Do you think a older cast would work in persona 5?

Persona 2 did have an older cast, but 3 and 4 changed the formula by adding the school element and stuff.

I thought Catherine was pretty great so I thought maybe an older cast in Persona 5 would be pretty neat as well.

I wouldn't mind seeing college students this time around.

I would be very surprised to see college students in P5.

I can hardly think of any japanese piece of fiction that has college students as characters, let alone anime. For some weird reason, this seems to be a dicey path to take in Japan.

Having older characters would be awesome though, too bad we'll be stuck in high school once again.

Mix it up. If their not going to be diverse ethnically then I want to see a variety of ages. Late teen to early 30s maybe.

They could definitely make things interesting without even involving school. I'm not sure I care too much either way though.

Absolutely, but what I'd especially like to see is a mix of new characters and older, college-age Persona 4 characters. Sure, a lot of the fun with Persona game sequels is the all new cast, but Persona 4's cast was so strong that not having them around would feel odd to me. Not that Persona 5 should be beholden to its successful predecessor but when you've got such a strong lineage, work with what you've got, you know?

@Captain_Felafel said:

but when you've got such a strong lineage, work with what you've got, you know?

That's the reason why Persona 4 Arena, Persona 4: The Golden, Persona 4: The Animation and Persona 4: The Stage Show exist. I absolutely do not want any Persona 4 character having a significant involvement in Persona 5. Minor cameos just like the Persona 3 reference in Persona 4 are fine, but it would definitely destroy Persona 5 for me. Persona 3 had a good cast of characters and the same goes for Persona 4. They can do it again for Persona 5.

Atlus have already said that they now see Persona as "the high school rpg series". Given the sucess of the last two, I can't see them messing with the formula too much. They have plenty of other games with adult casts in the SMT series.

I think older characters wind up in pretty much all of the other Shin Megami games, so keeping Persona at high school level makes sense.

Though have to admit, when they first teased at Catherine, I was really interested in seeing a Persona game with an older cast. That's how I figured it would turn out. Instead... block puzzles.

I'll take an older cast if they're willing to take it further than drunk off the atmosphere.
 
But whatever, I can deal with a highschool game again, so I think I'm happy either way.

Persona is about teens facing their real selves, instead of hiding it away from others.

No

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Captain_Felafel said:

but when you've got such a strong lineage, work with what you've got, you know?

That's the reason why Persona 4 Arena, Persona 4: The Golden, Persona 4: The Animation and Persona 4: The Stage Show exist. I absolutely do not want any Persona 4 character having a significant involvement in Persona 5. Minor cameos just like the Persona 3 reference in Persona 4 are fine, but it would definitely destroy Persona 5 for me. Persona 3 had a good cast of characters and the same goes for Persona 4. They can do it again for Persona 5.

But Persona 2 had significant roles for members of the Persona 1 cast. It wouldn't be anything new if Persona 4 characters appeared in Persona 5 as playable or otherwise very prominent.

@Hailinel said:

But Persona 2 had significant roles for members of the Persona 1 cast. It wouldn't be anything new if Persona 4 characters appeared in Persona 5 as playable or otherwise very prominent.

That's true, but those games were quite different in design so I guess I just wouldn't expect it to happen. Also, the characters in Persona 4 as well as the story had an appropriate arc, all wrapping up neatly in the end. Was that the case with Persona 1? That's one of the reasons why I don't think a Persona 5 would need the return of any significant Persona 4 characters.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Hailinel said:

But Persona 2 had significant roles for members of the Persona 1 cast. It wouldn't be anything new if Persona 4 characters appeared in Persona 5 as playable or otherwise very prominent.

That's true, but those games were quite different in design so I guess I just wouldn't expect it to happen. Also, the characters in Persona 4 as well as the story had an appropriate arc, all wrapping up neatly in the end. Was that the case with Persona 1? That's one of the reasons why I don't think a Persona 5 would need the return of any significant Persona 4 characters.

The story of Persona 4 wraps up, yes, but that doesn't mean that one or more of the P4 cast couldn't become involved in another incident. The story of Persona 2 had little to do with the original Persona directly, from what I recall, either. Some of the same characters were involved, but that's it.

@Hailinel said:

The story of Persona 4 wraps up, yes, but that doesn't mean that one or more of the P4 cast couldn't become involved in another incident. The story of Persona 2 had little to do with the original Persona directly, from what I recall, either. Some of the same characters were involved, but that's it.

But then what's the point of having those P4 characters in Persona 5? Just to appeal to the Persona 4 fans that don't want to part with those characters? I'd rather they focused on creating an endearing new cast instead of reusing old characters just for fan service.

