 |
| An All-out Attack never looked so stylish! [SEGA, Atlus ©, Image Source: Amazon.com] |
Straight off the bat I have to state that I am a huge fan of
the Persona series from Persona 3 onwards; the series came into my life at a
bad point and I enjoyed it so much that I’ve played every game since and loved
them all. To some, that statement would likely insight some questions as to my
bias towards the series. However, Persona Q is a spin-off series as it combines
the mechanics and style of the Etrian Odyssey series with the characters,
settings and combat from the Persona series. The first game, Persona Q: Shadow
of the Labyrinth released back in 2014 for 3Ds and I played that too except I
hated it, didn’t even finish it once. It seemed like an ideal game for me since
I came into the series with Persona 3 and sank countless hours into Persona 4,
combining the two into one game was supposed to be a dream but it really
wasn’t. So when I came to play Persona Q2, I had my reservations but I’m glad
to say that they were unnecessary. Had the first game been as good as its
sequel then I likely would have loved it in its entirety.
The story premise is largely the same considering what I
played of the first game; different Persona teams (this time from Personas 3, 4
and 5) are brought together by some unknown force and have to make their way
through labyrinths in order to escape. There are 5 labyrinths in total, each
within a demented movie the team need to change and each film will get
progressively bigger and have floors that go down even deeper. I liked how each
labyrinth had a different genre of film that it was based around, giving a real
sense of variety to how you would be moving around. Although the enemies are
largely the same shadows copied and pasted with a new coat of paint, they still
presented enough variety and their designs memorable enough that I remembered
what best move to use in order to win.
As part of the story, the player character (the main
protagonist from Persona 5) will receive a notebook to help keep a track of the
labyrinths layout. Using the bottom screen on the 3Ds, you’ll be able to draw
out and place icons to help you navigate each labyrinth. Perhaps it’s just me
but I really enjoyed this mechanic, even from the first game, and I found
myself getting creative in the later maps with different colours to help
navigate. Sometimes I’d just look at my map and run in the direction I was
aiming for instead of looking at the top screen. It’s a simple mechanic but
effective, depending on how much you invest into it.
When it comes to combat, this is taken from the Persona
games for the most part. Shadows have weaknesses that, when you hit them, will
cripple the enemy and give the character a “Boost” for the next turn provided
they go undamaged. This boost will make all your skills cost nothing and will
give a power boost to select physical attacks. The baton pass feature from
Persona 5 has been added too so you can give a “Boost” to another character for
that turn. And if that wasn’t enough, when you complete certain side quests you
can receive an item called “Power of Bonds” for two or more characters. This
item unlocks a special super move that can trigger randomly when one of the
characters involved lands a critical hit. There’s no real way to know when one
will trigger and, if you use a character with multiple Unison skills, it’s a
coin toss as to which one will be used. I never found any one to be more
powerful than the others though so at least they’re balanced enough.
Fans of the Persona games may be glad to hear that not only
do the cast of Personas 3, 4 and 5 appear in the game, but the much loved
“Fem-C” from Persona 3 Portable (P3P) is also here and has the best character
arc of the whole cast in my opinion. Without wishing to spoil things, if you’re
wondering how having two main protagonists from Persona 3 will work in a story
context, then this game has you covered. But again, no spoilers from me. Anyone
who is a fan of the series will really appreciate the story on offer here.
Persona Q2 is by far a better game than Persona Q. Although
I’ve said it a lot, I’d actually hesitate to call it a sequel as the events of
the first game don’t link up here. The P3 and P4 teams don’t recognize one
another and the illusive attendants of the Velvet Room don’t recall the events
either. The only things the games share is a name and a premise. It practically
acts as a reboot for the series which it needed if they plan to make another
after Persona 6. Honestly, if Persona Q didn’t grip you then play Persona Q2
because it’s a vast improvement. If you did like the first, then it’s possible
it may have already been on your radar. Take it from me though, it’s a great
time to be had for all JRPG fans.
No comments:
Post a Comment