Enjoying this so far. Nothing really blows me away, but it doesn't have any real low points either, so it feels really solid. The Sessions mechanic is probably my favorite part of the game - it feels really good to set off a session combo that finally takes out that one particularly pesky enemy, or ends up wiping out multiple foes. The localization is really charming, but Atlus usually delivers on that front. My only gripes:
- The music is mostly forgettable, which isn't that big of a deal, but it's sort of funny considering the premise of the game.
- The character growth loop feels extremely clunky. Maxing a weapon out, having to port out to the office, go into Bloom Palace, dive through menus, watch a mini cutscene for every Unity, go back to the office, back to the map, back to the idolasphere, and then port back up to where you left of is really annoying, and there's no downside to doing so other than taking up time.
- Loading times aren't terrible, but so many things are kept behind a handful of transitions requiring loading that it becomes frustrating. There being a small load for the pause menu just feels dumb.
- Shibuya is kind of bleh. Having it segregated into really small chunks that you have to cross from piece to piece just makes me wonder why they even bothered.
In the intermission after Chapter 1.
So what I'm wondering is if side quests lock out after certain chapters or you can take them on during any intermission. I ask that because I don't see how I'm supposed to increase Kiria and Touma's stage rank to start their side quests. Not sure how to do that with the weak enemies at that audition centre the game started in and the building. How do I level up in this intermission to do those quests? Are they intended for after Chapter 2 moreso?
Not sure, but I still have access to Tiki's side quest after transitioning into Ch. 2 from the Intermission, so it seems they stay.
