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Shin Megami Tensei and Persona

And the new girl looks like she fits in. She looks like she stepped right out of Soul Hackers.
Unless we bring the Amala network into this, no. Everyone in SJ has to wear their Demonica because despite the environments being human in nature, they are still contained within this alien environment. Why is she wearing fashionable clothes and headphones?

This is going to hurt hard because SJ is THE game that got me into the SMT franchise proper. I'm fine with an updated re-release like with Devil survivor, but she really does look out of place in a game centered around military operations and tactical gear. Doesn't help that the bird that accompanies her appearance looks like Dadga from Apocalypse, which leads me to think that part of her inclusion is to draw in that crowd and give the game the waifu that didn't exist (unless you count Arthur).

R.I.P Commander Gore
 
the new version of the protagonist looks like his face was just pressed against a pane of glass
 
I'm just confused cause doesn't SJ take place in Antartica? And the Demonica is the only reason you're able to survive demons AND not feeze to death? Some lady in a pretty thin edgelord garb doesn't look like it would protect from much...
 
~magic~

But yeah like I said, it doesn't fit the cast and settings aesthetic/atmosphere. Normally I'd be fine with hand-waving lore/realism for style points, but this is a case where it's not really a good idea on either level.

I actually kinda like the design myself, but it doesn't really belong in a menacingly sterile, sci-fi-fantasy horror environment.
 
They could do a full job and remake a game that NEEDS one to be more acesible on the west.

Like SMT 1 or 2 or even If...
 
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I'm just confused cause doesn't SJ take place in Antartica? And the Demonica is the only reason you're able to survive demons AND not feeze to death? Some lady in a pretty thin edgelord garb doesn't look like it would protect from much...

~magic~

But yeah like I said, it doesn't fit the cast and settings aesthetic/atmosphere. Normally I'd be fine with hand-waving lore/realism for style points, but this is a case where it's not really a good idea on either level.

Whether or not this new girl fits in with the established aesthetic of the cast is up to debate (for the record I don't think she does). But let's not be too hasty when we say it's illogical that she isn't wearing a demonica, or that they're "hand-waving" lore and realism. We really don't know much about who/what she is based on her design alone. Here's a list of a few characters who could run through the Schwarzwelt with a tank top and yoga pants, and be perfectly fine:

Alice-0.png Anguished_One.png Hikaru_SMTIV.png LouiscyphreSMT.jpg Nemissa_render.png SMTSteven_2153.jpg tumblr_inline_o3a5qzcpwe1rai649_1280.jpg

Don't you feel like it's very, very, likely some character is going to literally say "How can you survive out here without any gear?". And she'll reply anything from "Shut up I'm a god/demon, fuck you" to "I'm from a different dimension/time period entirely" to "I'm a special snowflake, all the writers are working on other projects" to "I don't know, maybe that's gonna be a plot twist later...".
 
Yeah that's what I was getting at.

I think it's fine to handwave lore (to a degree) in favor of aesthetic, but I think this actively compromises the aesthetic in place and what made it interesting.

But that's probably enough talk about that.
 
I'm just confused cause doesn't SJ take place in Antartica? And the Demonica is the only reason you're able to survive demons AND not feeze to death? Some lady in a pretty thin edgelord garb doesn't look like it would protect from much...
It's not just because of the cold. The Schwartzvelt is an area of constant dimensional fluctuations and while the first area you arrive in is an arctic cave, you quickly find other regions that definitely require a hazard suit. Not to mention you are still combating demons and the game has you playing a normal human rather than some demifiend. Your Demonica is also your COMP and tactical visor which plays into both combat and dungeon exploration.

Part of what I love about SJ is how well presented the Demonica technologies were.

Don't you feel like it's very, very, likely some character is going to literally say "How can you survive out here without any gear?". And she'll reply anything from "Shut up I'm a god/demon, fuck you" to "I'm from a different dimension/time period entirely" to "I'm a special snowflake, all the writers are working on other projects" to "I don't know, maybe that's gonna be a plot twist later...".
Now that you bring this up yes, it's possible that she's not human. I'd be cool with that except I can't shake the feeling that the reason that her 'human' guise looks so trendy is because of recent Atlus titles. There is a familiar face running around the Schwartzwalt and their appearance is far less stylish. Also multiple members of the crew do this as well once things happen.

But on the side, her design is nice and sleek. I just don't think it belongs in a Strange Journey update but without further information that's just my bias.
 
the new version of the protagonist looks like his face was just pressed against a pane of glass

He lost his beautiful cheekbones. It's very sad.

I hope the new ending has him find some replacements.

Maybe from the new girl.
 
Btw, for anyone still assmad about that picture, I'm not saying you have to like it, I'm just taking the piss out of the SMT community in general. I will say that some of these reactions are a bit overboard.
 
