The Gaming Teacher

Back in April, I purchased Persona 5—my entry into the franchise. I was excited about trying out the game for several reasons, including it being a JRPG, and was not disappointed during my first few weeks of play. However, it was still during the spring semester where I work and so I couldn’t devote much time to gaming. And then, a few weeks later, I managed to snatch up a Switch.

Persona 5 was left in the dust.

Ahem. So it’s nearly July, and it’s officially been awhile since I’ve heard Morgana’s sarcasm. With my summer perpetually filling up with pre-move plans, studying Old English (halp!), class prep, holiday get-togethers, and a bit of vacation time, I figured it was now or never. If I didn’t beat the game this summer the odds of me returning to it would be slim considering the game lineup this fall. I’m not sure what it is, but if I set a game down for any length of time, I’m at risk of moving on to something shinier. This can happen with decent and even good games. It’s rare, but it’s happened. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Anywho. So, with the extra encouragement of a friend playing the game for the first time, I returned to the ole PlayStation 4 and found myself a Phantom Thief on the verge of summer in Tokyo. Oh yeah, and I was quickly reminded that I couldn’t take a single screenshot, which is such a shame considering the art style. Atlus, please!

My first night back, I entered a palace and had a miserable time. I had forgotten enough that I died several times and became frustrated with the combat. The next day, things improved as my muscle memory kicked in, the controls seemed like second nature, and I reorganized my party. That’s when I was able to appreciate the sights, sounds, and actions of the game.

I breezed through the month and found a lot more free time in August with school being out. I rented every single DVD available, worked out, and socialized with Ryuji and Ann, but mostly Ann. 🙂 The social and everyday aspect of the game has its charms and, thankfully, is relatively balanced. But, summer went by quickly and it was back to the pits. I mean, palace. Which is where I hit another slump.

Without getting into it too much, and not wanting to get into spoilers, I’ll just say that I’m finding Okumura’s Palace uninspiring. This might be especially true in light of Futaba’s Palace which I loved. It just seems bland and lifeless, and I’m finding it a grind to get through. Unfortunately, or fortunately, I will be away for a few days and so the palace’s completion will have to wait.

The lack of motivation and excitement I’m currently experiencing with the game sometimes happens with games that require many hours of playtime, but there is a difference between a game like Persona 5 and say The Witcher 3. If I ever got tired of the main story in W3, which I generally didn’t, or didn’t like where I was at in the game, I could simply go and do something else. Persona 5 isn’t that open, but that’s by nature. When you’re engaged with a palace, going out and renting a DVD or eating ramen with a buddy only goes so far to distract and revitalize. Maybe that’s just me though, eh?

Regardless, once I’m back home this weekend I will be tackling the game again. And none of what I just wrote is to say that the game is terrible by any means. I love much about it and see it ranking on my end of the year “Top 10” list.

Have you ever returned to a game after some time and found it difficult to enjoy?