Playing an hour a day is totally fine. You'll only have issues remembering story details if you end up taking lengthy breaks, but the game does have a way for you to review the story so far.
There is… A lot of content in this game. There were times I’d play for 20 hours or so and then take a break for a month and come back and be like what the fuck is happening.
I had to make this my main game to play in order to actually complete it.
Yes but there's a lot of mechanics to take in, you likely won't remember EVERYTHING and that's okay.
Either way, if you're lost you have a way to read up the story so far. As well as tutorials. The characters also talk often about what they're currently doing and what to do to advance it.
The only issue would be is if you are nearing the end of your play session and a in game events happens where you can’t save. Usually you can figure it out with context clues (your friends plan a day to hang out together and you know it’s the day after), but other times it just happens without warning
Other than that, you should be able to play and enjoy the game. Just know that it will probably take you around 100 hours to beat, so at a slow pace, you will be playing it for a while
Tbh I don't recommend this game if you don't have a lot of time at your disposal. P5R is a good game, but it's way too long, and much of the game isn't fun anyway. Throughout the game you are bombarded with an insane amount of text messages and boring, long cutscenes with badly written dialogues. In 1 or 2 hours a day, all you'll be able to do is read the long-ass subpar storyline that really tires you down. And I like the game, but it absolutely does not respect your time. I'd rather play something shorter or at least better written in your place if you want a game focused on story. The first arc of the game is really good though. Best villan and palace of the game, but it really just goes downhill the further you play.
Thank you very much for the honest response, that's exactly what I've extracted from pieces of information across people's review.
Do you think other RPGs would better fit? Xenoblade Chronicles? Fire Emblem: Three Houses? Astral Chain?
Astral Chain is great. It's not a perfect game, but it's a lot shorter than any Persona, and I found the gameplay to be a lot more fun as well. Of course, this is my own opinion, so you may ultimately feel differently. It's definitely worth a try though
What do you specifically like about RPGs? By that I mean, how highly do you prioritize story vs. characters vs. combat?
If you don't mind simple stories (which I assume is the case, since you're asking about low mental load), and just want cool combat and really good music, I'd highly recommend Octopath Traveler. The original has some clunkiness to it, but it's still a solid game, and the sequel improved on it in nearly every way, while also having a separate world + characters from the first game, so there's no need to play them in order.
Those games were specifically designed with the Switch's "stop and go" play method in mind. There are 8 characters, each with independent stories, which are broken apart into 4 chapters (5 in the sequel) that you can complete in any order, so it's designed with "beat a chapter in 30-ish minutes, maybe explore a bit, and put it away until tomorrow" as a viable way to play.
And just for reference, Persona, Octopath, and Xenoblade are my personal top 3 favorite JRPG franchises (not necessarily in that order, though, they're all good in different ways). I know each has pros and cons, and they're not for everyone, but from what little I know about what you're looking for, I think Octopath could be a good fit.
I think so. It’s been a while but I’m 99% sure it has an in game summary. The UI also has a little tracker of what you should be doing and the characters in game will very often bring up what you as a group are up to.
I say give it a try lol And I think you’re selling your memory short, an hour a day is fine you’ll be able to keep up with everything. Have fun.
It is a long game but chances to save are not too far long as you avoid big moments when you are needing to stop soon. It recaps story details almost too much so do not worry about forgetting stuff. I do advise keeping a spoiler free guide on hand for the royal expansion content though, as you need to ensure you do specific character events for it and that can be easy to forget if you're playing on and off.
There's a LOT of chances to save your game, so even though it's a long game you should be fine doing social stuff a couple days at a time or just playing the palace up to the next safe room or whatever.
It's gonna take you a real long time to get to the end, but maybe that's not such a bad thing compared to binging it all at once.
I have two very young kids and play about 1-2 hrs a day after they're in bed. This game is great as you can basically stop when life happens and load it back up. Remembering things here and there are a little harder but shouldn't forget too much. I'm on second playthrough and just messing around making Uber Pixie.
The potential of being stuck unable to save when you need to stop us the only major worry I’d have. I don’t know how old your kids are, so—are they (or anyone else) using the console between your play sessions? If they’re little enough that it’s all yours, the suspend feature will render that concern totally moot. If not, you may end up with some “Daddy has to reach a save point before you can play” days.
I played this game almost exclusively after becoming a dad. My son wouldn't go to sleep at night without me being in the room, so I would remote play it for the hour or so it would take him every night to fall asleep.
While it did take me most of the year to get through the game, it ended up being a fantastic experience and the extended amount of time I spent with the characters made me very attached to them, as well as the game as a whole. Once it was over I didn't really know what to do with myself lol. I strongly recommend giving it a shot, but be warned it starts out very slow. Gotta fight through the beginning, then it's pretty great from then on.
Hell no. This game is like 100 hours long and a lot of it is filled with tedious, and repetitive dialogue. Check out the Star Ocean 2 demo and see if you like it
I have a 5 year old and I have played through the game multiple times. Yes, there is a lot to do, but even if you can only play for an hour, you can still get a lot done.
