So I finally got around to playing this game, the Golden PC port on Steam specifically, and I am very underwhelmed considered how beloved this game is. For one I thought I was going to be playing an RPG not a visual novel, most of the "gameplay" is just dialogue, and it's not even important plot dialogue it's just the characters making small talk. I have 9 hours of play time and I only just finished the first dungeon (Yukiko's Castle). The combat is decent but plays more like a puzzle game with the weaknesses and strengths rather than an actual RPG (which made me wonder if the shadow strengths/weaknesses are randomized every time you start a new game, because if not the game could have limited replay value for people with a good memory). I do like the Persona fusion system which I'm familiar with from some the mainline SMT games. Maybe my tastes have changed in the last few years but the way this game constantly takes control of your character away and throws boring dialogue at you just saps my will to keep playing this game. It's taken me 9 hours just to get to the first dungeon and get a full party, and what does the game reward me with? 10 minutes of the characters talking on the school rooftop....

I'd like to add that I don't really have anything against anime style games, I am a big fan of Etrian Oddyssey games and actually bought a 3DS just for them, so my issue isn't with that.

Really want to play this. Ain't played it or bought it yet.

Also would love to see this hit GOG too - especially without Denuvo.

It might just not be for you, and that's fine other than the unfortunate waste of time/money. It had me hooked within the first two hours thanks to the characters and the supernatural TV world. More interesting characters are introduced and strange things happen as you get further, but if you aren't invested after nine hours...

For me it reminded me of old 80s science fiction adventure / comedy movies and the murder mystery had me intrigued. Kind of a Japanese Scooby Doo. I had some odd stutters and issues with the game which I suspect were Denuvo related. I was seriously considering not buying it over Denuvo, but I loved the old PS2 version so much that I was willing to make an exception for the 'Golden' version which includes a lot of new content.

and looks like it has that usualy fugly japan anime kid ball heads

Persona games are reeeeeeeeeeeealy slow, for example the first Castle in Persona 5 is like a tutorial that explains you the mechanics and it takes like 15-20hs to complete... But the game could take you arround 150hs to complete, it gets better, have interesting characters, good art design, a great story. Try I little bit more, but if you don't like it, is OK, not all the games are for everyone.

I have no clue as to the answer of the thread title, as I rarely buy and/or play DRM-infested games, even if the only DRM in them is the Steam launcher DRM.

If/when they ever release it DRM-free, then I'll have an answer maybe.

And should that not ever happen, then I'll happily keep my money instead of giving any of it to that dev/publisher.

hmm are there really so many liking these character styles?:O

Sadly, many otherwise good games (good enough for me to recommend, anyway) have their boring parts.

In Saviors of Sapphire Wings, I just got through a massive dungeon that has no visual variety, lags a bit on my system, and is long enough to overstay its welcome (12 maps). Furthermore, it also happens to be right when you start fighting the first really dangerous monsters, like one that can instant kill and one that can hit for over 400 damage with a spell (enough to take a character from full HP to 0 in one hit); at least you can Charm them if you have a Druid. It doesn't help that most of the enemies are undead, and most weapons do poor damage to undead. Furthermore, at this point some characters can sub-class, but others are annoyingly capped at soul level 4 (5 is needed to subclass), so you can't really make use of some of your characters. To top it off, after a point rather early in the dungeon, the game takes away your ability to return to earlier areas, so if you want more visual variety or want an easier area to level up and get treasure, you can't do that at this point in the game.

(The following dungeon is also long, it seems, but at least it doesn't take away your ability to revisit earlier areas, and everyone can get their soul level high enough to sub-class, at least.)

SaGa 2 also has a dull part, where you have to go through a dungeon that has no treasure in it, which gets rather boring (especially if you're like me and have robots in your party, who can only grow by finding and equipping items). This is actually why I lost interest in the Final Fantasy games. Final Fantasy 6 is guilty of this, though at least the game opens up and the gameplay takes the front seat once you get the second airship; Final Fantasy 7 has the same issue, except that the game never opens up. (Chrono Trigger doesn't have that issue, but I'm reluctant to replay that game because of one part where you have to button mash to proceed, and even worse that part is between a boss fight and the next opportunity to save, so you can't even take a break and do something else; I am not going to replay that game without a (real or simulated) turbo controller because of this one part that shouldn't have been in the game.)

In some JRPGs, it often gets to a point where it feels like the conversation should be over, but there's still more dialog to wade through.

(One reason I prefer Paper Mario 64 to its sequel is that the sequel has too much dialog; the other main reason is that I actually prefer to have the reachable level/HP/FP/BP caps, since that helps guide longterm growth and keeps the player from having too much BP; also the limited quantity of each badge.) How does Persona 1 compare in this regard?

looks like not , just a bunch of haters :P

Back in the day I was able to play Persona 3 for a few hours, and I'd say your points on the 4th instalment are pretty spot on for the 3rd as well. The atmosphere was interesting but overall I felt as if the game was deliberately trying to waste my time and never going anywhere.

Those kind of games are not for me, the soundtrack of Persona 5 though, very cool stuff (and it's on YT!).

Hey, not everyone is into Persona, and not everyone is into RPGs. It's fine.

The modern Persona games are slow burners. Personally, I like the story/diaologue sequences more than the dungeon-crawling part. Samey procedurally-generated corridors overstay their welcome. Thankfully, the main dungeons in Persona 5 were handcrafted.

That being said, some people don't like the Persona series, and prefer the mainline SMT games or other spinoffs. Since you have a 3DS, SMT IV and Soul Hackers have a greater emphasis towards dungeon-crawling. I heard good things about Strange Journey, but I haven't played it myself. It's too bad that sellers have jacked up price of physical copies.

I just got started on Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. It feels more like the a traditional JPRG than the games that came after it. It's too early to tell if I'll ultimately enjoy it though.

Every JRPG is really boring.

Tomboys aren't my thing, Yukiko is nice though.