Summary
WhilePersona 5 Tacticais undeniably adorable, its use of chibi graphics isn’t merely an attempt to be cute, but firmly rooted in a gameplay-first school of design thought. This bit of insight into the recently debuted title comes from Atlus’s new developer diary reflecting on the making of thefirst strategy RPG in thePersonaseries.
Originally released on November 17,Persona 5 Tacticadebuted to solid reviewsand a positive reception from the fandom. Since then, many players have taken to social media to praise its addictive gameplay loop that combines turn-based strategy with bite-sized, almost puzzle-like levels in the vein of theMario + Rabbidsseries. Meanwhile, others welcomed the opportunity to spend some more time with the cast of Phantom Thieves, which has gotten more adorable due to the game’s switch to chibi graphics.
Persona 5 Tactica’s Cute Graphics Make Gameplay More Accessible
But this visual style is much more than a mere attempt at being cute, according toPersona 5 TacticaDirector Naoya Maeda. Atlus’s latest developer diary detailing the making of the game saw Maeda reveal that the SRPG’s chibi graphics were meant to make its gameplay more accessible. Elaborating on that point, the game director posited that distinguishing between normal-height characters from the bird’s-eye view that’s typical for SRPGs would have been difficult. “The sense of fun is kind of lost” if everyone is resembling stick figures, Maeda opined.
Faced with that downside to using the art style ofPersona 5in conjunction with a bird’s-eye perspective, Atlus opted to design “deformed short characters” that are easier to distinguish from one another even from far away. Even with that decision out of the way, nailing the game’s aesthetic proved to be a challenge, as Maeda previously revealed thatPersona 5 Tacticaonly found its new art style after a lot of iteration.
If we were to utilize normal-height characters with this [bird’s-eye] angle, the sense of fun is kind of lost. When normal-shaped characters fight at this angle, they almost look like stick figures.
Atlus initially tried reusing the exaggerated character designs from thePersona Qgames, but ended up returning to the drawing board after finding that style to be too limiting for the kind of detailed animation that it wanted to do inPersona 5 Tactica. The developers eventually settled on new proportions that emphasized the characters' limbs.
AlthoughPersona 5 Tacticastill looks a bit like aPersona Qgame, Atlus was adamant not to let its gameplay-driven art style dictate the type of story that it wanted to tell. The voice actors were hence directed to ignore “how small and cute the characters look” while giving their performances, Maeda revealed. This approach allowed the SRPG to tackle a high-stakes and emotional narrative that wouldn’t feel out of place in a mainlinePersonagame.
Persona 5 Tactica
WHERE TO PLAY
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?Persona 5 Tactica features an all-new story, the return of fan-favorite characters, and brand-new allies and foes. Join the group as they lead an emotional revolution in this thrilling combat adventure!
