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| Peter Triezenberg |
Themes, better dungeon design, and more.
02.24.16 - 3:01 PM
It's been a while since we last heard anything about Persona 5, hasn't it? Hopefully that will soon change as we approach it's summer release date, but for now, director Katsura Hashino has some new information to share in "Persona Magazine #2016 March." You can find scans of the magazine here.
First up, in regards to Persona 5's setting, Hashino states that the reason for setting the game in Tokyo was to ground the phantom thief drama in a world we're familiar with. While acknowledging that the premise of phantom thieves is somewhat cliched, Atlus hopes to surprise players nevertheless, and incorporate contemporary drama into Persona in order to make something that expresses the "fun of entertainment." To that end, the dungeon design in Persona 5 will be different than what we've seen in past Persona titles, and incorporate different stories that can be thoroughly enjoyed by the player.
Moving on to the characters, Hashino says that many of the characters are labeled, or biased with a certain point of view, and are therefore unhappy and don't feel like they fit in. Rising up to break the status quo is how they come alive, and this will be how the characters develop. Ryuji Sakamoto will serve as the instigator for the protagonist taking up the phantom thief role, as he is a "change the world" kind of person who is insistent, but kind deep down. His Persona, Captain Kidd, matches this personality.
Meanwhile, Ann Takamaki, who is a quarter American and cut off from others despite ostensibly being well liked, serves as the team's lively mood maker. Her Persona, Carmen, has a femme fatale side to her, and there will be an incident involving Ann, Ryuji, and the Protagonist that connects to the other world. Because of this incident, the protagonists' fates will be influenced by Ann.
We've learned little about Morgana, the cat-like Teddie stand-in apparent, but Hashino did have a little more to share about her. Like Teddie from Persona 4, Morgana serves as a guide through the other world, and having been involved in the phantom thief business prior to this for unspecified reasons, it now falls to her to train the protagonists in the art of the phantom thievery. She takes on the form of an ordinary cat in the real world, and the reason for this is something Hashino hopes players will look forward to. Because of her stature as a cat, Morgana's Persona, Zorro, takes on a very macho appearance.
The final character to discuss is Yusuke Kitagawa, who is an eccentric art student with a scholarship and a talent for painting. These characters will be brought to life through a Social Link-esque system that is a step beyond that found in Personas 3 and 4. Hashino asks whether communication is the driving force for those who wish to instigate change.
Atlus is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Persona series this year, and because of that, Hoshino hopes that in addition to waiting for Persona 5, Atlus is considering an announcement related to this that will please fans. We'll keep you posted as we learn more.
