Dying again and again is a staple of the Dark Souls games. And now of the wider Souls-like genre (which now just means hard I think).
But I believe the Soulsborne games are the cream of the crop when it comes to hard difficulty. Getting your head around what Dark Souls demands of you is very hard. Dying a lot doesn’t feel great at first. It took me three Soulsborne games before I really got into the series.
But dying is not the end. It is an essential part of these games. According to Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki, the difficulty is not about being hard just for the sake of being hard.
“I feel like our approach to these games is to design them to encourage the player to overcome adversity. We don’t try to force difficulty or make things hard for the sake of it. We want players to use their cunning, study the game, memorize what’s happening, and learn from their mistakes.”
Each death is a chance to learn. You memorize more of the boss attacks, remember where traps are, and build up your skills in combat and environmental perception.
Plus, you as the player get to customize how you want to approach combat. Elden Ring probably does the best job of letting you customize, but the original Dark Souls has such a deep level of customization as well.
I personally always like dexterity builds. Using the scythe and fire magic was my main mode of combat in Dark Souls.
But the bosses are really where it is at. They are the main checks for players. What makes Soulsborne bosses so good is they teach the player to pay attention. Just rolling won’t cut it, you need to pay attention to the boss’s movements, the environment.
The very first boss, the Asylum Demon, is the best example. When you first run into the demon, you have no weapon. While you may try to fight it at first, after dying to it, players are forced to think in another way: run away.
Which is a totally viable and oftentimes the optimal choice in Dark Souls. After running away from the demon, you get a weapon and also can attack the demon from a balcony. If you do, you stab the demon in the head, dealing a stupid amount of damage!
‘Wow, the environment is important!’ is probably what you will learn. And every boss fight in the game is like this. You must pay attention to not only the massive monster, but your arena as well. Dark Souls taught me that failure is never the end. It is a new beginning and a chance to learn and overcome adversity.
Game of the Week Review: Five Nights at Freddy’s Review by Ben Wall
Hey y’all it’s Ben Balls here to talk about why FNaF is actually a great game!!
Yes, I say actually because despite the memes and “cringe” culture surrounding the franchise, especially with how it’s grown over the years, the first game in this conglomerate is perhaps the series’ best.
It’s important to understand the context of when the first FNaF came out to truly appreciate it’s significance in the indie horror industry. At a time when slenderman clones and gmod horror maps were at the peak of the indie horror games genre, many were sick of the same game over and over with no uniqueness or innovation to the medium. Every indie horror game fell relatively close to the same formula: run around and perform tasks while something chases you.
In comes Scott Cawthon, an indie developer that’s struggling to make a name for himself to support him and his family. Scott Cawthon came up with the idea for FNaF after someone called his previous, family-friendly-intended indie game, *Chipper and Sons Lumber Co*, “creepy” and “lifeless”. After pondering why his characters in the game were creepy, he ran with that idea and decided to create a brand new horror experience, and wanted to separate himself from the industry.
In came FNaF, a horror game centered around a security guard working a night shift at a Chucky-Cheese-like attraction filled with “creepy” and “lifeless” animatronic characters, intended for children. In this game, the goal is to survive the night until 6am while the animatronic characters come to life and try to get into your office. What makes FNaF different from many horror games in the past, and what I think makes it especially unique and innovative, is the different formula. In FNaF, rather than the danger chasing you and your objective being run away, the danger is coming towards you and your objective is *survive*. You have doors, lights, and a camera to defend yourself, there’s no running away from anything.