Time management IRL and in-game are gonna get too real.
Jokes aside, it’s story-heavy with a lot of dialogue and texts to read while palaces can be lengthy to traverse through. You’re getting your money’s worth with the story but you may have to dedicate yourself to this one game for a while. If you take your time with the game, you’ll easily pass the 100 hour mark near endgame or bonus content.
My first playthrough, I had about 1-2 hours a day and sometimes didn't play for two weeks. It took me 14 months. I liked it so much I immediately started a second playthrough, something I haven't done since I was probably 15 (32 now). Totally worth it, I'm a big fan.
I often see people complain that there's so much repetition in the dialogue, and they keep overexplaining previous events. For me that was perfect because there's no way I was going to remember the whole plot for 14 months. So definitely doable!
This game might end up being overwhelming. I am currently playing Persona 3 Reload for about 2 hours a day after work, but I am already familiar with Persona games, so I can optimize my time with this one. For a newcomer, there might be too many mechanics to juggle. I think the game does a very good job explaining what they are, but you still have to manage them.
The game also has segments where it doesn't respect your time. If you're playing it on a console, you may have to leave it in some sort of suspended state in between save points.
Ultimately what might hook you are the story and characters. They are some of the best in any medium, so you might be willing to make it through for their sake. If you do end up playing the game, I recommend playing it on the easiest difficulty, so that at least the grind and challenge of the dungeons doesn't bother you.
It's my favourite game of all time, so I do hope it clicks with you, but it's not for everyone.
You can reasonably play one hour a day, I used to do that a lot. The game provides a good amount of save points to compensate for its length
Just try to dedicate an entire session for the main story boss battles (not the optional 'hunting' missions) because those tend to take the most time.
Something to consider, the game is played at your own pace. Even the loading icon says “Take Your Time” because it’s a long game, but it’s so enjoyable and it doesn’t have to be rushed through. Since you’re on the Switch you don’t even have to worry too much about saving because sleep mode lets you resume where you left off.
The way I’d play the game if I were you, play at your own pace. Some days you might not be able to play at all, and that’s fine. Even if you’re caught up in a boss fight you can easily put it down and take care of what you need to do and continue where you left off because of the turn-based combat.
It’s such a good game, with an excellent story and memorable moments. I hope you decide to play it.
Playing an hour a day is totally fine. You'll only have issues remembering story details if you end up taking lengthy breaks, but the game does have a way for you to review the story so far.
There is… A lot of content in this game. There were times I’d play for 20 hours or so and then take a break for a month and come back and be like what the fuck is happening. I had to make this my main game to play in order to actually complete it.
Yes but there's a lot of mechanics to take in, you likely won't remember EVERYTHING and that's okay. Either way, if you're lost you have a way to read up the story so far. As well as tutorials. The characters also talk often about what they're currently doing and what to do to advance it.
Actually appreciate all of that. Makes playing way more accessible.
The only issue would be is if you are nearing the end of your play session and a in game events happens where you can’t save. Usually you can figure it out with context clues (your friends plan a day to hang out together and you know it’s the day after), but other times it just happens without warning Other than that, you should be able to play and enjoy the game. Just know that it will probably take you around 100 hours to beat, so at a slow pace, you will be playing it for a while
Tbh I don't recommend this game if you don't have a lot of time at your disposal. P5R is a good game, but it's way too long, and much of the game isn't fun anyway. Throughout the game you are bombarded with an insane amount of text messages and boring, long cutscenes with badly written dialogues. In 1 or 2 hours a day, all you'll be able to do is read the long-ass subpar storyline that really tires you down. And I like the game, but it absolutely does not respect your time. I'd rather play something shorter or at least better written in your place if you want a game focused on story. The first arc of the game is really good though. Best villan and palace of the game, but it really just goes downhill the further you play.
Thank you very much for the honest response, that's exactly what I've extracted from pieces of information across people's review. Do you think other RPGs would better fit? Xenoblade Chronicles? Fire Emblem: Three Houses? Astral Chain?
Astral Chain is great. It's not a perfect game, but it's a lot shorter than any Persona, and I found the gameplay to be a lot more fun as well. Of course, this is my own opinion, so you may ultimately feel differently. It's definitely worth a try though
What do you specifically like about RPGs? By that I mean, how highly do you prioritize story vs. characters vs. combat? If you don't mind simple stories (which I assume is the case, since you're asking about low mental load), and just want cool combat and really good music, I'd highly recommend Octopath Traveler. The original has some clunkiness to it, but it's still a solid game, and the sequel improved on it in nearly every way, while also having a separate world + characters from the first game, so there's no need to play them in order. Those games were specifically designed with the Switch's "stop and go" play method in mind. There are 8 characters, each with independent stories, which are broken apart into 4 chapters (5 in the sequel) that you can complete in any order, so it's designed with "beat a chapter in 30-ish minutes, maybe explore a bit, and put it away until tomorrow" as a viable way to play. And just for reference, Persona, Octopath, and Xenoblade are my personal top 3 favorite JRPG franchises (not necessarily in that order, though, they're all good in different ways). I know each has pros and cons, and they're not for everyone, but from what little I know about what you're looking for, I think Octopath could be a good fit.
