Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers – Omega Force developed sequel – Action game + social bits - JPN demo 6/2

Currently coming towards the end of the first dungeon. I'm level 11 and have played just over 4 hours.

I've never played a Persona game before so it's all a bit new and unusual. The structure of the game is visit a town, explore a little (it's very limited with a few streets) go to shops or chat to buddies, then once you've got all the info you need go to a dungeon. You also have a hideout which lets you upgrade and shop etc.

The street exploring stuff is pretty and stylised, its basic but fun enough. The dungeons are when it picks up. Moving around a simple map looking for jump to points and avoiding, fighting or sneaking up on enemies. Once you do engage with them they vanish and are replaced by a mob. Bit like a Japanese RPG with enemies on a world map.

Combat isn't really Musou at all. It's odd. Basically you batter enemies with standard Musou attacks, if they are knocked down you press circle to do more damage. D pad changes between characters too. The big change is in holding R1 which brings up a persona menu, allow as you to summon a spirit and use one of its attacks. Time is completely frozen when you press R1.

Enemies are weak to certain attacks but the issue is, SP isn't really regained it's only gotten back when leave the dungeon at a checkpoint which are frequent. So you fight through a dungeon, use your sp then have to leave and comeback to that area to get back SP. Really strange and it discouragea it's use. And the spirits you use are the most fun things in the game.

This may change later when it may re gen other ways but 4 hours in and it's an annoyance.

Game looks great, doesn't have the numbers of enemies like Hyrule, dynasty or samurai warriors. But it's not a Musou game, more like FF7 remake in terms of combat. And Yakuza in terms of map design and style.

So far I'm enjoying nthr story, the characters, music and graphics, gameplay is not what I expected but I'm warming to it.

Been playing through the Switch version and it's great, it's amazing how it feels exactly like Persona 5 but with Muso combat.

Onto the 3rd area now and unlocked more things like side quests/requests and some things that boost stats.

Really enjoying the game moments but the exceptionally long cut scenes are starting to get skipped as I just want to play a game and not watch it.

Not sure I understand the persona use as I can only carry so many and then have to get rid to get new ones. But as long as I have at least one that hits a bosses weakness it's been ok.

Soundtrack is sublime, art style the same, combat feels good and the whole thing feels like a very well made game.

And finished

Playtime - 25 hours

Joker level - 63

A very strange game which is basically a Persona game and not a Musou game. Musou is 1 Vs 100, this is 4 Vs 10 and sometimes 15. Occasionally 20 and rarely 40.

The wandering around a town is ok, but it's just a series of corridors. The meat of the game is also a series of corridors which have single enemies in, once they are interacted with them change into a small group of enemies.

Lots of upgrades on the main upgrade screen, plus lots of personas to find and unlock, recipes, accessories and weapons can also be unlocked via quests such as re right a boss.

The good

Looks fantastic
Stunningly good music
Menus and style of everything is classy
Combat is simple fun
Personas have loads of style
60 FPS
Quick loading on PS5.

The bad

Almost a visual novel at points with 10 min cut scenes that I actually get XP for watching and then save prompt then another long cut scene.

With the wrong persona battles are tough, with right one they are easy.

Very short for a persona game, also short for a omega force game.

Overall - worth playing for something different. A massive missed opportunity for a Musou game as the focus on small company groups and then slow town exploring is not as fun as fighting through thousands of enemies.

Completed this but nowhere near maxing the bonds, not sure how much of NG+ I need to play to complete this! Stupid Trophy

Godzilla wrote:And finished

Playtime - 25 hours

Joker level - 63

25 hours is good going, did you finish all side quests and beat the reaper?

I finished around 55 hours at level 75 and currently on NG+ on Hard.

The bad for me has to be the camera at times, the fact you can fly off towards a wall or ledge instead of an enemy or when one of your team mates pop up at the top they may be dropping a chandelier you were holding until the right time but in the heat of the moment you let them do it!

I hate the max bond trophy! The side quests where you have to battle bosses for the third time just made them sponges and can get boring! I also didn’t like characters you arn’t controllling getting one shot killed because they don’t move out of the way of obvious attacks.

Rubix wrote:

Godzilla wrote:And finished

Playtime - 25 hours

Joker level - 63

25 hours is good going, did you finish all side quests and beat the reaper?

I finished around 55 hours at level 75 and currently on NG+ on Hard.

The bad for me has to be the camera at times, the fact you can fly off towards a wall or ledge instead of an enemy or when one of your team mates pop up at the top they may be dropping a chandelier you were holding until the right time but in the heat of the moment you let them do it!

I hate the max bond trophy! The side quests where you have to battle bosses for the third time just made them sponges and can get boring! I also didn’t like characters you arn’t controllling getting one shot killed because they don’t move out of the way of obvious attacks.

I went back through the main game to get all side quests done and then in new game plus I got the final demon unlock.

It's an excellent game and really easy to play. The dungeons are the best parts.

10+ hours it took me just to max out all my Bonds. That was a boring tough grind!