Introduction
Persona 5 Royal (Oct 21, 2022) is the definitive JRPG experience from Atlus, bundling the award-winning base game with over 40 DLC items, new story arcs, characters and gameplay refinements. Don the mask of Joker, recruit fellow Phantom Thieves and infiltrate the hearts of corrupt adults to spark societal change. With “Very Positive” recent reviews (94% of 1,537) and “Overwhelmingly Positive” all-time feedback (96% of 67,959), Royal stands tall among its peers.
Story & Characters
Building on Persona 5’s strong narrative, Persona 5 Royal adds the third semester and crown-jewel villain, expanding motivations and relationships. Compared to Persona 4 Golden’s cozy mystery and Persona 3’s tragedy-drama tone, Royal strikes a balance between heist thrills and high-school slice-of-life. New confidant Kasumi deepens post-palace interactions while the expanding Velvet Room subplot enriches lore.
Gameplay Mechanics
- Turn-based Combat: Persona 5 Royal refines “one more” and Baton Pass chains for optimized speedrunning—superior to P4G’s straightforward battles.
- Palace Design: Each dungeon acts like a speedrun gauntlet, with shortcuts unlocked via new “Showtime” moves—an edge over Trails of Cold Steel’s sprawling maps.
- Thieves Den & QOL: In-menu dart games, music player, and 3D models help reset runs without reloading—I appreciate the convenience vs. Octopath Traveler’s minimal extras.
- Social Links/Confidants: Expanded scheduling and mini-events maximize experience gain. Absolute boon compared to Persona 3 Portable’s restrictive planner.
Visuals & Audio
Stylized anime aesthetics and slick UI stand leagues above many turn-based RPGs. Backgrounds brim with neon Tokyo detail; animation pops in both battle and dialogue. Shoji Meguro’s soundtrack—jazz-infused tracks like “Rivers in the Desert” and new themes—easily rival any JRPG OST of the last decade.
Community Feedback & Review Analysis
Reviewers praise:
- Deep, emotionally resonant story arcs and characters
- Refined combat pacing and palatial puzzles
- Abundance of DLC content included at launch
- Sheer amount of side activities and new endings
Common criticisms:
- Lengthy run time (100+ hours) and occasional padding
- Fan-service elements can feel gratuitous
- Early-game pacing feels slow until Palace two
Overall, community sentiment highlights Persona 5 Royal as the pinnacle of Persona’s formula, with minor gripes on pacing and optional grind.
Comparison with Similar Titles
- Persona 4 Golden: P4G wins for tighter pacing and mystery focus; Persona 5 Royal excels in narrative ambition and replay value via new scenarios.
- Shin Megami Tensei V: SMT V offers open-world freedom and demon-negotiation complexity, but Persona 5 Royal’s social sim and dungeon gadgets yield richer variety.
- Trails of Cold Steel IV: Cold Steel’s world-spanning epic is grand in scope; Persona 5 Royal is more contained, allowing for speedrun-friendly shortcuts and menu-driven QOL.
- Octopath Traveler: OT’s visual flair and job system impress, yet Persona 5 Royal’s interconnected confidants and heist mechanics create a more cohesive narrative experience.
Persona 5 Royal Speedrunning Perspective & Tips
From a speedrunner’s lens:
- Use early Persona fusions to acquire high-tier skills quickly—focus on leveling up Arsene to access Mementos shortcuts.
- Prioritize Confidant bonuses that unlock EXP and money multipliers—Chihaya and Ryuji are must-levels by November.
- Exploit “Showtime Moves” to clear bosses faster; plan SP management with Healing Hand and SP items in key slots.
- In New Game+, pocket watch DLC halves text speed delays—essential for sub-60h runs.
Conclusion
Persona 5 Royal sets a new bar for anime-style, turn-based JRPGs, fusing narrative depth with mechanical polish and expansive content. While its scope may intimidate newcomers, the 94–96% positive review consensus underscores its status as a modern classic. For fans of story-driven RPGs, speedrunners seeking optimized runs, or anyone craving a heist-drama with soul, Royal is unmissable.
