The originalPersona 5was launched in 2016, hard as it may be to believe. Critically acclaimed and beloved by fans, it has gone on to spawn so many spin-offs and pseudo-sequels that they’ve exceeded the original game entry number in the main series.
Fatigue for Persona 5 has been setting in amongst fans, and the launch ofPersona 5 Tacticaheralds an almost welcome end to the story of the Phantom Thieves. Make no mistake though, it’s still a stellar series, so we’ve ranked all the entries to help you see which Persona 5 is the best Persona 5.
6Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight
Dancing All Night
Atlusbegan a tradition with the series after Persona 3 of making a rhythm game spin-off for each numbered entry, featuring each game’s cast of characters busting a move to tracks old and new from the Persona series. That might sound a little cheesy, but they’re actually very good.
It helps that Persona is known for having such good music, but they’re solid rhythm games in their own right. The only thing Persona 5: Dancing In Starlight back from competing with the other Persona 5 games is that the rhythm genre isn’t for everyone, making this a niche entry.
The newest entry in the Persona 5 series, Persona 5 Tactica shifts the genre slightly to become tactical, operating the battles on a grid. If you imagineMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battleorits sequelwith a Persona 5 coat of paint then you’re on the right track.
It’s a solid game with little to fault other than the feeling that it’s unnecessary. Shoehorned into the latter half of the original game’s plot, it bloats what was an excellent, if already long, story.It ignores the Phantom Thievesfor no clear reason, but the tactical gameplay is perfectly solid.
The original Persona Q: Shadow Of The Labyrinth was a spin-off toPersona 4, pleasing many fans by also including Persona 3 characters. Now we have Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, which is a spin-off to Persona 5 while also being a sequel to Persona Q. It’s almost convoluted enough to approachKingdom Heartslevels ofconfusing continuity.
What it does do, it does well. Fans get to see characters from different Persona games interact while treating you to a new style of gameplay in the form ofEtrian Odyssey-style dungeon crawling. It just requires you to have played Persona 3, Persona 4, Persona Q, and Persona 5 first. A tall order, but it’s worth your time.
Persona 5 Strikersis an excellent game, although a bit of an awkward sequel. It’s presented to us as following directly on from the end of Persona 5 with the Phantom Thieves taking a summer road trip and getting into new adventures. It’s a great premise, with one problem.
It’s a sequel to Persona 5 specifically, and not the more definitive version,Persona 5 Royal. It ignores all the elements Royal introduced, including fan favourite character Kasumi. It is an excellent action spin on the Persona combat though, expertly developed by Omega Force who you know best for theDynasty Warriorsgames.
Persona 5 is one of the all-time best RPGs, without question. The story is engaging, the combat is satisfying, the music is outstanding and the entire experience comes with more style than you could fit in the whole metaverse. There’s almost nothing to fault, it’s a masterpiece.
Persona fans all have their own favourite entry, with many preferringPersona 4 Golden, but Persona 5 put the series on the map. What was once a beloved niche series is now one of the biggest names in gaming, with more fans than ever before eagerly awaiting the next in the series.
What could be better than Persona 5? Why, more Persona 5 of course. Persona 5 Royal is the definitive edition, coming with a wealth of extra content over the original game. It brings gameplay tweaks and new additions to the already jaw-droppingly good soundtrack.
The best things it brings to the table are the additional story sections and characters. They weave seamlessly into the original story and not only add to it, but elevate it. If you haven’t played Persona 5 Royal yet then you really should. It isn’t just one of the best in the Persona series,it’s one of the best gamesout there.