Another thing that made the first FNaF especially scary was the idea of a “Nightmare Scenario”. This scenario can be described by two ideas: The lack of information, and the lack of action. At the start of each night, you only have the “Phone Guy” to help you defend yourself against the looming animatronics, but he doesn’t exactly give you all the details on exactly how to survive, so the rest is up to trial and error for you. You know that shutting the doors = defense from the animatronics. But it’s not that simple, as you have a limited amount of battery to get you through the night, so wasting time shutting the doors all night is not an option. This is a great way to make the player feel uncomfortable and nervous as they recognize the threat is coming, but without the ability to run and the lack of information and action, fear starts to settle in. When is the most optimal time to shut the doors? Where are the animatronics? Are they hiding in the dark corners of the camera, or are they right outside my door? Why is foxy different? What do I do with Foxy? Where is Freddy? Is he even on the cameras? Bonnie is outside my door camera but do I shut it now? Why is there music in the kitchen? Who’s making noises in Pirate’s Cove? What are those footsteps? Who is Golden Freddy?????
Yeah. Coupled with the nerve-wracking gameplay is the intense atmosphere that Scott Cawthon created in the game. Playing this game at 3am with the lights on and headphones at full blast is something not for the faint of heart. The atmospheric sounds, the various noises generated by the animatronics as they shuffle around the pizzeria, the creepy static from the cameras, the strange laughter that can be heard that echoes down the halls, and the intense ambience that drones during the whole night is some of the best atmosphere building in most horror games.
To wrap up, FNaF is a very good indie horror game to an industry that desperately needed innovation and a change of pace. Of course, nowadays the indie horror game industry is filled with FNaF clones, much like back then it was filled with Slender clones. Maybe one of you guys can change up the pace of this industry like FNaF did back then, as it’s about time things changed. Regardless, FNaF has earned its name in the Hall of Fame for indie horror, for very much good reason. Whether the 2000+ sequels that Scott Cawthon generated earn that title is up to question, but I think the first FNaF is a phenomenal game.
My first partner Pokémon was Tepig. I was a little late to the Pokémon party, since I started in 5th grade when I was around 10 years old, about the age of an actual Pokémon Trainer.
I quickly fell in love with the series! I loved the Pokémon, I loved the music and art, and most importantly I loved the world. Thinking about living in a world of Pokémon always excited me.
And while some may not enjoy the Unova region, I loved its vast cities and plains, its icy and desert regions, and beautiful mountains. The DS had a unique combination of 3D environments and lively 2d sprites that I feel the series has never reached again.
The Pokémon are also lively in battle, with fun animations and a great battle UI made possible by the split screens.
The story is one of my favorites in Pokémon too, with the mysterious N and Team Plasma calling into question the ethics of Pokémon battles and trainers. It’s not an easy question, and the game does not provide an easy answer, but through that journey you learn that you and your Pokémon have a special bond that you do not want to break.
While I used to be an avid Pokémon fan, it is hard to feel that way now with the direction the company has headed. With multiple broken releases and many mobile games, the company has grown from large to massive!
While I may not be a small little 10-year-old trainer anymore, it’s hard to shake your memories of your first Pokémon game. They’ll be something you always remember.
Written by Cooper Marshall, dedicated to JRPGs and its fans
I have not played any Shin Megami Tensei games (unless you count Persona 5), so instead this week you’re getting a love letter to JRPGs by yours truly.
Dear Japanese Role-Playing Games,
Some may say that a 15 hour tutorial is too long. That you’re more cutscenes than gameplay. That the gameplay is just clicking through menus.
But they don’t get you like us JRPG fans do.
You’re more than that. You provide us with fantastical stories with deep characters and deep lore. You provide tactical combat that sticks with you long after the game is over. The music and art is so sublime that it could make even the most hardened of men cry.
JRPs, you have shaped our lives to discover not only the meaning of life itself but how we can shape our own. You give us the confidence for a better future, a better world.
Without you, there would be no HP, MP, levels, EXP, or stories in video games. You make the world go round. And I would not know the beauty of life in everything without you.
Game of the Week Review: Death’s Door by Malorie Riggle
Death is a concept I’ve grappled with this week as I submitted the first part of a pricey, over-complicated, National test. (Totally joking, but it truly was dreadful.) As for game developers, this test isn’t pertinent to you, so why would death?
