Persona 5 Tactica is out now, and it brings another new adventure featuring Joker and the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Pretty much everyone is back in this game, including Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves, and they will face off against new foes with corrupted hearts in a brand-new world.
In the main storyline of Tactica, Goro Akechi and Kasumi Yoshizawa (from Persona 5 Royal) aren’t there, but that doesn’t mean they’re not in the game entirely. That’s because these two characters appear in Persona 5 Tactica’s Repaint Your Heart DLC.
This DLC is available to everyone who bought or pre-ordered the game’s Digital Deluxe Edition. Players who have the Standard Edition can also get it as a standalone purchase.
If you haven’t gotten it yet and need some more convincing, here’s a rundown of why Repaint Your Heart DLC is a must-play for Persona 5 Tactica players.
Kasumi Yoshizawa and Goro Akechi Play Big Roles in Repaint Your Heart
Of course, the highlight of this DLC is the addition of Kasumi Yoshizawa and Goro Akechi, two characters that are considered the favorites of many Persona fans, and for good reason.
To start, Kasumi Yoshizawa is one of the biggest additions in Persona 5 Royal, the enhanced re-release of Persona 5. In the game, she plays a big role in the latter parts of the story, and she becomes a full-fledged member of the Phantom Thieves.
Without getting into spoiler territory, Kasumi’s storyline in Persona 5 Royal is definitely a moving and memorable one. Thus, she became a favorite of many players in their Royal journey.
Meanwhile, Goro Akechi is another major character in Persona 5. Akechi is easily one of the most intriguing characters in the series thanks to his backstory and personality, so seeing him once again in Tactica is a treat.
The combo of Akechi and Kasumi might seem quite unexpected, but it’s an exciting combination as it gives players a chance to see more sides to these wonderfully complex.
An Intriguing Story Featuring Colorful New Characters
The DLC’s story begins with Joker as he is called to the scene by Kasumi to investigate mysterious graffiti that has been sprayed all over the city. These graffiti feature Arsene whose identity should only be known by other persona users.
They soon meet up with Akechi who is also assigned to investigate the scene. While investigating, the three are drawn into a mural, and they soon find themselves confronted by foes with paint guns.
These foes are under the minions of Guernica, a street artist behind the events. She has been causing commotion in the real world.
Guernica is an interesting character. Aside from her perfectly fitting name (which is a reference to Pablo Picasso’s masterpiece of the same name), Guernica is described as a voice for the underprivileged and the marginalized, and her works channel their anger. Thus Joker, Kasumi and Goro must work together to stop her.
Helping them out is Luca, a little girl in a mouse costume who seeks the Phantom Thieves’ help against Guernica.
Given this setup and the intriguing new characters, Repaint Your Heart promises to deliver another compelling story featuring a wayward foe.
Repaint Your Heart Adds a Splash of Color to Combat
Adding two Phantom Thieves and unique new characters already makes the DLC an interesting new chapter in Tactica, but what makes it even more of a must-play is the brilliant gameplay twist that it adds.
In keeping with the artist and graffiti theme of the story, Persona 5 Tactica’s Repaint Your Heart DLC adds a new paint mechanic to combat encounters.
How it works is that when damage is inflicted on enemies, their surrounding area will be coated in the player’s team color. Enemies that stand in this coated area won’t be able to guard, thus they’ll be susceptible to being knocked down. This can open up powerful attacks.
Of course, this paint mechanic goes both ways. Enemies that attack a player’s team member will result in paint being splashed around the vicinity. Though the paint will be in the enemy’s color. The same mechanic will apply, meaning players won’t be able to attack and guard in the opponent’s colors.
Because of this, players aren’t guaranteed to be safe when under cover. This gives an extra layer of depth to combat encounters in the DLC.
As a cherry on top, finishing the DLC in addition to the main story also unlocks Akechi and Kasumi as battle-exclusive units. Plus, Challenge Stages will be unlocked in the game after finishing the DLC’s story. This is great news for those who want an extra layer of challenge.
Persona 5 Tactica and the Repaint Your Heart DLC Now Available
With its combination of new and familiar characters as well as a unique wrinkle to gameplay, the Repaint Your Heart DLC is easily a must-player for Persona fans who have just begun or have already finished Persona 5 Tactica.
If you currently have the Standard Edition, the Repaint Your Heart DLC is available now on all platforms.
Meanwhile, Persona 5 Tactica is available now on Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Switch, and PC.