Chapter 886: The Ordinary Ren Amamiya

The rich content of Persona quickly became one of the main topics of discussion among players online. As one of the first titles to be released on next-gen VR, and produced by Nebula Games, it garnered widespread attention.

The gameplay of the combat system wasn't complicated. It was simply a loop of exploiting weaknesses. But the element of fusing Personas through the Guillotine to create more powerful Personas was something many players found interesting. This system alone was enough for players to spend dozens of hours on it.

As for story presentation, while Persona didn't use a chapter division like Xenoblade Chronicles, it structured its story with each BOSS representing a 'semester'. First semester, summer vacation, second semester, winter vacation... players experienced the game's story in this manner.

And in the intervals, lay another great joy of the game: the cultivation and social gameplay. Through daily study, reading, part-time jobs, visiting maid cafes... players reasonably managed their time to improve their in-game stats. This, in turn, triggered stories for different characters; just like each member of the protagonist's party, these characters also had untold stories, serving as side content outside the main story.

Of course, it was precisely these derived side quests that enriched the game's content and also added a lot of social experience to the ordinary Ren Amamiya. In his two years at Shujin Academy, this seemingly ordinary high school student had resolved issues such as campus bullying, a famous painter plagiarizing and abusing disciples, loan sharking, cyberattacks by hacker organizations, labor disputes at large companies, and island nation political affairs, and even saved the world in the final moments.

And not only that, while solving the aforementioned problems, the daily life of this ordinary high school student was also quite exciting in his spare time. He slacked off in class but ranked first in exams, was the 'boss' of the game arcade, a drug tester at a small clinic, a major news provider, a chosen one who defied fate, an unparalleled shogi genius, a regular at maid cafes, a master of burger challenges, secretly hoarded a large number of modified firearms, was a good student of a famous politician, and a survivor after a love octagon.

These experiences also allowed players to truly feel what the daily life of an ordinary high school student in an island nation was like. Furthermore, the game's highly exaggerated presentation effects made the overall game feel very stylish.

Moreover, these exaggerated presentation effects, combined with the comic and cartoon art style, also tempered the game's sense of immersion. Although next-gen VR, and mainstream games in general, are increasingly emphasizing 'immersion', it's not necessarily true that the stronger the immersion, the better.

For example, the story and setting in Persona are not filled with tales of truth, goodness, and beauty. On the contrary, they are extremely dark and oppressive. Here you can see parents who treat their children as ruthless money-making tools, and unscrupulous businessmen who wish their employees would work 007 (midnight to midnight, 7 days a week)... From high-ranking officials to ordinary citizens, dark thoughts permeated everyone.

Coupled with the Shadows, the Palace of Desire setting, and the semi-real, semi-fictional true background, many players have already discovered that in Persona, not only the main story BOSSes but also many side quests are not groundless; they have clear real-world prototypes. Reality is far more fantastical than the game. In the game, due to the Phantom Thieves, they eventually repented and received their just deserts. However, in reality, some people not only escaped punishment but lived enjoyable lives.

Such a game setting, if it were to enhance immersion or even adopt a realistic style, would instead make players feel extremely oppressed and ultimately discourage them from playing. Instead, Persona, with its vibrant background colors like pink and crimson, tempered with black and grey, combined with stylish, exaggerated, comic-cartoon-like presentations, achieved the perfect balance. It allowed players to experience cool and brilliant performances while also grasping the deep underlying themes the game conveyed.

………………

The unique characteristics of Persona quickly gave rise to many interesting 'memes' among players, becoming a part of the game's exclusive culture.

'Gotta say, Persona is absolutely hilarious, and there are so many details in it!'

'23333 That's right, Morgana is so cute! When you go to a prostitution establishment in Shinjuku, Morgana even gets jealous and says: "Want to go in and relax? I understand, but you have me! Though I'm not entirely willing, you can still touch my paw pads."’

'Exactly, exactly, there really are so many details!'

'I have to say, Chen Xu has truly created an RPG that can be called a renaissance this time, especially the daily life content. I don't even want to go into the dungeons now; I'm completely immersed in the campus daily life!'

'Pfft! I don't even want to talk to you. Are you really "immersed in campus daily life"? You're just obsessed with dating! Ann Takamaki, Makoto Niijima, Haru Okumura, and Kawakami-sensei—Mr. Chen sure knows how to have fun!'

'Right, right, not just the ones from his own school, he doesn't spare any from other schools either!'

'Heh heh, why just other schools? He doesn't spare working adults either! And a rabbit doesn't eat the grass by its own burrow, yet this thick-browed, big-eyed Ren Amamiya didn't even spare Futaba and the doctor lady!'

'It's absolutely disgraceful! Finally, I strongly protest: why can't Big Sister Sae Niijima be romanced?'

'A small horse pulling a big cart? That's too vulgar!'

'Pah! He didn't miss a single teacher, doctor, or reporter, and you're telling me this?'

'So since so many female characters can be romanced, why is there still a love octagon?'

'Exactly, exactly, on Valentine's Day in the final year, I was completely defeated! And it forced me to choose only one!'

'Seriously, who did everyone choose? Long live Senior Sister Niijima!'

'Hehe, wealthy Haru is the real way to go, alright!'

'Look at that big axe in the wealthy woman's hand, then say that!'

'Axe King, Twenty Consecutive Slashes!'

For many players who had played Persona, especially those who enjoyed traditional RPGs and visual novels, Persona was simply an incredible surprise. The only thing that some players were dissatisfied with was probably that despite having so many romanceable characters in the game, they could only choose one.

However, compared to some players discussing these details, for game media more focused on overall quality, Persona could be said to have thrilled them to no end. Not to mention its exceptionally brilliant content, which could be called a culmination of traditional RPGs, just the depth and thematic richness of the game's story were exactly what media outlets loved to explore.

Unsurprisingly, major game review websites universally gave Persona extremely high ratings. Among them, GameSpot, which awarded a perfect score, offered the following commentary:

'【Have you ever yearned to be a hero?】'

'While there's no reliable survey data, I believe most players would answer this question affirmatively.'

'Because if not, it would be impossible to explain why the theme of superheroes punishing evil and promoting good endures as an evergreen subject in artistic creations like games and films.'

'Be it in the past or present, countless similar legendary tales exist.'

'At first glance, Persona tells such a dream story of punishing evil and promoting good. However, this dream does not unfold in a world full of kindness and warmth.'

'The dark underbelly of real society constructs the game's world. Although extreme parts are inevitably magnified for dramatic effect, the logic remains consistent with reality. This evil, permeated with a sense of realism, runs throughout the game, making it depressing and intolerable.'

'During gameplay, I worried countless times whether this gloomy darkness would devour the Phantom Thieves. But thankfully, after enduring various hardships, the game's ending still allowed a warm and beautiful ray of light to shine upon the protagonist and his companions, and similarly, into the hearts of us players.'

'The moment the final curtain fell at the game's end, it was like waking from a beautiful dream, leaving a lingering impression and a sense of reluctance to part.'

(End of Chapter) <>