Atlus Says Persona 5 Tactica Isn't Cute Just Because

Summary

Persona 5 Tactica's chibi graphics are meant to make its characters easily distinguishable from the bird's-eye perspective, thus making gameplay more accessible.
Using normal-height characters in an SRPG of this sort would have jeopardized its "sense of fun," P5T Director Naoya Maeda said.
Persona 5 Tactica voice actors were even directed to ignore all the cuteness in their performances, which allowed Atlus to tell another emotional and high-stakes story worthy of the Persona label.

While Persona 5 Tactica is 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 the first strategy RPG in the Persona series.

Originally released on November 17, Persona 5 Tactica debuted to solid reviews and 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 the Mario + Rabbids series. 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 to Persona 5 Tactica Director 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 of Persona 5 in 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 that Persona 5 Tactica only 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 the Persona Q games, 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 in Persona 5 Tactica. The developers eventually settled on new proportions that emphasized the characters' limbs.

Persona 5 Tactica Voice Actors Had To Ignore the Game's Cuteness

Although Persona 5 Tactica still looks a bit like a Persona Q game, 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 mainline Persona game.

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Tactical

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 77 /100 Critics Rec: 67%

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Released: November 17, 2023
ESRB: T For Teen Due To Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
Developer(s): P-Studio
Publisher(s): Atlus
Engine: Unity
Franchise: Persona

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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!