Weekly Gaming Blog · 3:10pm May 7th, 2017
Welcome to my Weekly Gaming Blog!
This week's coverage: Persona 5.
WARNING: This blog contains Persona 5 plot spoilers for 6/20 (Evening) through 7/18 (Evening). Proceed with caution.
REMINDER: Although this blog contains certain P5 plot spoilers, please be mindful of posting spoilers beyond that point in the comments. Please note where the blog's story summary leaves off, and mark any spoilers past that point. (Or better yet, don't leave spoilers past that point in the comments at all. 
)
Newly acquired games this week:
God Eater Resurrection (PS4)
Gravity Rush Remastered (PS4)
Persona 5
(Note: I named my protagonist Shitty Underpants Kaito Hidari, so for simplicity's sake I will be referring to him as such throughout. Additionally, I will be using the group name I gave the thieves in my game, Les Chatons, to refer to the party collectively. Also, and again for the sake of simplicity, I am omitting the narrative framing device of the interrogation from my recaps.)
Current Progress: 7/18 (Evening)
KAITO Lv. 27
Persona Compendium: 20%
Charm 3 | Proficiency 2 | Knowledge 3 | Guts 3 | Kindness 2
Confidants:
0. The Fool: rank 6
I. The Magician: rank 4
IV. The Emperor: rank 4
V. The Hierophant: rank 3
VI. The Lovers: rank 4
VII. The Chariot: rank 5
VIII. Justice: rank 1
XI. Strength: rank 1
XIII. Death: rank 6
XIV. Temperance: rank 1
XV. The Devil: rank 3
XVIII. The Moon: rank 6
XIX. The Sun: rank 4
XX. Judgement: rank 1
Phantom Thieves Vs. The Mafia, continued
Upon entering the Palace, Les Chatons meet Shadow Kaneshiro, who is an absolute sexist pig--even moreso than the real Kaneshiro--and outlines his plan to force Makoto into prostitution on threat of destroying her sister's career and making Sae his personal slave. Hearing Kaneshiro ramble on about how weak and stupid women are and how they're only useful as slaves and whores angers Makoto past her breaking point, and she Awakens to the power of her Persona, Johanna. Les Chatons can only stare in awe as Makoto manifests a freaking motorbike as a Persona, along with a set of badass biker babe leathers for herself, and opens a can of whoopass on the security guards. However, Kaneshiro summons so much security that Les Chatons are forced to withdraw for now.
Makoto makes her apologies for the way she behaved toward Les Chatons earlier, and is readily accepted into their ranks. Now a full-fledged Phantom Thief herself, Makoto asks all the right, serious questions about how operations are planned and executed.
...but still in a public place. 
Upon returning to the Palace for the first infiltration operation, Makoto is given the codename Queen. She also discovers just how disorganized Les Chatons really are, is mortified, and decides to take over operations.
In the depths of the massive bank vault beneath Kaneshiro's Palace, Les Chatons confront Shadow Kaneshiro and his giant robot piggy bank. Upon defeat, Shadow Kaneshiro reveals more about the other person with the power to change hearts, who may be linked to the widespread mental breakdowns plaguing the city and causing things like subway accidents.
Kaneshiro turns himself over to the police, and the news spreads far and wide that the Phantom Thieves caused a change of heart that forced him to confess everything. Sae is confused and frustrated, and angry because her promotion was riding on being the one to collar Kaneshiro. Akechi is also pissed at the latest exploits of the Phantom Thieves.
As Les Chatons bask in the public adulation and think ahead to their next mission, they also plan a victory party for after exams. Meanwhile, Makoto makes her final report to Kobayakawa, telling him she is done with her investigation of the Phantom Thieves, and that she no longer will allow him to hold the whole "recommendation letter" thing over her head. With his one ace no longer in play, Kobayakawa reports to his superior, nervous and anxious.
The Director of SIU and an unknown party who seems to have aspirations toward the highest political office in Japan discuss the Phantom Thieves, and their anger toward this group for attempting to promote social reform, which they believe only the elite should control and dictate. They are also aware of the Metaverse, and make plans to lay a deadly trap for Les Chatons.
After exams, Les Chatons make plans to view a fireworks festival and have a big victory dinner. Unfortunately, heavy rains scuttle their plans. As Kaito returns to Leblanc, he learns from the TV news that the hacktivist group Medjed has issued a challenge to Les Chatons, declaring their "justice" to be false. Later that night, on the group chat, the thieves discuss how they should respond to this open challenge from an anonymous group of international cyberterrorists.
Unbeknownst to Les Chatons, a mysterious hacker girl in a dark room full of computers is listening to their every word no matter where they go...
À SUIVRE...
Thoughts:
- Holy fucking hell Makoto and her Persona. 
- Talking with Zef about Makoto:
Zef: Have I mentioned that she's my favorite PT? :P
Zef: Including the MC?
Zef: ...
Zef: oh god
Zef: She's Hermione
Zef: And we've been calling the MC "Harry Potter" since he was first revealed
Moth: That means she's gonna marry Ryuji!
Zef: XO!
Zef: I wasn't planning on Romancing her but now I have to save her from that ;_;
Moth: XD!!
- The whole "cracked ass" scene after leaving Kaneshiro's Palace for the last time cracked my ass up. 
- Here's a trick in case you're playing the game and haven't found this out from someplace else yet: Mementos bosses are ridiculously vulnerable to Pulinpa, and this can be exploited to grind massive amounts of money. Equip Joker with a Persona that has Pulinpa and high Luck (Zef recommends 19 Luck, I've gotten it to work well with 14 Luck). When you engage a Mementos boss, use Pulinpa until it works, then have everyone hang back on guard. For about three turns, there's a chance the Shadow will drop 17k+ yen (or an item). Just keep doing this as much as you want, and you can make mad bank. (Kudos to Zef for cluing me in to this trick. I was able to grind 200k yen in one 2-target expedition!)
God Eater Resurrection is fun. Kinda complicated and somewhat difficult, but fun nonetheless. ...I really need to get back to it.