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A gaming experience that's sure to steal your heart!
Welcome to Tokyo!
Persona 5, developed by Atlus and released in 2016, was updated with additional content, earning its name as ‘Persona 5 Royal’ upon re-releasing in 2020.
The game begins with Joker being forcibly relocated to Shujin Academy after being wrongfully accused of a crime, leaving him to adapt to city life alone.
However, after having a strange dream declaring him a prisoner of fate and ruin soon awaits him, the goal of ‘rehabilitation’ is set, revealing an unknown life purpose.
By becoming a Phantom Thief, you must save others from the distorted desires of corrupt and dangerous individuals. But you cannot do it single-handedly, for it takes a team to banish the world from evil.
Unleashing the Rebel Within
Upon Joker’s usual commute to school, he notices an unfamiliar app suddenly appear on his phone.
It has a striking black and red colour scheme featuring a large eye in the middle. He decides to shrug it off as he approaches Shujin Academy.
But little does he know, that app, known as the Metaverse Navigator, will later become an essential part of his lifestyle, becoming a portal into the twisted worlds of human desire.
Amongst a surge in gossip surrounding an insidious volleyball coach, Joker and his new hot-headed associate Ryuji Sakamoto, find themselves outside the gates of his castle.
By mere chance, the Navigator sends them into the Metaverse, also known as ‘the realm of cognition.’ Once inside, they are swiftly imprisoned and tortured by the king himself.
Upon Ryuji's impending execution, Joker is caught in a world of injustice, forced to witness his friend’s death. Faced with a point of no return, Joker unleashes his persona for the first time, causing a massive explosion of suppressed anger and resentment, defying the enemy’s actions.
This newfound power, the manifestation of one’s inner rebel, ultimately redefines his and Ryuji’s purpose forever, setting the course for a passionate yet dark narrative-based journey that permeates across all of Tokyo.
Game Mechanics
Persona 5 Royal is a perfect blend of RPG, dungeon crawling, and life simulation, all whilst incorporating mythological and psychological influences.
The game is considered a masterpiece due to its unique gameplay, and these five vital aspects are absolutely no exception.
Turn-Based Combat
The combat is strategic, requiring players to exploit enemy weaknesses using a variety of abilities and personas, encouraging you to think tactfully when using elemental affinities and status effects against monsters.
By combining traditional turn-based styles with other special combat mechanics such as ‘1 More’ and ‘Baton Pass,’ you can create powerful combo attacks, maximising your damage output.
Items also play an integral part amongst combating. Gamers can utilise these to heal, increase or decrease status effects, and even harm foes, providing you aid when needed most. From burgers to Molotov cocktails, every item comes in handy sometimes!
Social Simulation
Outside of fighting, gamers must manage Joker’s daily life, simultaneously balancing major activities such as school, part-time jobs, and maintaining friendships.
Building good relationships with Confidants is crucial as you progress, for the stronger Joker’s social connections, the more formidable his team in combat.
Each day differs from the last, bringing new opportunities to get better, but how you decide to spend your free time will significantly impact your progress. Without resourcefulness and strategic thinking, your undoing is inevitable.
Studying
In a game where you play as a student, it shouldn't come as any surprise that studying is a necessity. This not only improves Joker’s academic performance, but enhances his knowledge stats too, which unlocks new dialogue options and interactions with other characters.
Studying can be done at countless locations throughout Tokyo, including Cafe Leblanc, Shujin library, and Shibuya Diner. However, timing is critical. With four major exams ahead, you must ensure you're prepared, for a night of cramming won’t save you from failing.
Palace infiltration
Found in the Metaverse, Palaces are the physical manifestations of an individual’s distorted cognition. They are uniquely themed and present enemies, loot, and traps that all equally match their own eccentric facade.
Inside lies a complex concoction of halls and rooms, waiting to unveil the secrets behind their existence, for the Phantom Thieves cannot succeed without knowledge of their target.
Through stealth, puzzle solving, and exploration, you must steal the Palace’s prized treasure and bring its ruler to their knees, delivering retribution to those immoral and unjust.
Mementos
Similarly to Palaces, Mementos is a location within the Metaverse, except this world isn't just a cognitive distortion of one individual, but of Tokyo's entire populace. It is here where side quests can be pursued, which reward you greatly after completion.
Being loosely based on underground subway systems, Mementos resembles a labyrinthine web of interconnected tunnels that become more dangerous the further down you navigate.
Maps of each level are procedurally generated, providing players with a fresh layout to explore upon every returning visit. Because of this, all treasure and enemies constantly change their positions, creating an ideal environment for XP and item farming.
Aesthetics and Atmosphere
The Persona series has become an instantly recognisable franchise thanks to its iconic bold and colourful aesthetic.
Anime plays a huge role in influencing Persona 5 Royal's overall art style and experience. The characters, with their exaggerated features and tropes found within the narrative are all strong nods to its anime foundations.
Whilst the aesthetics predominantly remain Japanese in origin, there are also subtle elements from Western culture, such as Tarot cards and Personas based on the Goetia.
The Eastern and Western fusion is evident everywhere, especially in certain Palaces such as the Museum. Its exterior is directly inspired by European architecture and decorated with Art Nouveau aesthetics whilst also being a centre for traditional Japanese art and culture.
“Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There”
Persona 5 Royal is widely considered as one of the most recognisable JRPG video games to exist. Its unique blend of deep storytelling, memorable characters, and striking visuals has solidified its place within gaming history.
Amongst the bustling streets of Tokyo, there are deluded people hiding in plain sight, all willing to bring the world to its knees no matter what. But by stealing their hearts, the Phantom Thieves may have a chance at preventing mass destruction.
They can’t do it without your assistance though, for taking down those in power requires a courageous leader.
So what are you doing just standing there? Get out there