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amigolupus
Aug 25, 2017

So I've re-read the part where the team discussed changing Sae's heart, and I'm still not really sure what they're hoping to happen. Say they do succeed, here's what I assume might happen:

- Sae tries to stall the investigation to give the team more time to find the real culprit: The SIU Director just replaces her with a willing lackey to continue the investigation.
- Sae goes public at the corruption going on: The public doesn't believe her since they think the Thieves just brainwashed her into saying that. SIU director still replaces her.
- Sae goes public and the public believes her: She still gets replaced by the director and the real culprit gives her a mental shutdown and blames that on the Thieves again.

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mastersord
Feb 15, 2001

Gold Card Putty Fan Club
Member Since 2017!
Soiled Meat

amigolupus posted:

So I've re-read the part where the team discussed changing Sae's heart, and I'm still not really sure what they're hoping to happen. Say they do succeed, here's what I assume might happen:

- Sae tries to stall the investigation to give the team more time to find the real culprit: The SIU Director just replaces her with a willing lackey to continue the investigation.
- Sae goes public at the corruption going on: The public doesn't believe her since they think the Thieves just brainwashed her into saying that. SIU director still replaces her.
- Sae goes public and the public believes her: She still gets replaced by the director and the real culprit gives her a mental shutdown and blames that on the Thieves again.

If I remember correctly, there are 2 points to this mission:

1) The change of heart will buy time.
2) The team wants to make her shadow aware of the other metaverse hunter. This will both draw him to them and give them an arena advantage if not another ally.

If they succeed in both, they might be able to give the hunter's real world counter-part a change of heart and make him admit the whole thing and clear their names before they get arrested and tried.

Funky Valentine
Feb 26, 2014

Dojyaa~an

Also the unspoken

3) Make Makoto's sister less of an awful human being.

AradoBalanga
Jan 3, 2013

Funky Valentine posted:

Also the unspoken

3) Make Makoto's sister less of an awful human being.
I'd argue that it's less making Sae into a better person, but to teach Sae that her approach to her professional life has been slowly overwhelming her approach to her personal life, to the point where the two are almost becoming a single entity. As seen by her Shadow's dialogue, Sae sees the world as a game of chance that she must always win at no matter how much Sae must rig the game to achieve a win. This even applies things like raising a younger sibling on her own, something one would normally never treat the same as playing blackjack or solving a murder case. Sae has become consumed by her career as a prosecutor to the point it is all that Sae sees; to her, what life throws at you is just another case to solve and win big at all costs. In short, our goal is to help Sae realize that it is possible to have a career in a field like the judicial system and still have a life separate from all of that madness.

Blue Labrador
Feb 17, 2011

While I'm happy we're pursuing Haru cause she loving rocks, this entire arc is one of the reasons I feel like Makoto is the closest to a "canon" love interest purely because it showcases how she's more or less the deuteragonist of the game

Arist
Feb 13, 2012

who, me?


Part 145: 11/14: Goro Akechi’s Gambling Addiction

Or alternatively: Goro Akechi’s Gonzo Arithmetic

Due to our forced egress from the Palace, we sadly no longer have Money Reading. What a shame. Oh well, let’s continue!

Music: The Whims of Fate





The area shimmers, revealing the courtroom, then shimmers back.



Dude… If this stuff’s still surprisin’ you, you’re gonna be in for a world of hurt from here on.
Hahaha… It still is a little hard to believe, I must admit.
Look, there is a counter up ahead. Shall we head there first?
I suppose there would be no issue in stopping by. Let us go.

Yep, let’s head to the counter.



First off, we would like to extend a welcome gift to you.



Another 1000 coins. Not much to brag about, but oh well.

Just 1,000 though. At least give each person that much, cheapskate.
I’m sorry, but the welcome gift can only be applied once per card. Furthermore… this is the map for the high limit floor.



OK, show us your prizes now. We want to exchange our coins for a member’s card.
*chuckle* We do have prizes, but that is unfortunately not one of them.



What? Then how are we supposed to get to the manager’s floor…?
I assure you, there is no need for a card. Please head over there…



Well, we cannot proceed unless we check it out. Why don’t we head over there for the time being?




Well, what do we have here?




There’s an area over on the other side too. That could lead to the manager’s floor!
There can be no doubt… We’ll need to lower the bridge to cross.
But how do we do that?
Hm, how indeed. Let us try investigating around here.



First things first, there’s a locked chest over here.



God, we have so many Lockpicks.



Another Bead Chain, nifty.



I wonder if the thing we need to examine is the device right next to where the last cutscene ended? Hmm…



The required number of coins to activate the Bridge of Judgment is 100,000 coins.



What…? We need 100,000 coins just to cross over there!?
It’s getting clearer that she has no intention of letting us proceed onward.
I don’t believe there is any need for pessimism though.