To start, everything in a game must be meaningful. From the title, to the colors, to the sounds, if the developer(s) don’t pay attention to the details it will obviously feel unpolished and drive away potential players for lack of immersion. This comes into play by knowing your game from the inside out. How often will your player die? What do you want them to feel when they die? And what happens when they die?
Death’s Door is rightfully so, focused upon death, no matter if it is other characters or your own. I remember when I began playing and lost my little red health bar. The small pause before a loud and blaring death flashed across the screen, showing my small character being repeatedly hit by the dumb Demonic Forest Spirit. To say it was a shock, was an understatement. Throughout my time playing, I died a lot– like a lot. Each time was still impactful, the aggravation and shock was still present; no matter the death count.
Since you die often in this game, you can tell the developers placed a lot of time and thought into incorporating death into this universe. Such as the respawn location from the most recent Hall of Doors where the reapers are, the eulogies after killing bosses, and the iconic sounds and scene of you dying after you lose the last of your health. All of these elements make death feel real and meaningful in this game, which adds to the game’s overall immersive experience.
Does your game overkill the characters to where it is just annoying? Does your game not make an effort to build relationships with characters to where it is impactful when they die? Maybe the characters are too unlikely or flat to have an impact, or they were just forgetful? These questions should be asked as you are building your game because they are inherently important. Making someone restart their progress, lose their valuables, or have a simple checkpoint is vital to your game’s playability. Should the player have lives, or just strikes before severe consequences? It is important to consider these factors when designing your game, as they will shape the user experience. Having clear rules and consequences for actions will help keep players engaged and motivated to continue playing.
Some games I know force you to die. This may be to learn about a new mechanic or to get into a better location, but how will your player react? Will they lose a lot by this death? Can they learn from this death or will it just be annoying? It is important to consider the consequences that your players will face if they make a mistake. Make sure to make the penalties fair and provide an opportunity to recover. This will help to create a more enjoyable and engaging gaming experience.
No matter what you create, no one truly understands your game as you do. Perhaps death is imminent in your game, but maybe that is a good thing to embrace.
Good luck, devs.
“Death is inevitable. Our fear of it makes us play safe, blocks out emotion. It’s a losing game. Without passion you are already dead.”
Ah, Fire Emblem. The game series about strategic battles, epic fantasy stories, and most importantly, memorable characters.
With this week’s game of the week being Fire Emblem: Three Houses, I had to know: who is the best Fire Emblem character? From the meek, to the bold. The warriors to the performers. Those who know how to cook and those who don’t. I welcome you to…
GDA’s Best of Fire Emblem!
Edelgard
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Xander Donald from the writers team definitely is for Edelgard. Leader of the Black Eagles and heir to the Adrestian Throne. Without spoiling, their lengthy discussion showcases how Edlegard’s actions are done with reason.
I think their last paragraph really sums up why she is the best:
“Edelgard is, in many ways, a flawed human being. She is not perfect, but no one in the game is. To assign fault to her and her alone is not the right course of action. Likewise, claiming she’s done nothing wrong with absolute sincerity is to downplay her faults. One must look at her with nuance, to view her as a morally gray character as opposed to making her purely black or purely white. Edelgard is as wrong as the other house leaders, and we should start looking at her like the two others as opposed to being stuck in an endless cycle of discourse.”
If you’d like to read Xander’s thoughts, follow the link below:
Erica, our sound lead, says that both Dimitiri and Ashe are her favorites. Both members of the Blue Lions (and Dimitri being leader), they both are very lovable characters. Dimitir is a charismatic leader, while Ashe is a bit shy.
According to her, there are different reasons to give them some love:
“I want to hold both their hands for different reasons. Dmitri is like a damaged little meow meow and Felix I want to break his arm (affectionately). I think we should lock both of them in a room for 72 hours and see who kills the other first.”
Dimitiri and Ashe definitely need some therapy.
