Persona 5 Tactica Reviews
A supremely satisfying turn-based strategy spin-off, and one of Persona's best ever stories.
Persona 5 Tactica marks a welcome return for the Phantom Thieves, delivering a fun strategy spin-off with plenty of heart.
Persona 5 Tactica is a big bag of bite-sized Phantom Thieves adventures that keeps the spirit of the series alive and shows that it can work great with a grid-based battle system.
Atlus' Persona 5 Tactica drops the Phantom Thieves in a Medieval Europe-style world as they are dragged into an ongoing revolution by a mysterious figure. Rather than a traditional turn-based JRPG, the Persona 5 spin-off falls within the tactics genre.
Persona 5 Tactica is undone by the fact it's unsure if it's putting the Persona twist on the tactical grid game, or using Persona characters to introduce newcomers to the genre. Maps and missions are repetitive, the more interesting elements that each Persona brings are sanded off, and there's an overreliance on basic gun and melee attacks that don't suit the Phantom Thieves at all. But when it clicks, there is an unmistakable charm about the Phantom Thieves themselves, and drawn-out though they may be, the epic scale of the bosses is a good shake-up for the genre. It's not the perfect goodbye of Strikers, but it is a sign that the sun should set on the Phantom Thieves in peace.
Persona 5 Tactica makes the most of combining Persona and tactics (as the name implies) together, forming a charming amalgamation out of the two for a surprisingly dense mechanical experience and powerful story that nevertheless loses something by omitting anything resembling side activities.
Persona 5 Tactica is a fun time for someone who’s looking for a more casual strategy game. The Phantom Thieves are just as charming as ever, and the newly introduced characters mesh well with them. It’s not an essential experience in the same way that Persona 5 Strikers was, but fans who aren’t tired of Persona 5 yet will find plenty to like with Tactica.
Though Persona 5 Tactica might lack the spectacle of its predecessor, its depth and extraordinary storytelling make it well worth playing.
Persona 5 Tactica isn’t something that’s going to blow anyone away, neither Persona fans nor fans of tactical RPGs. Its story is decent and interesting enough to see the players through to the end, but it likely won’t leave much of any lasting impact. The same goes for its overall presentation and music. Much of it is fun to look at and listen to, and there's genuine enjoyment to be had, but none of it is anything one will remember for long after putting it down. Atlus did manage to craft a fun and interesting combat system here, though, one that’s simple and easy enough for genre newcomers to enjoy and which also offers enough depth to give those familiar with these sorts of games a few fun hours. Persona 5 Tactica is nothing genre defining, but it’s fun enough, especially for those who’d like another chance to spend some more time with the Phantom Thieves.
A turn-based strategy 'em up with the Persona 5 gang that might be a bit too simplistic for some, and anime for others, but still makes for a nice excuse to hang with pals.
Persona 5 Tactica is a thrillingly varied tactical RPG that fans of the Phantom Thieves and the genre should take note of. It's a little on the easy side, but the varied gameplay, excellent soundtrack, striking visuals, and lovable characters all make for a very easy recommendation here.
The Switch port of Persona 5 Tactica is absolutely wonderful, and it's a perfect game to play portably thanks to its lovely bite sized missions.
Persona 5 Tactica is a tactics game unlike any other, with really clever combat that requires a lot of thought and that Persona style we all love.
Possibly a spin-off too far, Persona 5 Tactica conceals a reasonably fun tactical turn-based strategy game behind a wearisome visual novel-style story.
Persona 5 Tactica takes a while to really get going, but once it does, you'll have no choice but to stick around for the ride. DualShockers was provided with a copy of the game for review purposes.
Persona 5 Tactica brings the Phantom Thieves back together for fans to enjoy in a strategy and role-playing game full of possibilities. A new opportunity to live adventures with Joker and his friends, this time leading a new revolution. On a negative note, it may fall short for those with a lot of experience in this type of games.
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So if the idea of a tactics game starring the Phantom Thieves, clocking in at a neat 30ish hours, sounds appealing, then Persona 5 Tactica is for you. It’s not as deep or compelling as other options, but it’s got the style and characters you like. The ending wraps up nicely too, even if getting there is a bit drawn out at the start. I’m happy I spent some time in the tactical Kingdoms of Persona 5 Tactica myself. But I also think I’m ready for a new crew to get the spotlight.
Persona 5 Tactica is a diversion that’s worth playing, if just to see the gang back together again for more hijinks with fully-voiced cutscenes and main missions. The adventure isn’t as grand or comprehensive as Persona 5, but the combat system is clever and refined. At least the game proves that the Phantom Thieves still have more to give before the arrival of Persona 6.
It walks a precarious tightrope, where it risks disappointing both Persona and strategy fans, but most of the time this fun but shallow tactical role-player threads the needle to enjoyable effect.
Just when Tactica’s combat feels like it steps into its own, the game ends. Atlus definitely played it safe by easing players into the basics and gradually giving them more freedom to use all of Tactica’s tools, but the moment where everything clicks and all the systems work together happens a little too late. There's a lot of potential here, though, and I hope this isn't the last time Atlus brings tactics to the shadow world.