Was this game always this easy?

[Salbert]

So I've gotten around to playing this game, and something's kinda bothering me. I started out on normal mode, but the enemies in this game seem... really weak. Really, really weak. Granted, I'm keeping my equipment upgraded, but I don't think I'm over-leveled (I'm like level... 12 I think and just got through the bomb shelter at Cuss High). It's just that the vast majority of physical attacks do like 2 or 3 damage to all my characters, and magic attacks will always do around 12 or so, which is nothing. Hell, I switched it to HARD mode right before I fought the Student Body President boss, Yasuo, and I beat him barely scratched.

I don't really see the need to make any new Personas; I'm mostly using my starting ones. I know this is an OLD GAME, but it feels less balanced than Persona 1..

[Yukichin]

It gets a little tougher as time goes on. Your attacks start doing much less damage.

[izanagi_the_creator]

It depends on the equipment, persona, and level in terms of difficulty. Persona is most important!

[Dave3]

Yeah this game is pretty easy overall IMO. I made it through almost without a hitch aside from the occasional insta death and the Bolontiku messed with me a bit. The game does get a little harder as it goes on but don't expect the difficulty to get on par with Nocturne or anything like that.

[Salbert]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies.

I guess, back in the day, they figured they SHOULD make the game easy since the battle mechanics are pretty bad .


I'm sorry, but the whole "rank up" system is really stupid. All it does is DEMAND you use your Persona ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME, regardless of whether or not it makes sense to do so. And it takes so god damn long to get to max. Sure, you could get to rank 8 faster by using fusion spells, but it's a guessing game to figure out each one of those. Once you do figure them out, it's just a repetitive, tedious process in each battle of doing the same fusion spells over and over again.

So I guess I'm pretty glad this game is easy. It'd be a pain to actually have to deal with a challenge with this battle system.

[Dave3]

When I played, after a while I didn't really focus on ranking each persona up to max unless there was a specific spell I absolutely needed which was rare. I would use whichever personas I needed for each situation and eventually the ones I frequented made it to rank 8 without me worrying too much about it.

I actually enjoyed the battle mechanics a fair bit, but I didn't have the need in my mind to max out each persona rank or find every single fusion spell either. Fusion spells were just something cool when I stumbled across a new one. The ones I did have were really useful but didn't have to go out of my way to find them. Maybe if you play with that mentality you might enjoy the system a little more. I may actually go back someday and try to get them all but for the first time through there's no absolute need to do so IMO.

[Kenji]

I found the game extremely easy in the PSX fan translation, to the point I never bothered finishing it 'cuz the dungeon I was in was too big and the enemies too plentiful.

So, for the PSP version, I decided to play like this: Every enemy encounter, I'd try to talk it out of fighting. If I pissed it off or it refused to talk, then -- and only then -- would I fight it.

It hasn't really made the game harder (I'm on Hard Mode, btw), it just makes enemies take longer and more SP to kill.

[aas13ul]

yes, this game is easy IF i understand how to make a persona (FOOL ME) and i agree the enemy encounter rate SUCK and that's why i stopped playing this game, but the story is great

[Dave3]

Those of you who are annoyed by the encounter rate may want to consider making a persona that has the skill Estoma. If you think you're leveled enough you can use it to avoid some battles for a while without too much trouble later on.

[Flußkönig]

I remember thinking that the game was quite a bit easier than EP when I originally played the psx version. While I never compared data or anything it seemed to me at the time that the attacks (the persona's physical attack skills in particular) were far more powerful or enemies were less resistant in IS than in EP.

As some other people already mentioned it does get tougher towards the latter half of the game. Some of those bosses (especially the final boss) are real ball busters.

[cj iwakura]

The final boss was made significantly easier compared to the PS1 version.

The rest of the game was always easy, yes. The final boss? Difficulty spike from hell.

[Flußkönig]

^ I did not realize that was the case. You would think that they would have noticed that the rest of the game was too easy along with the final boss being too hard and made more reaching changes to the game.

I guess not.

[DarkRPGMaster]

Actually, the final boss only has health. If you take out all his little appendages, he's rather easy after that (as his turn count takes a SERIOUS dive). Thank god for Grand Cross making that easy.

[Flußkönig]

^ Are you talking about the psx version or the psp version of the game? My experience with the psx version consisted of him almost always killing 1 or 2 of my guys before grand cross could even fire off. The only reason I even beat him was due to luck with his attack pattern allowing me take out a few of his arms at once. If that hadn't happened I probably would have quit playing without ever beating it.

I still haven't played my psp copy yet. It's not exactly high up on my list.