Not that I agree but if they bring anyone from P4 to P5, I think it should be Naoto. She could be a very famous detective or something and a character that helps the new group out from time to time

@ApeGantz: Yeah, but they're also making that Naoto detective novel so maybe it would be a bit redundant.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@ApeGantz: Yeah, but they're also making that Naoto detective novel so maybe it would be a bit redundant.

Wait, seriously? That's a thing that's happening?

@FluxWaveZ said:

@ApeGantz: Yeah, but they're also making that Naoto detective novel so maybe it would be a bit redundant.

Wait, seriously? That's a thing that's happening?

@FluxWaveZ said:

@ApeGantz: Yeah, but they're also making that Naoto detective novel so maybe it would be a bit redundant.

You're point being? This isn't about licensed spin-offs, or stage shows, or manga, or anime, so quit trying to use those in your argument. This is about the games themselves. Including Naoto in Persona 5 wouldn't be any different than the way Yukino or perhaps even the NPC Tamaki were in Persona 2. Or perhaps even a fresh out of academy training Chie, presuming she follows up on her desire to be a cop.

@FluxWaveZ said:

@Hailinel said:

The story of Persona 4 wraps up, yes, but that doesn't mean that one or more of the P4 cast couldn't become involved in another incident. The story of Persona 2 had little to do with the original Persona directly, from what I recall, either. Some of the same characters were involved, but that's it.

But then what's the point of having those P4 characters in Persona 5? Just to appeal to the Persona 4 fans that don't want to part with those characters? I'd rather they focused on creating an endearing new cast instead of reusing old characters just for fan service.

The presence of a P4 cast member in P5 would, as in Persona 2, provide the characters with an experienced person that's been through some of the same sort of crazy situations that they become involved in.

You're point being? This isn't about licensed spin-offs, or stage shows, or manga, or anime, so quit trying to use those in your argument. This is about the games themselves. Including Naoto in Persona 5 wouldn't be any different than the way Yukino or perhaps even the NPC Tamaki were in Persona 2. Or perhaps even a fresh out of academy training Chie, presuming she follows up on her desire to be a cop.

The presence of a P4 cast member in P5 would, as in Persona 2, provide the characters with an experienced person that's been through some of the same sort of crazy situations that they become involved in.

I would like to see Persona 5

@fRAWRst said:

Persona is about teens facing their real selves, instead of hiding it away from others.

No

Sounds more like Collage than high school to me. How many face their real selves in high school? It's when you move away from home, maybe to a new city, you start vuying food and such for yourself and get explosed to new things that you start figuring out that stuff. In high school you are still just a kid who lives at home in the same environment you've known all your life, you don't really have any adult responsibilites and don't have to worry much about the future and such.

It's the transition from teenager to young adult that is the time when you start figuring out who you are and start having an existential crisis and such. You are leaving the nest and spreading your wings so to speak when you move to collage so I think the theme makes even more sense for a first year of collage setting.

Didn't know about the novel, awesome!

And I didn't want her to be versed in the crazyness. In my mind, everything is normal again after P4.

So I guess her existance would be ride of if there seems to be some illegal things or murder going on in the future game.

Forget that. Pre-schoolers.

Forget that. Pre-schoolers.

A college or even adult setting could breathe new life into the S. Link system. There are only so many high-school troubles the Protagonist can solve without delving into some real dark shit like drugs and suicide and stuff (although that might be interesting too but unlikely considering how progressively optimistic the series has become). I don't think it will happen but I would welcome it if it did. Catherine proved that Atlus could do it but that game was set in America with American characters. I think so long as the Persona games are set in Japan, they will revolve for the most part around high-school kids. I'm cool with that though.

@dagas: I agree and I also don't see any reason why adults couldn't go through the same process of facing themselves as well. Just because they're an adult doesn't mean they've come to terms with themselves as the many different S. Links with adult characters proves.

A large part of what makes the Persona 3 and 4 casts, 4's mostly, so likable is the innocence, naivety, and at times immaturity. I don't think those traits would translate that well into an older cast without creating thoughts along the lines of "come on, they're how old? They should be past that" from people. Not to say I don't think it could work, but I think they would have to go with a more serious and darker tone. More-so than Persona 3.

As much as I love to talk about the idea of Persona 5 being a Persona 3 and 4 crossover where my party can be MC, Kanji, Junpei, and Yosuke/Yukari/Teddie/Not Ken, I don't want returning characters to be the center of the game either. I loved the cast of Persona 3(except Ken), and somehow they managed to make an even better one for Persona 4. As doubtful as I am that they'd be able to top it, I'd like them to at least try.

Also, if any character should return in a big way it should totally be an older Nanako.

