A recently released Koei Tecmo financial report is suggesting an imminent Western release for Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, according to Persona Central.
Unlike a previous similar report which explicitly implies the game’s premier outside of Japan, which turned out to be for other Asian regions. The new report specifically implies a Western release, particularly in the US and Europe, as written in Japanese texts.
However, the report did not state as to when the game will be coming exactly to the West. Which, considering the current state of events, could be slowed as caused by the work-from-home setup.
In essence, the information makes for a first for the developer to acknowledge the game’s Western localization. A previously obscure topic, but at the same time a likely possibility, due to the franchise’s popularity worldwide.
Persona 5 Scramble in Hindsight
To the unaware, Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers is a sequel/spin-off to the hit Atlus JRPG, Persona 5.
According to The Verge, the game follows on the story of Persona 5, taking place four months after the RPG’s final event.
The Phantom Strikers sets off in the premise of the Phantom Thieves entering an alternative universe. An unexpected turn of event in an otherwise happy camping trip vacation.
However, instead of palaces, the group now faces a new domain called “jails.” Although seemingly distinct in terminology, a “jail” is a palace still that houses a ruler who becomes the target for the Phantom Thieves. The purpose is to change—or rather, steal—the ruler’s heart and enact change in the real world, where the embodiment resides.
Being a spin-off, the game ventures into the Musou gameplay, similar to the Dynasty Warriors series, which strays from its root’s turn-based gameplay. With a heavy emphasis on action and fighting off hordes of mindless enemies, the game is hack-and-slash with P5 as its overarching theme.
Play as the Phantom Thieves
Players would have plenty of options to choose from by choosing any of the Phantom Thieves members. But Joker appears to be the most versatile of the bunch. With the ability to use different personas, this main protagonist is capable of diverse fighting capabilities.
Currently available only to select Asian regions, including Japan, the game sold 480,000 copies to date. It saw initial release in Japan in February 2020 and followed by overseas Asian releases in June 2020.
Image used courtesy of atlustube/YouTube Screenshot