But think about how much that is! We were desperate just to get our hands on 50,000…
But we still obtained them in the end. We can succeed if we do that again, then double our total.
I suppose this is the high limit floor…
Indeed, there must be a high risk, high return game somewhere here. Though we’ll need to win too…
Our first order of business should be to see what kind of games exist on this floor.

First, though, let’s head back to the counter.



There are three items available for purchase here, none of which are terribly necessary. The “best” one is the one that doesn’t require us to swap out an SP Adhesive 3, so not one of the accessories. That would be the Golden Beam, a weapon for Akechi that fires bullets that inflict Despair. The other items are a Tyche Charm, which increases the user’s luck by 10 (!). If I had any faith that Futaba’s Luck stat did anything, I would buy this immediately. And the Despair Charm just nulls Despair. Not useless, but not worth much either. I don’t buy anything here just yet, but if you do decide to make a purchase, keep in mind that even with all the coins we have up to now available on the previous floor or this current one, there aren’t enough to buy all three. I might have missed a package on the previous floor, or needed to do some bonus gambling there, but if you buy all three items right now, you won’t have enough coins for the buy-in for the games ahead.



Now, let’s start by heading over to the House of Darkness.




You better not be lookn’ for a fight. We ain’t interested!
*chuckle* That won’t be necessary. You are valuable participants, after all.



Most certainly. The original intent behind the high limit floor is different from that of others. On this floor, VIPs are encouraged the send substitutes to compete in the games in their place. Consider it to be like the horses in horse racing. However… it seems you have no substitutes.
Of course we don’t. That should be obvious.
Indeed it is! Hence, you will be the vital participants in these games.



...So we basically need to be our own substitutes. Eh, sounds perfect to me! That’s way better than spectating!

Speak for yourself, Morgana. You’re on the bench anyway.

Splendid! Now, allow me to explain the rules. A straightforward maze lies directly ahead of you. I suggest you exercise utmost caution within, as the lighting is dimmed quite heavily. Your entry fee into this maze will be 1,000 coins… But if you can manage to reach the goal, well… you will obtain ten times that amount.



It is no wonder they call this the high limit floor. I doubt the maze will be as simple as it sounds…



One more thing: You are free to head backward in the maze or even leave the room if you so choose. ...Well then, please enjoy.



Aww, you’re just paranoid! Sounds like fun!

Music: Disquiet



Aww, beans.

God drat! It’s so freakin’ dark!
This is definitely not “a little.” We’ve been tricked.

He didn’t say “a little,” though. He said “quite heavily.”

I’m sensing Shadows too. “Very simple,” my rear end.
If we do not ascertain the layout and placement of the enemies, we will surely find ourselves in danger. I just hope there is an adequate way of doing so…

Wink wink.



In case you don’t immediately realize what you need to do, just tape down your L1 button for the rest of this segment, because it’s Third Eye time, baby! Using it will actually make it brighter for once. From there, it’s rather simple to detect the Shadows and find a way forward.



This is Norn. It can heal itself to full and use Wind and Electricity.



And these are Rangda, a staple of the SMT series. They reflect Physical and Gun, but are weak to Electric and Bless damage. They use Curse and Physical.



Eventually we follow the straight path until we come to a room with a bunch of NPCs huddled together. That’s odd.



And we see the reason why. The only door forward won’t open.

No way… It’s not opening!?
Impossible. We took the only path available straight to this point.
So, the participants are trapped in here to fall victim to the Shadows? ...It seems they have no intention of letting us proceed further.
Dammit, this is cheatin’… Actually, it’s even worse than cheatin’!
Regardless, let’s search for a way past here. We can’t get the coins if we don’t reach the goal.



Thankfully, there’s an open vent conveniently placed right next to it.

Hm, how convenient. If they’re not going to let us move forward, we can force our way through here.
Haha, an unsurprising idea for Sae-san’s sister. I will go along with whatever plan we choose. The decision is yours, Joker.



We find ourselves high up in a new area upon exiting the vent.



This is Skadi. She uses Ice attacks, and can use the combo of Evil Smile and Ghastly Wail to inflict Fear, then kill anyone with the status. No weaknesses, but reflects Ice.

Now, the rest of this area is a long, tedious trek through identical dark corridors, with maybe a treasure chest if you go the wrong way. I’m not going to bother showing them all off, so let’s just skip to the end.

Music: The Whims of Fate



Is that it though? It feels like there’s more up ahead.



And another treasure chest.




The Morose Collar is a decent piece of armor for Morgana with Resist Brainwash.



Next, we enter this outrageously long hall.




What? You’re gonna have to speak up! You’re really far away!

Huh? That’s the guy who was at the reception desk…




Really, man? Why’s everything gotta be a goddamn trial around here? ...Shut up, I know this is a courthouse, that pun was not intentional.

That bastard! What’s he tryin’ to do here!?
Leave your complaining for later. Our path’s been blocked, so we need to find a way around.



