An Unpopular Opinion: I Just Don’t Like Persona 5

An opinion on the weakness of Persona 5 in comparison to Persona 4.

[narsaku]

It's been an okay experience so far.. I love the overworld music and the flashy coat of paint to the turn base strategy system, but beyond that it's really just a social/dating simulator where you spend most of your time walking around thinking of how to maximize character traits doing automated chat tasks at certain locations.

But to be fair it's still a wonderful interpretation of a fantasy anime japan that does a great job at making the characters feel alive. And it really is a fantastic social/dating simulator.

I probably wouldn't have too much of a problem with it if it wasn't for the fact that the game keeps taking over my character and forcing me to do stupid things like go to bed for no reason.

[ULTp0ltergeist]

I enjoyed the crap out of this series back in high school and after playing it for a while it just didn't' feel the same. So much has changed better games have launched but still a solid title.

[PhoenixUp]

Join the club

[Gardenia]

Too much text too read. If you pay attention to it, there will be times when you read for 30 minutes or more before something happens. I like JRPG's but after 30 hours I was done with this game

[AspiringProGenji]

That is a fair complaint.

In my experience, I could read or listen to them all day because they are all well written and have good personality. And, they never run out of interesting things to say. That is how got really attached to them, other than their cool abilities and Personas

[AspiringProGenji]

This is my first Persona game and I'm in love with it. I've put over 200hrs ( 2 playthroughts and currently in NG+) into and it isn't even an MP game. The only way I can see someone not liking the game is if the player doesn't have enough patience and attention to detail and story (like the game says, Take Your Time), or doesn't like turn based RPG. Persona 5 is a nearly perfect game in what it does. No complaints from me, but I can see why someone wouldn't like it

And this guy is comparing it to P4 which means this isn't his first game in the series. That is curious to me

[bluefox755]

Agreed. He said he loved P4 but didn't like P5. Seems really bizarre to me, there are so many similarities between the two games that it's hard to believe you could love one and hate the other.

[Chaos_Order]

One of my buddies gave up on Persona 5 pretty early despite liking Persona 3 and 4. His main complaint was "you're restricted by the time constraints, you only have a limited number of days." My response was "yeah, but it's exactly the same as 3 and 4, and you loved those games." He didn't really have a response for that and just pussyfooted around it. I keep trying to understand and I just can't...

[DarXyde]

Curious indeed. I've plat'd Persona 5 and P4G because of how much fun I've had with them. I also played the daylights out of 3 and had fun with the entries prior to that.

I feel like with each game, you become more of a fan. I cannot fathom not liking 5 but loving 4. I feel like at the heart of their complaining is that it feels like they're "starting over with new friends", so to speak.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

It is weird, especially when you get all those improvements over the coarse of the series, P5 is the pinnacle of the series' evolution.

[MisterRay]

Could also be a case where he just wasn't in the right mood for that kind of game when he played it. That's happened to me several times. I'll start playing a game that I know I will enjoy, but can barely get two hours into it before giving up out of disinterest. Usually I go back to it months later when I'm in the mood for a game from that genre, and most of the time I turn my opinion around on it.

[Razzer]

He jumped into P5 too soon after just finishing P4. I made the same mistake with P4 after P3. Those games need a good chunk of time to digest.

[bluefox755]

Well, not everyone likes every game. Even the best games are gonna have people that just don't get into them for one reason or another. For me personally, it's one of the best gaming experiences I've had in years.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

You can look at games objectively though, for example, you know you don't enjoy the game but you can acknowledge why its a good game. With P5 being so polished, it then comes down to personal tastes and preferences.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

@disagrees,
Are you telling me you can't look at a game you dislike/like and appreciate it for it's good and bad points? I hope you people seriously don't review or recommend stuff to people.

[slappy508]

Cool story bro

[GameBoyColor]

Yeah it'll never be a godly game like the witcher. Returned it after a few hours in.

[bluefox755]

2/10

[Razzer]

I agree. As trolling goes, that was pretty weak

[pietro1212]

Loved the Witcher 3 and I'm enjoying Persona 5. Both titles are probably two of the best RPGs to come out this gen

[Clown_Syndr0me]

Tbh it doesnt really get good until like 20 hours.

[Dragonscale]

The witcher was average tbh.

[Razzer]

A few hours? Might as well not played it all.

[PlayableGamez-]

Lol. Personsa 5 is not for everyone
But in all seriousness, that game is a masterpiece.

