Back to Persona Q today, as we take some time out to answer some of the questions we frequently see asked. The Persona series, and indeed the Shin Megami Tensei franchise as a whole has always been difficult to get into, filled as it is with Demon Summoning, Press Turn battles and all sorts of social sim questions. Today we’re going to lend a bit of a hand then, by answering some of the pressing questions we’ve seen out there.
How Long is Persona Q?
Persona Q can take anywhere from 50 to 100 hours to complete, depending on your experience level with the series. It’s also influenced by your familiarity with the Etrian Odyssey series, given that a large amount of the games’ content takes the form of an Etrian-esque dungeon crawler. This game was actually our introduction to the Etrian style of game, so we came into it pretty cold too.
We’ll summarise some of the times below, but it’s worth noting that each of these times consider that you do have some experience with the series. If you do not, you may want to add a good 10 – 20 hours.
- Main Story Only: 50 to 70 hours.
- Main Story, Full Exploration & Looting: 70 – 90 hours.
- Full Completion, Full Exploration & Loot, Full Compendium: 100+ hours.
More information regarding play time, including others’ experiences, can be found HERE at Howlongtobeat.
It’s also worth noting that Persona Q can be played from two perspectives, that of the P3 and P4 cast. Whilst differences are minimal, aside from the main character choice, it does make a difference in the early game.
When Does Persona Q Take Place?
Persona Q’s place in the Persona timeline is undisclosed. Certain members of both cast being present during the game means that it cannot take place at the end of both P4 and P3. Locations that are visited during the game also indicate that events are not being experienced in order.
The best theory at the moment is that both games’ cast members are dragged out of their respective stories at undisclosed times. The lack of a female main character from P3 throws even more questions into the equation. If you’re prefer the short answer, Persona Q doesn’t make sense from a timeline perspective, and it’s simply been created as a bit of an Etrian game in the Persona universe.
Advertisement
How Many Dungeons Are There In Persona Q?
Persona Q has a total of 5 dungeons. These dungeons each have multiple floors to them, so completing a single dungeon will require multiple visits and a great deal of exploration to fully traverse. Often, these floors come with secret areas, enemies and loot, so whilst 5 might sound like a small number, each one will last a long time.
It’s also worth noting that the first and last dungeon and shorter and longer respectively. Additionally, the final boss of a dungeon will often have an entire floor to themselves which itself does not require a significant amount of exploration.
Does Persona Q Spoil Other Persona Games?
Technically, there are no spoilers for the story line in either Persona 3 or Persona 4. There are caveats however, because certain characters will hint towards their personal experiences and relationships, each of which take place in their own source game. Some cast characters that may or may not be present in their base game, depending on your progress with each, will be available in Persona Q.
To those experiencing the Persona series for the first time with Q, there will not be any significant spoilers. Any that have experienced both source games however, will likely notice quite a few inconsistencies. None of these are game breaking, but it’s certainly clear that this game, and indeed it’s sequel, should not be considered ‘canon’.

More Persona Q…
100% Completion Infographic | Persona Q
We’re visiting Persona Q next on our series of 100% completion infographic designs today. This is a title that absorbed a great deal more time than we suspected it would if we’re honest. Perhaps this is due to the inclusion of both Persona 3 and 4 teams, however their routes don’t really differ after the…
10 Essential Skill Cards | Persona Q
Skill Cards are a godsend in the Persona series, and determining the best options to use is critical. They give the player the ability to patch up holes in each of their party members’ kits, enabling them to turn an otherwise passable character into an encounter-eating monster. Typically every Persona game can be completed using…
Difficulty Differences Explained | Persona Q
Levels of difficulty in a Persona Q game, or indeed any other Etrian-like title, can be troublesome to gauge. By their very nature these titles have to have a certain level of difficulty, after all without some resistance in play a dungeon crawler would turn into a leisurely stroll through colourful corridors, and that doesn’t…
Categories: Persona Q