The very last update to the "Persona" series was made way back in 2008. Now, the long wait for a follow-up title is almost over. After a tantalizing showcase at the Persona Super Live 2015 event in Nihon Budokan early this year, it seems that developer Atlus is gearing up for a major announcement on the upcoming PS-exclusive "Persona 5" at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo.
The "Persona" series is a role playing game wherein characters have the ability to summon a part of their consciousness, aptly called a "persona." Based on the chic, stylish, eye-candy trailer shown, it seems that the gameplay will be the same, at least in its core.
In the fifth and upcoming installment, the protagonist is a yet-to-be-named high school boy with a persona. There are still dungeon explorations featuring mixtures of select fixed plots and theme environments and randomly-generated areas. Battles are still turn-based, with both villains and protagonists wielding weapons and their personas. The weapons come in two varieties: a gun and a melee weapon à la "Devil May Cry." The characters also seem to be always on the run on this one, and may be rough around the edges.
As confirmed by game director Katsura Hashino on the official "Persona" blog and reported by Famitsu, "This time around, though, the protagonists of Persona 5 themselves are on the run for doing what they think is right after something happens completely out of the blue. That mixture of thrills and not-so-larger-than-life cast of characters is what composes the idea of 'academy juveniles' for us."
Aside from the new dungeons, the trailer lets fans get a brief glimpse into the new game's gameplay, with stealth and platforming styles a first for the game series. The video also highlights new characters. There is a girl and boy pair that seems to be related to each other as they are both blondes, and a cat-like mascot.
"Persona 5" is to be released this year exclusively for PS3 and PS4.
