Persona 5 The Royal is about Ponytail Jane going to the Atlus offices and explaining how misogyny, homophobia, and transphobia are damaging to society, and that in a game that's supposed to be about combating the evils of society they should be working to understand how marginalized communities feel instead of using them as jokes.
Her last line about believing you should change things for yourself gives her too much of a clarity of purpose for it to be misdirection. With the trailer they establish that this is a new character, that she wants to help people, but she doesn't agree with the Phantom Thieves' MO. Which is a good conflict to have, because the way the Phantom Thieves work is somewhat anti-ethical to previous Persona games (in particular: Compare and contrast the Social Links in P3 and P4 with the Confidants in P5 - a lot of P5's literally rely on Joker magically solving someone's problem via Mementos instead of letting characters work it out themselves like in P3 and P4. You can even look back at IS and EP, where the "right" choice was oftentimes letting your party members handle things themselves instead of you rushing in to be The Hero).
So, like, there's an interesting source of conflict here, but then Apocalypse also started out with an interesting and fresh source of conflict and completely dropped the ball so.
As a poster before posted, in P5 the MC is only ever neutral on the Phantom Thieves, never fully antagonistic to them as she is here. Plus that would be a weird angle to come from the first trailer. The focus is on a new girl who says she dislikes the Phantom Thieves so it's likely meant to be taken at face value.
Even in that example, the sentiment is the same. They are both a "yes" and "no" option, one is just worded to be funny. Joker is literally incapable of expressing the thoughts she is expressing in that trailer while actually under the circumstances that people assume she is in
If they did a new main female lead that's separate from Ren with her own storyline, that would be super sick. Would definitely play through it again to experience that.
I had a hard time holding off on the original because I knew there would be a deluxe version... but hearing how bloated and tedious it is and how this probably won't be any better is really sapping my enthusiasm. Meh.
Without any real details, I can't really get excited or disappointed yet. I remember the rumor being that this was being announced first for PS4 and that a Siwtch Persona 5 was getting announced at a later date. I am curious to see if that rumor ends up being true.
I had a hard time holding off on the original because I knew there would be a deluxe version... but hearing how bloated and tedious it is and how this probably won't be any better is really sapping my enthusiasm. Meh.
We will know 100% in April because Joker has to release by then and if she is an alt then they need a proper introduction.
My question is, why would they frame it as a rival character only to pull a "gotcha" in a month?
Even in that example, the sentiment is the same. They are both a "yes" and "no" option, one is just worded to be funny. Joker is literally incapable of expressing the thoughts she is expressing in that trailer while actually under the circumstances that people assume she is in
I don't think saying "yeah the Phantom Thives suck" is such a radical dialogue option but like you said we'll see.
I don't really care if she's a FeMC I just want her playable, not a Marie or a villain. I also don't see how you could incorporate a new rival into the original story timeline wise.
I don't think saying "yeah the Phantom Thives suck" is such a radical dialogue option but like you said we'll see.
I don't really care if she's a FeMC I just want her playable, not a Marie or a villain. I also don't see how you could incorporate a new rival into the original story timeline wise.
I think given a comparable situation, Joker's inability to say the Phantom Thieves are bad is part of the character and in that video she is specifically at odds with that
I dont know if I want her playable, I think a lot of it depends on what the game is and how they incorporate her. If she isnt a silent protag, I think that sets a bad expectation for future games imo. Really all I want out of the release is for them to flesh out the characters more and give them events, more in line with golden if anything. Cant say im particularly enthused for a FeMC, but I respect people who are, im not really the aim here. If she was a Marie type I would assume she would be worked in with an extra dungeon or something like that.
I don't think saying "yeah the Phantom Thives suck" is such a radical dialogue option but like you said we'll see.
I don't really care if she's a FeMC I just want her playable, not a Marie or a villain. I also don't see how you could incorporate a new rival into the original story timeline wise.
Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker-style "completely alternate timeline"
Persona 2 Eternal Punishment-style "completely alternate timeline" (though without the narrative justification)
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse-style "and then this huge New Thing happens when in the original game it didn't"
(Persona 4 Golden-style "And this happens during some of the months we skipped through" or a Persona 3 FES-style "Thing happens after the original game concludes" seem unlikely given the structure of Persona 5's narrative)
I think given a comparable situation, Joker's inability to say the Phantom Thieves are bad is part of the character and in that video she is specifically at odds with that
I dont know if I want her playable, I think a lot of it depends on what the game is and how they incorporate her. If she isnt a silent protag, I think that sets a bad expectation for future games imo. Really all I want out of the release is for them to flesh out the characters more and give them events, more in line with golden if anything. Cant say im particularly enthused for a FeMC, but I respect people who are, im not really the aim here. If she was a Marie type I would assume she would be worked in with an extra dungeon or something like that.
Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker-style "completely alternate timeline"
Persona 2 Eternal Punishment-style "completely alternate timeline" (though without the narrative justification)
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse-style "and then this huge New Thing happens when in the original game it didn't"
(Persona 4 Golden-style "And this happens during some of the months we skipped through" seems unlikely)
I like the games stories to be consistent. I'm one of the few people who likes all the spin-offs being canon so unless it's a FeMC route I hope they don't do that.
So here's what I think, and spoilers for the end of P5.
This is going to follow up the Bad Ending where the Thieves being authoritians abusing their power to change the hearts of anyone who disagrees with them. The new protagonist is going to form her own team to counter them.
So here's what I think, and spoilers for the end of P5.
This is going to follow up the Bad Ending where the Thieves being authoritians abusing their power to change the hearts of anyone who disagrees with them. The new protagonist is going to form her own team to counter them.
Right after Yaldabaoth reveals himself he gives Joker the choice to join him, and in the ending its all but stated that the Thieves are abusing their powers, with Joker grinning evilly for the last scene.
Right after Yaldabaoth reveals himself he gives Joker the choice to join him, and in the ending its all but stated that the Thieves are abusing their powers, with Joker grinning evilly for the last scene.
So here's what I think, and spoilers for the end of P5.
This is going to follow up the Bad Ending where the Thieves being authoritians abusing their power to change the hearts of anyone who disagrees with them. The new protagonist is going to form her own team to counter them.
Akechi is dead by then, and even if he survived I doubt the corrupt Phantom Thieves wouldn't immediately make his name mud so I don't see him having this pleasant conversation about Ponytail's opinion of the Phantom Thieves.
Never said it had to be identical, but the message isn't remotely the same. Plus, the rest of what I said still stands. If they posted a trailer where in the very little we see we see a girl say "I hate X" I don't know why the logical assumption would be to think "she must be like X." That message was likely the focus of the trailer for a reason.
In regards to the poll, I think I want The Royal to be something entirely new, so I voted for the top choice. A re-release with added content a la Persona 4 Golden would be nice, but I don't know how eager I'd be to play through 5 all over again. It's an ace game, but it's a massive time sink and there are so many other games to dedicate time to. So yeah, a smaller but wholly new campaign would be ideal for me.
Akechi is dead by then, and even if he survived I doubt the corrupt Phantom Thieves wouldn't immediately make his name mud so I don't see him having this pleasant conversation about Ponytail's opinion of the Phantom Thieves.
I have absolutely no doubt this game is going to go to huge lengths to try and redeem Akechi's character. I actually wouldn't be shocked if they write out the deaths he caused.
At this point, I would consider that the best case scenario just because it means I'd be able to ignore that stuff and still let Akechi's sorry ass die.
More likely, they're going to force in a shitty redemption arc and let him live no matter what. They'll just handwave the fact that he killed countless people, or throw in a "oh, Yalbadroth was controlling him the entire time" as a lazy excuse
She's a playable character. Her design screams it.