He lost his beautiful cheekbones. It's very sad.

I hope the new ending has him find some replacements.

Maybe from the new girl.
Kaneko's cheekbones are things of beauty in a general sense.

I gaze longingly out the window for a day when Lucifer/Louis Cyphre will look like David Bowie with a mullet again
 
You know you can just put on the movie Labyrinth and get the same effect, right?
 
I need that crisp freshly pressed business suit, my dude
 
I need that crisp freshly pressed business suit, my dude
Commander Gore wore it better. Fight me!
 
Break it up now fellas

Suit Gore was stupid though. Mostly because of context.
 
I many anime boys gotta get punched before we realized that Gore didn't wear it better
 
Goku_Dodging.gif

Can't make me change my mind. Just look at this example of class and refinement.
Commander_Gore_Suit.jpg
 
RT tho
If Atlus can't get Phil LaMarr to voice Gore then what's even the point here
 
RT tho
If Atlus can't get Phil LaMarr to voice Gore then what's even the point here
Johnny Yong Bosch should voice Gore.

I mean,

He voices everyone else in anime, anyway.
 
So Persona 5's doing pretty good in the reviews-department.
 
So Persona 5's doing pretty good in the reviews-department.
Some SJW's are slamming it for being "homophobic," though.

Like Polygon!

They also said that it's an especially big offense here, since the whole game is about social reform.
 
always remember kids, never listen to the man and fight the machine!
unless that involves being gay, then just go sit in the corner and wait your turn
 
Some SJW's are slamming it for being "homophobic," though.

Like Polygon!

They also said that it's an especially big offense here, since the whole game is about social reform.
Can you link that?
 
Polygon keeping up it's streak of being a trash review site I see.
 
i just wanna hold hands and light up some blunts with Yusuke
he looks like he can get summa dat good shit
 
I dont recommend reading it if you want to go in as blind as possible, the description of a certain male gives away their orientation.
Don't read the comments unless you hate life.
 
I'm actually gonna talk about this because I think it's worth talking about
gonna spoiler it because it has some vague spoilery bits about certain characters in P5 I won't directly name

It's honestly really weird to me how Persona has established itself in the general zeitgeist of gaming as this progressive and forward-thinking series when it's honestly kinda bad at being that, but not without a lack of trying. This isn't going to be an old persona shill but I do find there's this really bizarre dissonance in how certain issues are portrayed across the series. Like, there's things portrayed in different games in the series that are treated completely different in those games.

Let's take Eikichi from Persona 2. Eikichi is my favorite character in Persona 2 for a variety of reasons but he's also one of the most interestingly written characters in the series, imo. Eikichi, on the surface, is a bit more shallow than his peers, being a egocentric narcissist with his silly visual kei look. Even his issues aren't really as hard-hitting as some of the others. His dad wouldn't approve of being in a shitty band? He used to be the fat kid? Small change compared to Tatsuya or Jun, clearly. But where Eikichi shines isn't where he develops or where his issues are; Eikichi is great because he's shown repeatedly to be an incredibly accepting and supportive person in general. He knows he used to be the fat kid, so why should he care if the girl he likes is heftier now? It's remarkably body-positive for a game from a country with rigid body standards like japan. Which is cool! Eikichi's cool.

But now let's compare to a more recent entry, Persona 4. Persona 4 has Hanako, a walking fat joke. Hanako is meant to be comedic and repulsive by the virtue of just existing. Her one joke and entire reason for existing is "lol fat girl who doesn't realize she's ugly lollllll" and it's just so... tacky. And it's pretty stupid too, because Persona 4 tackles a lot of mainstream issues relevant in Japan at the time and still relevant now. It's just so weirdly dissonant for Persona 4 to have messages about sexual identity and how your gender shouldn't preclude you from pursuing what you enjoy, and then to go around and make trite jokes about fat people being gross. Kashiwagi is another example of the same cut. Her entire character is "over 40 and desperate" which is a stupid trite character to have in a game that tries to push itself as challenging social standards and constructs. There's other nits I could pick in Persona 4, but they're not as standout as those two sore thumbs.

You starting to understand what I'm trying to say? It's so weird how Persona is upheld by the mainstream as this really forward series when it'll still turn around and make trite unoriginal jokes at the expense of transsexuals (briefly in P3, if you wanted to know, during "Operation Babe Hunt"), homosexuals, fat people, older women, etc for the sake of cheap laughs. Like, I've made the joke in the past that it's so crazy that the persona game where you can be gay was released in 1999, but it's seriously so fucking strange to me at how screwed up this series has gotten at hashing out positive messages while still spewing the same unfunny stereotypical jokes you could find in any dime store anime series.