[DarkRPGMaster]

The PSP version. I managed to max out the stats of my final persona before then, so I was able to survive a full onslaught for the first turn. Did enough damage to kill 1 or 2 of his appendages. Managed to get a heal off the second turn in the very beginning (got lucky I suppose), and took out another appendage with the damage from a lesser fusion spell. After that it got easier with each round.

[izanagi_the_creator]

I am on the PSX version and the Xilbalba battles are quite difficult even though my team's overall level is around 55 with best/good equipment. As for persona, their levels are about average.

For the PSP version, I am in the beginning stages and its easy..

[Flußkönig]

Originally Posted by DarkRPGMaster

The PSP version. I managed to max out the stats of my final persona before then, so I was able to survive a full onslaught for the first turn. Did enough damage to kill 1 or 2 of his appendages. Managed to get a heal off the second turn in the very beginning (got lucky I suppose), and took out another appendage with the damage from a lesser fusion spell. After that it got easier with each round.

I was a little confused because we were talking about the psx version, but that makes sense. I am guessing that the final boss wouldn't have been that tough on the psx version with maxed out persona.

Still, I wonder why they didn't try to balance the psp versions difficulty rather than just making the final boss easier. I mean, hard mode did seem like a step in the right direction, but from what I have heard that mode just increases the enemies hp totals rather than making them hit harder or more resistant to attacks.

[Iris]

Originally Posted by cj iwakura

The final boss was made significantly easier compared to the PS1 version.

The rest of the game was always easy, yes. The final boss? Difficulty spike from hell.

Great Father was the only thing in the game that managed to kill me on my first time playing, IIRC. I was just like "...holy balls, where did this come from."

Much easier once I started the battle with Maha-Samakaja, but that first run was an eye-opener.

(This all on PSX, not PSP.)

[Raptorg]

Originally Posted by Salbert

Interesting. Thanks for the replies.

I guess, back in the day, they figured they SHOULD make the game easy since the battle mechanics are pretty bad .


I'm sorry, but the whole "rank up" system is really stupid. All it does is DEMAND you use your Persona ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME, regardless of whether or not it makes sense to do so. And it takes so god damn long to get to max. Sure, you could get to rank 8 faster by using fusion spells, but it's a guessing game to figure out each one of those. Once you do figure them out, it's just a repetitive, tedious process in each battle of doing the same fusion spells over and over again.

So I guess I'm pretty glad this game is easy. It'd be a pain to actually have to deal with a challenge with this battle system.

How is doing the same fusion spells over and over any different from casting the same individual spells over and over?

If you ask me, you're just complaining to complain, the rank up system is far better than the level up system of the later games. And I'm NOT a P2 fanboy, I like P3 and P4 far more. P2 did a lot of things right, that I do wish P3 and P4 had kept.

Also, there are equippable items that help you figure out fusion spells.
Plus there's a logic element to it as well(Not that I'd expect you to get it).

And the battle system is perfectly fine.

[Salbert]

Originally Posted by Raptorg

How is doing the same fusion spells over and over any different from casting the same individual spells over and over?

It's not any "better". I find both are equally tedious and repetitive, yet required to rank up your Persona. I use fusion spells because it can to skipping ahead several ranks.

Originally Posted by Raptorg

If you ask me, you're just complaining to complain, the rank up system is far better than the level up system of the later games. And I'm NOT a P2 fanboy, I like P3 and P4 far more. P2 did a lot of things right, that I do wish P3 and P4 had kept.
...
And the battle system is perfectly fine.

Believe it or not, Raptorg, I go in to every game I play wishing, and hoping for the best. I go in with the highest hopes that I'm about to play one of the greatest experiences I've ever had; but I can't lie to myself whenever I genuinely have a problem with any of the game's systems. I really like Persona 2's atmosphere, cast, and story. I just think there's a problem with a game's battle system when I can just randomly select any elemental attacks and fusion spells to easily wipe out all enemy groups I encounter. To me, that's boring. It's also boring, and annoying, to repeat the same contact options 3 times in a row to get the tarot cards I need.

I think strategy is what makes SMT combat the best in the turn-based industry. Nocturne has my favorite battle system of all time because of the amount of strategy it demands from you. Persona 2 doesn't demand any strategy at all. Even for the bosses.

Now, I'll say it doesn't bother me in the slightest that you enjoy Persona 2's battle system. In fact, I am honestly envious of you. I honestly wish I could enjoy P2's battle system the same way I enjoy Nocturne's. But, as much as I try, I can't. And this is to my own peril.

