Despite the excitement for the Valentine’s day release and disappointment that came with the delay the hype for Persona 5 is stronger than ever. The news of the delay broke a few weeks ago, along with the announcement that the game would feature dual audio, a feature which many Persona fans have been asking for. Though those of us who won’t make use of the dual audio might be left feeling a little frustrated, all seems to have been forgiven because the delay is bringing something to the table that gamers have asked for – and we love it when our requests are taken into account.
In the meantime, Atlus and Deep Silver have given us lots to sink our teeth into, from story and character trailers to the English voice actor cast list we can keep ourselves occupied until the eventual release. We could, of course take a look at the whole game because it was released back in Japan way back in September, but there’s such a thing as too many spoilers, right? (I accidentally stumbled across huge spoilers for Persona Q while I was writing this- it’s a pain.) So instead, I rounded up some of the most popular teasers and trailers that have gotten fans and newcomers to the series so excited. If you don’t want to know anything before the release, look away!
Introducing the Protagonist
The reveal of a protagonist is always going to get some attention, when it’s the protagonist of such a long awaited game it gains even more traction. Unlike to the previous heroes in the series (particularly Person 3 and 4), the protagonist in Persona 5 is introduced as a juvenile delinquent – a contrast to the usual gentle and well mannered heroes we’ve grown to know and love. The trailer gives us a look into a very familiar game that seems to have hit all the right buttons with excited fans of the series, along with a song worthy of any Persona game.
Cast list and characters
In October we got our first look at the English voice actor list, which includes Cassandra Morris, most commonly known for her work in League of Legends and Bravely Default.
- Xander Mobus as the protagonist
- Cassandra Morris as Morgana
- Max Mittelman as Ryuji Sakamoto
- Erika Harlacher as Ann Takamaki
- Matt Mercer as Yusuke Kitagawa
- Cherami Leigh as Makoto Niijima
- Erica Lindbeck as Futaba Sakura
- Xanthe Huynh as Haru Okumura
- Robbie Daymond as Goro Akechi
We were promised that Atlus would release character videos in the coming weeks and they didn’t disappoint. From Ann to Morgana, and though they’re only around 50 seconds long we’ve gotten our first good look at some of the main players in the latest installment.
We also got to see Persona 5‘s answer to Teddy, and while I’m not convinced he’s quite as adorable as the oversized, often inappropriate teddy bear he sure is cute. A black and white cat with the ability to shape shift into the bandanna wearing monster shown in the trailer below, fans are looking forward to finding out just why he gets so irritated if you call him a cat.
A little about the plot
Though the Persona games are all part of the larger franchise, you can arguably pick the games up and play them in any order without running into any problems. Persona 5 seems no different and appears to follow the same basic formula that the series is known for. Our silent protagonist is transferred to a new school and the dungeon grinding, relationship building and persona wielding, commences. As we’ve come to expect, the game will feature tarot cards – it’s one of the main features of most of the Persona games and was what drew me into the franchise in the first place. The use of the tarot in the Persona games is worthy of an article in itself, and although we might have expected it, it’s good to see that they’re back and they’re even updated with a dramatic new red and black look that matches the game.
Pre-Orders
The game’s pre-order price is set at roughly £49.00 for the steelbook edition, but we’ve also seen some exciting looking special edition pre-orders, including the Persona 5 Collectors edition, currently retailing at around £75.00, which includes among other things a plush toy, a bag and the Hardback Art book.
Looking at some of the things we’ve been shown so far, it looks as though Persona 5 is going to be a much anticipated return to the games we know while providing a theatrical, dramatic punch – and taking a moment or two to browse through the reviews by those who have already played the game, it seems as though it’s going to be worth the wait.