Among the impromptu announcements from Atlus West’s Instagram wasPersona 5 Tactica, a new spinofftitle operating under theP5umbrella. The game follows suit inPersona 5 Strikers' approach as it situatesthe Phantom Thievesin a new style of combat. Upon first impressions of the trailer, the game looks to blendPersona Q’s ‘chibi’ art style withFire Emblem’s strategicgameplay, coupling the two in an interesting design approach for its cast.
The rumors surroundingPersona 5 Tacticabegan when Atlus established its website domainin late May, setting off speculation over what the game could entail if it were to be announced. Some fans were correct in predicting that the title might take a tactical approach, as the trailer’s brief glimpse of gameplay showcases tile-based movement and methodical turn-based gameplay, the latter being a series staple of the franchise. Such a combat style has appeared inShin Megami Tensei’s past through theDevil Survivorgames, which could be good forPersona 5 Tactica’s quality.
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Persona 5 Tactica Blends Its Chibi Art Style With Tactical, Chess-Like Gameplay
The game’s art style looks to take heavy inspiration from thePersona Qseries, opting for a more cutesy approach to itsPersona 5character and enemy depictions. This continues into the title’s environmental direction, which appears to take a top-down perspective during combat, similar toFire Emblem’s handling.Persona 5 Tactica’s emphasis on its tactical gameplay could have interesting implications on battle dynamics through this way; for example, one scene showcases Makoto atop a roof as she pummels an enemy to the ground, after which Morgana follows up with a slingshot-based critical hit. Much likeFE, this could imply some strategic uses of terrain for notable combat effects while playing into paired attacks from party members.
With cooperative ways to deal damage comesPersona 5 Tactica’sapproach tothe All-Out Attack mechanic; the title features a cleverly named ‘Triple Threat’ prompt that appears to work similarly toFire Emblem’s Pegasus-based Triangle Attack, dealing attacks to enemies within the vicinity through a devastating team-up. The game’s emphasis on gun attacks, arts, and the Triple-Threat mechanic implies similarities toPersona 5’s combat, with arts comprising the array of elemental skills, status-afflicting moves, and physical attacks that Personas are capable of.
The trailer’s combat was highlighted by the reveal of a brand-new character, who looks to be a part of the strange world that the Phantom Thieves find themselves stuck in. It is likely that this character will work to establish the narrative surrounding the game’s conflicts while acting as a guide of sorts, similar to Sophia’s role inPersona 5 Strikers. While she appears almost Raidou-like upon first glance, hidden behind a black cape and hat, her black-and-red costume looks like a blend of the modern and antique, further accentuated by her firearm which resembles Joker’s. Her dual flag/spear combo makes for an interesting melee weapon, which could imply that she’ll strike a balance between being a frontline attacker and supporter in her play style.
Given the acclaim surroundingPersona 5 Strikers, it’s likely thatTacticawill be successful in its new combat focus, finding inventive ways to represent the main themes and mechanics of the series into a new model. If the game sells well, then it could point towards the formula being used again in the future, perhaps withPersona 6’s castfollowing the series' next numbered release. As Atlus continues to introduce games under thePersonaIP, it will be interesting to see what directions future spin-off games will take. For now, however,Persona 5 Tacticaseems like a clever stopgap in between mainline titles.
Persona 5 Tacticais slated to release on November 17th for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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