Persona 5 Gameplay from E3: 2016

Persona is back and more stylish than ever.

Countless games bearing the Persona name have been released over the past few years. However, there has not been a numbered release since Persona 4 back in 2008. Persona 5 has been in development for some time, and has undergone some major delays. As such, Persona fans have gone a long time waiting for the franchise to advance. If the reveal of gameplay at E3 is anything to go by, the wait has been worth it.

First and foremost, the footage confirms the return of several several familiar elements of the series. Strengthening aspects of your personality, building bonds with other characters and part-time jobs are all slated to make a return. The game also appears to follow the same cycle of progressing through the school year day by day as previous Persona games. It also shows off

The combat follows the same old Persona formula, but with a few new twists. When hit an enemy’s weakness, they are knocked down.  In previous games, this left them open for an all-out-attack that damaged them all. This is still present, but now you can attempt to negotiate with a downed team of enemies. Borrowing elements from its mother series of Shin Megami Tensi, Persona now allows you to recruit enemies as Personas in this manner. A stealth element has also been added, allowing the player to sneak up on enemies and begin the battle with an advantage.

Where the footage truly shines is how colorful and active it is. In the near decade since the last numbered Persona game, technology has heavily developed, and it shows. The world presented feels alive, with the characters oozing color and personality. They have unique animations for when they win battles and launch all-out-attacks, making them feel truly fleshed out.

There are countless interesting designs constantly in view. The screen almost feels crowed at times, but the watcher is never left bored. The sheer variety of colors used, combined with how sharp each shade seen is, creates absolutely dazzling visuals. It’s almost enough to make one wonder if the time and resources put into the art design were the cause of the delay.

Persona 5 is due to be released for PS3 and 4 on September 15 in Japan, and February 14, 2017 in North America. A PAL region release date has not been announced as of yet.