We could just grab the edge and hop over this, you guys. It’s not that tall. *sigh* Welp, time to wander through more backrooms.



Morgana learns Garudyne to replace Garula.



Haru also learns Psiodyne to replace Psio.



They’re really backloading these treasure chests, drat.




Oh sweet, another Soma! That makes three in our inventory, two of which we got from this dungeon.



Man, that long way ‘round poo poo is bull! Where’s that bastard from earlier, huh!?



We might as well reset the cards, even if we won’t actually be coming back this way.

Hey, isn’t this the thing that Shadow was messing with?



Oh, we have an escape route now! We can proceed onward without having to worry about it anymore.



Now that we’re past that, we’ve trapped the Shadow in a dead end. Let’s finally finish this.



You truly are pests… Every time you think you’ve crushed them, they just come crawling back in.
What was that, you bastard!?
I hope you’re ready. We didn’t appreciate that trap of yours.
He’s right! You didn’t have any intention of letting us get past that maze in the first place!
Ah, you are indeed correct! That is how things are supposed to be. You’re not worthy of victory. Now, won’t you just lie down and die for me? This isn’t an easy job, you know.



Awww, is that so? Well then it seems I have no other choice…!




This guy uses Electric attacks, and will eventually use Concentrate to boost them. It’s got more health than most of the other minibosses in this Palace, but this guy’s still kinda pathetic.



Ryuji learns Megaton Raid, a Severe Physical strike that finally puts him on par with Yusuke and Akechi in terms of Physical damage strength. It replaces Assault Dive.



Yusuke also learns Bufudyne to replace Bufula.



Considering how things were on the members floor, it’s no surprise this isn’t a fair game either.
And yet we still reached our goal. Come now, let us go. We have no more business here.
Hm, we will have to go to another game if we want to win more coins…

We’re then given the option to warp directly back to reception, which we take. But before we explore the other wing of the high limit floor, let’s take a little diversion...



Music: Aria of the Soul



The names of the Personas you have registered now fill more than half of the Inmate Registry. Our master is pleased with your rehabilitation and has yet again bestowed a special privilege.
We’re giving you a bigger discount on summoning from the registry! What do you think? Are you happy?
If you fill the Inmate Registry with even more names, our master may grant further privileges. Work hard toward your rehabilitation.

The summoning discount has now increased from 10% to 15%.



Today, we’re fusing Horus from Norn and Girimehkala.



I’ll be your mask from now on! Let’s fly together into the light!



Horus is an Egyptian god associated with the sun, and is the son of the god Osiris. The pharaoh of Egypt was thought to be the personification of Horus, and was responsible for keeping balance. In his battle with his brother Seth, the gods chose him as the victor.



Next, Seth as an Advanced Fusion from Thoth, Isis, Anubis, and Horus.



So you wish for the power to kill, even if others abhor you? In that case, I shall become your mask.

Kill? What? No.



Seth is the Egyptian god associated with deserts, storms, and chaos. He was married to his sister, which I guess ran in the family because Osiris, Horus’ father (and Seth’s brother) who he ended up murdering, did the same thing. He and his nephew Horus have a never-ending battle, with the upper hand shifting as it turns from day to night and vice versa.

Now, we’ve fused the Seth we need for the last Strength request. However, it doesn’t have the skill we need, High Counter. Oops. We could go through all the trouble of re-fusing it by leveling Dakini to 52, then fusing it with Pazuzu to make a new Horus with High Counter...






Or we could just do this.

We got this skill card from a request, upon which I mentioned we should save it for later. Well, now's later.



Ah… Is that… a Seth with the skill High Counter?

Caroline and Justine Rank 10



You really made it…!?

Err, yes. I totally fused it and didn’t cheat at all, yep.

The inmate with all those pitiful Personas actually managed this…? H-Hmph. I guess I can compliment you this time.
Well done. You have far exceeded our original expectations. This may not be a proper thing to say to an inmate, but you have done extraordinary work.
You’re a real handful, but I gotta give you some credit.
As for the next task we will assign to you… There is nothing. You have fulfilled every duty available to you. As the ones who rule over power, our role is… ……



Rule over… power…? Why did I say that…?




Justine…?



I-It is nothing. Just… my head… Urgh! These memories… The one who first wrote this list. It was me… Or was it us…? Just… what are we…?



*pant* *pant* My apologies…
Don’t worry. This has happened to me too.




Caroline, do not shift the blame onto him…
Ugh… I hope you know you’re a real handful, Inmate!

Caroline and Justine turn to each other and nod.

But… fine. I’ll grant you that privilege. Heg, we’ve really gone soft, huh?

You still kick me into the Velvet Room. How soft can you possibly have gone?

Perhaps… Perhaps you are too embarrassed to admit how much his concern pleased you?




