After a strange incident, the Phantom Thieves wander into a bizarre realm where its citizens are living under tyrannical oppression. Surrounded by a military group named Legionnaires, they find themselves in grave danger until a mysterious revolutionary named Erina rescues them and offers an enticing deal in exchange for their help. What truth lies behind Erina and the deal she offers to the Phantom Thieves.
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While this game doesn't expand much from the original cast of P5, what it brings new is all incredibly well done. Erina, Guernica, and especially Toshiro are some of the best characters not only in the "P5" series of games, but the series as a whole. The art style is striking and an improvement over that in the Q games. The gameplay took a long time to get used to, but once it hits, it hits hard and it makes the game addicting. Overall its in the upper tiers of Persona spin-off titles.
Worth it for the new characters Toshiro and Erina alone. Wish they were actual P5 characters. Gameplay is a very fun combination of Persona and XCOM that works well, if that piques your interest as well.
Following its initial announcement, this game was met with an outstanding and overbearing silence that echoed throughout the lands of the fanbase as absolutely no one alive was hyped for the prestigious release of Persona 5 Tactica.
Well- I lie. I WAS EXCITED! I was so hyped, I went to every DM for every friend who even remotely knew of Persona, telling them that "Persona 5 Fire Emblem finally exists!" I was wrong, but I wasn't right either. It was more "Persona 5 Mario + Rabbids," than anything, but it was a Persona 5 tactics game, and for that: I couldn't be happier.
Persona 5 Tactica is an odd strategy game. Rather than meticulously honing in on enemies and playing it safe throughout each battle, Tactica expects you to play aggressively, utilising skill advantages and 1 More's to decimate opponents, leaving them open so you can wipe the battlefield before a conflict can even begin. For this, the game can be admittedly exhilarating to play. You're always on the move, and when you get the hang of it, it becomes an absolute joy to play! Characters bounce off each other well, and each Side Quest teaches you what each character's toolkit offers, as well as how they might differ. Sooner or later, you begin realising which character works well for what scenario, and you lose yourself in the all-out revolution of war that this game tries its best to tell a tale of.
That was how it was for me, anyway. Being weak in this game is a major strength in battle. What you lack in OH-KOing enemies when being under-levelled, you make up for in being able to push them around the map, allowing you to crowd control a large group before sending them home with an All-Out Attack. It's incredibly satisfying to pull off, and even though I was worried about making certain missions impossible when I was over the level for certain ones: The game still provided me enough versatility to think around the box and use a different character's skills in new ways.
Mind you, everyone is diverse, but not everyone is fair - and I saw this is an issue in what was thankfully the best possible way. The one outlier in the main cast, being Yusuke, is thankfully just a REALLY good unit to have in every battle. With the right skills, he provides extra movement for every battle, and he quickly became a favourite for getting slow-coaches like Haru and Makoto across the map quickly without needing to waste turns positioning them. Speed is the main aim of the game, and regardless of the overall difficulty setting you're playing in, you're ultimately rushing to success with everyone on-board.
You must forgive me, though. Tactica is admittedly one of the few times in a Persona game where I was so incredibly enamoured by the gameplay, that I absolutely lost myself in it without first realising just how good the story could be. Is the story good? If you've played Persona 5's original campaign and the Strikers spin-off, you'll see the ending twist coming from beyond a mile away - and then you'll sigh in dissapointment as the game tries its best during the final few hours to get you on-board for the finale when you're absolutely ready to bash his head in like the ones before him in other games.
The story isn't amazing, but it's not horrible either. What makes it, "not horrible," though? Define it for me, Yoshistar!
Okay, fine. I will: Toshiro and Erina! These two bubbles of fear and absolute delight had me giggle a few times with how silly they could be! Tactica is implied to take place during winter of P5 Royal. The Phantoms Thieves don't develope. They've done doing that. You SAW THEM do that. No complaints here, okay? From here on, Toshiro takes the stage, and Erina joins alongside him!
The two rub off each other like skin and soap, ribbing on one another constantly while also providing aid in their faults. It's incredibly heart-warming to see, and during the final moments of seeing Toshiro coming to grips with who he is, you begin loving these characters for being the way they are. Toshiro for being a goof who has to accept his faults, and Erina for being the #badassgirlboss that doesn't take "no" for an answer. She represents the game's themes of Revolution perfectly, and to that end, the story of the game can be immensely engaging. It's a character-driven narrative, and the characters this time around are the goofballs, Toshiro, Toshiro, and Toshiro, with a side helping of Erina whenever the plot demands it. It's not perfect - but it's engaging, and I loved the game for it!