[Why o why]

Pretty much it. It happens to us all at some point in time with some great game. It just doesn't click but definitely a masterpiece

[InKnight7s]

If you are unfamiliar to jrpg its fine maybe skyrim, fallout and other similar games maybe define your rpg taste, but you played p4? And you dont like p5? Still your opinion.

[Elda]

I understand that everyone doesn't like the same things including video games.I played the first Persona on PS1 never went back to the other installments because my first experience was ok nothing memorable.When I started seeing trailers & reviews on Persona 5 I said I wanted to try it so I bought it.I must say everything about that game was amazing!..the flash & style of it all,the production,story,social stat leveling,Momentos & the long dungeon/palaces & the Acid Jazz soundtrack is awesome I have some tracks in my playlist.I don't think anyone can finish the game unless you put at least a hundred hours in.I love the FF franchise but FFXV has nothing on Persona 5! Definitely the best JRPG I've played this entire generation.

[PiNkFaIrYbOi]

Eeee, not everyone will like every game that gets high critically reviews and stuff. I've never really cared for the Persona series. Not saying they are bad games or even good games. Just not something that I could ever get into.

[Elda]

A fair comment.

[LoveSpuds]

So you don't enjoy it.......good for you, move on like others do and play something else. Writing a clickbait article for a nothing website about a game that is overwhelmingly enjoyed is exactly the kind of thing that turns N4G into the toxic cesspit it is.

Here is an idea, write a positive article about a game you do enjoy and foster a positive mood and discussion here and you might draw people to your site who enjoy your content instead of people being baited to visit your site once, attract people who want to stay.

[Chaos_Order]

To be fair, at least the headline reads "Unpopular Opinion." If he'd gone with a clickbait title like "Persona 5 is overrated" or "Why Persona 5 isn't as great as you think it is" then yeah, that would be facepalm-worthy. He's entitled to his opinion.

But as for the article's worth in terms of content, yeah, it's not worth much. It's kind of tragic watching all these sites vying for views when their content is just the same as the next guy's, and you have youtubers making more interesting and entertaining content. I'm all for people expressing unpopular opinions but people only really care about a personal opinion if they care about the person. Someone who is well known or well regarded making a list of acclaimed games they just don't like has much more impact than someone nobody knows trying to become known through the same method. Plus, a different format can work wonders. Gametrailers Top 10 Divisive Games had someone from each side of the fence when discussing their games and made for much more entertaining content.

[mav805]

Best game I've ever played.

[Daybish99]

There are some things Impossible in this life not liking Persona 5 is one of them. I flat-out accused as article of clickbait to the highest degree and it can kiss my ass

[TheOttomatic91]

I will never say I dislike this game or that it is bad but unfortunately I'm one of the people who was unable to get into this game, it just simply wasn't for me.

[S-Word]

Persona 3 is the best. Persona 4 was ok. Persona 5 was mediocre.

[pietro1212]

After P4 and P5 I find it hard to get back into P3. Those two titles have P3 beat in terms of characters, story and especially gameplay

[BigC6391]

Sorry Pietro, I think we've gotten a bit confused here. My reply was more to S-Word.

[BigC6391]

While I love P3, I can't really say I agree with your stance on the other two. I started with 2, playing on my laptop through an emulator on a trip for high school and liked it, but didn't quite get it, yet. 3 was the "real" first game for me where I followed the story meticulously and felt I understood what was going on and fell in love with the series. 4 was good, and admittedly deeper, but just a bit aesthetically too happy for me. (Objectively a better game, but I prefer 3 for its story and aesthetics) and then 5, blends it all together in near perfect harmony, a nice mix of light and dark, silly at times, but also adult themed. I'm on the last story based dungeon but haven't actually finished it as I think I just burnt myself out sinking about 150 hours in the first couple weeks playing it in all of my free time, at the time, but I think its finally about time to go back and cap it off.

[pietro1212]

Don't get me wrong P3 was amazing! I have a total of 400 hrs between the portable, Vanilla and Fes editions of the game.

[BlaqMagiq1]

Not everyone is going to like every critically acclaimed game. For me it's EASILY the best game this generation.

[Clown_Syndr0me]

Definately a slow burner. 20 hours in and just started to get really addictive.

[TheGamez100]

Partly true to me too. P5 is an amazing game but to me, it just doesnt compare to how much I enjoyed P4G which was one of the best games Ive ever played. Everything about p4 was just so perfect that I couldnt enjoy p5 as much sadly. However p5s still awesome and definately GoTY 2017 for me. Just depends on the persons preferences: p4 being more lighthearted and p5 being more dark.

