7 Reasons to Look Forward to Persona 5

The Persona series is one of my favorite game series of all time. Yes, that might sound a bit exaggerated, but these games are genuinely special. They know what they want to do, how to do it, and how to deliver it in an engaging way.

Here, we’ll go over some reasons to be excited about the upcoming Persona 5 and why it’s worth playing.

The Menu

I’m not usually someone who gets sold on aesthetics alone, but the design here is on another level. Everything is incredibly well executed. You wouldn’t expect something as secondary as a menu screen to receive this much attention, yet it clearly has. From what I’ve seen so far, these might be the best-designed menus in any game to date.

Just look at it—stylish, flashy, perfectly in tune with the game’s overall design, and still very easy to use. That alone is an achievement. As with most Persona games since Persona 2, the aesthetic works as a complete package, delivering a message. The design choices aren’t just there to look good; they serve a purpose. To fully understand why, we’ll have to wait and play the game, but it’s clear the developers don’t make decisions lightly.

2. The Music

This is another area where the Persona series consistently shines. Each game builds its soundtrack around a central theme. For example, Persona 4 used upbeat J-pop and high-pitched tones to reflect friendship and hope. The music supported the story and the themes perfectly.

Persona 5’s soundtrack follows the same idea but feels far more aggressive. It creates a strong, energetic atmosphere, almost pushing you to get up and make changes. That might sound like a stretch, but self-improvement has always been a core theme of the series, and Persona 5 seems more direct about it.

Listen to this:

Persona 5 Opening w/ Lyrics

The message feels more decisive and direct, stripping away layers of metaphor and getting straight to the point.

Life Will Change [With Lyrics] - Persona 5

Across the full soundtrack, there are also many orchestral arrangements, which is always good news. Here, they blend perfectly with the overall style and tone of the game.

Last Surprise [With Lyrics] - Persona 5

3. The Graphics

Everything ties together beautifully, and the graphics are no exception. There’s a mix of cel-shading, bold neon lighting, and a strong black-and-red color palette that defines the entire presentation. It’s hard to describe in words, so it’s best to just watch the trailer.

ペルソナ５ PV#01

There isn’t just one visual style. You have anime cutscenes, in-engine cinematics, and gameplay footage, all with their own distinct feel. Despite that, everything comes together into a cohesive whole, making the game visually diverse and exciting to watch.

4. The Gameplay

Persona 5 Gameplay Trailer E3 2016

The trailer focuses heavily on story, but it still gives a good idea of how gameplay has evolved. The Persona series has always had strong RPG mechanics, but the day-to-day sections could sometimes feel stiff. From what’s shown here, those areas seem much more organic. Combat and dungeon gameplay also appear improved, with a bigger focus on stealth, sneaking, and positioning. These elements existed before, but now they feel far more meaningful.

5. The Stakes

The Persona series has usually kept its narratives contained. In Persona 3, your actions were limited to your school. In Persona 4, everything revolved around the small town of Inaba. In Persona 5, the stakes feel much larger. While you may not travel the world, your actions seem to have global consequences. This adds complexity to the story and makes it more engaging if handled well. The game appears to be going big in every aspect, and the scale of the narrative reflects that.

6. The Writing

This has always been one of the series’ strongest points. The writing is excellent, blending suspense, serious themes, and lighthearted moments. Character development is a major focus, and it’s handled exceptionally well. At its core, Persona is about social connections and how other people influence us. The games often play with first impressions, then challenge those assumptions as you learn more about each character. Persona is part social simulation and part RPG, and it excels at both.

The main character also seems more defined this time. In previous games, the protagonist was mostly silent to act as a stand-in for the player. In Persona 5, the protagonist appears to have a stronger personality, suggesting he’s living his own story rather than simply being a vessel for the player.

7. Carl Gustav Jung

This may sound a bit pretentious, but it’s an important part of the series. Persona heavily draws from the psychological theories of Carl Gustav Jung. Concepts like the “Shadow” and “Persona” come directly from his work. Jung introduced the idea of a collective unconscious, which the series has used to explore social themes. Persona 3 focused on death and depression, Persona 4 on identity and hidden truths. Each game tapped into shared social anxieties.

I believe Persona 5 continues this trend, but with a twist. Rather than just reflecting the collective unconscious, it seems to want to influence it. The game feels like it’s pushing for real change in how players think and act, more than ever before. That ambition is deeply rooted in Jung’s ideas.

In conclusion, the depth and care put into these games are remarkable. All that’s left is to wait for release and see how it all comes together. If I had to guess, I’d say Persona 5 will focus on powerful organizations and their impact on society, with the player directly challenging them. Of course, the game won’t spell this out openly. Persona has always been subtle with its themes. And yes, I also suspect the guy with yellow hair in the trailer might be trouble. Pay attention to the lyrics when he appears.

As a disclaimer, I’ve only seen the prologue while researching this article, so some assumptions may be off.

The featured image was courtesy of the Megami Tensei Wiki.