Persona 5 Royal (PC, PS5, Xbox, and Switch)
Here is a game I know like the back of my hand and the sole of my foot; Persona 5 Royal is the updated version of Persona 5 much like Persona 4 Golden was to P4, Persona 3 FES was to P3, and so on. The original P5 was released in 2017 in the United States and it took the RPG world by storm. For Persona fans, they were finally free from the shackles of Persona 4.
For Anime and RPG fans, it was a game that dripped with style, substance, and an overall good time. It paraded itself in glitz and glamour while also being a thought piece on "who polices the police?" Abandonment, overcoming grief, what constitutes a family, and the protection of one's well-being were all covered.
These topics were further valued in Persona 5 Royal, which introduces a school psychiatrist as a central character that brings these philosophies together. A new character, the red-headed gymnast Kasumi, also ties into this newly adaptive story with a bonus "epilogue" chapter provided the player makes the necessary steps to reach that point. Once P5R unravels, it becomes a significantly better game that builds upon the original and makes it obsolete.
Unfortunately, while I can talk about P5R all day, this isn't the forum for it. See, the game finally releases on platforms other than the PlayStation 4, including PC, Xbox, and of course the Nintendo Switch. The latter brings mention as it has been a highly requested title on the platform since the original Persona 5. It made sense in hindsight, after all, the Nintendo Switch is a popular console and Joker did appear in Super Smash Bros Ultimate.
Come to think of it, most if not all of the guest characters featured in Ultimate were featured on a Nintendo console at some point. Solid Snake was in Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes. The Kingdom Hearts series would be released on the Switch shortly following Sora's release. Surely Joker's main game would show up on the Switch right? Not only did it do so, but it's something that I'm confused about why it took so long.
I made a long-winded rant about Nintendo Switch ports during my No Man's Sky impressions, but in short, I said how it's folly to have an "inferior Switch port" based on console performance exclusively. While No Man's Sky is a marvel at condensing a wide-spread sandbox into a cartridge, Persona 5 Royal is far more reasonable of a Switch port. The original game was developed with the PlayStation 3 in mind, with Atlus deciding to release it on the PlayStation 4. Think about it, Persona 5 on the PS4 is the "remastered port" of the PlayStation 3 game.
The engine didn't change much from the jump to Royal, so needless to say it runs flawlessly on the Switch. Most Atlus games run really well on the Nintendo Switch as Persona 5 Strikers is a fantastic example. All of the gameplay elements are the same as the PS4 counterpart save for Switch button prompts. It's basically Persona 5 Royal on the Switch. Those who know the story of Joker being framed for "attacking" a public figure after saving a woman from them can relieve just how useless and predatory adults are from the beginning all over again!
The one thing I wish the newer versions added, which I feel is desperately needed, is a fast-forward function from the beginning of the game. Or at the very least a skip cutscene button as there are hours of cutscenes before the player even controls their character. I didn't even reach the first palace on this particular playthrough and I was well two hours into the game.
It's a common complaint as old as time, but once the game gets going and everything finally opens up, Persona 5 Royal truly allows itself to be a great RPG and a great game already. With as many options open up to the player as ever before, now is a fantastic time to get into what many claims to be the best RPG in the previous generation.
Persona 5 Royal is available on PlayStation 4. It will also be available on the Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch on October 21st 2022.