[ILostMyMind]

It is normal. I don't like AC, CoD, ME and FIFA.

[Dragonscale]

True. Theres no accounting for taste.

[GamesMaster1982]

Yes its normal i can't stand Football/Soccer games or Cod games but i also did not like Persona 5. Different boats for different folks is all.

[theshredded]

And I don't like every Naughty Dog game post PS2. I liked the characters in The Last of Us and the smooth gameplay in Uncharted 4, futhermore U2 had a few cool moments but that's it. They're cliche and predictable as f* and the gameplay is shallower than MGS1. Anyway Persona 5 is still easily GOTY 2017 for PS4 and RPG category.

[joab777]

A lot of people won't like it, bit it's tough to deny it's quality!

[Mister_G]

I had been playing Nioh a lot before playing P5, the change of pace took some getting use it.

Once I did I really enjoyed it. I didn't understand in NG+ that you can buy back your Personas from the compendium so was relying on endgame weapons. Got to NG++ and the penny dropped :)

Some may not like the way your time is controlled (can't always do what you want when you want) but the game has to do that to keep the story on track.

[Relientk77]

Probably the best JRPG this generation in my opinion. Have a 120 hours in it so far and still playing

[mwjw696]

Best RPG and only 120 hours... LOL ok buddy.

[pietro1212]

Your point?
Relietk77 said best JRPG

[PCgamer98]

It's ok if you don't like the game, at the end of the day persona is a pretty niche series and it isn't really meant for everyone.

[zb1ftw777]

I already know i wouldn't like this game just by seeing videos of it.

But i recognise the quality of the game nonetheless.

Certain genres are not for everyone. This is not news.

[SegaGamer]

Oh well, you can't please everybody. I don't like some really popular games either.

[ifrit_caress]

I'm waiting for this game to drop to half price, looking forward to playing Persona 5. The only Persona game I've played was Persona 4 Arena Ultimax and I loved it.

[TheOptimist]

Thing is you are looking at most it from the wrong perspective. I mean your complaints:

First:

"My opinion is that 5 is not a bad game, and indeed, it is the opposite – it’s a very good game. But, it doesn’t have the innocence, the passion, the naivety and freedom and coming-of-age that 4 has. It doesn’t have the compelling characters, the twisting, bending mystery, or the family ties. It has no soul."

You have played just 20 hours of the game. For me the game didn't start till 30 hours, so yeah you can't objectively say that it doesn't have bending mystery.

- Morgana can transform into car/truck
It's fantasy.... What else can I say? So you should not like shooters because they have regenerative health (Well I don't like it either, but a majority of the pleb crowd likes it)
- You do realize that your actions have different outcomes so your point about roleplaying is a bit off.

There are a lot more things that are wrong but whatever.

[GamesMaster1982]

Im 100% with you. I just could not get into it at all and ive gave it a good 9 hours now but now decided to remove it from my hard drive and move on to something else. I understand anime fans may find it good but for me its not, I find that there is way to much reading and very very little anything else. Don't get me wrong i'm all for reading but if im playing a game i want the majorityof the game to be actual gameplay. Give me a game like Horizan Zero Dawn or The Witcher 3 any day. By the way i love Yakuza, Neir Automata and Kingdom Hearts games so no its not that i dislike Japanese game.

[inxine]

i wonder who actually cares if you like it or not. fact is, its a great game, do you have to like it cause of it? not really. its just not your thing and thats ok.

[Lennoxb63]

That's why he said it's his opinion. Not whether anyone cared or not.

[HeisenbergX]

Okay fine .. doesn't change thee fact that is one of the best games this generation and the best Persona yet.

[opinionated]

Persona 5 was the first game of the series I have played (first jrpg really) and I thought it was fantastic. Moving forward I will probably start buying them. Im glad I gave it a chance. I even bought the PS4 theme because I liked the music so much.

I still haven't finished it tho, I go back to it every once in awhile. Its nice because you can't really forget the controls so it works after long breaks lol.

[gangsta_red]

It's definitely a unique taste. Some will be turned off by the long lengths of talking. Others may not like the whole social aspect of the game.

I know I found myself a little bored with the talking sections of the game.

But the game is just oozing with style. The music is some of the best I have heard in a while, and the whole presentation this game presents is definitely a notch above other turn based JRPGs.

[Eiyuuou]

It's okay. Superior taste is just not for everyone.