There are little things too, that I enjoyed about this game. I didn't mind the constant menu navigation because, as always, Persona 5's UI and themes of Revolution hit the nail on the head whenever you even THOUGHT of checking something out before a battle. You could get lost for HOURS fusing Personas in the Velvet Room if you're lucky (I was sadly, unlucky, though: When I had to sit in their for 40+ minutes for a PS achievements :/), and seeing bonus conversations only to THEN mix and match skills in the Skill Tree becomes dangerously addicting before every battle. Now... if only the game didn't notify me EVERY TIME even ONE of the units needed a tiny upgrade for SOMETHING RELATIVELY MINOR- D:
"Yes, I know Haru can get a small HP upgrade for 10 GP, game, but MAYBE I DON'T WANT IT! LET ME SAVE UP MORE DAMN IT- THE FLOOF NEEDS HER OVER-POWERED PSIO SKILL DAMN IT!!!!!"
AHEM-
Sorry about that.
So that's it? That's my only complaint?
Yeah.
I told you all before. I was one of the only few who was excited for Tactica's announcement. I was so excited, I waited for a sale and snagged it when the tide of prices was looking safe to surf on many months later. Call it cheap (it was on my wallet), but it worked. The game receiving such a lukewarm reception has likely damaged any resemblance of more Tactica-like games from ATLUS, which is a shame - but it does make me hopeful we could get Persona Q remasters one day. And even if I WAS the one singing this game's praises enough to Platinum the game on my PS account, I had an absolute joy doing it.
People are getting sick of the Phantom Thieves. They've hit a slump, and they're just not as good as they used to be. ATLUS love them just as much as we've apparently outgrown them, and that's the harsh reality of the world we live in. To that I say: Enjoy it while it lasts. I'm hoping one day people avert their eyes from the fatigue, and give Tactica the 1 More it deserves. It's not a masterpiece of a game, but it's not harmful either. Persona 5 Tactica is a game that excels in what it does, and is a joy to play from start-to-end to New Game+ and beyond. It's not perfect, but it's not a Persona game without polish - and you'll see that more if you ever ever decide to give it the glance it deserves.
Well- I lie. I WAS EXCITED! I was so hyped, I went to every DM for every friend who even remotely knew of Persona, telling them that "Persona 5 Fire Emblem finally exists!" I was wrong, but I wasn't right either. It was more "Persona 5 Mario + Rabbids," than anything, but it was a Persona 5 tactics game, and for that: I couldn't be happier.
Persona 5 Tactica is an odd strategy game. Rather than meticulously honing in on enemies and playing it safe throughout each battle, Tactica expects you to play aggressively, utilising skill advantages and 1 More's to decimate opponents, leaving them open so you can wipe the battlefield before a conflict can even begin. For this, the game can be admittedly exhilarating to play. You're always on the move, and when you get the hang of it, it becomes an absolute joy to play! Characters bounce off each other well, and each Side Quest teaches you what each character's toolkit offers, as well as how they might differ. Sooner or later, you begin realising which character works well for what scenario, and you lose yourself in the all-out revolution of war that this game tries its best to tell a tale of.
That was how it was for me, anyway. Being weak in this game is a major strength in battle. What you lack in OH-KOing enemies when being under-levelled, you make up for in being able to push them around the map, allowing you to crowd control a large group before sending them home with an All-Out Attack. It's incredibly satisfying to pull off, and even though I was worried about making certain missions impossible when I was over the level for certain ones: The game still provided me enough versatility to think around the box and use a different character's skills in new ways.
Mind you, everyone is diverse, but not everyone is fair - and I saw this is an issue in what was thankfully the best possible way. The one outlier in the main cast, being Yusuke, is thankfully just a REALLY good unit to have in every battle. With the right skills, he provides extra movement for every battle, and he quickly became a favourite for getting slow-coaches like Haru and Makoto across the map quickly without needing to waste turns positioning them. Speed is the main aim of the game, and regardless of the overall difficulty setting you're playing in, you're ultimately rushing to success with everyone on-board.
You must forgive me, though. Tactica is admittedly one of the few times in a Persona game where I was so incredibly enamoured by the gameplay, that I absolutely lost myself in it without first realising just how good the story could be. Is the story good? If you've played Persona 5's original campaign and the Strikers spin-off, you'll see the ending twist coming from beyond a mile away - and then you'll sigh in dissapointment as the game tries its best during the final few hours to get you on-board for the finale when you're absolutely ready to bash his head in like the ones before him in other games.
The story isn't amazing, but it's not horrible either. What makes it, "not horrible," though? Define it for me, Yoshistar!
