Discover the Exciting New Features of Persona 5: The Phantom X!

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In the world of Persona, spin-offs are nothing new, but Persona 5: The Phantom X stands out as a unique addition to the series. Even within a franchise that includes diverse genres like strategy, beat-em-ups, and rhythm games, Persona 5: The Phantom X brings something fresh to the table. While it shares some resemblance to the mainline games in terms of core gameplay mechanics, it also incorporates features typical of gacha games and designs tailored for mobile platforms.

I recently participated in a practical demonstration organized by Sega of America, during which I got to play approximately two hours of the game and engage in a group discussion with Yosuke Uda, Atlus’s chief producer, and Jun Matsunaga, a development producer at Sega. This brief gaming session gave me a glimpse into Persona 5: The Phantom X, but it’s evident that I barely touched the tip of the iceberg; the game is brimming with activities and locations to discover, to an extent that rivals the mainline Persona series.

Persona 5: The Phantom X Remembers P5 Fondly

My analysis commenced with the initial hour or two of the game, and it appears that the impact of “Persona 5” was particularly strong during this period. The foundation of the game’s first storyline doesn’t stray too far from the early stages of “Persona 5”: the main character gains entry into the Metaverse due to a mysterious app, is driven to Phantom Thieving by a sad incident, and learns about using Personas and the cognitive realm from a charming but enigmatic animal sidekick. The game also reuses a substantial amount of music from “Persona 5” and its Royal edition; fans should anticipate hearing many popular tracks from the original game in cutscenes and the Tokyo cityscape.

It’s great to see that the introduction of the story in this version moves swiftly compared to P5, which means fans won’t have to endure lengthy repetitions of expository scenes. As players advance, they’ll notice an increase in new music. In our conversation with Uda, he spoke about revamped versions of P5’s songs to fit the tone of P5X and mentioned the return of popular singer Lyn Inaizumi and veteran composer Ryota Kuzoka (known for his work on the Persona Dancing games) to create fresh music for P5X. Additionally, Perfect World hasn’t compromised on animation quality; some cutscenes and activity animations in The Phantom X are even more vibrant and expressive than those in the original game.

In addition, Lufel stands out as a unique spin on the companion character in the intro for the Persona series, contrasting with characters like Morgana and Teddie who can be seen as childish or annoying at times. Instead, Lufel presents as an aged but out-of-touch old man within an owl’s form. Although it is unclear how much of his character development will mirror that of Morgana in the long run, he initially appears far less grating than previous versions and quite endearing with his old-fashioned manners and language. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to familiarize myself with the other original characters in P5X, but their initial appearances hint that they won’t be mere copies of the Phantom Thieves or Joker’s other Confidants. With these newcomers, there’s certainly potential for P5X’s narrative to carve out its unique identity.

The Phantom X is as Alive as Any Persona Game

After experiencing the initial hour of the narrative, I was given an additional hour to explore freely within the game. In this part of The Phantom X, it became evident that the social simulation aspects of Persona 5 excel most significantly in the mobile format. Although a live-service game’s primary purpose is ongoing play, the structured calendar system of Persona might seem incongruous; however, Perfect World has managed to address this issue effectively.

Instead of progressing in-game days by interacting with friends or working, players now use activity points. As these points are expended, the day gradually transitions from afternoon to night. The daily allotment of points seems rather scarce, necessitating strategic decision-making similar to that required in traditional Persona games. However, they replenish each day. This means that the player’s real-life calendar now dictates the protagonist’s schedule in P5X. It’s an innovative adaptation of the Persona calendar system that aligns well with typical daily log-in rewards, which are also present in P5X.

The fundamental social aspects in this game may be brief yet enjoyable, making them perfect for mobile gaming. Instead of Social Links and Confidants, there’s a new system called Synergy that strengthens the player through interpersonal connections. Daily activities like studying, working, or gaming are as quick as they usually are in mainline Persona games, and even interactions with NPCs seem shorter than typical Social Link or Confidant events. Although it might leave one craving more, it’s undeniably convenient for mobile play. Plus, P5X includes the return of Thieves Den from Persona 5 Royal, which allows players to unwind, examine their story and social development, collect items, and customize; I didn’t have a chance to explore it myself, but it appears to offer all the anticipated features and more.

Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Banquet of Mechanics

In the combat system of Persona 5: The Phantom X, you’ll notice a blend of familiarity and novelty. On the outside, it resembles typical turn-based battles from the Persona series, where players use their personas’ abilities to attack shadows and exploit weaknesses to earn Mores before delivering a final All-Out Attack.

However, delve deeper into each persona’s skillset, and you’ll discover a rich tapestry of passive abilities and secondary effects that set it apart from the basic “deal damage” or “restore health” found in regular Persona games. For instance, Cattle can hinder enemy healing, while Closer boosts incoming Electricity damage.

While skirmishes against lesser shadows may feel like a standard Persona game, longer boss battles will challenge your grasp of each character’s abilities and how they work together as a team. If you’re a Honkai: Star Rail die-hard, you might find yourself right at home in Persona 5: The Phantom X.

In this game, an interesting aspect is the Finisher move. In fights, players accumulate a meter that can be used to trigger a Finisher for one party member when full. Each character’s Finisher is unique – one might annihilate a chosen opponent, while another could heal the team with additional benefits. This isn’t entirely novel in gacha RPGs, but what grabbed my attention was its clear borrowing from the Showtime mechanic in Persona 5 Royal. The Finisher animations are strikingly similar to Showtimes, except they focus on a Phantom Thief and their Persona instead of two party members, and the effects are much more elaborate. For me, this feature demonstrated Perfect World’s skill in maintaining the style and panache of Persona 5 while introducing fresh elements.

In the initial glimpse, dungeon exploration in ‘Persona 5: The Phantom X’ seems to be quite extensive, taking up a significant chunk of gameplay as anticipated. Mementos, reappearing as a labyrinthine network of interconnected tunnels, requires players to gradually unlock its depths and accomplish side missions. Lufel mirrors Morgana’s unique ability to transform into a car, smashing doors open and colliding with Shadows in a very similar fashion. Although Perfect World hasn’t revolutionized this aspect of ‘Persona 5’, the simplicity of Mementos provides ample room for additional features post-release. Moreover, the new time management system in ‘The Phantom X’ makes grinding more efficient than before, offering a more convenient experience overall.

In the game, the dungeon aspect effectively supports crossplay functionality. If you manage your social simulations via mobile devices during the day, you can transition to exploring Mementos and Palaces on your computer later. During our team discussion, Matsunaga highlighted the importance of crossplay, a concept that struck a chord with me. In the game, I found myself desiring to swiftly navigate through basic social activities on mobile devices, followed by immersing myself in PC-based, more involved dungeon exploration.

In the demo of “Persona 5: The Phantom X,” the gacha system wasn’t fully unveiled, but it was certainly noticeable. Fights against Shadows and side quests offered various types of rewards for collection. However, I didn’t get to explore all the ways these rewards could be utilized. At first glance, it appears that experienced gacha game players should have no trouble with it, but those seeking a mobile “Persona” game in the vein of the PS Portable and PS Vita era might find it a bit challenging due to learning the new system. This preview hints that Perfect World has managed to combine gacha mechanics with the essence of the “Persona” series.

The essence of what we can expect from P5X lies in this: it’s a heartfelt tribute to the original game, and it will remain so if its combat, dungeons, and social interactions continue to captivate us independently while harmoniously coexisting with the gacha element, rather than solely serving it. Despite my initial apprehensions about a gacha adaptation of Persona, this preview has convinced me that P5X is a complete mobile game within the Persona series, dedicated not only to preserving its origins but also exploring new possibilities. With hope, Perfect World’s enthusiasm for Persona will ensure that P5X maintains its momentum for many years to come.

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2025-05-27 17:12