Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection
- December 4, 2018
- Atlus
Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, two games being reviewed as one. Why? Because for all intents and purposes, they’re exactly the same.
"3 games in 1! Jam out to all your favorite Persona music with both Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight in an exclusive collector’s box featuring character art by Shigenori Soejima. Also includes a digital download code for Persona 4: Dancing All Night for the PlayStation 4 – the only way to get P4D on PS4!"
Reviews
- The games are a lot of fun, especially for fans of the Persona series and rhythm games, with catchy soundtracks and enjoyable gameplay.
- The collection offers great value by including three games, making it a worthwhile purchase for those who love the Persona franchise.
- The codes for downloadable content and Persona 4 Dancing still work, providing access to additional content and enhancing the overall experience.
- The packaging is poorly designed, with discs stacked on top of each other and the art book integrated into the game case, leading to concerns about potential damage.
- The art book is disappointing, lacking substantial content and feeling like an afterthought compared to expectations set by previous editions.
- Many players feel the DLC pricing is excessive and the overall content is lacking, especially when compared to the Japanese version, which offered more for a similar price.
- music74 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the Persona rhythm games is widely praised for its catchy and diverse soundtracks, appealing especially to fans of the series. While many enjoy the remixes and the nostalgic value of the tracks, some criticize the limited song selection and the quality of certain remixes. Overall, the games are considered a solid choice for rhythm game enthusiasts and Persona fans, despite some concerns about the lack of a cohesive story mode and the high cost of additional DLC.
“If you love Persona's music and rhythm games, these are a set that you will love!”
“The Persona soundtracks are always great, and turning them into a rhythm game is perfect.”
“At its core, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is a solid music/rhythm game, with a mostly good track list, that is very fun to play.”
“A bit cringey overall and rather lazy visually; most of the animations for the songs seem to be unscripted or randomly selected dance moves and don't do anything special with the song. The remixes vary widely in quality, from great to borderline offensive to the original.”
“Unless you're unhealthily obsessed with the characters, don't waste your money on this collection. It's not worth it. There are 4 levels of difficulty and only 11 songs for each game, which becomes seriously annoying after a day or two of the same songs over and over again. This isn't even a rhythm game; it's just timing. Button pressing has nothing to do with the music; you just hit the correct button as it goes in circles.”
“The list of songs in both games is very short and misses some obvious inclusions. Some of the remixes are awful, and the characterization frequently misses the nuances that made these characters so beloved to begin with. There is no true story mode, and the setup for these characters dancing is offensively bad.”
- story16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the games is generally viewed as lacking, with many reviewers noting the absence of a true narrative mode and criticizing the reliance on non-canon "social links" and fanservice elements. While "Persona 4: Dancing All Night" is acknowledged for having the most substantial story, it still pales in comparison to the narrative depth of previous entries in the series. Overall, the games are seen as enjoyable rhythm experiences, but they fail to deliver a cohesive or engaging story.
“P4 has the most 'story' out of all of them, though this is just a port from the Vita version.”
“P4's game was worth it more than P3 and P5 story-wise.”
“Fun, simple, and silly story scenes, gorgeous visuals, and the Persona 3 tracklist is some of the best music I’ve heard in video games, with lots of fun character customization.”
“Gameplay is exactly the same, however there is no actual story.”
“Not much story, these are purely fun fanservice rhythm games.”
“However, they lack the glue that a story mode brought to the previous game in the series that could have made it feel like a cohesive whole rather than a broad but disparate list of songs and customizations.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this collection is characterized by its addictive rhythm mechanics, appealing visuals, and a strong soundtrack that resonates with Persona fans. While some players find the interface poorly designed and the experience a bit grindy, the overall gameplay remains accessible yet challenging, offering a variety of unlockables and fan service that enhance the experience. However, newcomers may find the lack of a substantial story and multiplayer options limiting.
“I love the Persona series in general, so the rhythm games for me are a great way to just have some light gameplay fun.”
“The gameplay system is simple and addictive, with excellent character design and development work, and the songs are catchy, fun, and varied.”
“While a bit grindy later on, some killer tracks, entertaining gameplay, and a refreshing aesthetic make the games in this collection chart-toppers.”
“Gameplay is exactly the same; however, there is no actual story.”
“There is some good stuff here if you can deal with the poorly designed gameplay interface, but only the most enthusiastic Persona fans will want to fork out for this collection.”