Okay, fine. I will: Toshiro and Erina! These two bubbles of fear and absolute delight had me giggle a few times with how silly they could be! Tactica is implied to take place during winter of P5 Royal. The Phantoms Thieves don't develope. They've done doing that. You SAW THEM do that. No complaints here, okay? From here on, Toshiro takes the stage, and Erina joins alongside him!
The two rub off each other like skin and soap, ribbing on one another constantly while also providing aid in their faults. It's incredibly heart-warming to see, and during the final moments of seeing Toshiro coming to grips with who he is, you begin loving these characters for being the way they are. Toshiro for being a goof who has to accept his faults, and Erina for being the #badassgirlboss that doesn't take "no" for an answer. She represents the game's themes of Revolution perfectly, and to that end, the story of the game can be immensely engaging. It's a character-driven narrative, and the characters this time around are the goofballs, Toshiro, Toshiro, and Toshiro, with a side helping of Erina whenever the plot demands it. It's not perfect - but it's engaging, and I loved the game for it!
There are little things too, that I enjoyed about this game. I didn't mind the constant menu navigation because, as always, Persona 5's UI and themes of Revolution hit the nail on the head whenever you even THOUGHT of checking something out before a battle. You could get lost for HOURS fusing Personas in the Velvet Room if you're lucky (I was sadly, unlucky, though: When I had to sit in their for 40+ minutes for a PS achievements :/), and seeing bonus conversations only to THEN mix and match skills in the Skill Tree becomes dangerously addicting before every battle. Now... if only the game didn't notify me EVERY TIME even ONE of the units needed a tiny upgrade for SOMETHING RELATIVELY MINOR- D:
"Yes, I know Haru can get a small HP upgrade for 10 GP, game, but MAYBE I DON'T WANT IT! LET ME SAVE UP MORE DAMN IT- THE FLOOF NEEDS HER OVER-POWERED PSIO SKILL DAMN IT!!!!!"
AHEM-
Sorry about that.
So that's it? That's my only complaint?
Yeah.
I told you all before. I was one of the only few who was excited for Tactica's announcement. I was so excited, I waited for a sale and snagged it when the tide of prices was looking safe to surf on many months later. Call it cheap (it was on my wallet), but it worked. The game receiving such a lukewarm reception has likely damaged any resemblance of more Tactica-like games from ATLUS, which is a shame - but it does make me hopeful we could get Persona Q remasters one day. And even if I WAS the one singing this game's praises enough to Platinum the game on my PS account, I had an absolute joy doing it.
People are getting sick of the Phantom Thieves. They've hit a slump, and they're just not as good as they used to be. ATLUS love them just as much as we've apparently outgrown them, and that's the harsh reality of the world we live in. To that I say: Enjoy it while it lasts. I'm hoping one day people avert their eyes from the fatigue, and give Tactica the 1 More it deserves. It's not a masterpiece of a game, but it's not harmful either. Persona 5 Tactica is a game that excels in what it does, and is a joy to play from start-to-end to New Game+ and beyond. It's not perfect, but it's not a Persona game without polish - and you'll see that more if you ever ever decide to give it the glance it deserves.
criminally underrated and a nice entry point into strategy based games
played the main story and god bored.. the dlc was better
Persona 5 Tactica Review:
Hours: 30
Spoilers: 0
We have hade the original Persona 5, Dancing in Starlight, Royal, Strikers and now we all have Tactica. Atlus has milked and continues to milk the Persona that hit the mainstream crowd and the real question has to be, does Tactica justify the milking?
Let’s moo-ve onto the review and find out!
Gameplay:
If you have played X-Com or Fire Emblem you will be already quite familiar with how this game operates except this is absolutely a more dumbed down version of that. Think Raving Rabbids but not THAT obsessed by the French. Tactica is a HEAVILY cover based strategy game relying on moving the characters you know and love on a grid based map to defeat all the enemies.
For new players of the genre, this game absolutely can operate as “My first tactics game” and does a good job of elevating the difficulty making it more of a Hitman styled puzzle box. If I move my unit here, and press this elevator button, will the enemy be taken out of cover for me to get a critical hit and have another turn?
The elevation is really gradual and I think that if people have issues with how easy the game is at the start, it does become more of a strategy game in its later portions. Other than this, it is a Persona game. You take turns with each character (up to 3) to attack using guns, melee attacks and persona skills now just with a cover twist as a mission based puzzle box.
