Persona 5: Strikers

Persona 5: Strikers is a single-player action role-playing game with hack-and-slash combat. The game is set several months after the events of Persona 5. The Phantom Thieves reunite for a summer vacation, but their plans are interrupted by a new wave of cognitive distortions spreading across Japan. Mysterious prisons manifest in various cities, trapping citizens in altered realities. The group embarks on a cross-country journey to investigate the phenomenon, uncover its source, and liberate those affected. The player controls Joker and the other Phantom Thieves as they travel from city to city, confronting both human conspiracies and supernatural threats.

Core gameplay blends action combat with role-playing systems. Players explore dungeons known as Jails, where they encounter shadows that manifest as enemies. Combat is real-time and involves fast-paced combos, dodging, and the use of Personas to unleash magic, elemental skills, or buffs. Each Phantom Thief has a distinct fighting style and Persona abilities, and players can switch between them during battle to adapt to enemy weaknesses. Exploiting weaknesses allows for All-Out Attacks, continuing the series’ tactical roots within the new action format.

Progression includes leveling characters, unlocking new skills, and fusing Personas in the Velvet Room to create stronger allies. Equipment such as weapons, armor, and accessories enhances character attributes, and items provide healing or temporary boosts. Players can customize Joker’s arsenal by capturing new Personas from defeated enemies and combining them for tailored abilities.

Exploration outside combat is structured around traveling across Japan’s cities. Each location contains shops, side quests, and NPC interactions that provide resources or expand story context. Bonds between the Phantom Thieves strengthen through dialogue and shared activities, granting passive abilities that improve combat and resource efficiency.

The narrative unfolds through dialogue sequences and animated cutscenes, maintaining the character-driven storytelling of the Persona series. Conversations allow players to select responses, which influence bond growth and character relationships. While choices do not drastically alter the main plot, they provide personalized interactions within the group.