WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Persona 5.
Persona 5 Strikers is finally gearing up for its Western release, and fans of the long-running JRPG series are looking forward to getting their hands on the game. The game is a follow-up to 2016's stellar Persona 5, but it's not your typical sequel. Instead of favoring day-to-day life-simulation and turn-based combat, Persona 5 Strikers is a fast-paced, highly chaotic hack-and-slash game that's channeling Dynasty Warriors and the Musou genre, as opposed to Final Fantasy.
This is not the first time that the Persona series has shifted gears, with previous entries moving into the realms of rhythm games and even one-on-one fighters. The genre shift may seem a little jarring at first, but all the hallmarks that make Persona so special are always front and center -- namely the cast of lovable characters, bold art-style and jaw-dropping soundtracks.
Strikers picks up a few months after Persona 5 left off, but for those who need a refresher -- or don't have dozens of hours to sink into the 100+ hour game -- here's what you need to know. Just note that this game is based off of the game's original release rather than last year's Persona 5 Royal.
Persona 5 centers on the mostly mute protagonist, a teenager who is transferred to a new school after being put on probation for protecting a woman who was being harassed. This character, who the player names, is in a completely new environment and under strict rules from his new caregiver Sojiro Sakura. e must do well in school and keep his head down for the duration of his probation. However, upon arriving at his new home, he finds himself drawn into the Velvet Room, where he meets the mysterious Igor, who warns him that he must "rehabilitate" to avoid "forthcoming ruin."
That aside, things seem to go well at first, with the protagonist befriending the troubled but dependable Ryuji and Ann, a beautiful girl who has so much more to offer than just her looks. However, things don't stay quiet for very long. Joker and Ryuji find themselves in possession of a supernatural mobile phone app that grants them passage to the Metaverse, a dimension in which humanity's subconscious desires take on a physical and hostile form.
Upon entering the Metaverse, they meet Morgana, a cat-like creature that tells them about the nature of the Metaverse and how it can be used to change someone's heart if they can find and steal their "Treasure." It is also within the Metaverse that both boys awaken their "Personas," which is their own subconsciouses manifesting as entities designed for battle, and take on the codenames "Joker" and "Skull."
After some poking around, the two discover that the school's renowned volleyball coach, Suguru Kamoshida is a hateful and corrupt man who abuses his students and athletes, in particular the female ones. Joining forces with Ann, Joker and Ryuji vow to make Kamoshida admit to his crimes by defeating his Metaverse counterpart to change his heart and end his reign of terror. They decide to band together under the name "Phantom Thieves," pledging to change the hearts of those who seeks to harm or exploit others.
As time goes on, The Phantom Thieves' roster grows, with art-student Yusuke, student-council president Makoto, hacker-prodigy Futaba and heiress Haru joining their ranks. The Phantom Thieves work tirelessly taking down shady businessmen and fraudulent artists, all while their notoriety grows. Some decry them as hooligans who believe they're above the law, while others think they're truly making a difference in the world.
Eventually, the Phantom Thieves cross paths with a group of masked assassins who are using the Metaverse to murder specific targets and placing the blame squarely on The Phantom Thieves. Desperate to clear their names, the group uses their skills to discover that the conspiracy against them is being led by Masayoshi Shido, who's been using the Metaverse to wipe out political opponents and those who stand in the way of his tyrannical behavior.
The Phantom Thieves hatch an elaborate plan that involves faking Joker's death, but it quickly pays off when they are able to change Shido's heart, making him atone for his sins. Yet despite this victory, Shido's cronies continue on with his horrific agenda. Worse, the fallout from Shido's confession causes the public to lose all faith in not only The Phantom Thieves, but authority in general. This in turn causes the Metaverse to merge with reality and the game's true antagonist Yaldabaoth to emerge from the shadows.
Yaldabaoth was born from humanity's wish to give up control and reveals that he initially gave Joker his powers as a way to test if he could make a difference in the world -- all while Yaldabaoth had been twisting events for his own gain. The Phantom Thieves rise to the challenge once again, and Joker manages to defeat Yaldabaoth by unleashing his ultimate Persona, Satanael who also destroys the Metaverse.
This sets the world right, but the collapse of the Metaverse means the Phantom Thieves must disband and are no longer able to access their Personas. The game ends with the friends driving Joker back to his hometown, the young man finally free. As for how the group will reassemble and take on threats with their Personas after this, players will just have to wait for Strikers to see.
Persona 5 Strikers will release on February 23, 2021 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Steam.