Now, Raptorg, I'm genuinely curious. In response to the complaints I have levied against Persona 2, I want you to tell me, in detail why you enjoy it so much. You seem to have forgotten to include that part in the last post you addressed to me. You see, for good discussion to occur, one must back up his opinions with his reasons. Don't worry, there's no right or wrong here. Only preferences.

Not that I'd expect you to get that.

[beelzebub]

the boss battles are hard
fighting the shadows in the tower was easy

[beelzebub]

i like persona 3 for psp cause u can play with male of female

[zennyz]

I think the issue is that certain people feel obligated to use the mechanics to one extent and not the other.

I don't do contacts just to get tarot cards, and as such make it a mindless grind. I do it to ge tout of battles, spread a rumor or get some quick cash. Because of that I'm more willing to play with certain options and see what it does to my enemies, that and like the moment I see their personality traits, I can basically tell who to use and what it'll do with very little chance of it not working.

I also don't feel the argument of enemies requiring any strategy you like to win. Sure playing the extra mission when I was level 10 was the only time I felt p2 was standard SMT hard, but even when I finished and was 10 levels above the surrounding enemies, I couldn't just autobattle everything.

Some monsters do really annoying things that hurt in the long run, like poison breath, possession, having resistance to all physical or one of my magics would heal them. It was never hard, but I couldn't let the game play itself and be alright.

[Oberon]

Actually, for some odd reason since it's completely unnecessary with Innocent Sin being pretty easy for a Megaten game, the difficulty has been proven to be dumbed down in the PSP release, even in Japan, and even in Hard mode compared to the original PSX version. Being someone who played the exact same way through both (though I'm only halfway through the PSP version) I know this for a fact. But I read an interview where Shoji Meguro admitted it himself.

It's puzzling to me, and I've heard so many people complain about it being too easy, especially at first, which it really is. I'm glad people are getting to experience the story that can't play or choose not to play the fantranslation, and it's better to support Atlus, I just wish that the difficulty wouldn't have been mysteriously changed! EP was already hellish in difficulty compared to IS, if anything I could understand opting for an Easy option in EP, but changing the core difficulty of an already easy game besides a few bosses is... very weird.

But yeah, if it feels too easy, my suggestions are: don't grind Personas/fuse new ones frequently, and don't buy up-to-date armour.

[Apollo]

Your feelings are correct
yes .It is very easy
But this is because psp version Is a bad remake

This is the screenshots of Ps version
You can see
damage From the enemy is different










Yes this is a game in 1999
But it was a good system ,
I'm upset remake version Give you a different impression

[Kylaila]

Also noticed it, only 25 hours or so in hard mode, but meh..

Did you recover your mana with lvl ups in the initial version?
And somehow you recover some after fights .. or it's just me seeing things.
It's damn easy thus far, but I still change Personas whenever possible
(you can return them for items, you know - nothing beats my hee-ho-cap!)
Not fusing new Personas when you can't "Rank Up" your old ones anymore .. that I cannot do.
It's impossible for me.

I'm glad to hear that EP is more difficult, though. (now we just have to somehow get it)

So I still end up casting all the time .. but wait, hold on .. didn't you usually do that in P3 and 4, too? Just to trigger an all-out-attack, though.

I do like the Tarotcard system.

[Iris]

You always recovered it with level-ups and got some back slowly by walking around, yeah.

[Kylaila]

I just beat it with lvl 53 and the few Personas I just had with me for the sake of ranking up. Easy as hell, but the fight took me a little while.
And I found a use for Recarmdra for the first time. (more in the battle before, but anyways).

It does drain your mana a little .. but when you've got reusable items for that it's not much of a problem.
I didn't bother focusing on one limb, I just spammed God's Hand and the Ma-casts I had at hand while keeping my mana up and that's that.
When his attacks decrease mana instead of hp it got even easier .. so .. well.

It was an awesome game as a whole, though.
The battle-system can never match the press-turn system, but it is quite enjoyable.
I like how you can adjust your turn-order and change Personas before actually using them. You can nullify certain attacks that way (even though there's no need to). Or trying to guess the right combo for certain fusion attacks. Guard works before getting your turn, too, and such little things.
I liked it overall, but I skipped most battles.

[Strawhat_sniper]

I beat this game with all my guys at 60....I found that all the bosses were especially easy expect the last one gave me a little trouble. Not even Hitler was that much trouble. Did they not expect me to get all the Ultimate Personas and level them up to max?

[Profess-sir]

Originally Posted by beelzebub

i like persona 3 for psp cause u can play with male of female

Ahahaha I actually really really hate the FeMC. ^^; It feels like a lot of people like her way better than Minato. But he's like a thousand times cooler. (and original!) Her design is kinda boring, too.