Persona 5 Tactica's Erina and Toshiro Explained, Erina in Persona 5 Tactica
by T Santhosh | Updated Nov 27, 2023
Persona 5 Tactica
"Persona 5 Tactica" is an exciting tactical role-playing game developed by P-Studio and published by Sega. It branches out from the well-known Persona series, which is part of the broader Megami Tensei franchise. Released on November 17, 2023, the game is available across various platforms like Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
The game's narrative runs parallel to the events of Persona 5, following the journey of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. They find themselves transported to a conflict-ridden alternate world, teaming up with a group called the Rebel Corps. Players navigate through grid-based landscapes and engage in turn-based combat, incorporating classic RPG elements, including Persona summoning, fusion mechanics, and elemental affinities.
"Persona 5 Tactica" emerged from Atlus' desire to expand the Persona series into the strategy RPG genre. Leveraging their experience with similar game styles and recognizing the compatibility between Persona 5's world and strategic RPG gameplay, the developers integrated familiar series features into this new tactical adventure.
Persona 5 Tactica's Erina and Toshiro Explained
"Persona 5 Tactica" follows the adventures of the Phantom Thieves, where two new characters, Erina and Toshiro, play important roles. Erina is a strong fighter leading the Rebel Corps, helping Joker and Morgana in their quest to rescue brainwashed thieves. Toshiro, a politician, joins the group after finding himself imprisoned in a strange world. While Erina has been in this world for a long time, Toshiro struggles with memory loss about why they're there.
As the story unfolds, it's revealed that Toshiro's past ties deeply into the game's different kingdoms. Marie, a tyrant in the first kingdom, aims to marry Toshiro, revealing they were married in the real world for political reasons. Defeating Marie leads the group to another kingdom ruled by Yoshiki, Toshiro's father, representing his traumas. The team helps Toshiro confront his past, including his mother's death and the blame he carries.
Erina's role becomes clearer in the third kingdom, a high school setting controlled by Nakabachi, a corrupt figure. Toshiro's past as a student council president is unveiled, showing his association with Eri Natsuhara, whose ideals align with Erina's. Their stand against Nakabachi resulted in a tragic incident where Eri was severely hurt, leading to Toshiro being blamed unfairly. This trauma deeply affected Toshiro's willingness to fight injustice.
Erina's significance lies in resembling Eri, someone pivotal in Toshiro's past. She transforms into Toshiro's Persona, "Ernesto," symbolizing the importance of standing up for what's right. The final kingdom tests Toshiro's growth, culminating in his integration into the Phantom Thieves' team. Throughout the game, Erina and Toshiro's stories intertwine, emphasizing the importance of confronting one's past, standing against injustice, and finding the strength to overcome inner struggles.
Erina in Persona 5 Tactica
Erina's identity in the Tactica storyline is a unique blend of different things. She's not just one thing like a normal person or a clear-cut character. Instead, she's a mix of a few different concepts. Imagine mixing together different colors to make a new one. Erina is a mix of being a cognitive being, a Shadow, and a Persona, but she's not exactly any of those things completely.
She's special because she doesn't fit into any clear category. Usually, in stories like Persona, there are defined rules for what characters are and how they behave. But Erina doesn't follow those rules. She takes on the appearance of Eri, which is important because it reminds Toshiro of something really meaningful from his past. She's like a symbol of the good things Toshiro fights for.
Erina plays a crucial role in the story by reminding Toshiro about standing up for what's right. Even though she's not easily defined, her impact on Toshiro's journey is huge. Her presence nudges Toshiro toward change, pushing him to confront his family's wrongs and to become a better person himself. Erina is this special, unique character who doesn't fit into a single category. She's a mix of different ideas, reminding Toshiro about the importance of doing good things and fighting for justice.
Persona 5 Tactica Gameplay
In "Persona 5 Tactica," you're in charge of a team moving around on a grid-like map, taking on enemies in turn-based fights. You control members of the Phantom Thieves and Erina from the Rebel Corps. During battles, you can hide to lessen damage or block attacks completely. You've got options in battles, like using guns for ranged attacks or summoning powerful Personas, each with different abilities that affect how enemies move. Knock down an enemy without cover, and you get an extra turn.
And if you surround enemies in a triangle with your team, you can unleash a super-strong attack called 'Triple Threat,' hitting all enemies in that area. As you play, you'll gather more Personas to give your team extra skills. You'll find these by winning fights or by merging different Personas together. And as the story unfolds, you'll travel through maps inspired by three real-world revolutions, facing off against enemy units along the way.
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Persona 5 Tactica Development
Persona 5 Tactica was unveiled during the Xbox Games Showcase in June 2023, marking Atlus' entry into the tactical RPG genre within the Persona series. Interviews in Weekly Famitsu shed light on the game's conception and development. Director Naoya Maeda, producer Kazuhisa Wada, and business producer Atsushi Nomura shared insights into the game's creation.
Wada expressed the game's potential in expanding the Persona series' horizons, aiming to offer a new storyline featuring Persona 5 characters. Maeda emphasized the game's approachability for newcomers to the strategy RPG genre, simplifying the identification of allies' and enemies' strengths and weaknesses.
Composer Toshiki Konishi, from Atlus Sound Team, collaborated with Persona 5 vocalist Lyn Inaizumi to contribute new musical themes to the game. The decision to create Persona 5 Tactica came from Atlus' desire to explore a tactics-based game within the Persona universe. Nomura and others felt that the unique traits associated with the Phantom Thieves, like stealth and observation, were well-suited for the tactical genre.
The development process initially experimented with character models from Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, but ultimately, character designer Hanako Oribe chose an art style that maintained the characters' original proportions while accentuating certain features, lending the game a visual style reminiscent of comic books. Despite initial prototypes drawing from Persona Q games, the team refined the art direction to highlight characters' distinctive aspects, aligning them with the tactical gameplay.
Persona 5 Tactica Trailer
Persona 5 Tactica's Erina and Toshiro Explained - FAQs
Erina is a unique character embodying a mix of cognitive, Shadow, and Persona elements, symbolizing ideals crucial to Toshiro's journey.
Erina serves as a reminder to Toshiro of meaningful past experiences, nudging him towards positive change and urging him to fight for justice.
Players control the Phantom Thieves and Erina in turn-based battles on a grid-like map, using strategic positioning, abilities, and powerful Personas to defeat enemies.
Tactics involve using cover, ranged attacks, and special abilities of Personas. Surrounding enemies triggers a 'Triple Threat' attack, and merging Personas grants additional skills.
The storyline revolves around confronting past traumas, facing corrupted figures in different kingdoms inspired by real-world revolutions, and aiding Toshiro's growth within the Phantom Thieves' team.