it. After all, they are adults!

Considering the series is 18+ in most countries, I can't fathom what Atlus could do to make it more adult without sending it into AO rape/gore/sex simulator. Which would severely limit its sales cause AO titles usually do abysmal compared to other ratings.

College could be an interesting idea though.

[Fynn]

But then they wouldn't be able to make the characters wear those fabulous uniforms, which are a serious selling point, at least in Japan. Though personally, I would also rather see an older cast with more adult issues. I believe they could pull it off, but at this point it's probably just wishful thinking...

[Wolf Kanno]

But then they wouldn't be able to make the characters wear those fabulous uniforms, which are a serious selling point, at least in Japan. Though personally, I would also rather see an older cast with more adult issues. I believe they could pull it off, but at this point it's probably just wishful thinking...

Persona 2 Eternal Punishment actually has an adult cast with adult issues, so let's pray the PSP port gets released since finding the PS1 copy is a bit difficult nowadays.

Honestly, I don't mind keeping it in high school cause largely its convenient for the social link system, but it doesn't mean I don't think it would be cool to try to expand the concept to older types of characters.

[Skyblade]

Yeah, and it can be kind of hard to introduce an adult cast member to the young party without really throwing off dynamics and relationships of the team, especially in a game like Persona. It could be done, but it would be tricky. I think they're actually doing a good job of it by setting up the Shadow Operatives and such. If the entire organization is made up of approximately university-level students, that gives great potential for some older characters fitting in with the situation already.

[Hollycat]

I hope they follow the trend in 3 and 4, and also that they add a female protagonist.



(IMO 2 was terrible)

[Wolf Kanno]

(IMO 2 was terrible)

I'm curious to know why you dislike it so much.

[Fynn]

Me too. I'm playing Innocent Sin right now and I must say it's pretty awesome.