Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
Crossover dungeon crawler featuring Persona 3, 4, and 5 characters.
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is a role-playing game that came out in 2018 for the Nintendo 3DS. It was made by P-Studio and Lancarse, and published by Sega. As part of the Persona series and a follow-up to Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, it brings together a big group of characters from Persona 3, Persona 4, and Persona 5. In the story, they get stuck inside a movie theater and have to make their way through dungeons based on different films. The game launched in Japan in November 2018, and then in North America, Europe, and Australia in June 2019.
The gameplay mixes first-person dungeon crawling, inspired by the Etrian Odyssey series, with turn-based combat and the Persona system from the main games. Players put together teams from a roster of characters, each of whom can equip a main Persona and a sub-Persona. Instead of the school social links and exploration from the first Persona Q, there is a "Special Screening" feature that happens between dungeon sections, offering new character interactions and the chance to unlock combined skills.
Persona Q2 got generally positive reviews when it came out. Critics liked its music, the way characters from different games interacted, and its overall presentation, though some pointed out that the large roster made managing the party a bit tricky.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
- Developer
- P-Studio / Lancarse
- Publisher
- SegaJP · Atlus · EU · Deep Silver
- Director
- Yuta Aihara
- Producer
- Daisuke Kanada · Kazuhisa Wada
- Programmer
- Hirokazu Tohyama
- Artist
- Hanako Oribe
- Writer
- Akira Akemine
- Composer
- Atsushi Kitajoh
- Series
- Persona
- Released
- JP · November 29, 2018 · WW · June 4, 2019
- Platforms
- Nintendo 3DS
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Persona Q2 combines first-person dungeon crawling inspired by the Etrian Odyssey series with turn-based combat and Persona usage from the main series. Players form teams from a roster of characters who can use a primary and sub-Persona. A 'Special Screening' feature that occurs between dungeon sections replaces the school social links and exploration from its predecessor, with new character interactions and the ability to unlock new combined skills. The game's story is set in the events of Persona 5. While in the real world, Joker and the rest of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts enter a movie theater and find themselves pulled into a film. With Makoto and Haru kidnapped, the Phantom Thieves encounter inhabitants in the theater who are also locked in with them: Nagi, the curator of the cinema, and Hikari, a shy amnesiac schoolgirl, as well as Doe, a human-like projectionist.
Reader's Guide
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth received generally favorable reviews upon release, with critics praising its music, crossover character interactions, and presentation, while some noted the large roster made party management demanding. Many reviews framed the game partly in terms of the Nintendo 3DS's twilight years. Nintendo World Report described it as a fitting conclusion for the platform and praised the soundtrack, calling the Persona series tradition of strong original music very much intact. Game Informer gave it 8.5/10. The game was the final completely original physical game released for the Nintendo 3DS in North America. Unlike previously localized Persona games, the game does not feature an English dub. Its significance lies in being a crossover that brought together characters from three main Persona titles, and in its role as a late-life title for the Nintendo 3DS platform.
Did You Know?
- Persona Q2 was first announced in August 2017 alongside Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight.
- The female protagonist from Persona 3 Portable was included due to fan demand.
- The game does not feature an English dub, unlike previously localized Persona games.
More in Crossover role-playing video games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced