Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth was revealed back in 2013 as part of a triple threat teaser trailer also announcing the dance rhythm game Persona 4: Dancing All Night and a sequel to the popular Persona 4 Arena fighting game, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. While each game is a celebration of the more well-known Persona titles, Persona Q stands out as it also incorporates another beloved Atlus franchise, Etrian Odyssey. While it's unlikely we will see any Etrian Odyssey characters appear in Persona Q, there can be no doubt that it heavily inspired its gameplay, from grid-based dungeon crawling to its 5-man battle system. Let's take a closer look at what we can expect from Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth.

Permanent Detention!

If Persona has taught me anything, it's that high school is one of the most dangerous places in existence, and Yasogami High is no exception. Depending on which protagonist you choose at the start of the game (the choice being between the Persona 3 or Persona 4 protagonists), events will transpire slightly differently. If you choose the Persona 4 protagonist, you will begin the game during the school culture festival where our pals the Investigation Team hear a mysterious bell toll. This bell isn't dismissing them from school, though — they instead find themselves trapped within. Choosing the Persona 3 protagonist will let you follow the SEES gang, who find themselves in the Velvet Room (Elevator) on a journey to a now-accessible labyrinth underneath Yasogami High.

Don't worry too much about which team you decide to follow in the beginning though, as both groups meet up and decide to work together to unravel the mysteries surrounding the labyrinth. With the help of the two brand new amnesiac characters unique to Persona Q, Zen and Rei, that is. While it's clear that these two will be playing a major role in in the story, what that specifically entails I can't say. There can be no doubt, however, that returning their memories will be key to escaping this permanent detention.

When A Mommy Etrian Odyssey and a Daddy Persona Love Each Other Very Much...

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is not the first time Shin Megami Tensei has met with Etrian Odyssey. That honor goes to Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, which came out on the Nintendo DS. The mix of classic SMT and hardcore dungeon crawling seemed like a match made in Heaven, but can the same be said for Persona Q? After all, one of Persona's biggest draws is its diverse and relatable cast of characters, full of interaction and character development, none of which is present in either Etrian Odyssey or classic Shin Megami Tensei. How has Persona Q adapted to fit these Persona staples? Let's find out.

First of all, there are no Social Links. Ah, was that the sound of a million Persona fans hearts breaking in unison? Well, it's not as bad as all that. There is still plenty of opportunity for character interaction thanks to the ability to take leisurely strolls around Yasogami High when not exploring the labyrinth below. You can also spend time there getting Theodore to turn your useless squid fedoras and manticore wisdom teeth into equipment, while Elizabeth takes up healing duty in the Nurse's Office. Naturally, the Velvet Room is also ready and waiting for all your Carl Jung-ian needs.

Speaking of Personas, thanks to a clerical error or some such, everyone can wield two Personas (Personae?) at a time: a main Persona and an additional sub-Persona that will give you bonus skills to use as well as a boost to your HP and SP. Persona Q's difficulty is reported to be quite challenging, so you would be wise to use Personas to their fullest.

The battle system itself is more akin to Etrian Odyssey than it is the "One More!" system that Persona uses. Striking your enemies' weaknesses is still crucial, though, as it allows your characters to enter the special Boost status, which has quite a few benefits. The first and probably most obvious of these is that Boost allows you to get first strike on your next turn as well as making any spell you cast totally free. A character retains their Boost status as long as they take no damage. The more characters who are currently in Boost status, the higher your chances of performing an All-Out Attack and getting a new Persona at the end of battle. That's a lot of incentive to end battles with quick precision.

Also very fundamentally Etrian Odyssey is the presence of FOEs, incredibly powerful and almost always lethal enemies that prowl the labyrinth, moving each time you take a step. Getting around them is usually a puzzle in and of itself, and analysis of movement patterns, watching for sleep cycles, or baiting them with certain foods are all ways that make exploring engaging and heart-pounding at the same time. However, sometimes the reward for taking down a powerful FOE is worth the risk. Also, those of you who hate mapping can breath a sigh of relief as Persona Q has an auto-mapping feature.

Class Is Dismissed

If you are a fan of the Etrian Odyssey series, then I'm almost positive that Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth will be up your alley. If you are a Persona fan, but Etrian Odyssey feels intimidating to you or you just haven't enjoyed the games you played, I still suggest checking this one out. After all, this isn't just Etrian Odyssey wearing a Persona skin — this is a stimulating cocktail of both franchises, and perhaps this Persona injection is just what the doctor ordered. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth comes out in North America on the 25th of November and in Europe on the 28th in both digital and retail versions. Let's do our best and climb the stairway to maturity together!