A question about P5.

[Catfood220]

So I recently started playing Persona 5 and managed to play a fair bit over the weekend thanks to being on call and not getting called out. I'm enjoying it, its nice to get my teeth into a good JRPG for the first time in what feels like ages. I like Atlas style of weird.

But I must ask, when does this game let go of your hand? I have heard a lot about how this game allows you to spend your in game time pretty much however you want outside of school and beating palaces. But I have just started on the second palace and the game still wants to dictate my time, taking up whole days for one cut scene and then when it gives me back control, Morgana won't let me do anything but sleep. Want to go out on the town? Study? Socialize? Buy meds and weapons? Nope, you have to sleep. Can I at least make some lock picks, I don't have to leave the room for that? Nope sleep. I feel like that damn cat is a prison warden. I got a part time job, which I worked one afternoon of. Its a good thing I won the lottery so money isn't too much of a problem.

So, TL,DR, Persona 5, does this game ever give you the freedom I was promised or is that cat going to forever be my bedtime monitor?

 

[DeadProxy]

So, very soon after you finish the second dungeon, an event with Ryuji will happen. Yadda yadda yadda, you can now get a new confidant. Max out this confidant as soon as possible, and you'll be free. They're only available on weekends so plan accordingly.

I can go more in depth, but I really like the game, so I don't want to spoil too much.

 

[meiam]

No, not really. Every so often (at the start and after the deadline of a palace) you have very long (usually around a week) segment where you have no control over what happens. Morgana won't let you do what you want with your evening because you're really tired from talking 10 min with your friends. But usually you have a month between those instance where you're completely free.

At the same time some of the ability given to you for maxing increasing some social rank are insanely strong and let speed up considerably acquiring social rank and stats, so compare to P3 and P4, you have more than enough time to max out every social rank if you prioritize the right confidant.

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

On topic:


Anyway, do Operation Maidwatch and meet with the Fortune Teller ASAP. Trust me, their stuff helps a ton. I really wish I did them earlier, maybe I'd have done more than max out my preferred battle party.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

You're gonna have to deal with Morgana the whole time, but that's usually after and before major story events. When you have a Palace to go into, he tends to chill out and that's when you have your freedom. The moment a Palace timer appears, that's a good sign that nothing super plot based is gonna happen until that timer reaches its end. Once the timer is up, you will get some time here and there to do as you wish, but a lot of plot will happen that dictates your schedule. So I recommend taking the advice people here have mentioned, and be prepared to use your time wisely when you finally have it. Clearing a Palace within a few days is more normal than you think, and is how I did it during my time. I got the Palace done within the first 3-4 (Sometimes 5) days I could, and then had nearly a month to do whatever else I wished. Apparently 2-3 days is the expected in some of the more strict 100% runs. Yikes

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

It takes about 8 hours or so to get full control over your schedule.

 

[SweetShark]

Yeah, Morgana dictating you to go to sleep early become a running joke in P5 in general....
Every single time I was thinking I could spend my time, Morgana stopped me to make me go to sleep....this ************.
However I will admit it was the good kind of anger. The kind of anger which you know it was for the laugh of this situation.
Good time. 169 hours well spend.

 

[meiam]

If you're still at Madarama palace, that one is special and you'll be force to do even more story event in the middle, but the other one aren't like that. Also its perfectly possible to do the palaces in two day (one to reach the treasure and one to beat the boss) but it's not necessary in any way and if you really make good use of your time you actually end up with weeks of free time with nothing to do at the end.

 

[Casual Shinji]

The game will give you two oppertunities per day to do what you want to do, and that's on a good day and if you haven't been to the other world. A lot of times the game will simply dictate your free time as it sees fit, and yeah, it really sucks. I was expecting to be left to my own devices for the majority of the game, to craft my own identity and friendships, but you're only allowed so much time.

Maybe it's supposed to convey the busy schedule of a japanese high schooler, but it's extremely agravating to be given all this optional content with so little room to sample it at my own leisure.

 

[stroopwafel]

P5 is actually a very straightforward game but since it's so incredibly long I don't mind. The 'open world' is flimsy at best and there is not much to do but talk to other NPC's. Not like Yakuza where you have like 100 different mini-games to do. Too much freedom in P5(ie too much NPC interaction) would sooner or later run into the problem of becoming incongruent with the narrative. When a game's narrative and story is so dependent on a tight schedule there is only a certain amount of freedom you can allow the player. I think P5 knows what it's strengths are and wastes no times with frivolous stuff that isn't very good to begin with(ie exploring this game's version of Tokio). P5 kept me constantly engaged and I think that's partially b/c it keeps you on a tight leash. You simply aren't really given the opportunity to get bored.

 

[Catfood220]

If you're still at Madarama palace, that one is special and you'll be force to do even more story event in the middle, but the other one aren't like that. Also its perfectly possible to do the palaces in two day (one to reach the treasure and one to beat the boss) but it's not necessary in any way and if you really make good use of your time you actually end up with weeks of free time with nothing to do at the end.

Yes, I actually did that bit the other day and ironically it took me over my actual bedtime while I was waiting to get to the next time I could save and I felt rough all day at work the next day. My own cat was useless at telling me to go to bed

 

[DaCosta]

Apparently 2-3 days is the expected in some of the more strict 100% runs. Yikes

Really easy to accomplish, actually.

When you reach rank 5 with the Death confidant she'll sell you the SP Adhesive 3, an item that restores your SP slightly every turn. Probably the best item to have equipped in the whole game. It costs 100k at rank 5, and 50k at rank 7.

I would do the entire palace in one day, leave to send the card, since it's necessary to do that, come back on the second day and just fight the boss.

 

[meiam]

Apparently 2-3 days is the expected in some of the more strict 100% runs. Yikes

Really easy to accomplish, actually.

When you reach rank 5 with the Death confidant she'll sell you the SP Adhesive 3, an item that restores your SP slightly every turn. Probably the best item to have equipped in the whole game. It costs 100k at rank 5, and 50k at rank 7.

I would do the entire palace in one day, leave to send the card, since it's necessary to do that, come back on the second day and just fight the boss.

I actually took it off now that hierophant and temperance are high enough, just go in with huge amount of curry and coffee. I swear I'm 10x the slave driver that the parent in temperance confidant XD.