r/rpg_gamers • • 20h ago

Review Persona 5 Royal was an incredibly disappointing story Spoiler

0 Upvotes

I know this is gonna get some hate since a lot of people regard it very highly, but I really dislike the narrative decisions in this game. The villains are incredibly shallow and everyone treats them like incredibly transformative social commentary, which I just don't see. I genuinely don't even remember half the villains because they don't necessarily hold any ideals, aside from Maruki, who I'd consider more of anti-hero than a villain. It's easily the most lackluster game in the entire extended series in expressing what it really wants to be, it's just a classic good guy vs bad guy until you (situationally) face off with Maruki. The game doesn't delve into especially novel or controversial angles on power dynamics; it presents an extreme, villainous example and lets the player feel righteous defeating it. This is effective as a characterization of corruption, but it does little to contextualize the wrongs that these characters commit. People aren't simply 'evil', they commit acts in accordance with internal moral codes. It may be effective at recognizing corruption, but equally important is recognizing the conditions that permit the villain to rationalize such acts.

I especially hate how the Phantom Thieves are designed as this chaotic, reformative group, but their behavior is almost entirely in-line with the law routes of other games (this person is evil > we change their heart > society conforms to our moral judgment). Even when society turns against them mid-story, the narrative ultimately vindicates them rather than forcing a philosophical reckoning; all the while, you're harboring a cat who incessantly lusts over and makes incredibly sexual and inappropriate comments towards Ann for the entirety of the game, to the point that he endangers Haru just to make the Phantom Thieves jealous, and lo-and-behold, the Phantom Thieves just so happen to catch up with them and it's all okay. Despite his character arc, Morgana never changes behaviorally, he never stops being a creep, he never stops making comments towards Ann or belittling Ryuji, but it's okay because he's one of the good guys. Is character change meaningful if behavioral change does not follow?

I think the game does, inadvertently, raise one question worth asking, though not intentionally. Why are Kawakami, Chihaya, Takemi, and Ohya (all adults, one of which is the protagonist's teacher, another is an alcoholic who frequently meets with the protagonist at a bar, and another is a doctor who exposes the protagonist to experimental non-prescribed drugs) acceptable romantic interests for the high-school-aged protagonist when Kamoshida is demonized? Maybe it says something about selective moral framing. The game wants the moral credibility of a story about rebellion without consistently subjecting its MCs to the same standards it applies to its villains. A story's moral framework is revealed not only by what it condemns, but also by what it excuses for the sake of player gratification. The game evaluates Kamoshida's sexuality through the harm he inflicts on students, while it often evaluates the protagonist's romantic pursuits through the gratification they offer the player.

Finally, the characters are made to embrace a certain form of rebellion, and it's implied that their exact ideation of what rebellion is differs between each individual cast member. The issue to me, though, is that they're all on-board with a brand of hierarchical conservatism. They never really engage with the idea that the institutions themselves enable the forms of corruption they combat, they treat is as individual faults. They're perfectly fine with maintaining these institutions, which doesn't approach any real form of rebellion at all. Institutional power ceases to be a tool to enable corruption, it is simply something that corrupt individuals obtain. The game asks us not to question why a teacher can hold so much power over students, why a bank owner can exploit debtors, or why a politician can be so self-serving. Kamoshida is simply a bad teacher, Kaneshiro is simply a bad criminal, and Shido is simply a bad politician. Under the hood, the school gives teachers and coaches considerable authority over students, ties its reputation to athletic success, discourages challenges to respected staff, and leaves vulnerable students with inadequate means of redress. The game never sufficiently addresses whether individual change is meaningful. Is a person sufficiently reformed if their reform is forced through supernatural coercion? How does that contribute to creating a reliable system of justice and accountability? Does it meaningfully reform the institutions that permit such behavior from empowered individuals?


r/rpg_gamers • • 3h ago

Discussion Dissapointment of the Dawnwalker

0 Upvotes

I love RPG's, I love vampires, literally game made in heaven for me.

First couple hours - models are so 2016 trying to go for realistic look, in 2026 thats a crime, I have to install a mod to unlock cutscenes from 30 fps, the animations in cutscenes and dialogue seem very very off.

I think I liked literally every single VA except coen, he seems so unstable, idk how to explain it but it didn't feel like I was seeing a human talk, but like someone just reading a book.

Combat was incredible, seemed super smooth, animations seemed really nice and snappy, was playing duelist with indicators on.

The story was so damn interesting I was hooked from the mass.

After playing more, I loved Ancas side quest, but then each time I visited the dungeons it just the same repeated places in a slightly different font, same enemies, or just reskined enemies with the same moveset, why the fuck does Saint Mihai from a couple centuries ago have the exact same moveset as the guys I just fought by the church?? combat system was still fun but enemies were starting to get repitive QUICK.

The more I play, I notice the lack of details in this game, if I save people as a human or drakhir made no difference in reaction, I felt no real rush to save Coens family other than the father, I didn't really care about any of them, unlike something from say expedition 33 where the objective was like job almost, save everyone, here the objective is personal, but I don't personally feel anything towards these people, all I saw from them was mid dialogue and terrible cutscenes.

