Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth has characters from Persona 3 and 4, but the gameplay is closer to that of the Etrian Odyssey series. As a result, there will probably be many Persona fans playing the genre for the first time. Dengeki put together a Q&A to help answer questions people might have about the game.
The information below comes from Dengeki’s recent playthrough of the game, and was put together to help answer some of the most common questions they got from people who are new to Persona, dungeon crawlers, and some from players who got to briefly play Persona Q during recent events.
Q: I’m curious about the characters, but the world of Persona Q seems pretty difficult…
A: The game has plenty of explanations, and the new characters who have lost their memories will also have plenty of questions themselves, which will help you out.
Q: So there are two protagonists, one from P3 and another from P4. Which one should I pick?
A: The story will connect [between the two of them], so you can pick whichever one you prefer.
Q: There seem to be all kinds of difficulty [settings]; which one should I pick?
A: For beginners, “Safety,” which is full of privileges is recommended. In addition to getting more experience, you can retry after losing a battle.
Q: There are a lot of splendid voice actors in the game. How much do they speak?
A: Main events and cut-scenes are a given, but they also speak during various parts of the game.
Q: I was told that we can “make our own maps” while exploring the labyrinth. I’m not sure if I’m too confident in being able to do so properly…
A: There’s an auto-mapping feature, so let’s use that!
Q: While exploring the labyrinth, I was attacked by fish and round-shaped enemies. Are these what you call “Shadows”?
A: Yes, there are different types of Shadows.
Q: The “Personas” that the protagonists call out during battle are really awesome! By the way, what exactly is a Persona?
A: They are the embodiment of the strength of one’s heart.
Q: Persona skills are useful, but it’s harsh that they use up SP and HP. Is there anything we can do about that?
A: By hitting an enemy’s weakness, you’ll activate a “Boost status,” which will allow you to attack on your next turn without using any SP or HP.
Q: It’s really cute when characters speak among each other during battle! How can we make them do that more?
A: It could help out if you team up characters who are from the same school, or ones that look like they’d get along together.
Q: Once I got back from the labyrinth, I noticed that I didn’t have any money. I can’t buy any items or recover. What should I do?
A: The Shadows you defeat drop materials. Let’s try selling those.
Q: As I advanced through the story, I gained more characters I could put into my party. Do you have any pointers for putting parties together?
A: Keep the front and back rows in mind, and choose the members you’d like. The more elemental attributes and weaknesses you can cover, the better.
Q: When should I use Leader Skills?
A: You’ll be getting plenty of those, so feel free to use them generously.
Q: The labyrinths are really huge and I can’t find a good time to return. What would be a good time for that?
A: When you enter new areas or if your SP and HP gets low, please don’t hesitate to return.
Q: How should I select my Sub-Personas?
A: It’s best to have a party that can have skills that cover all the elemental attributes. And let’s not forget about heals!
Q: Getting new Personas through the Persona Fusion system is really fun! Which skills are best to have inherited?
A: It depends on your play-style, but buffs and resistances can be really helpful.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth will be released this fall in North America.
Published: May 16, 2014 05:32 pm