Claude
Three Houses
Claude is kind of awesome. Ask general member Trai, they’ll agree. While they have not played any Fire Emblem games, they still think he’s cool.
I couldn’t agree more. As someone who played through the Golden Deer route, he is a nice person, very attractive, and great at everything. Plus he rides a dragon, what’s not to love.
Linhardt
Three Houses
Everyone’s favorite sleepy boy, Linhardt stands out from the other Black Eagles (or every student really.) He needs some sleep, and honestly who doesn’t. General member Aloe Marshall agrees:
“He eeby and neebies to sleebies, just like me!!”
A good nap goes a long way.
Ike
Path of Radiance (and Super Smash Bros.)
The stoic mercenary Ike is not like the other main characters of the series. He isn’t of noble descent and fearlessly leads his mercenaries into battle.
However, he’s also been a prominent character in another series: Super Smash Bros. An anonymous member of GDA says they like to play him in Smash.
“He is pretty fun in Smash and is hot (the older version)”
He is very fun to play, until I am fighting him and run into another one of his smash attacks or aerial attacks. Man, why is his sword so big?
Ashe
Three Houses
Another Ashe response, but focused solely on him, game design assistant Ethan further argues why he is the best:
“Because he’s literally the most perfect soul to ever bless anyone’s eyes. He’s the perfect caring brother, an academic weapon, can cook amazing meals, he can one shot people with the flick of his finger, and he must be protected at all costs. Infinity/10 hubby material ladies come get yo man single file first come first serve.”
He is a really good archer and a very cute man. Kind of the whole package, there isn’t a single flaw in sight.
Frederick
Awakening
Finally, my favorite character. Frederick is everything you could want. He absolutely destroys any enemies, protects everyone from big attacks, and he can cook and clean.
He is invincible to pretty much anything, which comes at the cost of being as socially adept as a rock. Every joke goes over his head. But you gotta give him credit for trying. He’s still great to talk with and will stay with you until you feel better. Or to the bitter end.
That is a taste of the GDA Fire Emblem love. I think Ashe may be the favorite, but if you want to talk more Fire Emblem head to our general meeting at 7 p.m. this Thursday.
To begin, I am terrified of overstimulating amounts of anger so I can not see any reason someone would willingly play this game, Cuphead. You, the participant, practically ask to be put in a chaotic state of frustration. Why? While looking for articles to cite in this post, I can see why I had the initial hesitation for this game, simply because of the titles that I’ve generally seen when skimming the internet. That being said, most everything I saw when I typed “Video games” and “Anger” correlated video games to violence, alcohol abuse, and aggression. Why is this? How did it take me such effort to find any sort of video game article without the author completely bashing video game consumers for getting into video games and letting the video games influence their emotions?
Perhaps this is due to many of the people writing these articles are generally well above the age of thirty. It could be that people are afraid of technology, or that the violent minority are too loud for some people to look past. Looking at an article from iflscience, it seemed that the sample size was “241 men between 18-37 years old” (Dunhill, 2021). It may also be assumable that the samples are skewed. Putting aside the strange sample, the study found that if the gamers were given positive reinforcement before playing, they did better, assumably the opposite was shown to be true as well.
Also looking into this thought of strong emotions when playing video games, “Emotional Manipulation and Task Distraction as Strategy: The Effects of Insulting Trash Talk on Motivation and Performance in a Competitive Setting” by McDermott and Lachlan (2021) is basically a ton of hypothesizing about how trash talk can distract gamers when they play. They determined that anger and shame were the main emotions that people felt when they were playing a video game and were told that they were lame. To conclude so you shouldn’t need to read it (but you definitely can if you’d like). When gamers played a racing game and were randomly insulted, this influenced their ability negatively on psychological and emotional levels (McDermott & Lachlan, 2021).
Since this isn’t supposed to be an essay, but it has turned into one, I’ll just cite the other sources I found as links if this is interesting to you. All of this to say, as you insult people, it hurts their feelings and distracts them. Common sense enough, right?