The Ancora cutscenes got old quick, same 3 or 4 spammed each time, dogs were annoying to fight, more mid dialogue with awkward delivery and animations, Coen's voicelines when killing a gaurd or a civillian by blood drinking is the same, and those voicelines themselves are just 3 or 4 repeated throughout the entire game until u get like level 12 in ure vampiric abilities.

If u drain an npc just till the sleep bar they die, so I have no clue whats the point of having it, like example if u drain Anca till she sleeps she just disappears, and if u drain her, but dont actually hold space and just let go, she starts using magic right after using the font like bro, she also spams the same voiclines she did when u fought together lmao.

U get to meet the matriach early in the city, and when u see her again all u get is 2 or 3 extra voicelines and nothing more, no mention of anything they talked about before, like her wanting to travel, or the problem Coen solved, nothing just empty.

And even with all this I must say again, fighting the same fkin 5 movesets the entire game, is just so so so boring, which also made the game super easy on duelist making the combat even MORE boring cuz u got used to the movesets so much.

With each passing hour my rating of the game has gone down and down, I finished it so I defo enjoed it even a little, a 6/10 seems perfect

What do u guys think?


r/rpg_gamers • • 6h ago

Recommendation request never played a bioware game besides baldur’s gate 1. am i going to gamer hell & which do i play first

0 Upvotes

i lied i played neverwinter nights nights 1, i have that remastered version of 2 haven't played, but thats it rly

never played mass effect or dragon age even though my fav games of all time is dragons dogma, dark souls, fallout, baldur’s gate etc. i always get recommend

i just have limited time to game so i can only rly choose one for now. i’m leaning towards dragon age inquisition or origins. do these games go on sale often?


r/rpg_gamers • • 6h ago

Developer Hi! I’m DevOG, creator of Legacy of Pandora, a Greek mythology monster-taming roguelike I started in 2022. Ask me anything (AMA)!

3 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I’m the founder of OPP Studios and creator of Legacy of Pandora.  I started this project in 2022, and it’s grown from an early monster-taming concept into a turn-based roguelike set in Greek mythology.

You play as Pyrrha, Pandora’s daughter, trying to capture the Kakodemons unleashed when her mother opened the jar. Along the way, you build a team of creatures, encounter gods and mythological figures, and make moral choices that can drastically change your narrative and your gameplay.

One of the systems I’m most excited about is Corruption! Your choices are tied to traces like Pride, Greed, and Violence - which can transform your creatures into one of multiple different forms. I wanted the decisions you make outside combat to influence the team you bring into it.

Visually, we’re bringing together two big inspirations: ancient Greek vase art and Tartakovsky’s cartoons (like Samurai Jack).

I’m happy to talk about the game, adapting Greek mythology, creature design, combat systems, how the project has changed over the years, or the experience of building an indie game!

Thanks for having me - ask me anything!

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3973310/


r/rpg_gamers • • 1h ago

Developer [Chronicles of fantasy heroes] Looking for passionate RPG players to playtest and take on the challenge of my playtest.

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• Upvotes

I've been building a JRPG with grid less tactical combat and light loot for about 1.5 years.

game name is Chronicles of fantasy heroes

On Oct 24 I'm opening a combat only playtest on Steam :2 regular bosses🥶, 1 hidden boss🥶

The combat gameplay is somewhat similar to Baldur's Gate.

The honest reason I'm posting: I've played it so many times I can't tell if it's fun anymore.

I'd rather hear it now than after launch.🤩

I only want two things from you: how was your overall experience, and did the combat feel smooth?

Not a difficulty verdict just whether it feels good to play.🥰

Note this is a combat only build, and each character has just one talent stone set, so talent builds aren't part of this test yet.😍

Available in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, and Korean.

Request Access on the Steam page,

I'll approve on the 24th: 😍😍

😍

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3516870

hope you will love it. come on!!!!


r/rpg_gamers • • 13h ago

Recommendation request Sci‑fi action RPG with satisfying combat and a good story?

32 Upvotes

I really like the combat in Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi Survivor, but it’s not an action RPG. I really like the RPG component in Kotor; it’s an amazing RPG with an amazing plot. I don’t have anything against a turn‑based combat system, but I still prefer the combat systems in action RPGs than CRPG. I played Mass Effect 1, and it’s one of my favorite games, but the combat felt a bit clunky. I don’t know if this has changed in next games of ME. Are there any sci‑fi action RPGs with good combat and story?


r/rpg_gamers • • 2h ago

Recommendation request Recommendations for Paper Mario Clones (like The Stick of Truth and Costume Quest)

2 Upvotes

I've played the original Paper Mario, Costume Quest and The Stick of Truth, and I've recently remembered how much I liked those games (and how shoddy and middling The Fractured But Whole was lol). I want to play more games like them, preferably on PC with controller support.


r/rpg_gamers • • 8h ago

News EA shutting down BioWare, new Mass Effect game cancelled

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3.3k Upvotes

r/rpg_gamers • • 5h ago

Recommendation request Best survival/RPG with great building mechanics?

8 Upvotes

Looking for the best survival/rpg games with great building mechanics! Bonus points if it's on Game Pass. I play Palworld, Once Human and RuneScape Dragonwilds for reference. I love the building in Once Human but hate how all the good stuff is behind a pay wall. 😭