"I expected one of the greatest JRPGs of all time...and what I got was one of the greatest games of all time." - Me
I'm going to do the same thing I did with my P4 vs P4G reviews and save my full review of Persona 5 when I review the Royal edition. However, I will share a handful of things specific to this version of the game within this review. I will focus primarily on my pre-release anticipation and initial thoughts of the base version of Persona 5.
And just like before with P4/P4G, this SHOULD be a 5/5 game, but because P5 Royal exists, and is somehow an even better and more complete game than the vanilla version, that has to drop it just a little to differentiate between the two games.
First things first - this was the first Persona game I had to WAIT to experience and play. I was one of the lucky ones when it came to P3 and P4... I got into the series late when both were already released, purchased them from GameStop at the same time, and was able to essentially play both of those behemoth JRPGs back to back... it was a glorious time!
Seeing how quickly their turnaround was between the 2 titles also gave me hope that I didn't have to wait long for Persona 5... surely, I'd have a PS3 copy in hands before too long... but that, unfortunately, did not turn out to be the case... this may very well have been the most agonizing wait for me for any game ever. :(
There haven't been many games, especially in adulthood, that have truly garnered such anticipation than this one... usually, I can wait with no problems... I have PLENTY of games on the backlog to play anyway, so usually it isn't a problem for me... In fact, if I had to name off the games since I turned 20+ that had me salivating at the mouth like a rapid dog, re-watching their trailers a bajillion times (seriously, I think I played the P5 trailers 100+ times... even just to listen to the glorious music accompanying them), this would have been near the top of my list.
My Most Anticipated Games Ever
-- Persona 5 - first it was this damn teaser image...but then as 2014 came and went, I knew it was being delayed. However, my excitement for the game increased tenfold once I saw this trailer.
-- Final Fantasy VII Remake - seeing that release date in that trailer... tears dreams do come true!
-- Grand Theft Auto V - this was the trailer I had playing on a loop. Radio Ga Ga + Michael from GTA V = CAN'T WAIT!
-- Mass Effect 2 - one of the greatest game trailers ever made.
^^ These 4 games were on another level entirely! It was like I was an addict needing my fix, counting down the days to the release date... and for Persona 5, with all of its "unmet release date windows" and it constantly getting pushed back, I was in a state of withdrawal. Each bit of small news that came out, I was there!
But things didn't truly get bad for me until I saw this trailer... my anticipation levels were off the charts. "11/10 - give me this damn game now!!!" If I had a time machine, I would have used it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtw4W0H7SbE
So with an insane level of anticipation, and a borderline unhealthy obsession, that meant that my expectations were SKY fucking HIGH for this game... I was expecting a 10/10 and one of the greatest JRPGs of all time - anything less would have disappointed me...
And so my biggest compliment for this game is that it did it! It met my lofty, unrealistic expectations for it - even going as far as surpassing them in other ways: it became one of the greatest games of all time.
This is a 100+ hour masterpiece (I spent 200+ with it), with the most fluid, fast-paced battle system ever in a turn based RPG, the coolest menus/transitions ever crafted, amazing music, characters, story, etc. I can go on and on. The game just oozes quality and will win over anyone, even non-JRPG/turn-based players, who play it.
An absolute MUST PLAY game, but you'll want to pick up the superior Royal version as it somehow makes it even better!
Below I'm going to include some bullet-points from my original P5 experience:
-- Graphics/art style are some of the best in its class. It literally looks like you are playing an anime. I prefer this style even over more realistic titles.
-- The opening of the game - unlike P3/P4, which start off really slow, P5 brings you right into the action immediately. I love how this introduction starts in media res: it's exciting, the casino setting is gorgeous, and the music is amazing. Loved it!
-- Greatest... menus... of all time! When you have people cosplaying it, you know it has to be the GOAT.
-- One thing that I think goes underappreciated is how much I felt connected to the Main Character in P5. Unlike P3/P4, where it feels like your popularity knows no bounds (P4 especially - everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, loves you in that one), P5 you are the outcast. The underdog...shunned from most of society and the school. I truly felt like I was in Joker's corner from the very beginning. Joining the ragtag gang of other social pariahs made it even better.