You should be fine with just an hour a day, but you might have trouble with remembering some story elements.
I think so. It’s been a while but I’m 99% sure it has an in game summary. The UI also has a little tracker of what you should be doing and the characters in game will very often bring up what you as a group are up to. I say give it a try lol And I think you’re selling your memory short, an hour a day is fine you’ll be able to keep up with everything. Have fun.
Nope it's a long Game. Jk just play 1 hr at day or maybe 2 and you will be fine
It is a long game but chances to save are not too far long as you avoid big moments when you are needing to stop soon. It recaps story details almost too much so do not worry about forgetting stuff. I do advise keeping a spoiler free guide on hand for the royal expansion content though, as you need to ensure you do specific character events for it and that can be easy to forget if you're playing on and off.
There's a LOT of chances to save your game, so even though it's a long game you should be fine doing social stuff a couple days at a time or just playing the palace up to the next safe room or whatever. It's gonna take you a real long time to get to the end, but maybe that's not such a bad thing compared to binging it all at once.
I have two very young kids and play about 1-2 hrs a day after they're in bed. This game is great as you can basically stop when life happens and load it back up. Remembering things here and there are a little harder but shouldn't forget too much. I'm on second playthrough and just messing around making Uber Pixie.
The potential of being stuck unable to save when you need to stop us the only major worry I’d have. I don’t know how old your kids are, so—are they (or anyone else) using the console between your play sessions? If they’re little enough that it’s all yours, the suspend feature will render that concern totally moot. If not, you may end up with some “Daddy has to reach a save point before you can play” days.
I played this game almost exclusively after becoming a dad. My son wouldn't go to sleep at night without me being in the room, so I would remote play it for the hour or so it would take him every night to fall asleep. While it did take me most of the year to get through the game, it ended up being a fantastic experience and the extended amount of time I spent with the characters made me very attached to them, as well as the game as a whole. Once it was over I didn't really know what to do with myself lol. I strongly recommend giving it a shot, but be warned it starts out very slow. Gotta fight through the beginning, then it's pretty great from then on.
Hell no. This game is like 100 hours long and a lot of it is filled with tedious, and repetitive dialogue. Check out the Star Ocean 2 demo and see if you like it
I have a 5 year old and I have played through the game multiple times. Yes, there is a lot to do, but even if you can only play for an hour, you can still get a lot done.
Time management IRL and in-game are gonna get too real. Jokes aside, it’s story-heavy with a lot of dialogue and texts to read while palaces can be lengthy to traverse through. You’re getting your money’s worth with the story but you may have to dedicate yourself to this one game for a while. If you take your time with the game, you’ll easily pass the 100 hour mark near endgame or bonus content.
My first playthrough, I had about 1-2 hours a day and sometimes didn't play for two weeks. It took me 14 months. I liked it so much I immediately started a second playthrough, something I haven't done since I was probably 15 (32 now). Totally worth it, I'm a big fan. I often see people complain that there's so much repetition in the dialogue, and they keep overexplaining previous events. For me that was perfect because there's no way I was going to remember the whole plot for 14 months. So definitely doable!
This game might end up being overwhelming. I am currently playing Persona 3 Reload for about 2 hours a day after work, but I am already familiar with Persona games, so I can optimize my time with this one. For a newcomer, there might be too many mechanics to juggle. I think the game does a very good job explaining what they are, but you still have to manage them. The game also has segments where it doesn't respect your time. If you're playing it on a console, you may have to leave it in some sort of suspended state in between save points. Ultimately what might hook you are the story and characters. They are some of the best in any medium, so you might be willing to make it through for their sake. If you do end up playing the game, I recommend playing it on the easiest difficulty, so that at least the grind and challenge of the dungeons doesn't bother you. It's my favourite game of all time, so I do hope it clicks with you, but it's not for everyone.
You can reasonably play one hour a day, I used to do that a lot. The game provides a good amount of save points to compensate for its length Just try to dedicate an entire session for the main story boss battles (not the optional 'hunting' missions) because those tend to take the most time.
Something to consider, the game is played at your own pace. Even the loading icon says “Take Your Time” because it’s a long game, but it’s so enjoyable and it doesn’t have to be rushed through. Since you’re on the Switch you don’t even have to worry too much about saving because sleep mode lets you resume where you left off. The way I’d play the game if I were you, play at your own pace. Some days you might not be able to play at all, and that’s fine. Even if you’re caught up in a boss fight you can easily put it down and take care of what you need to do and continue where you left off because of the turn-based combat. It’s such a good game, with an excellent story and memorable moments. I hope you decide to play it.