A year after its release in Japan, Persona 5 Strikers finally gratifies us with its arrival in Europe. Both a sequel to the level of its scenario and a spin-off to the saga in its gameplay, this slightly different title has Spanish fans of the Phantom Thieves stamping their feet with impatience. So it's time to find Joker and his fine team for a tasty road trip through the land of the Rising Sun.
Before starting, it is important to remember that the events of Persona 5 Strikers take place a few months after those of Persona 5 released in 2017 on our territory. Indeed, the Royal version, and its more complete scenario, is not taken into account. Thus, it is useless to be surprised at the absence of characters from this opus proposed in 2020 by Atlus. Also, the Omega Force studio, specialist in productions stamped Warriors (Dynasty, Samurai, Hyrule...), came to lend a hand on this project since we are no longer faced with an old-fashioned J-RPG but an Action RPG. But we will come back to this later...
A perfectly stolen new heart
The adventure of Persona 5 Strikers begins several months after the end of the adventures of the real fifth episode of the license. The protagonist (or Joker), accompanied by Morgana (a talking cat), returns to Tokyo in the middle of summer to find the whole troupe. Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba and Haru are making a comeback. Obviously, the summer holidays will not be easy. The Japanese archipelago is shaken by scandals directly linked to the parallel world (the famous Metaverse) in which our heroes ventured in Persona 5. But this time, exit the Palaces and place the Prisons. The Phantom Thieves, still hunted by the forces of order, will have to elucidate the mysteries that haunt these tortured places filled with Shadows, that is to say the main enemies of the game, who will try to block their way. .
Through this short summary, we have deliberately put aside the little surprises that punctuate a story that has nothing to envy to that of the more “traditional” opuses of the franchise. Impossible not to get carried away by this story full of twists and moments of bravery. To top it off, the characters display a charisma and sensibility rarely seen in a video game. Because if the action is omnipresent within the Prisons, Persona 5 Strikers takes its time to develop its plot. And let's warn right away, the title is extremely talkative. The calmer sequences are conducive to long dialogues of variable interest (and it's often about food!). Thus, we really appreciate the fact that the game is fully subtitled in Spanish as soon as it is released in our country.
Thieves in no hurry
But where Persona 5 (and especially Royal) could seem really endless with its more than 100 hours of playtime, Strikers delivers a more digestible experience. Here, it takes about forty hours before seeing the end credits scroll. A good point that should not discourage newcomers. Another radical change, the player no longer has a deadline to respect to complete the dungeons (that is to say the Prisons). Time is no longer our enemy since the game does not offer daily routines such as going to class, participating in mini-games, reviewing or even spending time with our friends. And this last point is quite regrettable because the links with our teammates are imaged by a simple gauge which fills up over the fights won and the objectives achieved. Once full, this bar grants points that can be spent to permanently boost the performance of our band and unlock abilities.
Yes, this Persona 5 Strikers is basically done in a straight line. There are many (re) secondary quests in the form of small missions to complete here and there, but they are, to say the least, anecdotal and quickly repetitive. However, this interventionism is not unpleasant and fits perfectly with the rhythm of the game. Everything is more dynamic, which does not detract from the poignant scenes as the license of Atlus knows how to write them so well. And unlike his school adventures, Joker is now going on a road trip on Japanese roads. It's a life-size postcard that scrolls before our eyes, but we will discuss this dimension later in this test.