It shouldn’t be hard to figure that if someone were to want to make a difficult game, they would try to pull any and all tricks to aggravate the user– including psychologically and emotionally. To feel like you are being cheated, but know you have the capability to surpass the obstacle, and then be insulted by a frustrating video game character is such a pile of annoyingly good game design. Keep the player on their toes, but let them notice that it is possible only to tell them, “A ‘W’ for me and an ‘L’ for you!” just to rub in the fact that you failed. So when you go to repeat that difficult section, the quote is fresh on your mind that the game believes you deserved the “L”, so you are now distracted and it is even more tricky than the last time.
People want to win. If they are determined, it will feel as if they have to before they are willing to take a break. Even if there is no specific trophy for completing an obstacle, the rush of relief, pride, and excitement is enough to brighten your mood and push you further through the game to seek the feeling again.
This won’t always push every player through, though, from personal experience I will honestly give up if a game takes me ten minutes to pass a boss or checkpoint because it will frustrate me or make me feel it is no longer worth the effort or emotional strain. My husband, though, will play until a vein bursts in his head– sometimes. Just to clarify the last sentence was a hyperbole, but it will be several dozens of tries to get him past excruciatingly and absurdly difficult parts.
In conclusion, Cuphead uses such emotional and psychological tactics to its benefit to appeal to the bull-headed and stubborn reward seekers in the gaming community. Many other games have added this tactic to their own game in different styles and intensities. Another example can be seen as the “You Died” screen in Dark Souls to just cement the fact that you indeed failed at whatever goal you were seeking and now have to watch some stupid monster stomping on your lifeless body. To all the game devs who read this, use these tactics however you seem best fit for your game, but be aware of the audience who will inevitably press “Play.”
Dunhill, J. (2021, January 14). Gaming whilst angry could make you play significantly worse, study suggests. IFLScience. https://www.iflscience.com/gaming-whilst-angry-could-make-you-play-significantly-worse-study-suggests-58287
McDermott, K. C. P., & Lachlan, K. A. (2021). Emotional Manipulation and Task Distraction as Strategy: The Effects of Insulting Trash Talk on Motivation and Performance in a Competitive Setting. Communication Studies, 72(5), 915–936. https://doi.org/10.1080/10510974.2021.1975139
Game of the Week Review: DanganronpaV3 by Rachelle Phipps
Welcome back everyone! We hope your summers were AMAZING and are ready to get back into the swing of things with GDA for a Game of the Week!
The first week’s game is DanganronpaV3 (a game very near and dear to my heart) that’ll put you into a thrill for murder, mystery, and children dying!
The third and final installment of the Danganronpa series, DanganronpaV3 starts off with the player learning about the series’ new protagonist, Kaede Akamatsu. Kaede soon discovers that this strange school, talking bears, and events are due to her being kidnapped with 16 other students like her.
Then, once she makes friends with her new classmates, she’s told the worst: in order to leave, they must kill another student and get away with it. If they’re caught in the class trial, they get to go free and everyone else dies. Else, they get killed instead for their crimes. Kaede then becomes determined to end this killing game herself and figure out the truth of the outside world.
DanganronpaV3 has a lot of great style elements that give you a great sense of individuality from the game. Although it is the third one, it nonetheless improves the graphs of the previous games and brings more murder-mystery fun for the audience that never gets boring. The music is memorable and always sets a tone in the best way to give tension and suspense to a visual novel game you think might not have much “action”. The characters are extremely intriguing, especially when they die, and each one has their part to play in the story.
Even if you might not think of yourself as a visual novel game player, I highly recommend trying out the Danganronpa series for the suspense and love that the game gives for mysteries.
I’m sad to say, but it is our final week of the general Game Developer’s Association meetings.
This week, we’ll be talking about the classic computer RPG Fallout: New Vegas. It’s been a long time coming, so meet us one last time this semester in Gaylord 2030 at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday to learn more about one of our favorite games.
