Today on VGU Talks: After a period of silence, ATLUS have released a new trailer for Persona 5 at the Tokyo Game Show. What mysteries have been revealed on this long awaited sequel? Tune in and find out.

Welcome to another edition of VGU Talks. As you may be aware, the Tokyo Game Show for 2015 is being held this week. After the multitude of announcements that were held in the pre-show conference, the main event has now begun. One of the biggest announcements came from ATLUS, who revealed some good news and some bad news about Persona 5.

The bad news, is that the game will NOT be coming out in 2015, and instead has been moved to an unconfirmed date next Summer. The good news, is that we have been given an all new trailer that shows a cavalcade of new information, including brand new characters, a first glimpse at the main characters Personas, and a brief look into the gameplay on offer.

With that in mind, let’s reel out the old projector and have a glimpse at what lies in store for the heroes of the next adventure. At the beginning, we are reintroduced to the Protagonist, Ryuji Sakamoto, Anne Takamaki and Morgana, as they escape from a pyramid that is slowly falling in on itself. At this point, it is possible to consider three reasons why this could be the case.

One – did the team intentionally destroy the pyramid of their own volition?

Two – Did they activate a trap inside the pyramid?

Or three – Was the pyramid destroyed by an enemy or malevolent forces beyond their comprehension?

Whichever scenario turns out to be the truth, the group have undoubtedly entered the pyramid for a specific reason, and as ATLUS have stated in the past that these new heroes may not be interested in saving the world, this scene definitely raises some interesting questions. At the end of the sequence, Anne throws Morgana into the air, and she disappears with a Team Rocket style flash. The reason why she does this is not currently known, but as Ryuji did the same thing at the end of the first trailer, there must have been a reason.

It is possible that she holds a certain power that can only be activated in mid-air, or that she proves to be a constant annoyance to the group and it is done for comedic effect, similar to Teddie’s constant unsuccessful flirting in Persona 4. We are then shown a brief segment of gameplay from various areas, such as the city and the main characters school, known as the Shujin Academy. Although some of the fans may not approve, for the first time in the series, we have a mini-map at the bottom right of the screen.

This may be due to the size of the new in game areas, as it was hinted that they may be larger than any we have previously seen. So a navigation aid can only help when travelling from place to place, providing that it doesn’t reveal the location of secret places and items in the surrounding area. Another new feature is the addition of the Mobile Phone, which also appeared in the ATLUS title Catherine back in 2012. If it is possible to send customized messages like it was back in the Stray Sheep bar, then I am very excited to see this feature return, as it made for some very interesting conversations between Vincent and the loves of his life.

In Persona 3 and 4, there was another world where the supernatural elements of the games took place. This tradition continues in 5, and has been called The Palace by Morgana. She describes it as a world that has been made by the suppressed desire of the human race. This is an interesting revelation, as the previous games focused on the acceptance of death, and a search for the truth hidden in lies. In the first trailers, the only area of The Palace that was shown is a casino, a perfect place for an aspiring thief to exercise their talents. This time around, we have been shown many other locations, such as a castle area that is similar to the dungeon of Yukiko Amagi from Persona 4, and a mysterious art gallery where the paintings are like portals to other worlds.

Whether this will result in a Super Mario 64 style hub world, or if they will used as a door from one area of the world to another, it does not appear clear. As for the area where you control a group of mice, I have absolutely NO idea what this concerns, but if I had to wager a guess, it is a plan to avoid some stronger enemies using a somewhat unusual tactic.

Mini games have also made a return in Persona 5, with a baseball batting cage and gym equipment offering a momentary distraction from the double life of a student and a thief. Just why Morgana has decided to perch herself where she could easily fall I do not know, but it is nice to know that these short segments are coming back. But whether or not they will increase the character’s vital stats such as Knowledge, Courage and Diligence is yet to be seen. Until now, we have only seen the Protagonist’s main Persona, a winged thief named Arsene. The first character to reveal their hidden side is Morgana. She has a large muscular warrior who wields a thin hilted sword in his right hand. His appearance reminds me of the French general Napoléon Bonaparte, which would make sense as Morgana is seemingly in charge of guiding the Persona users into battle.

Anne Takamaki has a majestic female Persona in a long scarlet dress. In terms of appearance, she resembles the Batman villain Harley Quinn if she existed at the time of the French Revolution. Whether Anne’s Persona will use physical attacks is unknown, but my guess is that she might use the spell Marin Karin to charm any monsters she encounters. To round off the confirmed party members so far, Ryuji Sakamoto is able to summon a pirate with a majestic robe and a bandaged face. With a metallic hand and several weapons about his person, it is likely that he will be more focused on physical attacks rather than magical abilities.

One feature of note is that Ryuji does not use a mask to summon his alter ego, which begs the question of his mental stability, which is required to control his Persona. Another character with a Persona is confirmed to appear, and he wears a mask that is reminiscent of Kuminitsu from Bandai Namco’s Tekken franchise. His Persona is also a pirate, but it is a more like a pantomime villain rather than the serious natured thief that is used by Ryuji. The character himself has not been described in great detail, but it is likely we will see more as more information about the game arises.

One question that has been on the mind of many fans is how will the player will obtain new Personas, and if indeed there will be a character with the wild card ability. One method of obtaining new alter egos has been confirmed in this scene, where the Persona Ganesha is transformed into a mask which then is pulled into the mask of the main character. Whether the other members of the party can use additional Personas is unknown, but with this evidence, it is clear that Potter-kun, as the fans have affectionately dubbed him, will be able to switch his alter ego in battle.

And with that, we reach the end of the main section of the trailer, which shows our hero slash antihero using a chain to whip Arsene into action. After the main Persona 5 logo appears, we are shown a sequence that seems to show each of the main character’s distress, and then how society is reacting to the threat of the Phantom Thieves that our protagonists masquerade as in the other world. To finish things with a bang, the main character is shown with a neutral expression on his face, which slowly turns into a twisted smile. Whether this implies that he enjoys causing this chaos, or if he is being influenced by Arsene, we cannot be sure, but it definitely sets the stage for what is sure to be a memorable fifth main game in the series. Well sixth if you count Persona 2 Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment as separate games.

And that ladies and gentleman is the end of the latest Persona 5 trailer, which has been given the name PV 03 by ATLUS. After seeing this footage, does it make you excited to see what will be coming next year, or are you disappointed that the game will not launch in 2015 as previously promised?

Let us know what you think in the comments below, and what features you would like to see return from previous Persona titles. This has been another edition of VGU Talks, so thank for you watching, and we hope to see you again very soon!

by Rob Pritchard | September 22nd, 2015