I honestly think this is why I've never been able to get into JRPGs until P4G: everyone says "oh, you really need to use a guide to get everything out of it", so that's what I've done. But when I'm using a guide I end up just following instructions and not actually engaging with the game. With P4G, otoh, while I'll admit I've looked up some things (like how to make perfect lunches), I haven't really looked at step-by-step guides for anything, and I think that's a big reason I'm enjoying it so much more.