Summary
Persona 5 Tacticais the latest game in thePersonafranchise, taking the beloved cast ofPersona 5and bringing them to a new type of metaverse. The game’s biggest departure is its use of tactical strategy combat rather than the mainline series' iconic turn-based JRPG fighting style. While the franchise is no stranger to spin-offs,Persona 5 Tactica’s likable new characters and ambitious reinvention of the franchise have already set it apart as one of the most memorable. Despite the number of changes necessary to translate the cast and their abilities to the tactical genre, one of the standout traits of the game is how faithful it feels to the original.
Persona 5’s most recognizable character amongst its massive cast is its silent protagonist, Joker.Joker is inSmash Bros.and his face has become synonymous with thePersonabrand as a whole. While most depictions of the character to date have been faithful to his appearance inPersona 5and its enhanced re-release,Persona 5 Royal,Tacticareinvents the character both visually and from a gameplay perspective. In spite of its faithful recreation of the characters,Tacticais also the biggest departure the franchise has taken in a while, setting it apart from otherP5spin-offs likeDancing in StarlightandPersona 5 Strikers.
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Joker Looks a Little Different in Persona 5 Tactica
Persona 5 Tactica’s new art styleis the most obvious thing differentiating it fromPersona 5 Royal’s depiction of Joker and its other characters. Rather than the slightly more realistic approach ofPersona 5which gives most characters realistic proportions, the developers settled on something a lot closer to the chibi style of thePersona Qspin-offs. This art style is a strong fit for the game’s visual motifs, which take queues from the French Revolution and fairytale fiction. Joker then, like his comrades, has bigger eyes and a more cartoonish body shape. This visual re-design allows for the character to be more expressive and over the top.
Persona 5 Tactica Has a New Look for the Same Joker
While Joker looks different inPersona 5 Tactica, he is the same character. Like the original game, he is silent unless the player is choosing his dialogue options. When shown in cutscenes, his voice work is limited to grunts, sighs, and other similar wordless expressions. Also identical is the witty dialogue choices given to the character. Like in the base game, the player can play Joker straight and seriously or choose the options that showcase the character’s relatively dry sense of humor.Tactica,in general, has a heightened penchant for comedy, so Joker’s dialogue options match this change, but the character remains essentially the same; the spin-off effectively conveysthe charm ofPersona 5’s cast.
Joker’s Biggest Changes are Mechanical Ones
While Joker’s depiction as a character is largely faithful outside ofTactica’s new art style, he plays very differently.Persona 5 Tacticahas a greater focus on ranged combat, drawing inspiration from games likeMario + RabbidsandXCOM. Joker and his abilities have been adjusted accordingly. Gone is the ammo limit ofPersona 5, allowing him to focus more on ranged combat. The abilities of the titular Personas are also more limited, giving Joker a more stripped-back move set. Perhaps the biggest change in his abilities is that while he can still create new Personas, he can only bring Arsene and one additional one into combat.
Rather than Joker controlling a plethora of Personas, he can now create secondary Personas for his comrades, allowing them to have a wider range of abilities. This change is a logical one for the shift in genre and is explained in a way by the game due to the different nature of its metaverse. Carrying over Joker’s usual Persona switching abilities would have made him overpowered inTactica.Persona 5 RoyalandPersona 5 Tactica’s depiction of Joker is largely similar, adjusted only to make him fit into the new art style and genre. For those still unsure of these changes,Persona 5 Tacticais available on Game Pass, making it easy to try.