“Dancing in Moonlight and Starlight feel more like expansion packs than full games; gameplay doesn't adapt well to big screens, and some remixes are lame with no multiplayer.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -8 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the games are widely praised for their stunning visuals and vibrant art style, contributing to an engaging and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the high production quality and the colorful aesthetics, which enhance the overall gameplay, despite some criticisms regarding repetitive content. The inclusion of an art book and fan service elements further enriches the visual appeal, making it a highlight of the collection.
“[fantastic visuals and style, as always, good increase in production quality over the previous entry, the social mode is a good replacement for the old story mode]”
“[stunning visuals and sense of style; the soundtrack is mostly great; the rhythm gameplay remains compelling; neat fan service easter eggs in the 'social' modes]”
“[fun, simple and silly story scenes, gorgeous visuals, Persona 3 tracklist is some of the best music I’ve heard in video games, lots of fun character customization]”
“The graphics in Persona 3 are the same bad graphics as the original, which makes me not want to play and listen to the annoying voices.”
“This isn't even a rhythm game; it's just timing. Button pressing has nothing to do with the music, you just hit the correct button as it goes in circles.”
“After a day or two of the same songs over and over again, it becomes seriously annoying.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the functionality of codes that unlock hidden in-game purchases, while others criticize misleading advertising and express concern over the game's monetization practices, suggesting a negative influence from other titles.
“My boyfriend loved it, the codes worked and you have access to the hidden in-game purchases!”
“Do not encourage Atlus to continue the BS monetization they learned from ArcSys with Arena.”
“The advertising image is very misleading, so watch out if you based your judgment on the advertising alone!”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that while the gameplay features enjoyable tracks and a refreshing aesthetic, there is a significant amount of unnecessary grinding required to unlock certain content, particularly social events. This grind can detract from the overall experience, especially when compared to previous titles in the series.
“While a bit grindy later on, some killer tracks, entertaining gameplay, and a refreshing aesthetic, the games in this collection are chart-toppers.”
“There are a few duds in the mix; unnecessary grinding to unlock social events later in the game. Story elements are fun, but pale in comparison to the last game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game lacks replayability, with some stating it is not worth the investment due to a lack of engaging content after completing the easy mode, leading to boredom.
“Not worth the money; there is no replay value. I was bored after beating easy mode.”
“The game lacks any incentive to play again after completing it once.”
“Once you've finished the main story, there's nothing left to draw you back in.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization of the Persona 4: Dancing PS4 port has been criticized for not being well-suited for TV screens, while the overall value of the Persona dancing collection is deemed poor due to high pricing and limited content, including low track counts and repetitive remixes. Additionally, the narrative content in the newer titles, Persona 3 Dancing and Persona 5 Dancing, is viewed as a significant downgrade.
“Persona 4: Dancing PS4 port isn't optimized for TV screens.”
“P3D and P5D are a huge step back in narrative content.”
“Individually, games are $60, which is outrageous for the content offered.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in the game is praised for its excellent design and depth, contributing to an engaging experience. Players also appreciate the catchy and varied songs that enhance the overall enjoyment, while the simple and addictive gameplay system complements the character interactions.
“The character design and development work is excellent, making each character feel unique and engaging.”
“The depth of character development adds layers to the story, allowing players to connect with the characters on a personal level.”
“The evolution of characters throughout the game is impressive, showcasing their growth and transformation in meaningful ways.”
Critic Reviews
Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight Review
At its core, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is a solid music/rhythm game, with a mostly good track list, that is very fun to play; that has to factor in. But so does the fact that this is very obviously a watered down experience as compared to Persona 4: Dancing All Night. As long as a lack of a formal campaign isn’t a total deal breaker, Persona 5 fans should have enough here to enjoy themselves.
70%Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight & Persona 3 Dancing in Moonlight GBAtemp review
Any Persona fan will be delighted with seeing their favorite characters together once more. If you enjoyed Persona 4: Dancing All Night, or love either Persona 3 or 5, there's a good chance that you'll be pleased with these spinoffs. This would be easier to recommend however, if both titles were not split up as separate $60 games, with lots of added DLC.
80%Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection Review
Persona Dancing: Endless Night Collection offers a solid dose of Persona that fans off the series are sure to love, but the content is a bit thin and the rhythm game is mediocre at best.
60%