Persona 5

I think each level of that ability only recovers 1 or 2 SP. But it is really useful while going through dungeons, because (in my experience) there are many fights where a successful ambush leads to an all-out attack, which leads to an instant win. So this becomes a good way to sustain SP through the dungeons.

I definitely found that the first dungeon was the hardest and had the steepest learning curve. I also found the first Monarch hardest, both because of the learning curve and because I didn't have many buffs and debuffs yet. That dungeon & the surrounding story was also the longest segment. I think it took me about as long as you to clear it, but my overall clear time was 46:05, and that was doing almost every side quest as it came up.

A few things will help with SP conservation as you go. You'll gain more healing items, and you'll gain the ability to cook more -- many of those items will restore SP, and will apply to the whole party. Also, early on, I'd take the bond skill that improves healing items. The boost applies to SP restoring items, too. I think each level improves healing by about 30%, so when you max it out, items will be almost 2x as strong.

The other big thing for conserving SP is learning that every character has a weaker version of their elemental attack they can cast for free. The game doesn't explain that well, I only learned about it from a "things you should know" video. But, for most characters: square-square-square-triangle will trigger this (for Haru, it's square-square-triangle for some reason, and you can hold hers to sustain it). There are also a couple other ways to trigger free casts, that come up as you learn master arts, like how Ann learns a free attack debuff. Also, Ann can light her whip on fire and Makoto can imbue her fists with nuclear attacks (hold triangle), so for foes weak to those elements, you can hit their weakness without using SP.

One more thing: the skills that you cast from R1 can interrupt enemy skills. I'm not sure that the "free cast" skills can do this. So, as you get more comfortable with the system, you'll probably find yourself using SP as much to stop powerful attacks as to dial up damage.

P5 Strikers sounds great --I'll have to add it to my wishlist!

I'm about 16 hours into P5 Royal, and I have a question. I made it to Mementos a couple of days ago, and I completed the Path of Aiyatsbus up until there was a locked door (end of Area 7). Since I couldn't continue, I obviously had to go back... and I had to go through all seven areas plus the two from the previous path before I could go back to the real world. So, my question is: can you not fast travel to the entrance of Mementos, or at least the beginning of each path? Do you have to go through every single area in and out every time? I know I came across a rest area and Morgana said I could fast travel from there, but I was unable to find the option to do so when I wanted to avail myself of it. Your wisdom will be very much appreciated!

Other than that, I'm loving the game. I had never played a Persona (or SMT) game before, and I am having a blast. I have been reading the manga adaptation for a few months now (volume 6 just came out), so I pretty much know what the next major beats in the story are, but instead of feeling like I'm spoiling the game for myself, I strangely feel like I'm enjoying it even more because I already know the characters from the manga, and now I get to see them animated and hear their voices! If you like the game and like manga as well, I absolutely recommend it!

It's been a while, but I know you can fast travel in Mementos. When you are looking at the map of Mementos, you can select a safe area you have been to and press a button to fast travel there. You can select the opening area, and from there you can leave.

Aristophan wrote:

It's been a while, but I know you can fast travel in Mementos. When you are looking at the map of Mementos, you can select a safe area you have been to and press a button to fast travel there. You can select the opening area, and from there you can leave.

You can it only fast travel from the bottom floor, top floor, and safe areas though

Mario_Alba wrote:

I'm about 16 hours into P5 Royal, and I have a question. I made it to Mementos a couple of days ago, and I completed the Path of Aiyatsbus up until there was a locked door (end of Area 7). Since I couldn't continue, I obviously had to go back... and I had to go through all seven areas plus the two from the previous path before I could go back to the real world. So, my question is: can you not fast travel to the entrance of Mementos, or at least the beginning of each path? Do you have to go through every single area in and out every time? I know I came across a rest area and Morgana said I could fast travel from there, but I was unable to find the option to do so when I wanted to avail myself of it. Your wisdom will be very much appreciated!

I'm not certain about the buttons, but I think it would either an option that comes up if you press the big rectangular button in the middle of the PS controller, or the start button just to the right of that one.

Thank you, everyone! Now that I know fast traveling is indeed possible, I will try the different buttons next time I'm there.

"Take Over" is incredible.

I completed the third palace last night, so I am now caught up with the manga (volume 6, the most recent one to come out in English, depicts the downfall of this palace's owner). I love this game.

Looks like Strikers was $40 everywhere this week, Gamestop, Best Buy, and Amazon. Switch version was cheaper on Gamestop, and then Amazon matched at $33.

Fifth palace complete! Being on summer break has really given me the time I needed to make real progress. Hopefully, it won't take me another two months to finish the second half of the game!

Eighth palace complete! My understanding is that this was the end of the original game, so now I still have the new Royal semester left to do. Despite being 90 hours in and having played this game almost exclusively since March, I am not tired of it at all and can't wait to continue!

And I rolled credits on Persona 5 Royal! 103 hours of pure bliss, my friends. Game of the year for sure!

Next (but not immediately): Persona 5 Strikers!

I restarted the game this weekend. I had gotten through the coach's palace initially, but since that was 4.5 years ago, I've forgotten how to play the game. Here's hoping I can get further along this time!

