Doing crossovers in media, especially in games, has always been a great idea. Sometimes these crossover ideas just don't work (looking at you Double Dragon X Battletoads and Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe), other times, however, they work wonderfully. Persona 5 Strikers is a crossover between Koei Tecmo's Dynasty Warriors and Atlus' JRPG masterpiece Persona 5. I say it works simply because the fluid action of Koei Tecmo's franchise keeps you engaged in battles, while Atlus' attention to detail and masterful writing keeps you entranced. Without jumping the gun, give me a minute to explain why this game just works.



Persona 5 Strikers take place six months after the original Persona 5 story, making it a direct story sequel. Whereas Persona 5 took place over a year, Strikers plays off over the course of a month. During this time, the gang embarks on a road trip across Japan engaging in all manner of Phantom Thieves activities. Now, if you've never played Persona 5, the references and callbacks might all sound like made-up fluff, but if you have, you are in for a treat. Understanding, remembering, and reminiscing whenever someone brings up events that occurred in Persona 5 was pure delight.

Now, if you've never played Persona 5, the references and callbacks might all sound like made-up fluff, but if you have, you are in for a treat.

Frankly, Strikers feels just like Persona 5, and I mean this in the best way possible. Something about the familiarity plastered a smile on my face which only disappeared whenever I called it a day with the game. Something to note is that Strikers shamefully ignores the "newly" added events of Persona 5 Royal for some reason. Though this isn't a truly negative point, it would have been nice if the developers included it, as Royal basically improves on every aspect of the original release.



Speaking of all things new, Strikers introduces a few new characters into the fold over the somewhat 40 hours of game time - some of them which can easily rival a few of the main characters. I'm already looking forward to the debates on popular message boards across the internet over who the new "best girl" and "best boy" are. (If your answer doesn't include Naoto Shirogane, Ann Takamaki, or Makoto Niijima, your opinion is wrong and you should reconsider).



Conversely, some systems have been trimmed to fit the presentation of Strikers in general. The much-loved Bond system from past Persona titles has been automated for the most part. You no longer need to actively spend time with folks to get their Bond-level higher, in Strikers it raises as you progress the story and emerge victorious from fights. Another system (or systems) that has received the same treatment is the Velvet Room and its respective functions. This is mostly due to Strikers have a much smaller roster of Personas in-game. Fear not, though it might seem like negatives, these changes feel great in Persona 5 Strikers. Was this the much anticipated next numbered Persona title, fans would have taken to the streets.



Speaking of streets, the combat in Strikers has been broken up into segments. For the most part, an encounter can be approached stealthily which will result in an advantageous opening, whereas a Leeroy Jenkins approach will unnecessarily prolong an otherwise quick fight. The first few combat encounters will no doubt have your head in a spin will all the flashy-ness, prompts, and button combinations. After that, however, it develops into the most wonderful spectacle. Specials, All-Out Attacks, Summons, Batton Passes, all these mechanics are all present, just not in a turn-based format anymore. Opening the fight with an ambush, followed with an All-Out Attack, and ending it all with a powerful summon makes for fast and furious encounters.



One point (and my only gripe with the game) I feel I have to explain is its reliance on past adventures. Strikers has a great story, even if you experience it without knowledge of the Persona 5 story. Though, playing through Strikers after multiply playthroughs of Persona 5 opened up a trove of callbacks and references to me. The gang speaking of Suguru Kamoshida, or why everyone is concerned over Futaba Sakura when she appears in public places. These are still blatant callbacks, while more subtle treats such as the camera focusing on Sayuri for a second or two before panning to its original location also exist.

Specials, All-Out Attacks, Summons, Batton Passes, all these mechanics are all present...

The examples I mentioned will not "break" the experience because most new players will not know they exist and played a major part back in 2017. My fear for players feeling like they missed out if they haven't played Persona 5 yet also has a silver lining. If they play Strikers and become interested in Persona 5, they might go back and play it. The knowledge of a new player experiencing Persona 5 for the first time does put a smile on my face.



Now, with the main part of the review over with, I feel the visuals and audio of Strikers need as much attention as possible. In 2017, Persona 5 was praised across the board for its visual flair, some even calling it a sensory overload. The game oozed with style and it generally looked fantastic. Persona 5 Strikers takes this a step further with even more screen splashing and a much better-looking options menu. Never have I been so excited every time I open up a menu screen in a game. The soundtrack remains excellent, in some ways surpassing the originals with new tracks and funky remixes. For the better part of four years, the official Persona 5 OST has been in my playlist mixed with the remixes of Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. Strikers, without a doubt, will get the same treatment, and I for one am delighted to grow every great Persona OST playlist across my devices.



To put it plainly, everything that made Persona 5 great is still present in Strikers: wonderful writing, memorable characters, semi-complicated mechanics, and a hyper addictive soundtrack. Though popular systems have been streamlined in Strikers, it all still fits well. The heavy reliance on past adventures might be a deterrent for newcomers, though it will delight returning players of the series. The more action-oriented combat feels fresh for the series. This coupled with everything else makes Persona 5 Strikers a must-play for veterans of the series. Even if you've never played a Persona game in your life (for some reason), I would still recommend Strikers as a solid action-JRPG.

*PC Review code provided by Atlus