'Persona 5' gameplay, characters featured in leaked trailer; release date in winter 2015?

Persona 5 main characters (clockwise, from left) - Phantom, Anne, Ryuji, and Morgana Atlus

"Persona 5" did not make an appearance at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo but Japanese gamers who ordered the first print of "Persona 4: Dancing All Night" were given an exclusive bonus disc which also contains a short preview trailer of "Persona 5." 

This preview trailer was uploaded on YouTube but has since been taken down due to copyright claims. The content of the video showcased the main characters of the upcoming game as well as introduced some of the new mechanics that gamers will get to try. 

All of the main characters are touted as regular high school students but when the sun sets, they turn into thieves. Phantom is the lead protagonist and he wears a bird mask while wielding pistols and knives. According to a report from CrossMap, he can be likened to classic thief Arsene Lupin, but a classier version. 

Ryuji Sakomoto and Anne Takamaki are the other two characters, both of whom are Phantom's classmates in school. The former wears a skull mask and uses bludgeoning weapons and shotguns while the latter dons a cat mask and fights with a whip and machine guns. 

The fourth character is Morgana, a shape-shifting cat that fights with swords and slingshots. According to the report, she is connected to the Seven Deadly Sins and is one of the main characters in the game's plot. 

Gamers will be able to try new mechanics as well, such as Cooperation wherein they build links with NPC characters to gain benefits, and Sneak Mode which is used to avoid traps and others while traversing through dungeons. 

According to the report, "Persona 5" is rumored to be released sometime in August but given how there have already been several delays, it is most likely that the game will be launched in Japan and overseas by winter. This means the game may ship out to store shelves before Christmas. 

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