Story:
I assume if you have played Persona 5, you probably enjoyed that sweet, sweet narrative. I gotta say, I really enjoyed the plot that follows Tactica. I have a lot of issues with the ongoing narrative of this series of games as they all ditch Royal and seemingly do not connect with Strikers at all. I understand they are side games to spin off from that main game but the fact there is no consistency at all is painful because it does feel like none of it was worth it.
However, if we look at the game in its own box without any other elements, Tactica is a beautiful narrative and though it is obvious from the get go, the game also realises that you will get what is happening really quick. Leaving you no spaces where you feel the characters aren’t catching up as fast as you.
I adore where this story goes and made me genuinely cry so hard. I haven’t cried this hard since Final Fantasy 16 but this felt even more intense. I love what this narrative represents and gives a great spin on what they were going for in the base game.
Just like all the other spin off games, I absolutely love the new characters and how they blend with the existing Phantom Thieves. It is just a shame on narrative level that they will be thrown away not to be seen in another P5 game unless we get a fighter.
Music:
Bruh it’s Lyn, what more do you want. Of course it is fucking good.
Overall:
This is a short review compared to some others I have been writing lately and I think that is because there isn’t too much to say. If you love Persona 5, you are going to play this and most likely enjoy it. However there is that chance which is likely, that you are just tired of this being milked to hell and back which is fair criticism.
I myself, think Tactica is a fantastic game for those who want to see these characters interact more and enjoy a concise tactics game playable at multiple difficulties.
Disclaimer: I do however need to point out that the game has day 1 DLC that costs $30 AUD to play as the best character in the game (Imo) and best girl from Royal (imo) which pains me because you just know this could have been baked in on the disc or AT LEAST, came out a week or so after. Not day 1.
Stupid practices and really shows Atlus greedy little milking hands.
Hours: 30
Spoilers: 0
We have hade the original Persona 5, Dancing in Starlight, Royal, Strikers and now we all have Tactica. Atlus has milked and continues to milk the Persona that hit the mainstream crowd and the real question has to be, does Tactica justify the milking?
Let’s moo-ve onto the review and find out!
Gameplay:
If you have played X-Com or Fire Emblem you will be already quite familiar with how this game operates except this is absolutely a more dumbed down version of that. Think Raving Rabbids but not THAT obsessed by the French. Tactica is a HEAVILY cover based strategy game relying on moving the characters you know and love on a grid based map to defeat all the enemies.
For new players of the genre, this game absolutely can operate as “My first tactics game” and does a good job of elevating the difficulty making it more of a Hitman styled puzzle box. If I move my unit here, and press this elevator button, will the enemy be taken out of cover for me to get a critical hit and have another turn?
The elevation is really gradual and I think that if people have issues with how easy the game is at the start, it does become more of a strategy game in its later portions. Other than this, it is a Persona game. You take turns with each character (up to 3) to attack using guns, melee attacks and persona skills now just with a cover twist as a mission based puzzle box.
Story:
I assume if you have played Persona 5, you probably enjoyed that sweet, sweet narrative. I gotta say, I really enjoyed the plot that follows Tactica. I have a lot of issues with the ongoing narrative of this series of games as they all ditch Royal and seemingly do not connect with Strikers at all. I understand they are side games to spin off from that main game but the fact there is no consistency at all is painful because it does feel like none of it was worth it.
However, if we look at the game in its own box without any other elements, Tactica is a beautiful narrative and though it is obvious from the get go, the game also realises that you will get what is happening really quick. Leaving you no spaces where you feel the characters aren’t catching up as fast as you.
I adore where this story goes and made me genuinely cry so hard. I haven’t cried this hard since Final Fantasy 16 but this felt even more intense. I love what this narrative represents and gives a great spin on what they were going for in the base game.
Just like all the other spin off games, I absolutely love the new characters and how they blend with the existing Phantom Thieves. It is just a shame on narrative level that they will be thrown away not to be seen in another P5 game unless we get a fighter.
Music:
Bruh it’s Lyn, what more do you want. Of course it is fucking good.
Overall:
This is a short review compared to some others I have been writing lately and I think that is because there isn’t too much to say. If you love Persona 5, you are going to play this and most likely enjoy it. However there is that chance which is likely, that you are just tired of this being milked to hell and back which is fair criticism.
I myself, think Tactica is a fantastic game for those who want to see these characters interact more and enjoy a concise tactics game playable at multiple difficulties.
Disclaimer: I do however need to point out that the game has day 1 DLC that costs $30 AUD to play as the best character in the game (Imo) and best girl from Royal (imo) which pains me because you just know this could have been baked in on the disc or AT LEAST, came out a week or so after. Not day 1.
Stupid practices and really shows Atlus greedy little milking hands.