As someone that played throughPersona 5 Royalover the summer, I’ve continued to miss my time spent with the Phantom Thieves after finally completing the game for the first time. Even compared to pastPersonatitles, the cast inPersona 5really grew on me in ways that I didn’t expect, aside from the fact that byRoyal’s end you’ll easily have spent over 100+ hours with them. Whether it was hanging out with my personal favorite Phantom Thieves like Makoto and Futaba or trying to defy Morgana and not go to sleep, finishingRoyalonly made me realize how much I longed to spend more time with the friends I made in Tokyo. Thankfully,Persona 5 Strikers–known in Japan asPersona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers–is finally about to make its western debut, and it couldn’t have arrived at a better time for those wanting more from everyone’s favorite Phantom Thieves, with a bit of a twist.
In a preview with Atlus, we had the chance to check out about 30 minutes of gameplay fromPersona 5 Strikers, giving us a good idea of what to expect from the spin-off title in the JRPG series. Asannounced earlier this week by Atlus,Strikerstakes place after the events of the originalPersona 5storyline and is set to release on PS4, Switch, and PC early next year, while taking a bit of a different turn from the original game. WhilePersona 5 Scramblehas been available in Japan since February of this year,Strikerswill finally bring the title over as a localized release for western audiences, which includes full VO in both English/Japanese and subtitle options in several different languages.
The most important quality to distinguishPersona 5 Strikersfrom the original game is that it draws from “Musou”-style gameplay in the vein ofDynasty Warriors. Compared to the turn-based RPG gameplay of the originalPersona 5, insteadStrikersis more of an action-RPG where players take on the role of the Phantom Thieves as they trek across different locations throughout Japan and attempt to break innocent captives from “Jails,” which areStrikers' equivalent of the Palaces fromPersona 5.
Traditionally, Musou games tend to pit players against vast armies of enemies as they hack and slash their way through large open battlefields. Developed in part by Omega Force, this of course isn’t the first time that the studio has taken the “formula” of its Musou-style games and applied them to other franchises, as we’ve seen in past crossover titles likeDragon Quest Heroes,Fire Emblem Warriors, and most recently withHyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.
[pullquote]"[Persona 5 Strikers] is every bit as stylish asPersona 5, and it’s clear that Omega Force wanted to be as faithful as possible to the original’s unique art direction."[/pullquote]
While at first glance it does feature a bit of Musou influence, what I didn’t expect going into the preview was the fact thatPersona 5 Strikersvery much looks and feels likePersona 5and less likeDynasty Warriors. Much likeAge of Calamityis toThe Legend of Zelda:Breath of the Wild,Strikersis intended to be a direct continuation of the events of the originalPersona 5not just narratively, but also visually. From sections of the demo where Joker is seen walking around the streets of Shibuya to entering iconic locations like Cafe Leblanc,Strikersis every bit as stylish asPersona 5, and it’s clear that Omega Force wanted to be as faithful as possible to the original’s unique art direction.
Strikers' emphasis on maintaining consistency with the design and gameplay ofPersona 5was pretty clear from the start of the gameplay we saw during our preview, which focused on Joker and the Phantom Thieves infiltrating a Jail at the heart of Shibuya in an amusement park-style setting. Much like the Palaces inPersona 5, the Jails inStrikersfunction largely the same as players explore and find different pathways and hidden secrets to uncover, all while trying to sneak around Shadows and other enemies. Even with the transition to more action-oriented gameplay, stealth continues to play a role in exploring the Jails as players attempt to ambush Shadows, and once you’re able to get behind them and remove their mask, they will burst into a horde of enemies that will immediately engage players in combat.
[pullquote]“Even with the transition to more action-oriented gameplay, stealth continues to play a role in exploring the Jails as players try to ambush Shadows."[/pullquote]
These combat moments made it clear thatPersona 5 Strikersis leaning much more into an action-RPG style of gameplay, where Joker and your three other party members strike their way through dozens of enemies at a time. However, whereStrikersreally embraces the substance ofPersona 5is by having more of a “hybrid” combat system drawing from each of your party members' Personas, which players can call on to use special abilities and powers. Bringing a Persona into the mix will temporarily freeze time and allow players to select skills and abilities that can wipe out waves of enemies easily or to provide support for your other party members. Additional elements from the series' RPG roots will also come into play like status effects, combo attacks with the other Phantom Thieves, and the flashy All-Out Attacks where your party can go ballistic on a group of enemies.
From what I was initially expecting,Strikerscaught me off-guard with how it really feels like a true follow-up to the original game, even with its transition to a wholly new style of gameplay. While it seems thatStrikerswon’t be incorporating any of the new story elements and content fromRoyal, it makes up for that some fresh additions of its own, including a new Phantom Thief named Sophie and the prospect of seeing locations outside of Tokyo. Though our demo mainly focused on combat and exploring one of the game’s Jails, I also hope that with the English release we’ll get to see some of my favorite aspects of the series–building your social links and managing your time with friends–incorporated intoStrikerssomehow, though it’s likely they might take a backseat to the action on display.
[pullquote]“While it seems thatStrikerswon’t be incorporating any of the new story elements and content fromRoyal, it makes up for that some fresh additions of its own."[/pullquote]
Having come to love thePersonaseries within the last few years,Persona 5 Strikersis already one of the titles that I’ll most be looking forward to in the early part of next year now that it’s finally confirmed for a Western release. While its emphasis on a more action-oriented style of play might be off-putting to fans of the original game, what we saw so far ofStrikersshould be reassuring that the heart ofPersona 5is still very much intact within the game. More than anything I’ll be looking forward to spending some more time with the Phantom Thieves, and on that front,Strikersseems like it will be worth the wait.
Persona 5 Strikerswill officially launch on PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC in the west on August 21, 2025.
