It’s hard to believe it has been almost ten years since the last main instalment of the Persona series came out in the UK. The series has seen a major shift in the number of sales, prompting Atlus to make the wait for the localisation for Persona 5 as painless as possible. Last year, we provided you with a review of the Japanese release of the game, and after extensively testing the English release; it is undeniable that Persona 5 is still one of the best RPG’s of the current generation, as well as one of the best entries in the series to date.
The protagonist of Persona 5 is a wild step beyond the orphaned Makoto Yuuki from Persona 3, and the blank slate that was Yu Narukami from Persona 4. Unlike these two characters, Akira Kurusu, although you can choose to rename him if you wish, is a far cry from the traditional hero who resides on the righteous side of the law. After being falsely convicted for criminal actions, you are placed on juvenile probation in the care of Sojiro Sakura, a family friend who runs a coffee shop in a Tokyo suburb. You are also sent to enrol at Shujin Academy, a school that prides itself on excellence, whilst holding dark secrets beneath its surface.
During your first day, you hold true to Persona tradition and cross over into an alternate dimension which is formed from the subconscious of the human race. This time around, it is known as the Metaverse, which is formed of several smaller areas known as Palaces, and a larger hive mind area known as Mementos. Whilst inside the Metaverse, you and several other misfits of society gain the ability to summon a Persona, which protects their owner from harm, and grants them the ability to fight against other supernatural threats. Upon learning the reason for the existence of the Palaces from a mysterious cat like being known as Morgana, the newly awakened Persona users decide to band together to rid society of evil by stealing the treasures of each area, which form the base of the Palace owner’s twisted desires.
