Have you ever met someone bad? Someone you know is evil, but repeatedly manages to escape the clutches of justice, whether through reputation or sheer luck? It would be great if you could change their hearts, wouldn't it?
It is with this premise that Persona 5 begins, the fifth game in the Persona saga and, personally, one of the best games I've ever played.
- History
The game starts with an incredible opening; its protagonist, evading guards in a casino full of people. This is where you experience the game's first fight, as well as the controls and movement. Your character manages to escape, but ends up being caught on the way out.
In the brutal interrogation, as you are questioned, a voice begs you to remember past events, to stop the world from falling into ruin. Then, you go back, and begin to recount what has happened to you up to the present.
You are a student, who is on probation after being falsely accused of hurting someone. You arrive at the busy Tokyo station, and head to the house of Sojiro Sakura, your temporary guardian. You then begin your school life, where you suffer prejudice due to your criminal history. However, one day, while walking to school, you meet a boy named Ryuji Sakamoto, and find yourself in front of a giant castle.
Together you discover that it is possible to enter "palaces", versions of places in real life that have been distorted by the leader of that palace, and also that it is possible to "steal the heart" of that palace, forcing the user to have a change in their heart, making -not being able to bear the guilt of his own actions, and confessing everything himself. You then form the group "Phantom Thieves of Hearts", and go about stealing the hearts of evil adults.
It seems a little silly at first, especially considering the darker themes of the previous games, but a few hours into the game, and you realize the depth of the story. The plot twists, discoveries and revelations make it all worth it. The ending is perfect, and seals the entire game itself with a flourish. I want you, who is reading, to experience this story for yourself, to see all the epic, sad, dramatic moments, and the end of it all.
- Art
Stupendous. There are no words to describe how the game treats the art itself. The theme is rebellion and freedom, and the art translates this phenomenally throughout the game: the menu, the combat UI, even the calendar, everything with threads and needles coming out of different places, the cohesion of styles, everything revives the feeling of rebellion and straying from the lines of society.
- Soundtrack
The Persona game series has always been known for its magnificent music, and this is no different. I usually say that normally, in game soundtracks, the music is composed to complete the environment, but in Persona, it seems the opposite: the environment completes the music, and I think that's magnificent. I constantly find myself singing the battle theme, or the opening in my daily life, and this makes me sure that Persona's music is one of the best out there.
- Gameplay
It's a JRPG with turn-based combat, which may not please many people, considering the stigma that some people have with this system. But persona, in particular, makes this experience wonderful: there are no random encounters, and combat can be made easier with certain skills that you unlock by making social links, and using the "1-more" system, which guarantees you one more move if you target an enemy's weakness.
- Conclusion.
It's a magnificent game, in every aspect. A masterpiece from Atlus, and, in my opinion, one of the best JRPGs ever made.