Platform: Playstation 3 and Playstation 4 (Reviewed on PS4)
Genre: Role Playing Game
No. of Players: 1
ESRB: M
While the “Persona” series is probably the most well-known spin-off series in the “Shin Megami Tensei” franchise, there has not been a new numbered title in the series since 2008’s “Persona 4.” After nine years of waiting, “Persona 5” has arrived and it was more than worth the wait.
The basic structure of the game will be familiar to anyone who has played “Persona 3” or “Persona 4.” The main character has moved to a new town to transfer to a new school and has to live a double life fighting against Shadows, creatures born from the personality traits people hide from the world. The twist is that the protagonist has been falsely accused of assault and currently on probation. He had to move to Tokyo because he had been expelled from his school and Shujin Academy was the only one that would accept him. As a result, the protagonist is a pariah from the start. However, after discovering another world known as the Metaverse and seeing how several authority figures abuse their power, he and his friends become the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, to get back at the abusive figures and save others from their tyranny.
There is a lengthy period of time spent setting up the plot, but one it really gets going, you will be enthralled by the cast of characters and their struggles in life. The excellent writing also helps keep you engaged.
Gameplay is similar to past “Persona” games. Your time is divided between normal life and life as a thief. After school lets out, players can choose whether to hang out with friends, go shopping, work a part-time job or dive into the Metaverse. When doing the latter, everyone adopts their thief identities and it is time for action. Each target has their own dungeon to infiltrate as you search for the treasure that is the motivation for their wicked deeds. While battles are not random, the thief theme adds a stealth element not usually present in JRPGs. You are encouraged to sneak up on enemies to get a preemptive strike, either by simply walking up behind them or hiding in the shadows and waiting for the opportunity to strike. Failure to do so will raise an alert, indicated by a gage filling. If it gets full, the game will end.
Once you go into battle, enemies are engaged in a turn based system, with different actions assigned to different buttons on the controller. This results in faster paced battles than if you would have to scroll through menus for every action. Most notably, the defend command is assigned to the circle button, which also backs out of menus. Fortunately, you are asked to confirm if you want to defend, keeping turns from being wasted just because you were frantically backing out of menus. As usual, there is a heavy emphasis on targeting enemy weaknesses. When a character successfully does so, they get an extra turn while the enemy gets knocked down. While said character can act again, they can also pass their turn to another character for a boost in power or healing, or to target another enemy’s weakness. If all enemies are knocked down, you can hit them all with a powerful All-Out Attack or negotiate with them for money, items or to have them become a Persona for the protagonist to use in battle. However, the enemy can knock you down and rack up extra turns as well.
In addition, the enemies are relentless. If you leave them an opportunity to strike one of your allies weaknesses they will take it. They will also cripple you with status ailments and go for one-hit kills if possible. This is especially bad, as the protagonist’s death ends the game. Fortunately, you can unlock the ability for individual party members to take a fatal attack for him. While the game is hard as is series tradition, it is also very fair. So any deaths are usually the player’s fault.
Outside of the Metaverse, most of your time will be spent hanging out with Confidants, who you can bond with to gain special benefits. While the usual ability to create more powerful personas remains, each character will get you additional abilities based upon your relationship with them. For example, getting to know a local doctor will expand the stock of healing items she will sell to you and get you discounts on her wares. Spending time with your teacher after discovering her part-time job as a maid will enable you to use her services in the evening to do tasks that would normally take up time. Befriending a student from another school and playing shogi with her will teach you some new tactics to use in battle. While you will come for the skills, you will stay for the stories of their personal struggles. For example, the doctor works out of a back alley clinic because she was framed for a disastrous clinical trial she advised against. Meanwhile, the teacher has to work a second job because the parents of a former student are extorting her for money after said student’s death.
While these Confidant events are compelling and well written, almost all of them require you to raise your social stats to get past certain points in their story lines, which is annoying.
While all of the activities you can engage in are fun and make sense for their inclusion, it is important to keep an eye on the calendar. Every dungeon in the Metaverse has an in-game deadline to complete it. Failing to do so, will end the game with the target getting away with their crimes. In fact, it takes at least three days to complete the dungeon. At least one day to secure an infiltration route, one day to send a calling card in the real world to make the treasure tangible and another day to defeat the boss and steal the treasure. It is the boss fights that make the battle system really shine, as you get special command that can be used to make the boss more vulnerable.
Overall, “Persona 5” is a masterpiece of a game. Gameplay is engaging, the story will keep you hooked and the presentation is extremely stylish. If you are a JRPG fan at all, you really should play this game.
Score 9.5/10
Gentleman Gamer 