Persona 4 Remake: Will Physical Skills Get a Major Overhaul?

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As a fan eagerly awaiting a potential remake of Persona 4, I can imagine the developers faced with a crucial choice regarding the game’s physical combat skills. Given the triumph of Persona 3 Reload, it’s not far-fetched to expect that a Persona 4 remake might revisit certain mechanics. With numerous personas possessing physical abilities, any modifications could trigger a domino effect throughout the game. It might even reshape the game’s strategic landscape – its overall meta game. This is due to a unique characteristic of physical skills in Persona 4 that sets it apart from other games in the series.

In Persona 4, Tatsumi Kanji is the primary character who specializes in physical combat, but throughout the game, physical abilities can be found among various characters. As suggested by their name, these skills inflict physical damage, similar to a regular attack, instead of relying on the game’s elements. A unique aspect of physical skills is that they consume a part of the player’s HP to activate, rather than Mana Points (MP), introducing an additional level of risk. However, numerous physical skills either have added benefits or possess enough force to justify the sacrifice. Mastering these physical skills can significantly enhance strategies in Persona 4.

Persona 4’s Physical Skills Could See an Adjustment in a Remake

Persona 4’s Physical Skills All Share a Damage Type

In the style of Persona games, the physical abilities in Persona 4 possess weaknesses, resistances, nullifications, and absorption traits. Yet, unlike these games, all physical skills in Persona 4 are categorized under a single damage type, regardless of the character or weapon used. This means that whether it’s the protagonist’s sword, Chie’s kicks, or Naoto’s gun, they all inflict damage of the same kind. Similarly, because basic attacks and physical skills share this common damage type, physical skills don’t offer coverage that isn’t already available to every character as a default feature. This stands in sharp contrast to the elemental skills that can be incorporated into fused Personas.

Persona 3 Reload Has Three Types of Physical Damage

In the battle system of “Persona 3 Reload,” there’s a distinct classification for physical abilities: Slash, Strike, and Pierce, each categorized based on the attack type. This classification applies to both basic attacks and special skills. For example, Cleave inflicts Slash damage, while God’s Hand delivers Strike damage. In contrast, “Persona 4” classifies all such abilities as physical damage. Additionally, these types of attacks can be weak or resistant to each other, introducing an additional strategic element. For instance, an enemy might resist Strike attacks but be vulnerable to Pierce ones, offering a wider range of tactical choices for the player.

In contrast to Persona 5, where all physical damage is categorized as a single type, the physical abilities in Persona 2 were actually divided into distinct categories.

A Persona 4 Remake Could Benefit From New Physical Damage Mechanics

Altering the characteristics of physical assaults in a Persona 4 remake would present a formidable task. Dividing the physical damage into distinct categories implies that every fundamental attack and physical skill needs to be classified under one of these types. Simultaneously, it’s crucial to revise the game’s Personas and enemies weaknesses and resistances to align with these changes. Consequently, some enemies or Personas might become weaker or stronger based on their interactions with the new physical types. While this change could be exciting, it would significantly increase the workload for the developers.

If there’s a remake of Persona 4, exploring ways to enhance the physical combat system could prove intriguing. Given that the original game categorized all physical damage as one entity, altering this in a remake would mark a noteworthy modification. Such a change could substantially enrich the gameplay mechanics. The presence of a similar system in Persona 3 Reload bolsters the case for it even further. A potential remake of Persona 4 could offer an unexpected chance to revamp the physical damage mechanics in an engaging way.

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2025-04-28 20:06