As previously reported, "Persona 5" for the PS3 and PS4 will be delayed and is now set to release sometime in Summer 2016. Developer Atlus did reveal the characters and some art as a consolation but perhaps the most revealing gift to players during the recent Tokyo Game Show was a three-minute long gameplay trailer.
The trailer reveals that like previous entries in the franchise, cutscenes will still utilize heavily stylized hand-drawn anime sequences which translate very well to the in-game graphics engine, a blend of anime and cell-shading techniques.
It also showcases that there will be a detailed mini-map displayed on the screen, a quick-reference HUB on the lower right, which displays each character's health and magic points, and that players will retain a four-person party during combat sequences, as in previous "Persona" games.
However, the trailer also showcases several new elements as well. There is a short sequence in the trailer where the players appear to have transformed into rodents and must stealthily get past a security guard. This is most likely one of the group's attempts to steal something, given that they are introduced as a band of thieves.
Mini-games will also play a crucial part as well. There are sequences in the trailer where the player must practice their fighting skills using a wooden mannequin used in Kung-Fu training, and there is also a sequence where the player is seen playing baseball.
Traversing through the game's areas also appears differently when compared to previous "Persona" titles. There are sequences in the trailer where the protagonists appear to be "sliding" through the landscape and in all cases they are donning their masks, hinting that these quick-movement sequences are during dungeon crawls.
Since the main characters are students, the school will also play a major role. It is depicted as one of the main locations in the trailer and the characters appear to be able to communicate with each other via cell phone.