This is where Persona 5 and some spoilers comes in, but once again I'm leaving names out so whatever.
Persona 5 has some of the most half-assed commitment to it's message that I have seen in this series and that's really impressive after everything they did in Persona 4. Even Dancing All Night, a game about having cute idols and rad teens dance to shitty pop mixes, has a shockingly dark story about how disgusting, harmful and uncaring the idol industry is. But Persona 5 is the game that will tell you to stand up to your oppressors and abusers and fight back, while still have jokes at the expense of groups that are still treated poorly in this day and age. Persona 5 spouts that you shouldn't tolerate the mistreatment of others and abuse of power, but has a party member, from an abusive background no less, blatantly and unapologetically bully another in the party with no good cause. Persona 5 is the game that says you shouldn't stand for injustice and stand up for the little guy, but has a character that is heavily implied to be on the autism spectrum have those aspects used as a springboard for "LOL SO WEIRD" jokes at their expense. Persona 5 is the game that says that what society thinks of you doesn't define you as a person, but feels the need to have the only gay characters in the game be tired stereotypes that exist to harass a straight character with how gay they are. Persona 5 is the game that shows how cruel and disgusting someone that exploits and objectifies women and children can be, but will still let the camera hug the ass and tits of its teenaged female characters, even if they're explicitly not okay with it in-context.

And it's really weird because it's not all onesided! Persona 5 actually goes out of its way to show the seriousness of certain conditions and mental illnesses and how they can be salved by a supportive social circle. One character is shown to have severe social anxiety and the party does what they can to help them gradually and comfortably adjust to social situations and experiences. It's shockingly well-portrayed, all things considered but wow, how about those wacky harassin' gays tryin' to molest all those straight boys? And it's not like the game needs to portray every social issue ever with supreme elegance and grace. That's just unreasonable to ask, but it's just baffling that a series that's considered by so many to be good at portraying social issues sympathetically to also have such a bunch of unoriginal, stereotypical, humorless, fuckin' stupid jokes and characters still worm their way into the games. And it all feels so avoidable with some marginally better writing. Leave out the gay jokes or the fat jokes! They aren't fucking funny. Let players romance who they want! It doesn't affect anything because the Protagonists in persona games, while they have clear personalities, are all still interpretive and play into the choices made by the player. Don't be so wishy-washy on shit because you can make a shitty buck on it, when exploiting people to make shitty bucks is something your game is trying to sell to me as a problem with society.
tl;dr persona is fuckin' stupid, mang
 
I'm actually gonna talk about this because I think it's worth talking about
gonna spoiler it because it has some vague spoilery bits about certain characters in P5 I won't directly name

It's honestly really weird to me how Persona has established itself in the general zeitgeist of gaming as this progressive and forward-thinking series when it's honestly kinda bad at being that, but not without a lack of trying. This isn't going to be an old persona shill but I do find there's this really bizarre dissonance in how certain issues are portrayed across the series. Like, there's things portrayed in different games in the series that are treated completely different in those games.

Let's take Eikichi from Persona 2. Eikichi is my favorite character in Persona 2 for a variety of reasons but he's also one of the most interestingly written characters in the series, imo. Eikichi, on the surface, is a bit more shallow than his peers, being a egocentric narcissist with his silly visual kei look. Even his issues aren't really as hard-hitting as some of the others. His dad wouldn't approve of being in a shitty band? He used to be the fat kid? Small change compared to Tatsuya or Jun, clearly. But where Eikichi shines isn't where he develops or where his issues are; Eikichi is great because he's shown repeatedly to be an incredibly accepting and supportive person in general. He knows he used to be the fat kid, so why should he care if the girl he likes is heftier now? It's remarkably body-positive for a game from a country with rigid body standards like japan. Which is cool! Eikichi's cool.

But now let's compare to a more recent entry, Persona 4. Persona 4 has Hanako, a walking fat joke. Hanako is meant to be comedic and repulsive by the virtue of just existing. Her one joke and entire reason for existing is "lol fat girl who doesn't realize she's ugly lollllll" and it's just so... tacky. And it's pretty stupid too, because Persona 4 tackles a lot of mainstream issues relevant in Japan at the time and still relevant now. It's just so weirdly dissonant for Persona 4 to have messages about sexual identity and how your gender shouldn't preclude you from pursuing what you enjoy, and then to go around and make trite jokes about fat people being gross. Kashiwagi is another example of the same cut. Her entire character is "over 40 and desperate" which is a stupid trite character to have in a game that tries to push itself as challenging social standards and constructs. There's other nits I could pick in Persona 4, but they're not as standout as those two sore thumbs.