Anyway, we’re gonna give you a great ability this time! You’re gonna cry tears of joy when you get it! And, um, Inmate… There’s no doubt you’re a problem child. But honestly… we’re real impressed that you conquered all the trials we put forth.

Aww, shucks.

You hold a surprisingly great potential.
So… fight. I’m sure you’ll be able to accomplish anything you put your mind to.




Caroline and Justine nod.

Trickster… I believe in you. Prove to us that you can reach the truth.
We will be waiting for you, Maaku…

Holy poo poo, they know my name!

I feel a strong bond with Caroline and Justine...

Music: The Spirit




Now we can finally fuse above our level. Be warned, though: the fees are exorbitant.



Music: Aria of the Soul



You’re still in rehabilitation till you can get out from behind the bars. Got that, Inmate!?

Music: The Whims of Fate



Now, we can head to the Battle Arena.




Oh, it’s you guys… Our manager told us about you.



My, you’re so quick to anger. Wonderful. This would be quite boring if that wasn’t the case.
Oh! Yes, we do!

We do what, Haru? Did anyone read over this script before it went out?

(What I think happened here is that he’s supposed to ask if we have 10,000 coins to participate in the Battle Arena, but because we came here second that line isn’t playing correctly and got skipped over. I dunno, weird)

Oh, you have surely been busy. Very well then, allow me to explain this game to you. Here, you will prove your supremacy in a trio of fierce one-on-one battles. Then again… this is the pinnacle of our casino, the high limit floor. Normallu, our VIPs would prepare substitutes who would fight to the death for their sake… The attending guests then bet coins on who they think will win.



The entirety of this floor must be like that. Taking little risk for a high return is truly the optimal business strategy.
But can we even participate if we don’t have a substitute?
Hey, we didn’t need one for the other game! The same probably applies in here too.
As irritating as it may be, that is correct. Please participate. Registration will take place at the counter over there.



Of course! Our teamwork’s gonna take down this arena of yours!
Ah, now that won’t do. This is a series of honest one-on-one battles.



Correct, only one can participate. You’ll need to choose someone to act as your representative. The entry fee for this event is 10,000 coins. However, if you manage to succeed the trials, you will be granted ten times that: 100,000 coins.



Hm… This feels like a trap to me. An amount that high would certainly ensure great danger.
But failure to infiltrate this Palace will be the end of us.
So we don’t got a choice…
Very well. In that case, Joker should be the one to participate. We don’t know what kind of enemies may appear, so his high level of adaptability will be vital here.



I’m glad you understand.
I think I can at least provide backup from the sidelines. You won’t be alone, Joker!
Has your mind been made up? The battles will begin once you enter. Now then, shall you challenge the imposing Battle Arena?



Oh…? In that case, please head onward into the ring. The entry fee and appropriate prize total shall be calculated at the end of the game. Now then… prepare to know the true meaning of agony. *chuckle*







Music: Keeper of Lust




Odds are 1.1 to the house, 23.0 to the Phantom Thieves!

Remember this number kids, it’s going to be on the exam.

Wow, the Phantom Thieves are surprisingly popular! It’s rare to see odds in the double digits! Now, let us begin our serious one-on-one battle! Bring out the first contestant!



This isn’t one-on-one at all! They’re just ignoring the rules right from the beginning!
Now then, it’s time for this hellish trio of battles to begin! Ready, set… go!



This first group won’t do much besides Cleave and occasionally just not act. They can Charge up, increase their Attack and decrease your Defense, but it’s rare and I only saw it when I was down to one. It’s still annoying having to deal with two of them, though. If only we had a Persona with both multitarget damage, Resist Physical, and a full heal spell...



Oh, wait. They go down real simple after we switch to good ol’ Hungry Monk.



You know, that’s a little hard to say… I’m just going to call him the Phantom Dweeb from now on! All of you betting on the house, do not fret. The second round of contestants is arriving now!



How cowardly! There’s nothing fair or honest about this!
Quiet down in the peanut gallery. Now, it’s time to die in this bloodcurdling battle!




Oops, I killed them all in one hit. You know, I was kind of dreading the Arena, but a good Persona can carry you through it no problem as long as you’ve got Diarahan at least once somewhere in your arsenal. The multi-target and Resist Physical’s just cake.



Grr, there’s no way in hell you’re getting away with this! Time for our final contestant!



Yowza… That’s a big one.
Go, grind his bones to dust! Let the extreme third battle begin!



Charge, wait, Megaton Raid, Concentrate, wait, Ziodyne, repeat. That’s his entire pattern. As long as we guard the Ziodyne because we don’t resist it, we’re fine.

Music: The Whims of Fate



Once again, justice prevails.
Th-the payout will be handed over after this… Please wait…




You were incredible! They never even planned on giving you a fair fight in there.
Yes, I expected that would be the case. Our other trials have been rigged as well, after all.
So you sent Joker in knowing full well the possible dangers!?
I simply had faith in his skill. And to be honest… there was no other course of action available. Come now, we should head to the bridge. This shall be our moment to shine.