Persona is no longer in lace
Admittedly, what could be scary with this Persona 5 Strikers is its assumed turn towards unbridled action in combat. Turn-based is no longer relevant and gives way to real-time third-person clashes. Fortunately, the game was not content to stupidly copy the formula used to the core by the Warriors-like. In this software, the player no longer controls only Joker since it is possible (and highly recommended) to constantly switch between our companions. Everyone has their weapon of choice, with a powerful blow and a weak blow, and a unique Persona that gives them powers related to the elements (fire, lightning, wind, ice, psy, nuclear, blessed...). By pressing R1, the action freezes and a window invites us to launch a technique. It is essential to launch a power that will exploit the weakness of the opponents to easily chain combos and special attacks. Reactivity is therefore essential because a powerful boss can easily bring chaos to a member of our battalion in just a few hits. In order not to offend novices or veteran players, three difficulty modes are available to them. A simple passage through the parameters tab allows you to adjust it at will
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Thus, the very essence of the saga remains irremediably impregnated in the gameplay. Small details like being able to hide before attacking a shadow from behind to gain an advantage at the start of the fight or the fusion of Personas in the "Velvet Chamber" refer to the original Persona 5. Clever innovations are also worth highlighting. This is the case of the use of elements of the scenery, such as cars to explode, crates to fall or weapons on turrets, to inflict heavy damage. Understanding the environment that surrounds us is decisive for pocketing the victory. But, as the characters will like to remind you, success will also depend on good preparation. For this, the purchase of objects in town is a mandatory step and Joker can also improvise as a cook by concocting delicious little dishes that can be used in the Prisons to regain PV and/or CP.
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Overall, the combat system shows great nervousness. Everything has been done to constantly stimulate the player without sometimes giving him time to breathe. Over the hours of play, the shadows are more and more numerous on the screen and undoing them delivers a real feeling of satisfaction. Alas, the grip is not necessarily obvious and you have to practice several hours before getting used to the gameplay and mastering the mechanics. At first, the clashes may seem confusing but with a little perseverance, we end up rusting all the monsters in our path.
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Travel Travel...
As we have already mentioned, the Phantom Thieves are going to see the country during their epic. Aboard a cozy van, the gang wanders around several cities in Japan such as Kyoto, Osaka or even the paradise island of Okinawa. Each destination is bathed in a unique atmosphere. The theme of the road trip brings an undeniable charm and our heroes are just as amazed as we face the enchanting panoramas that multiply. Those who have had the chance to visit the archipelago will undoubtedly be happy to survey these places under a new prism. All with exceptional music since the soundtrack takes the superb songs of Persona 5 by adding a range of absolutely delicious new compositions!
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The only major pitfall to report is this aging engine which has not changed much since the 2017 opus (released in 2016 in Japan). The textures are old and a pronounced aliasing can slightly sting the eyes. In addition, during our test on PS5 (which runs the PS4 Pro version via backward compatibility), we found that it was not possible to switch at will between the mode favoring performance (at 60fps) and that putting prominent graphics. Worse still, the game requires you to start a new game for the modification to take place. A very surprising obligation that we cannot explain at the present time. A patch could correct this defect. Luckily, the cutscenes inspired by the best Japanese anime raise the bar with their precise pencil strokes and gorgeous colors.
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Persona 5 Strikers : l'avis de Clubic
Persona 5 Strikers is a true Persona and a worthy heir to the already legendary fifth installment. The characters, the narration, the humor, the soundtrack and the themes tackled proudly carry this spin-off of great richness. How can we ignore our pleasure when it comes to spending a few more hours in such an endearing world?! And it all works even with a greatly overhauled gameplay that gives pride of place to ultra-nervous and enjoyable fights.
We can only blame this Strikers for its dated graphics, its delicate handling at the start and its less striking side quests. But the final copy is harmonious for a game that is already establishing itself as one of the best released at the start of 2021. Lovers of the Persona saga, RPG, anime or action, this game is address to you!
Test carried out on PS5 (PS4 Pro version via backward compatibility) from a code provided by the publisher
Character 5 Strikers9
Persona 5 Strikers is a blast from start to finish! After learning the combat system, the title then reveals all its flavor. A simply unforgettable road trip thanks to its worked story, its touching characters and its generosity in terms of content. The must of this beginning of the year!Most
- The cast of charismatic characters
- An exciting storyline
- An original soundtrack with extraordinary pieces
- The perfect lifespan for a title of this ilk
- Varied dungeons with a unique visual style each time
- A great trip through Japan
- Fully subtitled in Spanish
- Nervous real-time combat...
The lessers
- ... but sometimes a bit confusing
- Persona 5's graphics are starting to age
- Quickly redundant side quests
- The impossibility of switching at any time between the "graphics and "performance" modes
