Persona 5 First Look

Atlus’ Persona series amassed a large cult audience, with games following the traditional role-playing format (like Persona 4: Golden for PS Vita) and oddball entries that fared well, such as the Persona 4 Arena fighting series, topped by last year’s Ultimax. No matter what kind of gameplay the company provides, the series remains focused on its imaginative story, filled with plenty of laughs and twists to keep fans interested.

There’s no question fans will return when Atlus releases Persona 5, the latest entry in the traditional role-playing series. The game will make its debut on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in 2015, bringing with it an all-new adventure newcomers and die-hard players will find hard to resist.

The game puts you in the shoes of a young high school boy, and follows him over the course of a year. This is no ordinary kid. He possesses the ability to summon Personas because they’re part of his psyche. He makes use of this unique talent to create his alter ego, a cat burglar known as The Phantom. Assisted by a talking, shape-shifting cat and a pair of fellow students, he launches into a series of heists. However, as you might expect, things don’t always go as planned in the Persona universe. 

Similar to previous games in the series, Persona 5 will utilize a turn-based attack system where characters wield their unique Personas and traditional weapons, primarily a melee weapon of some kind like a sword. The player must balance each attack to make the most from each strike while avoiding enemies. Fans of Persona will perfectly understand the system put in place by director Katsura Hashino and company, but newcomers should be able to grasp it quite easily as well. 

Dungeon exploration makes a return in Persona 5, as you’ll need to work your way through these areas in order to successfully complete a level. However, there are a couple of twists to keep things interesting. 

First, there’s a new platforming element, where you’ll jump across gaps in order to reach another path. It also helps to have proper timing when you do this, so you don’t find yourself falling and starting over again. In addition, you have the ability to dash behind cover to avoid a patrolling demon. It’s a helpful ability that gives your character a speedy advantage.

Dungeons vary, between pre-designed levels that help tie in with the overall plot, and randomly generated levels that will keep your skills up to snuff. The combination between the two make Persona 5 a bit more interesting than previous games, along with the option to connect with Personas via Social Link. This will introduce a cooperation system with characters, allowing you to build relationships with those around you, in addition to your battle party. 

Only so many elements about Persona 5 have been revealed, but it looks to be a solid addition to a beloved series. We’ll see how this promising adventure fares when it arrives later this year.