One of the earliest gameplay concepts forPersona 5eschewed the usual JRPG turn-based combat for a more action-based battle system. While the full release ofPersona 5still retained the staple turn-based combat from past entries,Persona 5 Strikersmakes good on the first game’s original gameplay concept. Melding Musou-style real-time action combat with the elemental strategy typically found inPersonagames,Strikersborrows far more from its source material thanDynasty Warriors. For as much as players will be chaining together attacks like any other Musou game,Strikersis still a surprisingly strategic action-RPG, more than a Musou-style game.
Even if it’s not a turn-based JRPG like the original, this direct sequel to the originalPersona 5has a promising start as the Phantom Thieves reconnect for summer vacation. While the full adventure inPersona 5 Strikersencompasses a road trip across Japan, the game’s opening act takes place entirely in the iconic Shibuya that fans know and love. Facing an emboldened enemy in a whole new Metaverse, the Phantom Thieves have to take on an army of Shadows vying to steal people’s desires. Players will find a surprisingly challenging and rewarding action-RPG, wrapped in the same fantastic style and flair fans should expect from aPersona 5spin-off/sequel.
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A Compelling Setup for Another Phantom Thief Journey
Taking place a few monthsafter the conclusion ofPersona 5, notPersona 5 Royal, Joker returns to Tokyo as the retired Phantom Thieves prepare for their big summer vacation trip. Obviously, things don’t last long before the gang discovers a wholly new dimension of the Metaverse, and have to don the masks once more. The Phantom Thieves discover a new pop star, Alice Hiiragi, has begun capturing the desires of her fans and forcing them to ruin their lives over their obsession of her brand.
Taking down Alice’s monarchy in the Metaverse ends up being an interesting setup for the rest ofPersona 5 Strikers' story. Without diving into specific story spoilers, this beginning chapter (or “Jail,” as the game’s dungeons are referred to as) ofStrikerscontextualizes the upcoming road trip across Japan in a compelling manner. There are plenty of questions being presented; Why has the Metaverse returned? Who is the mysterious Tokyo investigator looking into the Phantom Thieves? Why is a smartphone assistant app named “EMMA” the only link to this new Metaverse? It’s an admittedly absurd concept, but a relatively interesting setup nonetheless.
Additionally, the game’s opening chapterintroduces players to a new Phantom Thief: Sophia, “humanity’s companion.” Sophia is a mysterious AI that players meet in Alice’s jail, whose exact origins are unknown. She’s a charming character who falls into the stereotypical “robot attempting to learn the nature of the human heart” archetype, but she’s nothing likePersona 3’s Aigis. She’s more of a quirky, heartwarming character who will presumably blossom in personality as the story progresses.
Warriors-Style Gameplay, With Plenty of RPG Nuance and Complexity
For a game built upon the often-trodden Musou foundation,Persona 5Strikersonly resembles aWarriorsgame at first glance. The truth is thatStrikershas enough strategy elements based on thePersonaseries that it resembles more of an action-RPG,compared to otherWarriorsspin-offs likeHyrule Warriors. Combat encounters are largely isolated to small-scale arenas in the game’s world, instead of hordes of enemies in portions of an open world map. Players do get to explore environments nearly twice the size and scope of the originalPersona 5, but combat encounters and environments are better compared to the hybrid system found inFinal Fantasy 7 Remake.
Players will find a surprisingly challenging action-RPG experience inPersona 5 Strikersthat’s genuinely rewardingoncethe gears start turning. Familiar gameplay mechanics fromPersona 5, like Once More, All-Out Attacks, elemental weaknesses, and Showtime Attacks, these all factor into fighting Shadows. Players are able to quick-swap between four members of the Phantom Thieves at any point in battle,a laFinal Fantasy 7 Remake’s combat dynamic. Each Thief has its own distinctive fighting style based on its character design and Personas inPersona 5. Alongside tweaked progression resemblingPersona 5,Strikersfinds an interesting gameplay balance.
At first,Strikersinundates players with a slew of different combat tutorials and techniques right away. Once players begin to understand how its RPG systems intertwine with the action combat, employing various methods of exploiting Shadows' weaknesses is an absolute blast.Strikersdefinitely has a short but steep learning curve at first, especially for anyone who’sused to the simplerHyrule Warriorsstyle of Musou gameplay. However, once it clicks,Persona 5 Strikers' combat is surprisingly complex.
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A Distinctive Iteration On the Original Persona 5 Experience
Lastly,Persona 5 Strikersis a great looking iteration of thePersona 5aesthetic. Exploring through Alice’s neon-pink, circus-like distortion of Shibuya is disturbingly pleasant. All of the visual flair in combat, thePersona 5style cinematic cut-ins, the explosive Showtime Attacks,Strikers' visual style feels familiar toPersona 5without sacrificing its own semblance of stylistic identity. Even though the game doesn’t quite equate to the now-iconicPersona 5aesthetic, it certainly gets real close. Also, specific to thePC version of the game, being able to playStrikersat a flawless 60 FPS with all of the enemies and effects on screen is an absolute joy.
As afollow-up to the original game,Persona 5 Strikersis gearing up to be a fantastic spin-off/sequel to the original game. The action-RPG style combat is a proper celebration of the original game, but theWarriorsinfluences don’t compromise any of the RPG-like complexity. Even if it is a bit challenging to understand all at once, there’s a lot to love once players understand the flow ofStrikers' combat. Paired with a unique but familiar aesthetic and a relatively interesting narrative setup, getting the gang back together inPersona 5 Strikersis shaping up to be a glorious return of the Phantom Thieves.
Persona 5 Strikersreleases on July 06, 2025, for PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. Game Rant was provided a PC (Steam) code for the purposes of this preview.
