Persona 5 Royal
Developed by ATLUS (P-Studio)
Published by ATLUS (Japan) and SEGA (Worldwide)
Initially Released October 31, 2019 (Japan) and March 31, 2020 (Worldwide)
Available on Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Windows
Genre: RPG
Personal Playtime: 149 hours 7 minutes
Environments / Graphics – 9
This game is so stylish. The anime aesthetic permeates throughout, and it carries a swagger in every facet of its visual design. From the character designs to the in-game UI, there is a cohesive vision that ties the whole experience together. The Phantom Thieves are a group of kids who are not afraid to be unapologetically true to themselves, and that brash nature is reflected in the entire art design of the game. The world that Persona 5 creates is teeming with life, and that makes it a joy to explore. Each location has a distinct personality that keeps things fresh. This is a game that knows what it is and leans into that so hard that you find yourself being pulled along with its vision without even realizing it. The anime cutscenes are really well animated, and it matches the style of the rest of the game really well. If you enjoy anime and similar art styles, then you should really be able to connect with this world and its characters.
Music / Sound – 10
The music of Persona 5 Royal is honestly the driving force of the experience for me. From the opening anime intro all the way through to the end, the soundtrack matches and uplifts the style and swagger of the rest of the game. The songs are so catchy and vibrant that I find myself listening to it outside the game, and that is always a good sign for truly great video game music. Composer Shoji Meguro absolutely kills every track, and the vocals provided by Japanese jazz and soul vocalist Lyn matches the energy to create instant classics from start to finish. The big bombastic showstoppers constantly made me pause in awe as I was playing, just soaking in the music mid-game. Even the more mellow atmospheric scores are perfectly laid to keep the vibes going in the quiet moments. This is a beefy JRPG, so there is a fair amount of down-time spent leveling up and upgrading equipment and the like. However, even in these stretches, the music underscoring your actions will keep your head bobbing until you reach a new crescendo of action. If you are a gamer who thrives on vibrant music to keep your energy up, this game will sustain you even for the 100+ hours of gametime.
Narrative / Performance – 9.5
Anime is a storytelling medium that is renowned for the themes and tropes which run throughout the genre, for better or worse. Persona 5 Royal, as in most things, does not shy away from these tropes. It leans into them masterfully, making the times when it bucks those trends all the more impactful. The character performances are also quite good. Much of this game is done with dialog boxes, but when the voice acting is given the opportunity to step in, it does so with aplomb. The voice actors all make these characters their own, creating iconic performances that stay with you for the long haul. Even when the game goes back to unvoiced dialog boxes, the performances are strong enough that I found myself hearing their voices as I read through the silent parts. The Phantom Thieves, being a rag-tag bunch of kids who have been pushed into boxes by the unsympathetic adults in their lives, exemplify the concept of the power of friendship. Their bonds with each other give them strength to break free of the narrow limits placed upon them by outside forces. This is a story about living your individual truth. Personally, all that really speaks to me. I am a sucker for the power of friendship trope, and the execution of that concept here left me with smiles and goosebumps in equal measure. If that is something you share with me, then I cannot recommend this enough.
Gameplay / Mechanics – 9
When you think of iconic JRPGs, you probably think about classics like Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest or Chrono Trigger. This game can stand among that lofty company with its head held high. Persona 5 features a party of characters that all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Learning to juggle these party members effectively in turn-based combat is at the core of the gameplay loop. However, this is counterbalanced with social sim elements involving all the different friends you can meet in the city. When you aren’t crawling through elaborate dungeons and grinding levels with your crew, you are deciding how to spend each day – going to school, visiting the arcade, spending time building bonds with those around you, hanging out in a jazz lounge, learning to make coffee, and much more. You will never have enough time to do everything, so the choices you make each day of the game are important and have impact on how your game will play out. I say your game because these choices make any playthrough feel personal because it is shaped by your choices. Even the turn-based combat that you engage in with the Phantom Thieves is affected by this mechanic, as closer you grow to each of your allies, the more power they can utilize in combat. Persona 5’s combat mechanics are very engaging, but if you are turned off by the format of a turn-based fight, then you may have trouble with this. Some people have trouble staying with a game when they don’t have the freedom provided by a more action-oriented style. However, if you are able to settle into the cadence of combat, you will find a fun fast-paced system that gives you a chance to flex your strategic mind.
Persona 5 Royal
- Graphics – 9
- Sound – 10
- Narrative – 9.5
- Gameplay – 9
Overall: 9.5
I hope this has helped you decide if Persona 5 Royal is a good fit for your gaming sensibilities. Personally, I think this easily ranks in the upper echelon of gaming experiences I have had in my lifetime. The base game, Persona 5, and its enhanced version, Persona 5 Royal, are both fantastic. I would highly recommend the latter if you find yourself interested in checking this game out. Royal has some interesting additions that I really appreciated and believe augments the entire experience. It is a little bit longer than the base experience, but if you aren’t scared away by the 100+ hour description, then you might as well go all the way. At least, that’s my personal opinion. For me, this game will always stand as a modern gold standard for not only the JRPG genre, but a shining example of why I love games.
Game Overview
Prepare for the award-winning RPG experience in this definitive edition of Persona 5 Royal, featuring a treasure trove of downloadable content included!
Forced to transfer to a high school in Tokyo, the protagonist has a strange dream. “You truly are a prisoner of fate. In the near future, ruin awaits you.” With the goal of “rehabilitation” looming overhead, he must save others from distorted desires by donning the mask of a Phantom Thief.
Key Features include:
-Explore Tokyo, unlock Personas, customize your own personal Thieves Den, experience alternate endings, and more
-Become the ultimate Phantom Thief and defy conventions, discover the power within, and fight for justice in the definitive version of Persona 5 Royal
-Includes over 40 items of previously released downloadable content
-Choose between Japanese and English VO