-- The Phantom Thieves and how they tie into the core themes of the game... each and every awakening of their Personas were beyond spectacular and badass!
-- If you held me up, and told me that I had to pick my favorite Persona soundtrack, while it's such a difficult decision, I think I have to lean P5's way. It is just beyond special. Every damn song is a banger! I'll list out some of my absolute favorites below:
Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There - hearing this for the first time in the actual game and not just a trailer was special.
Life Will Change - I return to the entrance of the Palace each and every time to let this theme play out. It'd be a damn shame not to.
Awakening - why is every Persona awakening so damn cool!? "I am thou. Thou art I..."
Will Power - so badass... Ann's was my personal favorite Persona power moment!
Last Surprise - "You'll never see it comiiiiing!"
Blooming Villain - now this shit is fire! Hell of a boss battle theme!
Beneath the Mask / rain version - when the lyrics come on for the first time. Pure bliss and serenity!
Price - why is this so damn funky. Loved this palace theme!
Keeper of Lust - this game's soundtrack has too many bangers.. seriously!
The Days When My Mother Was There - now this is a vibe... with a hint of sadness and melancholy.
Restlessness - underrated track - really feels like the mystery is unraveling and you are figuring things out as a team.
The Whims of Fate - my favorite Palace theme bar none... hell, might be my favorite track in the game, period! This shit goes hard!
Ark - reaching the end now...
Rivers In the Desert - if Whims of Fate isn't my favorite track, it is this one! The situation in where this plays, the lyrics - it all culminates perfectly in an epic climax. It had me doing this.
Jaldabaoth / Our Beginning - final boss..."Begone!"
-- Many JRPGs should take the battle interface introduced in P5 where each button is mapped to a corresponding action. Makes the battles quick, snappy, and a hell of a lot of fun.
This is one of my favorite games of all time! P5 Royal actually cracks into my personal Top 5 list and as of November 2023 it sits at the #5 spot.
I'm going to do the same thing I did with my P4 vs P4G reviews and save my full review of Persona 5 when I review the Royal edition. However, I will share a handful of things specific to this version of the game within this review. I will focus primarily on my pre-release anticipation and initial thoughts of the base version of Persona 5.
And just like before with P4/P4G, this SHOULD be a 5/5 game, but because P5 Royal exists, and is somehow an even better and more complete game than the vanilla version, that has to drop it just a little to differentiate between the two games.
First things first - this was the first Persona game I had to WAIT to experience and play. I was one of the lucky ones when it came to P3 and P4... I got into the series late when both were already released, purchased them from GameStop at the same time, and was able to essentially play both of those behemoth JRPGs back to back... it was a glorious time!
Seeing how quickly their turnaround was between the 2 titles also gave me hope that I didn't have to wait long for Persona 5... surely, I'd have a PS3 copy in hands before too long... but that, unfortunately, did not turn out to be the case... this may very well have been the most agonizing wait for me for any game ever. :(
There haven't been many games, especially in adulthood, that have truly garnered such anticipation than this one... usually, I can wait with no problems... I have PLENTY of games on the backlog to play anyway, so usually it isn't a problem for me... In fact, if I had to name off the games since I turned 20+ that had me salivating at the mouth like a rapid dog, re-watching their trailers a bajillion times (seriously, I think I played the P5 trailers 100+ times... even just to listen to the glorious music accompanying them), this would have been near the top of my list.
My Most Anticipated Games Ever
-- Persona 5 - first it was this damn teaser image...but then as 2014 came and went, I knew it was being delayed. However, my excitement for the game increased tenfold once I saw this trailer.
-- Final Fantasy VII Remake - seeing that release date in that trailer... tears dreams do come true!
-- Grand Theft Auto V - this was the trailer I had playing on a loop. Radio Ga Ga + Michael from GTA V = CAN'T WAIT!
-- Mass Effect 2 - one of the greatest game trailers ever made.
^^ These 4 games were on another level entirely! It was like I was an addict needing my fix, counting down the days to the release date... and for Persona 5, with all of its "unmet release date windows" and it constantly getting pushed back, I was in a state of withdrawal. Each bit of small news that came out, I was there!
