Spoilers ahead for Persona 5 Royal.
The legacy of the Phantom Thieves continues withPersona 5: The Phantom X, a mobile game that’s set in a parallel universe to the originalPersona 5. It follows a high school student named Wonder, who, like Joker, wants to reform the world with the help of his powerful Persona and his friends. But unlike the original game,Persona 5: The Phantom Xhas a gacha system, allowing players to pull for powerful characters every update.
Last month,Persona 5: The Phantom Xrevealed during its Version 3.0.1 streamthat it’s collaborating withPersona 5 Royal, which includes Goro Akechi as one of the new playable 5-star characters. Also known as Crow,Akechi is a talented student detectivewho joins the Phantom Thieves, but later becomes an antagonist near the end ofPersona 5. Despite his betrayal of the Phantom Thieves, he continues to be a fan-favorite character, and his appearance inThe Phantom Xmay just be the perfect redemption arc for him – at least in terms of gameplay.
Persona
Robin Hood/Loki
Nicknamed “The Second Coming Detective Prince,” Akechi is like a celebrity because of his ability to solve mysterious cases at a young age. This led to him investigating the Phantom Thieves, eventually joining them with the initial intention of betraying them to expose their identities. Although fans are able tobefriend Goro Akechi as the Justice Confidantin bothPersona 5andPersona 5 Royal, they don’t really get to play him for very long because he sacrifices himself near the end of the story, and he doesn’t return untilRoyal’s third semester dungeon in the very last story arc of the game. This is understandably a frustration among fans who became invested in his story and his friendship with Joker, with many wishing he could be playable until the end.
Since then,Akechi has only shown up inPersona 5 Tacticaas a DLC-exclusive character, along with Kasumi Yoshizawa.Persona 5: The Phantom Xis the first time that players can add Akechi to their teams. If they manage to pull him from the 5-star gacha pool, they get to keep him on the roster and use him and his Persona in battles, regardless if he dies again in the game’s story or not. Plus, depending on the new storiesThe Phantom Xtells, he could also have a totally different character arc, where he doesn’t turn into a traitor halfway through joining the Phantom Thieves.
Based onPersona 5: The Phantom Xgameplay uploaded on YouTube, Akechi uses Robin Hood. This is possibly hinting that he didn’t betray the Phantom Thieves in this universe because his “true Persona,” Loki, is nowhere to be seen.
LongtimePersona 5fans finally got their wish: a chance to play Akechi permanently in their Phantom Thieves team and the possibility of a redemption arc in an alternate universe. The only problem is thatPersona 5: The Phantom Xis not available globally yet, and there’s no final date yet as to when Black Wings Game Studio and Atlus will officially roll it out in other territories. Fortunately, it’s confirmed thatPersona 5: The Phantom Xwill release on Steam in Japan, so there’s a big chance that the studios will gradually bring the mobile game to other countries, hopefully in the coming months.
With the global release getting closer by the day, perhapsPersona 5: The Phantom Xshould make it easier for players to obtain Akechi, especially if he’s a limited 5-star unit. The gacha game could take some notes fromHonkai: Star Railand either give out a free Akechi or let players choose from a character selector after reaching a certain level. It’s the least that Black Wings Game Studio could do to help international players catch up after almost a year of being out in China.
Persona5: The Phantom X
WHERE TO PLAY
“We’re the Phantom Thieves, and we’re here to steal your heart!”The beloved RPG series with over 22 million copies sold finally arrives on PC and mobile!Set in modern-day Tokyo!Normal high-school student by day, villain-fighting Phantom Thief by night!Explore the dungeons of the heart and defeat the distorted enemyShadows!Dive into dungeons of the heart called Palaces with your fellow Phantom Thieves, who have awakened their Persona, the power of the heart. Steal the Treasure to restore the warped heart!Stylish, snappy, and satisfying turn-based combat!Experience the signature flair of the Persona series with striking visuals and addictive moves that can wipe out all your foes in one swoop!Level up your Persona, the power of your heart, and become the most powerful Persona-user!Obtain new Personas, infiltrate dungeons of the heart, and prevent a future of ruin!Enjoy your youth as a student!Savor student life in an urban metropolis as a high-school student! How you spend your days after school is up to you—deepen your friendships, devote your time to clubs, or even work part-time!Interact with a variety of fascinating characters!Tons of new characters inhabit the game, created under the supervision of Shigenori Soejima and the rest of the Persona team!
