Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic sequel to one of the best JRPGs of all time. It’s less of a Warriors game and more of an action RPG with fun, fluid combat, great characters, and an excellent story and soundtrack.

Persona 5 Strikers surprised me. I was expecting something down the lines of Hyrule Warriors or Fire Emblem Warriors – a game that was true to the franchise, but also explicitly a “Musou” title. But Strikers isn't that. Koei Tecmo has somehow crafted not only a genuine sequel to Persona 5, the JRPG, but the team has managed to equal it. Or – if action combat is your thing – perhaps even exceed it. That is no mean feat.

Persona 5 Strikers is not a typical spin off; it is a full-fledged sequel filled with real characters, a gripping story, and an addicting gameplay loop. And though it is a different genre than its antecedent, the love and personality poured into this game puts it on par with the best follow ups I’ve ever played. Since Atlus creates a new set of heroes for every mainline Persona entry, this could be the last time we see Joker. I hope not. Persona 5 Strikers made me relive my love for Persona 5 and the Phantom Thieves, and I never want to see them go.

Persona 5 Strikers does the seemingly impossible in mashing up two very different genres and striking a balance that works. Beyond just its incredibly satisfying gameplay, Strikers' story is more than a worthy successor to Persona 5, and the two together make for an experience that is going to be difficult to match going forward — either in Persona games, or in Warriors games. There are some small issues with the Switch port, but all in all there's little to complain about. It's a fantastic game, from top to bottom, and almost makes up for the absence of Persona 5 on the Switch.

Persona 5 Strikers is not your usual hack-n-slash game from Omega Force. It is rather a wonderful fusion that takes the best pieces out of the well known Warriors formula and Persona, which is then mixed together into something completely unique. If you are looking for a deeper hack-n-slash, this is the way to go.

I like it a lot, and I felt really happy with it when I finally finished it. It’s a game that I want to recommend, but that recommendation has to come with a big caveat: if you’re a Persona fan that loves the Phantom Thieves but you’re just not interested in the gameplay, it may be more worth your time to just play Persona 5 again.

Persona 5 Strikers is as flashy as Persona 5, featuring the same gorgeous artwork and animations, great dialogue, and brilliant music. It unfortunately lacks the meat on the bone that made the original such an addicting experience to its loyal fanbase. It also provides little incentive for newcomers to play it despite its egregious length being drastically cut down.