Persona Q2 devs on fans’ reactions, improvements, and more

“Making use of everything makes the adventure easier and more fun!”

PQ2 is the kind of game you could only dream about: a game with an all-star cast comprised of the Persona users from Persona 5, 4, and 3. Hearing that, there are probably people that’d almost think of it as a “celebration,” so to speak. Actually playing it, though, shows that it’s a pretty solid RPG.

Kanada: Right, I think so anyway. (laughs) Whenever you set about making a game that bears some kind of significance in playing it, it naturally feels that way when it’s finished. If you feel like it’s difficult, I think you’d benefit more from changing the game’s difficulty level – it isn’t as if that changes how the story unfolds at all. It’s our fondest wish that everybody that starts the game plays it until the very end.

Aihara: From exploring dungeons little by little to experimenting with survival strategies through trial and error, we made the game so that players can experience all of these RPG fundamentals to the fullest. And by experimenting with the game’s various systems and Personas the player will gradually become more comfortable with the game’s mechanics. Having HP and status restoring items on hand is also incredibly important; you never know when a character with a skill similar to a status restoring item may not be able to use it.

Kanada: There are also treasure chests on each floor that the player can open after exploring 100% of that floor’s map; the contents are so valuable there’s no way you can’t use them! You can also spend Game Coins to open said chests, so if you’re in need of them you can get to walking around with your Nintendo 3DS, playing PQ2 wherever you go! (laughs)

For instance, the Paladin’s Emblem (an accessory that allows the player to access the “Defense Formation” skill which raises one row’s defense stat for three turns) I got from one of those chests came in handy during the fight with Super Kamoshida Man. Morgana’s “Media” skill sure saved the party more than once, too. The way you fight can definitely change the game’s difficulty considerably.

Aihara: And this time – more than anything for sure – we included a wide variety of Personas so that players will easily be able to attack enemies’ weak points. For this game, we’ve also included icons representing party members’ skills’ elements on the party formation screen – it’s a convenient feature for when you want to organize your party around their skills’ elements. You can also visit the Velvet Room to fuse Personas early on in the game, giving you the upper hand in battles. For instance, you can make the Persona “Gemori” but have it be able to use both Nuclear and Psychokinetic skills.

Kanada: In the previous game, more allies in the “Boost” state meant a higher probability of an All-Out Attack; in PQ2 you can reliably perform the same skill by downing all the enemies. In other words, the player is able to enjoy a similar battle system to the numbered Persona games while the Boost mechanic from the Persona Q series still has a strong presence; either way, upgrading your Personas is still the cornerstone of the game.

“We’d like it if players enjoyed the game all the way to the end”

The DLC Personas also seem pretty strong and unique in their own right!

Aihara: Some of these Personas became popular after they appeared in the numbered titles and spinoffs, but we couldn’t necessarily include them in the base game initially. Moreover, since the game is themed around Persona 5, the Picaro Personas that first appeared in that game are also a part of the lineup. Each of these Personas has a powerful skill unavailable in the base game, so you should definitely consider using them in battle – particularly in moments where you’re at the end of your rope.

The characters you chose as the DLC navigators are pretty unique too.

Aihara: Typically, only one character serves as the navigator for exploring dungeons and battles, but we decided to have the DLC navigators be a pair in order for there to be a back and forth between the two. That being said, the Persona users also respond to the navigators’ back and forth, so it really is a must-listen! Since the DLC is cosmetic – and only changes the dialogue and the voices – the original navigator’s level and skill will continue as-is, and you can continue playing as you were. That being said, along with Elizabeth and Theodore (who we’ve introduced this time), we’ll be releasing another pair of DLC navigators in the future, so stay tuned!

Incidentally, the last game’s ending was a bit heart wrenching… What kind of developments are going to unfold this time? I thought I’d like to try asking you if you could answer that without spoiling anything.

Kanada: That’s an incredibly difficult question to answer. (laughs) Basically, I think I can say that it’s a “happy ending.”

Aihara: I think that playing through it for yourself will show you if it’s a happy ending characteristic of an Atlus game. The story really picks up around the middle of the game, so I’d be happy if you all enjoyed how the story unfolds after clearing the third Theatre!

Translation by provided by Nico Thaxton on behalf of Nintendo Everything

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