But things didn't truly get bad for me until I saw this trailer... my anticipation levels were off the charts. "11/10 - give me this damn game now!!!" If I had a time machine, I would have used it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xtw4W0H7SbE
So with an insane level of anticipation, and a borderline unhealthy obsession, that meant that my expectations were SKY fucking HIGH for this game... I was expecting a 10/10 and one of the greatest JRPGs of all time - anything less would have disappointed me...
And so my biggest compliment for this game is that it did it! It met my lofty, unrealistic expectations for it - even going as far as surpassing them in other ways: it became one of the greatest games of all time.
This is a 100+ hour masterpiece (I spent 200+ with it), with the most fluid, fast-paced battle system ever in a turn based RPG, the coolest menus/transitions ever crafted, amazing music, characters, story, etc. I can go on and on. The game just oozes quality and will win over anyone, even non-JRPG/turn-based players, who play it.
An absolute MUST PLAY game, but you'll want to pick up the superior Royal version as it somehow makes it even better!
Below I'm going to include some bullet-points from my original P5 experience:
-- Graphics/art style are some of the best in its class. It literally looks like you are playing an anime. I prefer this style even over more realistic titles.
-- The opening of the game - unlike P3/P4, which start off really slow, P5 brings you right into the action immediately. I love how this introduction starts in media res: it's exciting, the casino setting is gorgeous, and the music is amazing. Loved it!
-- Greatest... menus... of all time! When you have people cosplaying it, you know it has to be the GOAT.
-- One thing that I think goes underappreciated is how much I felt connected to the Main Character in P5. Unlike P3/P4, where it feels like your popularity knows no bounds (P4 especially - everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, loves you in that one), P5 you are the outcast. The underdog...shunned from most of society and the school. I truly felt like I was in Joker's corner from the very beginning. Joining the ragtag gang of other social pariahs made it even better.
-- The Phantom Thieves and how they tie into the core themes of the game... each and every awakening of their Personas were beyond spectacular and badass!
-- If you held me up, and told me that I had to pick my favorite Persona soundtrack, while it's such a difficult decision, I think I have to lean P5's way. It is just beyond special. Every damn song is a banger! I'll list out some of my absolute favorites below:
Wake Up, Get Up, Get Out There - hearing this for the first time in the actual game and not just a trailer was special.
Life Will Change - I return to the entrance of the Palace each and every time to let this theme play out. It'd be a damn shame not to.
Awakening - why is every Persona awakening so damn cool!? "I am thou. Thou art I..."
Will Power - so badass... Ann's was my personal favorite Persona power moment!
Last Surprise - "You'll never see it comiiiiing!"
Blooming Villain - now this shit is fire! Hell of a boss battle theme!
Beneath the Mask / rain version - when the lyrics come on for the first time. Pure bliss and serenity!
Price - why is this so damn funky. Loved this palace theme!
Keeper of Lust - this game's soundtrack has too many bangers.. seriously!
The Days When My Mother Was There - now this is a vibe... with a hint of sadness and melancholy.
Restlessness - underrated track - really feels like the mystery is unraveling and you are figuring things out as a team.
The Whims of Fate - my favorite Palace theme bar none... hell, might be my favorite track in the game, period! This shit goes hard!
Ark - reaching the end now...
Rivers In the Desert - if Whims of Fate isn't my favorite track, it is this one! The situation in where this plays, the lyrics - it all culminates perfectly in an epic climax. It had me doing this.
Jaldabaoth / Our Beginning - final boss..."Begone!"
-- Many JRPGs should take the battle interface introduced in P5 where each button is mapped to a corresponding action. Makes the battles quick, snappy, and a hell of a lot of fun.
This is one of my favorite games of all time! P5 Royal actually cracks into my personal Top 5 list and as of November 2023 it sits at the #5 spot.
2 Comments
@Ariialy - that is a great way to put it. I can't help but think of a game like Sekiro as a dance, with its action, parry first gameplay... but from a turn-based standpoint, this game is probably the closest thing to its own unique type of dance. It all comes down to how fluid and fast-based the combat is. I think the game's battle/victory transitions help with that as well.
Ariialy
5 months ago