Rachelle is the biggest New Vegas fan out there, and since I have not played it nor have had the time too (way too may papers…), she wrote up one! Here is her review in all its awesomeness!
The Rachelle Review
Fallout: New Vegas is a game that takes the spirit of RPG, open-world exploration, and player choice to the maximum to give a unique experience for everyone. The Fallout series centers around a reality where nuclear war has brought the apocalypse to the modern world and a new world engulfed in post-nuclear fallout lives on.
In the year 2281, nearly 200 years after nuclear bombs were unleashed, the city of New Vegas stood tall, despite several surrounding factions hoping to take it over. One of six couriers are instructed to deliver a package to the mysterious Mr. House of New Vegas, except one does not quite make the journey there….charming fellow Benny, the man in a checkered suit, intercepts one of these couriers, shoots them dead in the head, and takes the package for himself.
However, they do not meet their end…only the beginning.
The player, who cheated death and saved, now has the entire world to explore, meet new people, encounter deadly enemies, and decide the fate of New Vegas after finding the man who shot them and left them for dead.
Unlike the original Fallout series, New Vegas, like its 2010 preceder Fallout: 3, takes place in a 3D open world RPG shooter where the player is able to use an arsenal of weapons, items, and equipment to shape their gameplay experience the way they want.
The basis of New Vegas and the original Fallout series is its usage of RPG and storytelling while also keeping the player’s choices in mind. In New Vegas, the player’s character is given several ways to built their character’s traits through the S.P.E.C.I.A.L system (strength, perception, charisma, intelligence, agility, and luck) as well as smaller traits like speech, lockpick, medicine, and more. New Vegas also has a perk system that players can choose from based on their level and skills, for example “black widow” where a female character can do more damage to male characters, that can also influence a player’s stats. These perks can also influence the story in surprising ways as well.
The story of New Vegas has been heavily praised for its ability to follow the player’s choice without interruption or barriers. The post-apocalyptic mojave is filled with many factions like the New California Republic (NCR) in the east, Caesar’s Legion in the East, and many smaller ones like The Great Khans, the Boomers, Freeside, the Kings, the Powder Gangers, and much more—each of whom the player can develop a reputation with. Have a negative reputation, and a faction might be set out to kill you, or if you are idolized, the faction will help you when times are tough. Along with factions, the game has a wide range of NPCs to talk to, learn about, and side quests to interact with.
The dialogue system of New Vegas is a huge highlight for me, and it’s a reason why I think New Vegas has a deeper root towards game lore and player choice than newer editions of the series. When speaking to NPCs, the player is able to explore large dialogue trees to find out more about the character, as well as use their skills to find unique dialogue and routes.
For example, a player with a high speech can barter with characters, or if they have high medicine, they can inspect characters rather than give medicine. If the player has unique perks, like Black Widows mentioned earlier, they can also sometimes find unique dialogue. One example is the ability to sleep with a character and with the black widow perk, the player is given the option to kill them in their sleep. To me, that is extremely rewarding, and just plain fun, because I was not told to pick this perk, I choose it, and I am now able to use it in unique dialogue instances.
Another great part of this system is the silent rule of “there’s always another way”, which New Vegas loves to follow to a T. For example, the player is able to talk to a character in order for the ability to carry more weight on a mission. If the player has a high enough skill in speech, they are able to complete the dialogue quickly, and get their additional carry weight. But what if you don’t have that many points in that skill yet? Don’t worry, “there’s always another way”. The player is also able to talk to this same character and through specific dialogue trees and choices, the player is able to persuade them to carry their weight…without ever needing the skill check. This occurs many times in the game, not just for dialogue, where the player is able to do what they please and know there’s always another way.
