CREDIT: ATLUS
Persona 5's plot brings forth a lot of questions on the perceptions of society

I have been a fan of Atlus' Persona game series for many years. Each installment has gotten better and better, and what once was a game with a small cult following has expanded into a fanbase that stretches to the corners of the globe.

And I have to say, Atlus has outdone itself when it comes to the latest edition into the series, Persona 5. This title deserved being awarded “Best Role Playing Game” of 2017 for a reason.

Atlus reworked Persona 5 so that it was given the best aspects of the older games as well as an added a new flare to it, making it completely its own. With comic style graphics, characters with darker sides to them and a dramatic plot that will make you question society in general, Persona 5 will aptly “take your heart away.”

Now, Persona loves to question darker tones of human society, looking at topics that are questionable and deeply philosophical. In the original teaser for the game, all the way back in 2014, there was only one line given, “You are a slave. Want emancipation?” Unknown to what it meant back then, this line states just what Persona 5 is all about.

In this game, you play as a group of high schoolers who have been in some way or another, wronged by the deceptions of society. With the help of a supernatural app, these teenagers are able to traverse into the Metaverse, a supernatural cognition of the heart. The goal of these wronged youths: change the hearts of those using the lies of society to cover their evil deeds. By exploring into the Metaverse, you will discover how the deceptions and hypocrisies lie in plain sight when the rest of society ignores it.

A journey of discovery into the psyche of modern civilization, you will be unnerved by the points Persona 5 brings to light that will ring true.

Delving into the minds of others, Persona 5 will make you question what you know of society, getting you to truly question your own role within the network of lies and truths. The game is all about the collective mind of humans, how this collective cognition hides truths and falsities are shaped by the rumours surrounding us. Society is shown to shape the way we are perceived, but also displays how we force our shape to fit the mold it makes for us. And in this game, you are forced to go against the deceptions to allow your true nature to show.

Morals are questioned, for what you do in the game will be questioned by others. What you think is right, may in fact be wrong, and this game asks you as a person to answer some tough choices. Is forcefully changing the hearts of the wicked bad? Does it go against the law? Are your actions for justice? Much drama ensues throughout the game to ascertain the answers to these enquiries.

At the same time, the art of the game belies the darker nature of the tale, giving it an upbeat flare not present in other Persona titles. With comic-like graphics, reminiscent of Pop art, the game menus and battles are given a more robust personality that makes them unique. The heavy shadows of the comic style, however, helps slip in darker hues needed to portray the shadier themes of the tale.

Persona 5 is a must have game to anyone who loves engaging storytelling that will make you ask the bigger questions about our views on human society.