Lookit all them coins, hot drat. Let’s head back to the authentication device, then.



(I bought some of the accessories before heading over, if you’re wondering why the coin count is different)

The required number of coins to activate the Bridge of Judgment is 100,000 coins.
We got that! Now let us through!

Music: Desire




I never expected you would make it this far. I commend you on your vigorous efforts. However, you will never proceed to the manager’s floor ahead. From this moment forward, the number of coins for the bridge will increase to 1,000,000 coins!



That’s not fair! You can’t give us an impossible task like that!
Ah, you finally understand? That is the point. Your task will forever be impossible! Hence, I will emerge victorious!
We had only just barely gotten 100,000 coins as well…
She said she would let us through if we had 1,000,000 coins, yes? In that case, there won’t be a problem.



Y-You know how to win that many!?



Music: Disquiet



What…? How could that be!?

Stole the words right outta my mouth.

Do you remember what we were told at the very beginning? Essentially, we could borrow as many coins from the casino as we already held on our card.
Well yes, but…
For example, had we borrowed the max when we had 10,000 coins, we would have ended up with 20,000.



It took me loving forever to figure out where on earth he got the number 460,000 from. As it turns out, if you remember the odds from the Battle Arena, they were 23.0 for the Phantom Thieves. This was in a single throwaway line of dialogue from a disembodied voice who didn’t get a portrait or voice acting, and you almost certainly forgot about it thus.

Yes, but you’re speaking purely in hypotheticals. That’s not what actually happened.
Correct, on Joker’s card. However, that is not the only card in our possession.
You have… another card!?



Exactly. Instead of disposing of it, I secretly used it to gather coins and outsmart this system.

He did it in the magical kingdom of Offscreen Land, where nothing takes any time whatsoever.



H-Hmph… So what? That’s still clearly not close to the required total.




What the gently caress is going on



Um, what? This isn’t order of operations, subtraction doesn’t come after multiplication. You would have needed to pay the first sum back first before you doubled it. That’s only 900,000. It doesn’t actually change anything, but still.

Adding Joker’s total to that brings us to 1,010,000 coins. We can surely cross the bridge now.



Is there a problem? The manager’s room lies ahead. We won’t need to worry about coins after this. Or did you honestly intend on paying back such a large sum?

I owe like a million coins to a casino in this lady’s heart. Afraid somebody’s gonna come bust my kneecaps.

Impossible… This can’t be…!
Crow… It’s a actualy a little frightening how sharp you are…
I’ll take that as a compliment. I’m glad I was able to contribute to our Phantom Thieves efforts. Now, we should hurry and let the bridge down before she decides to change the rules once again.

Why doesn’t she?

Also, I feel like I should explain just what the hell Akechi’s plan actually was because literally all of it takes place offscreen.
  1. Register the Taro Tanaka card on the high limit floor for a free 1,000 coins.
  2. Register for the maze, taking him from 1,000 coins to 0.
  3. Complete the maze, giving him 10,000 coins.
  4. Borrow 10,000 coins, giving him 20,000 coins.
  5. Bet on Maaku in the Battle Arena with 23-to-1 odds, giving him 460,000 coins.
  6. Return 10,000 coins and borrow another 460,000. I guess these actions take place simultaneously because he should have 900,000 by any stretch of the imagination, not 910,000.
  7. Somehow pool the points on both cards to reach a number he didn’t know he needed.
  8. Seriously, it relies on him just assuming we’ll need not just more coins, but exactly one million. It makes no sense anyway.
That extra 10,000 coins that appeared out of nowhere is great, though, because it means you can go back and buy the last item from the counter if you’re so inclined.

Music: The Whims of Fate



Do you wish to activate the Bridge of Judgment?







We had better be ready for whatever lies ahead!



And the Treasure’s in sight.

Music: Suspicion



A lot has happened, but we managed to get up here! Miss Manager’s days are numbered!



I entertained you with all of my “games,” but it appears you are still far from satisfied. Very well. I’ve made preparations especially for that possibility. This will be a game of life and death from now on. No matter who I face, I shall not lose!
Sis… …… Our infiltration route is secure. We need to head back out and send the calling card.
And once the calling card is sent, Sae-san’s Treasure will appear, correct?
Yeah. Once the target is cognizant of the danger, that cloudy thing will take shape.
I wonder… What will the Treasure look like?
That depends on the person… For Kamoshida, it was a medal. Madarame’s was a painting, and Kaneshiro’s was fake money…
Father’s was a plastic model…
In other words… the Treasure is what marked the beginning of the Palace ruler’s aspirations.
It could also be what caused their desires to swell.
Thinking about it won’t get us anywhere though. Let’s head back and prepare the calling card.

