Atlus’ critically acclaimed JRPG Persona 5 stole the hearts of many back in 2016, garnering multiple nominations at The Game Awards, and although the game got a much-needed refresh with Persona 5 Royal in 2019, fans of the Phantom Thieves have still clamored for more. That’s where Persona 5 Strikers comes in. It seems that Omega Force has been busy lately, just coming off of Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, as fans were both shocked and excited to see the Dynasty Warriors developer along with P-Studio at the helm of the Persona 5 sequel, which takes the form of a hack-and-slash action-RPG.
Persona 5 Strikers sees the Phantom Thieves embark on a road-trip across Japan exactly one year after the events of the original game in order to solve new mysteries of changed hearts far and wide. Although the game released in Japan for PS4 and Nintendo Switch almost a full year ago, Persona 5 Strikers is finally coming overseas on February 23, along with a worldwide PC release. And now that critics have had a chance to strike back with the Phantom Thieves, the review embargo has dropped today and they are ready to share their thoughts and opinions on the upcoming game ahead of its release.
Can Persona 5 Strikers live up to the original game as a true sequel? Does the hack-and-slash gameplay distract from what made the original Persona 5 great? Here’s what critics have to say.
IGN (Tom Marks)
“Persona 5 Strikers’ main story is every bit the direct sequel to Persona 5 that it seems, making this summer road trip with the Phantom Thieves essential for fans of the original (and probably pretty confusing for anybody who hasn’t played it). Its lack of Persona’s signature social and calendar systems are the only places its spin-off status becomes a bit of a letdown, but even replacing turn-based combat with real-time action doesn’t stop it from recapturing the feel of its predecessor overall. Its structure is far closer to action-JRPGs like Kingdom Hearts than the musou’s Omega Force is best known for, but the varied playstyles of each character and the story that pulls them along made the fairly simple act of hacking through shadows enjoyable to the very last surprise.”
Score: 8/10
Nintendo Life (PJ O’Reilly)
“Persona 5 Strikers is a slick and stylish spin-off that manages to successfully combine a surprisingly strong story with some satisfying Musou-inspired hack-and-slash action. There are a few issues here and there, with some necessary grinding at points, slight difficulty imbalances and a camera that can be a bit of a pain during busy battles but, overall, this is a thoroughly entertaining action RPG that comes highly recommended.”
Score: 8/10
Eurogamer (Malindy Hetfeld)
“There’s a whole lot of good here that easily balances out the bad if you’re already a fan of Persona 5, and I’m pretty sure that if P-Studio made approximately 5 more sequels we would eventually arrive at the perfect version of Persona 5. There’s just always so much of everything, from plot strands to enemies to fight and food to eat, that I had a great time while simultaneously feeling pretty exhausted by it all. Though that’s just videogames for you.”
Score: N/A
PC Gamer (James Davenport)
“Strikers isn’t without merit—I had some fun in there!—it’s just carrying some of the strongest caveats I’ve attached to a review. If you haven’t played Persona 5, a pretty rad RPG and social sim hybrid, then don’t play Strikers. If you haveplayed Persona 5 and liked it, but know that you can’t stomach Dynasty Warriors-style combat, then turn back. And even if you like Dynasty Warriors style combat and played Persona 5, Strikers is still just doing a weird, jerky dance in a Persona 5 skinsuit, and you should approach with caution.”
Score: 63/100
GameSpot (Michael Higham)
“For all its shortcomings, Persona 5 Strikers reminds me why I loved the Phantom Thieves to begin with and shows how they’ve matured since we last saw them. Once you get your head around it, the action-RPG combat is a challenging thrill, and no one can pull off flourishes in the same fashion as these characters. I almost forgot I was playing a musou-style game developed by Koei Tecmo and Omega-Force, and I think that’s a testament to how sharp Strikers is as a Persona game. If you have any love for Persona 5, what say you save the world one more time with some old friends?”
Score: 8/10
Push Square (Robert Ramsey)
“Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic follow up to a beloved JRPG, carving out its own identity with an excellent action-based combat system. It presents the perfect excuse to hang out with the Phantom Thieves one last time, and does a great job of building upon the established characters and themes of its predecessor. While we doubt that Strikers will be remembered anywhere near as fondly as Persona 5, the game goes beyond expectations to provide a classy companion piece. A must-buy for existing fans.”
Score: 8/10
DualShockers (Ryan Meitzler)
“Persona 5 Strikers may look and feel a bit different from the original, but at its heart, it still revolves around the Phantom Thieves that we know and adore. As a love letter to a group of characters and setting that I quickly grew attached to, having the chance to jump back in and steal some hearts with Joker and the crew is entirely worth the return trip to Japan. For that, Persona 5 Strikers is a fitting reunion for players that are looking for one last surprise from everyone’s favorite Phantom Thieves, no matter where the road takes them next.”
Score: 9/10
Polygon (Ryan Gilliam)
“Strikers misses these small, intimate moments, but that absence leaves a welcome hole: In a simpler game, it’s easier to see the themes at play. And in my playthrough of Strikers, I thought back to those moments of change for Persona 5 villains like Kamoshida and Madarame. Strikers didn’t open my eyes to some new depth in the Persona series, but it offered me a chance to revisit and ponder the beauty of repentance — something I sorely miss in our less-magical world. Now when I look forward to Persona 6 or the next adventure of the Phantom Thieves, Strikers will remind me that the speed of the combat doesn’t matter, as long as there’s a new heart to steal.”
Score: N/A
Overall, it seems that critics have largely enjoyed striking back as the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5 Strikers. Many have praised the game for keeping up the aesthetic fans have come to know and love from the original game, while presenting a wildly different form of combat, managing to be both challenging and engaging, but always keeping things fresh at the same time. For most, it seems that the shift in gameplay-styles has only made the Persona 5 sequel even more enjoyable. However, many critics mourned the loss of Persona 5‘s beloved Confidant social-link and calendar systems, while also noting some grind-heavy portions and camera difficulties.
For the time being, the PS4 version of Persona 5 Strikers (the game’s most-reviewed version) is carrying a solid 84 on Metacritic based on around 40 reviews. It may also be worth noting that while neither the original Persona 5 nor Persona 5 Royal have released on the Nintendo Switch and PC, the Switch version of Persona 5 Strikers is currently pulling an 81 on Metacritic, with the PC version just behind it at a 79. For now, although fans continue to look forward to the potential release of Persona 6 sometime in the near-future, they can at least get their fix in when Persona 5 Strikers releases in exactly 2 weeks.
Persona 5 Strikers releases on February 23, 2021, for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch.
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