Think I just had an epiphany last night, realizing a game I've been planning for a couple years now is really just Persona without combat, and I think that just makes me more happy with it.

I really liked Persona 3, but could NOT get through it because of the relentless, boring grind of the dungeon crawling. But all the social stuff was really interesting and was the whole incentive to keep playing.

@BrodyBr Would love to hear about that idea some time! Have you played P4 or P5? I think you will have the same issue but the dungeons are way more dynamic and relevant to the narrative. Tartarus always annoyed me/felt too distinct from my experience in the "real world" of the game [dodges rotten tomatoes]

@Puck I never gave P4 (or P5, for that matter) a go, as I've heard it's mostly the same flow and my qualms aren't really going to be addressed. But, like, all the visual novel/social link elements of Persona really make me want to like Persona, so it's frustrating lol

@BrodyBr I highly recommend that you give it a shot - P5 is finally out and it's a masterpiece that's worth a shot. (I got it early and have played all the way through. I'm sure you've seen.) Though the flow is similar, I think that they've found a foothold and handled it in a way that feels more, well, flowing