Music: The Whims of Fate



Hm? What’s up? You curious about the Treasure?
Speaking of that, it actually looks like there’s a shape formed in the haziness…
If I had to guess… I’d say Sis’ Treasure is a police notebook.
Right… Your father was…
She…. Probably thinks Dad died because the police were using him. That’s why she believes justice is meaningless, and that there’s no point living a subservient life… Dad’s death is even the reason she aspired to become a prosecutor and grew so obsessed with winning… She really loved him…
Sae-san’s heart must be exhausted from living in such a fiercely competitive world… Honest beliefs alone are not enough to get you through. Even I understand that pain… But that is exactly why we need to change her heart.
...Yes, you’re right.
And now we’ve ascertained the location of the Treasure for that goal.





Now returning to the real world from Niijima’s Palace. Thank you for your hard work.



We finally secured our route to the Treasure! All we need to do now is send the calling card.
Mkay, I’ve been waitin’ for this! Anyways, when’re we gonna send it? I guess that part’s up to you, dude. Let us know when you need us!

Welp, finally out of there. That was the best Palace and it still was… a lot. But enough of that, time for the final edition of the Phashion Phrenzy!



More weird maid uniforms, yep. Exactly what I wanted out of this, game. At least Maaku has a cool monocle.



I like most of these, honestly. Yusuke’s and Ann’s are kinda lame, but Ryuji’s is dope, Haru’s got a cute hat, and Makoto’s outfit here rules hard enough that I felt compelled to show off the cape. Also, Morgana, you need arms, you silly!

Music: Reach Out To The Truth (Dancing On Persona Stage)

This is the “final boss” music of Persona 4: Dancing All Night.



I’m glad they didn’t go with any of these outfits in the real Persona 5 dancing game, because most of them are traaaaaaaash! Akechi’s is the only one I actually really like.

Music: Normal Battle – Tokyo

This is the Tokyo battle music in Shin Megami Tensei IV.



These outfits are all near-identical, but I like Morgana’s Burroughs outfit. Also the look really works for Haru for some reason.

Music: Arena (Stage ver.)

I’m actually not sure where this plays in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. I think it’s the title screen music.



Oh poo poo! We look like the slickest nazis! I like the custom glasses/masks for everyone but this is just a comically bad look all around, hah. The Shadow Operatives are about this lame though, so I get it.

Music: Battle ~ Raidou

This is the battle music, surprisingly hard to find, for Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army.



We’re not exactly fashion-forward here, but the Yumizuki High School uniforms have a certain charm. Also Akechi is dressed as an imperialist dog, and Morgana is Gouto! How adorable! We don’t need him getting any more sarcastic, though.

Now, it’s time to decide a winner… and compiling the data here, my objective choice is… Akechi? Goddammit, what? This machine is broken! Ugh. Whatever. You idiots can just decide amongst yourselves. No, there isn’t a reward. Life is pointless, get used to it.

I can’t believe I spent 60 dollars on this horseshit.

Arist fucked around with this message at 21:17 on Aug 10, 2018

Hunt11
Jul 24, 2013

Grimey Drawer
I had a very different strategy when it came to the arena. I still had the elephant persona from the last palace and let the enemies destroy themselves. I didn't even know Thor used Ziodyne as he always blew himself up.

eternaldough
Jan 16, 2017

Is Makoto suppose to be some kind of Chrismas Ninja? Also those dancer outfits are all winners, with Morgana's afro being in a league of it's own.

megane
Jun 20, 2008



Akechi's style is a daring fusion of "idiot" and "jackbooted thug."

I didn't notice until now but the wardens' hats spell out OXYMORON if you read back and forth between them.

Ibblebibble
Nov 12, 2013

Please do not disparage Yusuke's galaxy tights.

fucking love Fiona Apple
Jun 19, 2013

samus comfy so what

Can we all just appreciate Haru and Yusukes dancing tights?

Solitair
Feb 18, 2014

TODAY'S GONNA BE A GOOD MOTHERFUCKIN' DAY!!!
I appreciate the inclusion of SMT4, the only SMT game I've finished. (I tried P3 and Devil Summoner but hit some discouraging roadblocks.)

MarquiseMindfang
Jan 6, 2013

vriska (vriska)

Arist posted:

I’m glad they didn’t go with any of these outfits in the real Persona 5 dancing game, because most of them are traaaaaaaash! Akechi’s is the only one I actually really like.

You apologise to those galaxy pants right now.

Arist
Feb 13, 2012

who, me?


I... don't even know what to say if you think that Yusuke looks at all good or cool

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.

Arist posted:

I... don't even know what to say if you think that Yusuke looks at all good or cool

But his pants are out of this world!

Arist
Feb 13, 2012

who, me?


He looks like someone told him "hey we're throwing a dance party" and he took it way too seriously. If I was on the dance floor with him (an absurd hypothetical, to be sure), I would be afraid for my loving life. All it takes is one insult to his weird headband and he'd snap and start beating people to death with a mic stand, Rise-style.

