Persona 5

About Persona 5

Persona 5 arrived on September 15, 2016 as a massive entry in the long-running Persona series from developer Atlus. This turn-based role-playing game blends daily life simulation with dungeon crawling across PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 systems. You play as a high school student transferred to Tokyo after being wrongly accused of a crime. He soon teams up with other outcasts to form the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. These vigilantes enter a metaphysical realm called the Palace to steal distorted desires from corrupt adults. The game features a distinct art style and an aggressive soundtrack that defines its identity. It stands as one of the highest-rated JRPGs ever released by critical consensus.

Gameplay

You spend your mornings attending classes, managing social stats, and talking to friends before school ends. Once evening hits, you switch to combat or dungeon exploration in a separate dimension. Battles are turn-based where you exploit enemy weaknesses to gain extra turns and defeat foes instantly. You recruit demons called Personas to aid you during these fights. Outside of combat, the game functions like a visual novel where dialogue choices shape relationships with your party members. Each week follows a strict schedule where you balance school life against your vigilante duties. Sessions often last several hours as you plan routes through complex dungeons filled with puzzles and hidden treasure. Controls remain simple but require constant switching between menu navigation and real-time party management.

What Players Think

Critics and players agree this title is exceptional with a Metacritic score of 93 and an OpenCritic rating of 94 out of 100. A staggering 98.51% of critics recommend it on that platform while IGDB shows a 93.1 average from over one thousand ratings. Community members describe the experience as atmospheric, story-driven, strategic, and emotional based on recent voting patterns. Reviewers like Game Revolution gave it a perfect 100, calling it a meaningful reminder of what JRPGs can achieve. Another critic from God is a Geek ranked it as their favorite game ever, surpassing Persona 4 Golden. The consensus suggests players invest significant time into the narrative and mechanics rather than rushing through content.

PlayPile's Take

Persona 5 is worth your time if you want a deep story with tight gameplay systems. The current lowest price sits at forty-nine dollars on Green Man Gaming. Players can chase full completion to earn all available achievements which track every social link and dungeon cleared. Do not expect a fast-paced action game since the pacing relies heavily on daily life segments. This title is for those willing to commit twenty-plus hours to its complex narrative structure. It remains a top-tier recommendation for RPG fans who value character development over combat speed.

Storyline

The story focuses on the 16-year-old protagonist after he is transferred to Syujin High School in Tokyo, Japan. Staying with friends of his parents, he meets up with problem child Ryuji Sakamoto, the withdrawn Ann Takamaki, art student Yusuke Kitagawa, and a talking, shape-shifting cat-like creature known as Morgana. During the protagonist's time there, feeling suppressed by their environment, the five form a group known as the "Phantom Thieves of Hearts", working together to explore the "Palace", a castle created by the hearts of people, and steal ill intent from others' hearts to help them: during this quest, they confront adult authority figures opposing them, along with a greater enemy revealed by their activities.