Atlus has released more details on the story and characters of Persona 5, with screenshots accompanying the new information. Aside from the group of characters known as the Phantom Thieves, we also take a look at the residents of the mysterious Velvet Room. Gematsu has translated a large portion of the press release, and credit goes to them for most of the information provided in the writeup below. Some of the information and screenshots were also taken from the original Japanese press release. Read on for more information!
The Velvet Room
The protagonist of the story received a criminal record after he injured a man who was harassing a woman. During his probation, he experiences a strange dream where he finds himself in a blue prison, guarded by two twins. In the back, he notices and old man with a strange face. This prison is in fact the “Velvet Room”, a room between dreams and reality, which is no doubt familiar to anyone who played the previous Persona games. The old man is the mysterious Igor (voiced by Masane Tsukayama), the proprietor of the Velvet Room and a recurring character in all of the main Persona games.The twin guards are Caroline and Justine (voiced by Aki Toyosaki).
Only those bound by a contract are able to visit the Velvet Room. The old man explains that the room is a prison because it corresponds to the state of mind of the protagonist, who is held captive by fate. The only way for him to avoid ruin in his future is to be “rehabilitated” towards freedom.
Infiltrating the Palace
The rehabilitation results in him becoming a Phantom Thief who “steals” the hearts of evil adults in order to reform them. However, the activities of the group of Phantom Thieves soon attract the attention of the government and police.
Reforming the evil adults is done by entering the alternate world of their heart, known as “Palace”. This is done via a smartphone device called “Isekai Navi” (other world Navi), which was given to the protagonist by Igor. A palace can be shaped very differently depending on which person they belong to (castles, museums and even pyramids). The twisted desires of a person are represented as treasures in their Palace, and it’s the task of the Phantom Thieves to steal them. Of course, this is easier said than done, as a lot of obstacles will be in their way.
Students at day, Phantom Thieves at night
As with the previous Persona games, your work as a Phantom Thief is only one part of the game. An equally important part is dedicated to living your everyday life as a high school student. As such, you’ll have to manage your time schedule carefully to balance your free time with your school activities and part-time work. This can involve choosing to spend time playing games in Akihabara with your friends after school, or taking one of the girls out on a date at the cinema in Shibuya. Or you can just go home to read a book or play games. In fact, you can also decide to invite one of your friends over at your home. The choice is yours! Throughout the year, you’ll also partake in various unique events such as a cultural festival or an overseas school excursion.
Discovering the Truth
The story of Persona 5 plays out in an omnibus format, which each story arc being independent from the other. However, there’s an overarching plotline connecting all of these events, which will eventually lead the Phantom Thieves to the truth. What ending awaits them will depend on the player.
Persona 5 is will be released on the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 on September 15 in Japan. The release in the Americas is scheduled for February 14. There’s no confirmed release date for Europe at this point in time.
HD Screenshots (courtesy of Atlus U.S.A.)
Additional (low-res) screenshots
