‘Persona 4’ Remake Is Revolutionizing Its Combat With New Mechanics

Atlus is looking to breathe some life into Persona 4 with the upcoming remake of the nearly two-decade-old role-playing game. The latest trailer for Persona 4 Revival gives some insight into the changes the developer is making to accomplish that, with a special focus on combat.

The new features trailer covers five additions coming to Persona 4 Revival that weren’t in the original release or even the updated Golden version. Three of these have to do with Persona 4 Revival’s updated combat. This includes the Baton Pass mechanic that lets players pass a turn to a party member when a “One More” is initiated. This is a popular mechanic first introduced in Persona 5 that has become a hallmark of the series thanks to how it can bring some speed and extra strategy to turn-based battles. 2024’s Persona 3 Reload similarly added the feature to combat, though it was called Shift.

In addition to Baton Pass, Persona 4 Revival is introducing the new Send Flying mechanic. This occurs when the player lands a normal attack on an enemy with a status ailment. The enemy will then be knocked back, dealing damage and spreading its ailment to any enemy it hits. One of Persona 4 Revival’s most interesting new combat mechanics is Prime Time. During combat, a meter fills, which can then be activated to enter Prime Time mode. During this mode, you’ll be able to execute a series of attacks in a row. All skill costs will be eliminated, enemy resistance will be ignored, and Baton Pass will be available. The mode can end with a “Series Finale” finisher that deals massive damage. In practice, this sounds like an evolution of the All-Out attack seen in past games, just with some extra bells and whistles. The meter aspect is especially unique, and I’d be interested to hear how players will fill it during battle.

The last two features the trailer highlights are both audio-focused. Social Links will be fully voiced, and there is a brief mention of newly added events that may raise eyebrows. The game will also include a new composition of the game’s score by Ryota Kozuka, with some tracks getting remixes. Singer Shiori Sasaki will provide vocals for the game. Atlus has made it clear in the lead-up to Persona 4 Revival that it isn’t afraid to change things in the remake, like some controversial characters.

Persona 4 Revival will be released on Feb. 18, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X.