While 2021's upcoming Shin Megami Tensei V and Nocturne HD have stolen the minds of players, a different ATLUS series continues to steal our hearts: Persona. With Persona 5 Royal's Western release and Persona 4 Golden's PC port, there has been plenty of JRPG goodness to go around. While these games have always been incredibly special, PS4's Persona 5 Royal carries even more weight today.
With the current COVID-19 pandemic, students around the world are confined. They're forced to take classes online, unable to truly connect with those around them. Remote classes rob students of connection. Remote classes rob students of school's intrinsically important, non-academic aspects. It's impossible to build relationships, explore new places, have new experiences, and grow as a person when all one does at school is click join on a Zoom link. It's an isolating experience. However, there is a way to fill that void from home: Persona 5 Royal.
Life at the Academy
At its core, Persona 5 Royal is a systemically complex Japanese RPG. On the surface, though, it's an engaging life simulator. The game's protagonist and core characters are part-time Phantom Thieves, yes. But, they're also full-time high school students in modern-day Tokyo, Japan. Considering that Persona 5 Royal works on an in-game calendar system where you play out each day of the characters' lives, attending Shujin Academy is a vital part of gameplay. Yet, while you'll sit through classes answering the occasional question, the crux of the life sim gameplay is the high school experience that surrounds the classroom.
In terms of the Persona experience, activities like chatting with confidants, attending part-time jobs, and exploring Tokyo are all in service of the game's fantastical elements. In a pre-COVID world, everyday occurrences like hanging out with a friend or working at a convenience store in-game form were decidedly milquetoast in a vacuum. The gameplay thrill came from how partaking in these things allowed for success in the Metaverse – more items, stronger Personas, etc. It's a tantalizing dynamic that makes every aspect of the gameplay loop feel important. This is not a pre-COVID world anymore, though.
A New Lens
While it may seem hyperbolic, the thrill today (to some extent) is inherent to simply existing comfortably in the world. Infiltrating palaces and stealing hearts in Persona's eclectic world continues to be an unforgettable experience. The game's commitment to style and aesthetics makes it one of the loudest, most confidently captivating games on the market. Yet, today, it's hard not to marvel at the most subtle and unintentional things, like a subway train safely filled to standing-room-only without a moment's hesitation.
In this sense, Persona 5 Royal is captivating in a fresh way. It allows for a quainter wish-fulfillment: getting to be back in a world that doesn't feel so foreign. Simply strolling around the subway station or exploring the streets of Shibuya is uniquely engaging. While you're able to pass directly through all of Japan's bustling inhabitants (perhaps a vestigial limitation from the game's PS3 roots), this world still feels so alive. It's crawling with people to talk with and things to do.
Taking Solace in Tokyo
It offers the perfect framework for those real-world students studying remotely. The morning trip from Café Leblanc to Shujin Academy offers the adventure which is lost by simply rolling out of bed and hopping into an online class apparatus. The school grounds provide the camaraderie that's lost when sequestered at home. The hours after class offer a sense of unrestrained autonomy. Perhaps you'll head into the city with Ryuji or stop into a café with Ann. Maybe you'll head back to Sojiro's and brew some coffee for the customers. Or, you'll head to a part-time job, earn some yen, and go shopping. Such choices only begin to scratch the surface of the game's social content.
No game will be able to replace the feeling of actually getting out into the world and learning about yourself. It's a vital part of life. However, it just isn't in the cards for everyone right now. As such, we have to turn to the escapist power of video games to find some avenue to express our longing. There is no better outlet than Persona 5 Royal. With its impeccable writing, robust social systems, and overall polish, getting lost in Tokyo is as magical as ever. These days though, that magic is augmented by our real-world conditions. Persona 5 Royal truly is the game that students need right now.