Alkydere
Jun 7, 2010
Capitol: A building or complex of buildings in which any legislature meets.
Capital: A city designated as a legislative seat by the government or some other authority, often the city in which the government is located; otherwise the most important city within a country or a subdivision of it.



I think Akechi's plan is entirely reasonable in a "I know the establishment is cheating so I'm gonna cheat back" way and he seems the type to scheme and crunch numbers like that for fun. Remember, whatever else he is, he's also regularly on TV which means he's likely got lots of practice at dissembling and misdirection and keeping his cool while people are watching him.

What makes it so contrived is the fact that the authors/translators worked so hard to make it so close to the perfect number. Honestly it would have come across a lot better if either he was a) relieved his scheming had barely made it or b) was all smug. "1 million points? Psh, I've got twice that. I knew we'd be screwed and thought I'd see how far I could break the system. Turns out I broke more than needed."

Arist
Feb 13, 2012

who, me?


macfam
Dec 22, 2012
I ended up needing to do this dungeon two or three times to meet the deadline because I waited too long to finish it.
Even more embarrassingly, I saved the fortune confidant till last, leaving me unable to reach rank 10 because fortune's confidant saves time needed to boost stats and rank up other confidants.

Hwurmp
May 20, 2005

actually Yusuke's tights are hella hardcore, shaka brah

Funky Valentine
Feb 26, 2014

Dojyaa~an

NORMALLY WHEN YOU BORROW THE AMOUNT ON YOUR CARD, YOU GET DOUBLE OF WHAT WAS ON YOUR CARD! BUT I'M A GENETIC FREAK! AND I'M NOT NORMAL!

The Dancing All Night Outfit Power Rankings:

1) DJ Kr0w the HERO
2) Futaba Sakura: How do you do fellow kids.
3) Magic Ryuji XXX
4) The outfit that would get Makoto killed if Sae saw it
5) Funky Morgana
6) "It's 2PM and I just woke up" Haru
7) "I found this outfit in Sojiro's junk box" Maaku
8) "Just got back from Denver" Yusuke
9) Belly dancer Ann

Robindaybird
Aug 21, 2007

Neat. Sweet. Petite.

Not to mention it feels rude, to let the player work their way to winning the 100k, then have the 'victory' robbed by Sae and then Akechi solving the problem, like let the player figure out how to break the bank and rub it in her face - make Akechi suggest abusing the loan mechanic and then go from there.

W.T. Fits
Apr 21, 2010

Ready to Poyozo Dance all over your face.
I hate the Hall of Darkness.

Leraika
Jun 14, 2015

Luckily, I *did* save your old avatar. Fucked around and found out indeed.

Arist posted:

He looks like someone told him "hey we're throwing a dance party" and he took it way too seriously. If I was on the dance floor with him (an absurd hypothetical, to be sure), I would be afraid for my loving life. All it takes is one insult to his weird headband and he'd snap and start beating people to death with a mic stand, Rise-style.

But wouldn't that be 100% worth watching?

Gruckles
Mar 11, 2013

Arist posted:

Adding Joker’s total to that brings us to 1,010,000 coins. We can surely cross the bridge now.

As of now the price of the bridge has increased to Infinity+1 coins.

Tenebrais
Sep 2, 2011

I kind of like Makoto's dance outfit. It doesn't really suit her as a character but it's at least something I can imagine someone actually wearing to a club.

beru04
May 4, 2013

Stop making me realise things.

Funky Valentine posted:

NORMALLY WHEN YOU BORROW THE AMOUNT ON YOUR CARD, YOU GET DOUBLE OF WHAT WAS ON YOUR CARD! BUT I'M A GENETIC FREAK! AND I'M NOT NORMAL!

SEE HERE JOE-KER, THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE. AND THEY SPELL DISASTER FOR HER, AT SAE-CRIFICE

Dolash
Oct 23, 2008

aNYWAY,
tHAT'S REALLY ALL THERE IS,
tO REPORT ON THE SUBJECT,
oF ME GETTING HURT,


Robindaybird posted:

Not to mention it feels rude, to let the player work their way to winning the 100k, then have the 'victory' robbed by Sae and then Akechi solving the problem, like let the player figure out how to break the bank and rub it in her face - make Akechi suggest abusing the loan mechanic and then go from there.

It seems like an attempt to give Akechi a Sherlock Holmes moment of being one step ahead and solving the rigged system to impress upon the player once again that this boy detective sure knows his stuff. Like the abrupt court scene from earlier, it seems kind of like the rough cut of a character scene that may not have gotten polished, maybe as a result of second-half rewrites/time-crunches.

Robindaybird
Aug 21, 2007

Neat. Sweet. Petite.

Yeah, like I really like the themes and the characters, but compare to 3 and 4, it feels really unpolished storywise.