You starting to understand what I'm trying to say? It's so weird how Persona is upheld by the mainstream as this really forward series when it'll still turn around and make trite unoriginal jokes at the expense of transsexuals (briefly in P3, if you wanted to know, during "Operation Babe Hunt"), homosexuals, fat people, older women, etc for the sake of cheap laughs. Like, I've made the joke in the past that it's so crazy that the persona game where you can be gay was released in 1999, but it's seriously so fucking strange to me at how screwed up this series has gotten at hashing out positive messages while still spewing the same unfunny stereotypical jokes you could find in any dime store anime series.

This is where Persona 5 and some spoilers comes in, but once again I'm leaving names out so whatever.
Persona 5 has some of the most half-assed commitment to it's message that I have seen in this series and that's really impressive after everything they did in Persona 4. Even Dancing All Night, a game about having cute idols and rad teens dance to shitty pop mixes, has a shockingly dark story about how disgusting, harmful and uncaring the idol industry is. But Persona 5 is the game that will tell you to stand up to your oppressors and abusers and fight back, while still have jokes at the expense of groups that are still treated poorly in this day and age. Persona 5 spouts that you shouldn't tolerate the mistreatment of others and abuse of power, but has a party member, from an abusive background no less, blatantly and unapologetically bully another in the party with no good cause. Persona 5 is the game that says you shouldn't stand for injustice and stand up for the little guy, but has a character that is heavily implied to be on the autism spectrum have those aspects used as a springboard for "LOL SO WEIRD" jokes at their expense. Persona 5 is the game that says that what society thinks of you doesn't define you as a person, but feels the need to have the only gay characters in the game be tired stereotypes that exist to harass a straight character with how gay they are. Persona 5 is the game that shows how cruel and disgusting someone that exploits and objectifies women and children can be, but will still let the camera hug the ass and tits of its teenaged female characters, even if they're explicitly not okay with it in-context.

And it's really weird because it's not all onesided! Persona 5 actually goes out of its way to show the seriousness of certain conditions and mental illnesses and how they can be salved by a supportive social circle. One character is shown to have severe social anxiety and the party does what they can to help them gradually and comfortably adjust to social situations and experiences. It's shockingly well-portrayed, all things considered but wow, how about those wacky harassin' gays tryin' to molest all those straight boys? And it's not like the game needs to portray every social issue ever with supreme elegance and grace. That's just unreasonable to ask, but it's just baffling that a series that's considered by so many to be good at portraying social issues sympathetically to also have such a bunch of unoriginal, stereotypical, humorless, fuckin' stupid jokes and characters still worm their way into the games. And it all feels so avoidable with some marginally better writing. Leave out the gay jokes or the fat jokes! They aren't fucking funny. Let players romance who they want! It doesn't affect anything because the Protagonists in persona games, while they have clear personalities, are all still interpretive and play into the choices made by the player. Don't be so wishy-washy on shit because you can make a shitty buck on it, when exploiting people to make shitty bucks is something your game is trying to sell to me as a problem with society.
tl;dr persona is fuckin' stupid, mang

That's a fantastic point. It's a strange bit of dissonance in these games, for sure. I think the reason people are okay with those kinds of jokes still being made in Persona recently is that the target audience (young adults/teens for those countries where Persona is 12+) can find and accept the themes in the main narrative and celebrate it for that, while the jokes are just passed off as "lol Japan so weird" and treated as jokes that were acceptable in the time periods the games are set in (Persona 3 is 2009, Persona 4 is 2011). The audience gets the main themes hammered into their heads (hey guys, NEVER LIE TO YOURSELF ALSO FRIENDS ARE SUPER IMPORTANT), and since its reinforced so much, the parts that don't fit are just kinda glossed over. Now Persona 5, being set in 2016, doesn't have the first excuse because those jokes were, at least in America, not okay anymore. And I'll fully admit aside from music and a few lategame spoilers I have no knowledge of Persona 5's plot beyond the trailers, but it seems like they're repeating the same process: hammer in the theme during the plot, and the audience will be satisfied enough to let the things that don't mesh with the theme pass.
 
This will actually be the biggest thing for me:

Is the final boss still a big monster that wants to destroy the world because PHILOSOPHY and is summoned by a human antagonist because he's a nihilist

Because boy I am sure not tired of that one. Nothing says quality writing like 90 hours of build up to that.
 
Well if it is or isn't, put it in a damn spoiler and label it as such.
 
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As someone who has unfortunately been spoiled, I'm interested to see how you guys will react to what is coming.
 
As someone who has unfortunately been spoiled, I'm interested to see how you guys will react to what is coming.

Ditto.

Kinda regret being spoiled but I just couldn't see myself lasting from September to April 100% sin free.
 
Well, you'll have to wait for all of us to beat the game to find out.