The ward of Shibuya in Tokyo feels less densely packed than before with far less to do and far fewer people to meet. Not long after you’ve taken in the familiarity does everything suddenly start to feel different. From characters passionately discussing local delicacies and side missions where you have to procure those to a new crafting component that entails collecting recipes and then cooking them, this game takes its food extremely seriously. Perhaps the most endearing part of the road trip is the Phantom Thieves’ fascination with food and the lengths to which Strikers goes to indulge it. A lot like the Palaces, once again, each Jail presents a different challenge and a different formula to unlocking it. The Jails you encounter across the country, much like in the Palaces from Persona 5, are customised thematically around the principal level antagonist’s (or mini boss) personality. Speaking of the Yakuza series, there’s this snappy little reference to a recent release that shows up towards the beginning of the game that I quite enjoyed: All of these locations are given their own unique look, feel and charm, and I was particularly fascinated by the way the Dotonbori Entertainment District in Osaka was portrayed in Strikers compared to its portrayal in Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios’ Yakuza games (where it is known as Sotenbori, for some reason). This new quest for Jails, instead of Palaces from the last time out, sees the Phantom Thieves embark on a picturesque jaunt across Japan, taking in such destinations as Kyoto, Osaka and Sapporo. And just when they thought they were out of the business of stealing hearts, they’re pulled back in, to poorly paraphrase Al Pacino. Having balanced schoolwork, socialising and all the headaches of being a teen with battling supernatural forces in the Metaverse in Persona 5, Strikers finds the gang readying for a well-earned summer vacation. The tone and tenor of conversations (keeping it casual even when discussing serious matters) also return and make Strikers seem less like a new game than a new chapter in the lives of these school/college students… and a cat. However, if you are familiar with either, you’ll find the reunion with Joker, Ann Takamaki, Haru Okumura, Yusuke Kitagawa, Ryuji Sakamoto, Makoto Niijima, Morgana and Futaba Sakura comfortingly familiar. Playing the latest offering before the games that came before it will be the ultimate exercise in wasting time. Strikers doesn't so much reward familiarity with its predecessor as much as demand it. If you've never played Persona 5 or Royal, then you need to turn around right now. If you’ve never played a Persona game before, here’s Polygon’s handy guide to what it’s all about. The difference between these two types of cognitive mazes is a plot point, so I won’t go into too much detail, suffice to say that this shift demonstrates a more mature and less binary good-or-evil side of the Phantom Thieves. Having conquered the mind ‘Palaces’ of a variety of antagonists in the original game, Strikers sees the gang on summer vacation and pitted against a different type of threat: Mind ‘Jails’. Very briefly, Persona 5 and Royal tell the story of the Phantom Thieves, a bunch of schoolkids led by protagonist Joker, who learn to resolve the problems of the real world by crossing over into the Metaverse - a realm abuzz with all sorts of supernatural goings-on that is constructed by subconscious fears, desires, anger etc - and fighting manifestations of personal (theirs and those of others) demons. Another game that sits high up on that list is last year’s Persona 5 Royal (referred to henceforth as Royal). It’s why I thoroughly enjoyed the likes of Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the Yakuza games, the Arkham games and even Cyberpunk 2077. To invoke a cliché: I like being tempted off the beaten path by games, and not trophies.
That said, I appreciate games that make me want to dig deeper into their respective universes and their lore, explore a variety of side stories, better acquaint myself with their array of characters and travel across the various terrains on offer. While this is by no means an effort to knock the people who do aspire to complete every single side-mission, find every single collectible, complete the game on every single difficulty level and use every single weapon or piece of armour available while doing so, it’s just not for me. And that I’ve never actively sought to ‘Platinum’ video games.
It’s best to start things off with that admission.