As a seasoned veteran of the Persona franchise, I can’t help but feel a tad nostalgic when diving back into the depths of Mementos. The labyrinthine dungeon has been a constant companion since my first foray into Persona 3, and it’s been quite a journey to witness its evolution over the years.
Exploring dungeons has been a significant part of the Persona series from its inception, but Persona 5 elevated this gameplay element significantly with the addition of Palaces. In P5 and its later re-release as Royal, Palaces are expansive, carefully designed areas where most combat encounters occur. Unlike the monotonous, straightforward levels in the tower of Tartarus from Persona 3 or the floor-based dungeons in the Midnight Channel of Persona 4, Palaces in Persona 5 are more complex in terms of both design and aesthetics. Each Palace, representing the inner minds of the antagonists in P5, can only be accessed as the story progresses because they appear solely after specific narrative events have transpired.
In the world of Persona 5, players don’t have the liberty to explore Palaces whenever they wish, but they can roam freely within Mementos, a location often referred to as the embodiment of the Collective Unconscious. This intriguing labyrinth offers optional dungeons that serve as training grounds for Joker and the Phantom Thieves. The introduction of Mementos in P5 sparked debates among fans, yet it’s still a feature that’s returning in the upcoming mobile game spin-off, Persona 5: The Phantom X. However, this version of Mementos brings some notable changes to its original form in the main series, and these alterations could be seen as a two-sided coin.
One Major Change to Mementos in Persona 5: The Phantom X Has Some Pros and Cons
Mementos in Persona 5 vs. Mementos in Persona 5: The Phantom X
In the game ‘Persona 5’, Mementos is divided into numerous distinct areas or paths. Except for the Sloth’s Prison at the very base of Mementos, these zones are procedurally generated, meaning that each visit to Mementos will be unique due to the ever-changing layout within most of its dungeon areas. The only constant features in Mementos are its architectural styles and designs, which grow progressively harder as players advance through them. This blend of consistent design with a procedurally-generated structure makes Mementos resemble Tartarus from ‘Persona 3’ more than the crafted Palaces featured in ‘Persona 5’s main storyline.
In the game “Persona 5: The Phantom X,” at first glance, the Mementos areas appear similar to their counterparts in the original “Persona 5.” Both share the iconic black and red hallways and railroad tracks that fans are familiar with. Upon closer examination, however, it becomes clear that the Mementos locations in this version aren’t randomly generated; instead, they’ve been meticulously designed. Consequently, when players enter any given area within the dungeon, their mini-map instantly displays a complete map of the current floor. This feature was not present in the original “Persona 5,” where the layout of Mementos floors would only become clear as players progressed through them.
Mementos Being Handcrafted Instead of Procedurally-Generated is a Double-Edged Sword
Black Wing Game Studio’s choice to create Mementos manually in “Persona 5: The Phantom X” comes with its advantages and disadvantages. Crafting levels by hand provides the opportunity for distinctive layouts and visually captivating spaces. However, repeatedly exploring identical locations can become monotonous, particularly in a dungeon designed for leveling up, which players are likely to revisit frequently, like Mementos.
In the game Persona 5, the randomly generated floors in Mementos can start feeling repetitive quite fast. However, the varying layouts of each path ensure that players never know what they’ll encounter when entering a new floor. If the corridors and locations of treasures, enemies, and collectibles in Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Mementos were consistent, it would make them much more predictable and easier to navigate. To keep gameplay engaging, it might be beneficial for the game to include some form of randomization in its level design to keep players guessing.
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2024-09-03 13:35