Nice! I loved that palace, one of my favorites. It feels so personal for the initial foursome. Good luck making it further!

I finished the artist's palace last week and found Mementos. Things are picking up!

Is it wrong that I want my RL car to have a sticker that says

Spoiler:

"My other car is Morgana?"

sometimesdee wrote:

I finished the artist's palace last week and found Mementos. Things are picking up!

Is it wrong that I want my RL car to have a sticker that says

Spoiler:

"My other car is Morgana?"

Spoiler:

What a patronizing car that would be! Always allowing you to do only one thing in the evening, and then asking "aren't you tired" whenever you try to keep the party going. :)

LastSurprise wrote:
sometimesdee wrote:

I finished the artist's palace last week and found Mementos. Things are picking up!

Is it wrong that I want my RL car to have a sticker that says

Spoiler:

"My other car is Morgana?"

Spoiler:

What a patronizing car that would be! Always allowing you to do only one thing in the evening, and then asking "aren't you tired" whenever you try to keep the party going. :)

As a 40-something year old mother, I've come to the realization that...

Spoiler:

...Morgana was inside me all along.

Heh. Me too! Sometimes

Spoiler:

I need a Morgana to put me to bed.

sometimesdee wrote:

I finished the artist's palace last week and found Mementos. Things are picking up!

As someone who put in 80 hrs before I got burned out and I wasn't even half done I find the "things are picking up" idea funny.

I feel like I am having fun but NG+ would be more fun since I will already have some unlocks at the start. I am not sure if I want to push through on PS4 if there is a chance it will come to PC and I would have to start over again without NG+.

farley3k wrote:
sometimesdee wrote:

I finished the artist's palace last week and found Mementos. Things are picking up!

As someone who put in 80 hrs before I got burned out and I wasn't even half done I find the "things are picking up" idea funny.

Yeah, yeah. Making it past the starter dungeon is a big accomplishment for me, okay?

sometimesdee wrote:
farley3k wrote:
sometimesdee wrote:

I finished the artist's palace last week and found Mementos. Things are picking up!

As someone who put in 80 hrs before I got burned out and I wasn't even half done I find the "things are picking up" idea funny.

Yeah, yeah. Making it past the starter dungeon is a big accomplishment for me, okay?

Oh no judgement from me. Notice I said I got burned out. The fact that I got to 80 hours is what is amazing for me.

I do wish they would have made the game half as long but I know I am in the minorty.

Well I played this before I had kids and loved all 120(?) hours. But I'm not sure why I bought Royal on sale a while back. I can't imagine carving out even more time right now, or for years.

Just finished Royal and was left with a small question about the ending

Spoiler:

Maruki's final gambit is that Akechi will disappear if you defeat him. I was surprised that this was presented as any kind of dilemma. To me, Akechi is one of the most loathsome villains ever written. I genuinely hate the little sh*t. Is this one of those situations where a fandom decides they have a crush on the antagonist for some inexplicable reason?

I haven't played Royal but, based on the original, I agree with you.

Spoiler:

I think this is exactly ne of those situations where the fandom decides they love an antagonist. I've seen some crazy love for Akechi as a sort of poor, misunderstood, hurt little boy and I've never understood it. In fact, as I've read, P5 Royal substantially rewrites parts of the game so you see him more often, and develop a relationship with him, over more time -- which is a thing that's put me off playing Royal.

I hated the pivot in Shido's palace where, all of a sudden, the party felt sorry for Akechi and wished they could save him. This guy murdered dozens of people and plotted Joker's murder. I'm glad he died.

LastSurprise wrote:

I haven't played Royal but, based on the original, I agree with you.

Spoiler:

I think this is exactly ne of those situations where the fandom decides they love an antagonist. I've seen some crazy love for Akechi as a sort of poor, misunderstood, hurt little boy and I've never understood it. In fact, as I've read, P5 Royal substantially rewrites parts of the game so you see him more often, and develop a relationship with him, over more time -- which is a thing that's put me off playing Royal.

I hated the pivot in Shido's palace where, all of a sudden, the party felt sorry for Akechi and wished they could save him. This guy murdered dozens of people and plotted Joker's murder. I'm glad he died.

Glad I'm not the only one who thought that.

Spoiler:

Kudos to the writers for coming up with such a hateable villain, but the redemption arc didn't really ring true. I mean, the guy killed the parents of two of your team members. Come on.

Spoiler:

Haru's dad and ... who was the second? Makoto's dad? Futaba's mom? I had thought that both of those deaths happened earlier than Akechi came on the scene, but it's also been a couple years since I've played the game.

Spoiler:

I was under the impression he killed Futaba's mum too. Not sure if the timeline matches up but I'm pretty sure he was the only one with access to the Metaverse on Shido's side.

They really padded the crap out of this game! I have been reading the stories and found out who the baddie is - but my playthrough is sitting at 80 hours and I have only had interactions with that person two or three times.

I know that many folks love a long game but instead of "Royal" with more content I would have loved a "shorter" version where they cut out some stuff.