Persona 5 Royal (Review)

Overview

Developer: Atlus

Platform: Playstation 4

Initial Release Date: October 31, 2019

Purchase: Playstation Store

My Review

Persona 5 was already regarded as one of the greatest jrpgs of all time and Royal takes that one step further. Royal takes an already great game and polishes it up to the point that it is undeniably an all time classic. Moving forward this will easily be the definitive way to experience this game.

The game largely follows the same story as the first, with a few new characters introduced along the way. For the first 70 or so hours the only new features you will notice will come in quality of life features in the battle system and the day to day life. This game respects your time in a really refreshing way. You have more opportunities to hang out with confidants or go to different places at night than you did originally, you also have more options in battle that can help you end the fights sooner. Things like disaster shadows that explode and damage the other enemies when they are killed go a long way to liven things up and speed up the entire process. The changes don’t feel like much on their own but they all add up to a marked improvement.

After you get through the main story of the original game you are greeted with what makes Persona 5 Royal a truly new experience. The added semester and the palace that goes along with it are the things that really make this game a worthy upgrade. In my eyes this was a look at what Persona 6 could look like in the future. Everything seems to have an extra layer of quality over it and it all just feels more premium. The in game cutscenes look sharper and the level design of the palace feels much more thought out and deliberate than any of the others.

The new characters and the twists added into the story make the game feel fresh, even though you are playing through much of the same content. As someone who put 90+ hours into both versions of the game, I can definitely say that this version of the game felt more satisfying to play. It felt like it really respected my time and made me feel like I was always working toward something significant. All of the new features really make me excited for what Persona 6 could ultimately look like when we inevitably get it.

All in all, the added semester and quality of life changes make for a well deserved upgrade to the original game and one that I urge every jrpg fan to play. This is a must play game and one that will carry the franchise for the next few years as we await the next entry. This game is an absolute joy to play, as well as platinum. The trophy list has been streamlined and makes for a satisfying way to guide you through everything the game has to offer without becoming overwhelming.

As always, thanks so much for reading! If you plan on playing this or have already played it, let me know in the comments below. Be sure to check back (at least) every Saturday for new posts and sign-up via email to make sure you never miss a thing! Be safe and have a great day!