She's a first-year.
She opposes the Phantom Thieves' ideals.
The only way I can see to do that is to make it a new scenario, and during a frame of time where the Phantom Thieves are active. More of an Eternal Punishment, and less of a Persona 3 Portable.
Could be related to what Hashino discussed before as a design philosophy behind Persona 5:
Persona 5's story explores the notion of Phantom Thieves "punishing bad adults." As the story progresses, however, the characters—and the player with them, hopefully—begin to wonder, "Who are we to punish these people?" "What, exactly, drives adults to dark desires?" We wanted to leave these moral implications open to player interpretation, without presenting clear answers. That's one of the biggest things that motivated us while working on Persona 5.
Are people just going out of their way to get banned now? Surely youve noticed the 50 other warnings prior to your post? What a strange hill to die on.
Anyway its not her questioning the Phantom Thieves that precludes her from being the main character, its the vast amount of spoken dialogue. Persona main characters are silent with few exceptions, and certainly nothing to the extent we've seen in that trailer.
Now if Altus is all of a sudden bucking this trend I'd be all for it, I hate silent main characters in RPGs. But there's no way I'm believing that until I see it.
I wonder whether the "Royal" of the title is supposed to be a reflection on the kind of characters we'll be dealing with; i.e an inclination to make the new cast members revolve around kingmakers than vigilantism, or whether it's supposed to play into the very vague card motif that they only dipped into with Persona 5 (the phantom thieves send calling cards, two of the phantom thieves are named after playing cards, etc). I remember reading one fake leak - but which could also extend to a theory - that this new character's alter ego would be "Ace", and that would be a pretty good contrast against Joker. An Ace can be the weakest card, but it can also be the strongest card. It being a "one" may represent this new character's desire not to make societal reform but for people to change from within, which starts with oneself, and that mentality may extend to everyone. Royal then, card-wise, can not only refer to a Royal Flush but the fact that royalty is emblematic to playing cards itself.
If they go with the card motif then my off-the-wall suggestion that P5S may be a bundle called "Persona 5 The Suite" might make some sense after all, as it could refer not just to a complete set, but to a "suit of cards". That said, if they're primarily focusing on the royalty aspect rather than the card element, then I can also see S being "The Sovereign". This is assuming it's not just all stuff Atlus domain squatted without knowing what the different P5 stuff was gonna be called yet.
I also like the idea proposed above that this new scenario could take place
after Persona 5's bad ending. It'd make sense as to why this new character is a little more idealistic than the Phantom Thieves.
Okay the more I think about it, the more I think the new female character for Persona 5: The Royal is another MC. I say this because Atlus' track record since Persona 3 is to relatively under-design their protagonists compared to the support characters. The new female character is wearing her uniform in a completely normal way with the only thing distinguishable about her is her hairstyle.
Switch version would have been neat, but I'm just happy that we might get a new FeMC. I'm just worried that she will, instead of being the star, will just be a new major NPC.
Okay the more I think about it, the more I think the new female character for Persona 5: The Royal is another MC. I say this because Atlus' track record since Persona 3 is to relatively under-design their protagonists compared to the support characters. The new female character is wearing her uniform in a completely normal way with the only thing distinguishable about her is her hairstyle.
When was the last time we had a major character wear the basic full uniform and they weren't the MC?
Heck just compare her to Marie who is clearly meant to be as visually striking as possible.
That combined with the Smash leak are what make me lean on her being a main character. Whether that's in a enhanced game or a completely new one is the real question I think.
She's a playable character. Her design screams it.
She's a first-year.
She opposes the Phantom Thieves' ideals.
The only way I can see to do that is to make it a new scenario, and during a frame of time where the Phantom Thieves are active. More of an Eternal Punishment, and less of a Persona 3 Portable.
Could be related to what Hashino discussed before as a design philosophy behind Persona 5:
So basically exploring the "other side" of things and also making that stance valid.