Omobono
Feb 19, 2013

That's it! No more hiding in tomato crates! It's time to show that idiota Germany how a real nation fights!

For pasta~! CHARGE!

Gruckles posted:

As of now the price of the bridge has increased to Infinity+1 coins.

Would the judge let her get away with doing this though? This is still a tribunal, and no matter what she tries to rig the system she knows she's not the one whose word is law.

Although now that I wrote this having her try and be shot down would have been better.

Mraagvpeine
Nov 4, 2014

I won this avatar on a technicality this thick.
Why not have a hole in the scale?

really queer Christmas
Apr 22, 2014

Really Pants posted:

actually Yusuke's tights are hella hardcore, shaka brah

Life is Yusuke

Ibblebibble
Nov 12, 2013

I'm thinking all the talk about high rollers usually having someone else do the dirty work is a big metaphor for the fall guys and scapegoats :smith:

KDavisJr
Jul 17, 2010

A real avatar never dies, even when it's replaced!

Arist posted:


Also, I feel like I should explain just what the hell Akechi’s plan actually was because literally all of it takes place offscreen.
  1. Register the Taro Tanaka card on the high limit floor for a free 1,000 coins.
  2. Register for the maze, taking him from 1,000 coins to 0.
  3. Complete the maze, giving him 10,000 coins.
  4. Borrow 10,000 coins, giving him 20,000 coins.
  5. Bet on Maaku in the Battle Arena with 23-to-1 odds, giving him 460,000 coins.
  6. Return 10,000 coins and borrow another 460,000. I guess these actions take place simultaneously because he should have 900,000 by any stretch of the imagination, not 910,000.
  7. Somehow pool the points on both cards to reach a number he didn’t know he needed.
  8. Seriously, it relies on him just assuming we’ll need not just more coins, but exactly one million. It makes no sense anyway.
That extra 10,000 coins that appeared out of nowhere is great, though, because it means you can go back and buy the last item from the counter if you’re so inclined.

What happened is actually quite simple. He only returned 10k after borrowing 460k, which I get the feeling is a thing you really shouldn't be able to do, but that's what you get when you run a shady casino full of demons inside someone's heart.

The Samurai Garb looks pretty sweet actually on everyone, though it fits on the males more, though I never did like the female version from SMTIV anyway. Yusuke's is best 'cause he can fully cosplay with it since he wields a katana. The Shadow Operatives looks goofy but it's still amazing.

Though the grand winner is Morgana, and you can't make me change my mind.

Arist posted:

I... don't even know what to say if you think that Yusuke looks at all good or cool

I'm surprised you don't think they're cool.

Funky Valentine posted:

4) The outfit that would get Makoto killed if Sae saw it

I take it you mean the dancer outfit?

Lord_Magmar
Feb 24, 2015

"Welcome to pound town, Slifer slacker!"


I think Akechi’s moment is also neat because whilst he claims it was for the Phantom Thieves he still went behind our backs and told none of us about his plan to game the rigged system.

Hunt11
Jul 24, 2013

Grimey Drawer
I do like this moment as while it is a bit frustrating it does an excellent job of showing off the type of character that Akechi really is. As despite everything he has said he quite clearly thinks he is above the group so why bother telling them of his cunning plan?

RareAcumen
Dec 28, 2012




As dumb as it was presented, Akechi doing that was fine in my book. Kid's planning ahead since you already had to do this twice already. Might as well get as many tokens as you can possibly get just in case this happens another four times.

Alkydere
Jun 7, 2010
Capitol: A building or complex of buildings in which any legislature meets.
Capital: A city designated as a legislative seat by the government or some other authority, often the city in which the government is located; otherwise the most important city within a country or a subdivision of it.



RareAcumen posted:

As dumb as it was presented, Akechi doing that was fine in my book. Kid's planning ahead since you already had to do this twice already. Might as well get as many tokens as you can possibly get just in case this happens another four times.

Basically this is how I feel. He sees the writing on the walls that they're going to need to go through another barrier and/or they're going to get screwed somehow. Might as well plan ahead and quietly screw the casino instead! The problem is that he a) doesn't tell anyone, not even a "Oh don't worry, I'm working on a backup plan. Don't speak up too loudly, and especially don't tell Skull because he'll want to discuss it over the PA system or some boneheaded thing like that." and b) the writers make it line up just a little bit two perfectly.

kw0134
Apr 19, 2003

I buy feet pics🍆

On the one hand yeah, it'd be much better writing to give the player an inkling beyond the throwaway scene with the extra card waaaaay at the beginning of the palace, but the way it was revealed also lets you feel like you weren't invalidated because Akechi's plan couldn't have worked without the player doing all that leg work anyway. You still needed to win the maze and the arena to let Akechi get in the position to bet on you.

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HIJK
Nov 25, 2012
in the room where you sleep
The entire scene needs a rewrite, just editing one or two lines wouldn't cut it. It's a good idea but they botched it.

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