Persona 5 Strikers is the spin-off/sequel that nobody expected but plenty of people appreciate. It may also be a bit confusing due to the release of Persona 5 Royal. Strikers is a direct sequel set a few months after the original game wrapped up.
Strikers doesn't mention anything that happened in Persona 5 Royal, and yet it is still canon. The timeline is a bit confusing when considering both of these games, but it's good to know when starting. Thanks to the quirks of this series, there are a few more things that players should know before jumping into Persona 5 Strikers.
Updated January 3, 2022 by Mark Sammut: Persona 5 Strikers has been included as part of PS Plus's January 2022 line-up, bringing the year off to a stylish start. Persona 5 is regarded as one of the best JRPGs of the 2010s, but Strikers takes the franchise in a direction that might not be to everyone's tastes. As a Musuo hack and slash RPG, Omega Force's spin-off is simultaneously a very different beast from the original game while also being quite respectful and faithful to the series. Musuo games are known to be quite easy, a reputation that does not fully extend to Strikers. For those people jumping onto this train in 2022, these Persona 5 Strikers tips should be useful.
More Persona Than Dynasty Warriors
Some people may feel hesitant whenever they see Omega Force involved in a spin-off project for another company. Most of these games tend to be a lot like their Dynasty Warriors series, aka hack and slash romps where the player takes on thousands of enemies at a time.
Persona 5 Strikers is Omega Force's most unique example of these types of games, one that retains quite a bit of what makes the source material so enjoyable for fans. Minus the action combat that certainly plays like a Musou title, Strikers feels like a full-fledged sequel made by the Persona 5 team, staying true to the heart of the original game.
Bond Skills 101
Unlike in Persona 5, Strikers' Joker will no longer go around town to form Bonds with random people. Instead, there is one solid meter that fills up by fighting in Jails, progressing the story, or engaging in side activities with the other characters. Players will accumulate Bond points that can then be used to unlock skills or improve stats.
When spending Bond points, always go for outside skills like opening bigger locks, gaining more Bond experience, and getting better deals in Sophia’s shop. Increasing stats like HP may be nice, but normal leveling up in the game is a better way to do that, especially if Joker aims to be a powerful Persona user.
Registering/Fusing Personas
Whenever someone goes back into the Velvet Room, they have to always make sure to register a Persona. This is especially important before fusing different Persona together as registration will ensure the player can always retrieve their lost monster if the need arises. While the process is not free, it is generally worth the price.
It should also be noted that fusing is mostly the same in Strikers as it is in Persona 5, except that Persona no longer adhere to random parts of the Tarot.
Do Not Ignore Requests
Requests serve as Persona 5 Strikers' side quests, and they mostly entail revisiting Jails to eliminate enemies in specific ways, buy items, or deliver goods. Overall, requests are not especially interesting and generally boil down to defeating hordes of enemies or bosses that players have already bested once before. Consequently, one might be tempted to skip them over.
While not all requests are born equal, some give out stellar rewards that can make a significant difference in the long run. For example, some requests expand Sophia's Shop or unlock unique Skill Cards for Joker's Personas.
Become A Master Of Stealth & The Phantom Dash
While there are plenty of areas where there are massive amounts of enemies onscreen, typical of a Dynasty Warriors game, most encounters will initiate like they would in Persona 5. Joker (or another Phantom Thief) must either strike an opponent or get caught by one to start a battle.
Persona 5 Strikers is not an overly difficult game but it is more challenging than most Musou titles. Like a traditional RPG, players need to monitor their HP and MP. Therefore, to avoid having to often leave the Jails to replenish their stats, the Phantom Thieves need to use stealth as frequently as possible. This mostly entails the use of the Phantom Dash, a move that allows Joker and company to sneak by opponents or land a surprise hit so they have the advantage in the upcoming battle.
Also, always be on the lookout for environmental aids like cars to blow up, or skateboards to mow down foes.
Party Rotation
Having a four-person party around at all times is great, but there is a downside. Those not in Persona 5 Strikers' active party do not gain experience. So, if players main a certain four members, the others will get left in the dust, which is bad for future strategies.
Certain character abilities will become invaluable at certain points in the game like for bosses, so it is important to not neglect any member of the Phantom Thieves. It is also important to note that characters can only be swapped at checkpoints or outside of Jails. Once the player has a clear idea of what types of Persona appear in a Jail, form a party that incorporates characters that can target the enemies' weaknesses along with Phantom Thieves that need the experience.
Basic Boss Strategies
On the subject of bosses, they are unlike any other encounter in Persona 5 Strikers. That may seem like an obvious point, but even if the game is played on the easiest setting, the first boss can decimate a strong but unprepared party. Always come equipped with plenty of healing items.
More importantly, each dungeon’s story ties its boss to a Phantom Thief, like between Alice and Anne in the Shibuya Jail. More often than not, the boss will have a weakness against that character's element. For example, Alice is weak versus fire, so Anne is a must for the battle against the boss. It’s also good to charge up the Showtime meters for every party member before entering a boss battle.
Persona Vacation
Based on early advertising, Persona 5 Strikers may seem like a trip down memory lane in the familiar territory of Shibuya. This holds true for the first five hours until reaching the first Jail. After that point, the sequel goes in a different direction than Persona 5.
Strikers takes the Phantom Thieves (and audience) on a road trip through other famous Japanese locations. It’s almost like Final Fantasy 15’s emphasis on a road trip accompanied by camping and outdoor cooking. While Strikers does not incorporate social elements anywhere near as deeply as Persona 5, it does not neglect character-driven moments. This is ultimately still a game about the Phantom Thieves, one packed with well-written backstories, endearing slice of life moments, and even a few neat twists.
There Is No Autosave Feature
Like Persona 5, this spin-off does not feature autosave. In the real world, the game can be saved anywhere as long as Joker isn’t in a conversation. In the Metaverse, players can save at the beginning of a Jail or at checkpoints. Sometimes, these checkpoints can be few and far between, so make sure to be diligent about saving.
At points, someone might find themselves dedicating a play session to grinding, and they can easily get lost in the rhythm of these endless battles. Do not allow hours to pass without saving as a power outage is all that it would take for all that progress to go to waste. On the plus side, if everyone dies in battle, there is an option to retry.