@McGhee said:

I wouldn't mind seeing college students this time around.

This. Time for Atlus to tweak the formula a bit.

Wasn't there an interview done with 1up stating why they stick with the high school setting for the persona games?

Edit: found the interview: http://www.1up.com/features/persona-4-afterthoughts

College would be cool, but it might ruin the charm of the series. Maybe kids in their final year of HS?

@McGhee said:

I wouldn't mind seeing college students this time around.

This. Time for Atlus to tweak the formula a bit.

No, I'd like them to keep with the high school setting. I like all the angst, relationship ignorance and romance anxieties. Altus goes older and you lose the naïveté that goes with first love. The innocence of the characters is one of the traits that appeals to me in the franchise.

I will trust the developers to make a good game, and I don't really care what age the characters are. I only want it to take place in contemporary Japan.

Nah, I'm fine with it staying in the high school years, I just curious how they'll tie in Personas this time around.

@SpunkyHePanda said:

Forget that. Pre-schoolers.

Let's go the other way. Persona 5: The Golden...Years set in a retirement home.

@Hailinel: Well, Eternal Punishment? Which I enjoyed.

Now I don't really care either way, and to be sure Persona really is focused on the high school experience. That said, an adult perspective on all of this is intriguing. It's less often that teenagers question whether having these powers is, in the long run, beneficial or not, whether that sort of power should be entrusted to children, whether it's responsible for children to be manipulated by gods into these situations. Teenagers don't bring supernatural matters to the police because obviously the police are useless. Adults know better--supposing those events became common knowledge, who would take advantage of it, how do you contain the reactions of the public, how do you prosecute a subsection of the population with laws unequipped to deal with them?

It's very different, has a different weight to it unique to adults in the Persona universe. And adults have different priorities, methods, connections... I don't actually think Persona will be going that route from this point on, still, I'd love to see it.

I can't relate to teenagers. If Atlus decided to bring the crazy of Persona into adult situations with P5, I'd be on-board entirely.

@Hailinel: Sure, I wouldn't argue that. Why would I argue that?

@Hailinel said:

@QuistisTrepe

@McGhee said:

I wouldn't mind seeing college students this time around.

This. Time for Atlus to tweak the formula a bit.

Persona's focus has always involved high school students. If I want a Megami Tensei game without them, I'll play something else.

Things have to change at some point. I don't want to see Persona become stagnant and boring like Final Fantasy. Atlus surged to become the best JRPG developer because they went a different route, not by playing it safe.

@Hailinel said:

@QuistisTrepe

@McGhee said:

I wouldn't mind seeing college students this time around.

This. Time for Atlus to tweak the formula a bit.

Persona's focus has always involved high school students. If I want a Megami Tensei game without them, I'll play something else.

Persona used to be a being a demon negotiation fueled, First-person dungeon crawler as well.

P1/2 and P3 could not be more different games. This isn't as big a hurdle as you might think.

Oh, and I'd love to see a janitor as a protagonist. Would be so crazy and unexpected.

@mutha3 said:

@Hailinel said:

@QuistisTrepe

@McGhee said:

I wouldn't mind seeing college students this time around.

This. Time for Atlus to tweak the formula a bit.

Persona's focus has always involved high school students. If I want a Megami Tensei game without them, I'll play something else.

Persona's used to be a being a demon negotiation fueled, Firstperson dungeon crawler as well.

P1/2 and P3 could not be more different games. This isn't as big a hurdle as you might think.

Oh, and I'd love to see a janitor as a protagonist. Would be so crazy and unexpected.

The gameplay mechanics are different, but the main themes and story concepts behind the games have remained the same.

KH: An important characteristic of the Persona series is that it's a "young-adult fiction" work, so even though we know there are many adults in the fan base, we still chose to focus on adolescent boys and girls for P4. But there's the precedent of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, where the party consists of adults, so we can't say there won't be an adult party member in the future. Also, another important aspect of the Persona series, from P3 on, is the sense of real life. For the story to take place in America or Europe, we'd need more staff with firsthand experience in those areas of the world.

I just want to see what kind of "midnight" mechanics they think up, Persona 3 had the midnight hour, and moon phases. Persona 4 had the midnight Chanel and weather, whats next

Im guessing Midnight.com and it all depends on your ping.

@Hailinel said:

the main themes and story concepts behind the games have remained the same.

Not really. Philemon and Nyarlothep's eternal struggle for instance,which was a huge deal in the first 2 Persona games, is literally nowhere to be found in P3 and P4.

Also: Boy, are you are selling the changes P3 made short by saying "the game mechanics are different". P3 completely changed the franchise on a fundamental level.

I don't care. As long as the writing is Persona worthy, it'll be good.