A large humble brag you say about the creators of New Vegas’s story is that they emphasised player choice…even if the player wanted to pull an Undertale genocide or pacifist run on New Vegas (which have been proven that you can do and still beat the game). The player is able to choose whatever option, route, or elimination of characters that they choose and the game does not mind—it encourages it. For the heart of New Vegas is its RPG roots, and the ability to give players a chance to explore this strange open-world at their own pace, and make their own choices. For me, New Vegas was a chance for me to fall in love with non-linear games, games with rich stories, and games that emphasize that your choices matter and have meaning. And that’s what gives New Vegas meaning to me.
It’s finally time. It’s one of our favorite games (or at least Jerrod’s favorite).
You’ll never see it coming, your last surprise. But you probably did if you were at the last meeting.
Persona 5 is the talk of next week. Meet at the hideout in Gaylord 2030 at 6 p.m. on Tuesday to learn more, and get free pizza that was purchased legally.
For those who don’t know the stylishness of Persona 5, the game follows a ragtag group of teenagers who discover they have the power to change people’s emotions. How do you ask?
Stealing their hearts of course.
The player starts as a kid who moved to another school and town because he was wrongly convicted of violent assault. After a chance encounter with a cat and a random classmate, he stumbles into what is known as the Metaverse. The Metaverse is basically the inside of someone’s mind in physical form. Those who are corrupted by evil desires have large Metaverses called Palaces and become Shadows.
But those who have strong hearts or are able to show their true self can control Personas, or strong Pokemon-like creatures that resemble emotions.
You and your friends, as well as your cat (who’s name is Morgana and is actually originally from the Metaverse) become the Phantom Thieves, a group dedicated to righting the wrongs of those with power and abuse it.
But you’re also still a highschool student, who goes to school, hangs out and goes on dates, studies, plays arcade games, watches movies, plays baseball, visits the bathhouse, and a bunch of other things.
And all of this is done with style and substance. Persona 5 is a traditional RPG and visual-novel with some of the best looking art, UI, and splash screens ever seen.
In the Metaverse, you invade Palaces to take down the ruler and steal their desire. This part of the game is a dungeon crawler with turn-based combat like that of Pokemon, with some extra twists. Personas have elemental attacks, strengths, and weaknesses. Deciding when to strike and with what is important.
Abilities such as “Hold Up!” allow for strategic thinking. If your party manages to hit every enemy on screen with a critical hit or weakness exploit, you can perform a “Hold Up!” and either get a new persona, some items and cash, or perform an “All Out Attack!”
That attack highlights the stylish art I mentioned earlier. After performing the attack, you get a stylish splash screen as your rewards pop up.
It’s incredibly satisfying and the game offers plenty of it, with other attack animations, the text for dialogue, and even UI and the pause menu looking cool as hell.
But not only that, you’ll get to know your teammates and others in daily life as well. Through the Confidant system, you’ll do visual novel segments to become better friends with other characters.
But first, you’ll need to build up social stats. You do this by doing everyday tasks, like the ones I mentioned. For instance Makoto wants you to have a knowledge stat of 3 before you can hang out with her.
Then after meeting a required stat, you’ll be able to hang out with friends. Through choosing the right dialogue and giving gifts, you’ll level up your friendship, which gives you even more abilities to use in the Palace!
The rewards from the visual novel part feed into the real life part, making for an incentive to take part in the story and learn about the characters. It helps that the characters are interesting and fun.
But here’s the icing on the cake for me: time management. I had to plan out my days, wondering when I should hang out with friends or continue my heist.
I love making decisions like these. And it also helps that people have different times they can hang out, or you have different options of what to do depending on the day.
I think this game has stuck with me for so long because I first played this game my senior year of high school. It drew me in because it felt like my life, but a little different and a lot more stylish.
I saw myself and my friends in it, I had to take time to plan out the week, and I could make change. Its themes of positive change, how we view the world, and mental well-being really struck a chord with me.
Combine that with the fact it just looks awesome, you’ve got yourself one heck of a masterpiece in my humble opinion.
But don’t just hear it from me. Come to our Phantom Thieves meeting to hear from all the wonderful confidants about Persona 5!
