Persona 5 Royal is now available on different modern platforms, but is the game worth playing for those who played the original Persona 5, or a double-dip for those who have already purchased it on PlayStation? The original version of Persona 5 came to PS3 and PS4 in 2016, but like Persona 4 Golden and Persona 3 Portable before it, many fans expected an updated rerelease further down the line, one that added new content and QoL features. This was going to be a tall order, as Persona 5 is one of the best RPGs of its era, and adding to it would threaten to dilute its quality.
Anyone who played Persona 5 owe it to themselves to play Persona 5 Royal, especially if they played the original near its launch. Not only does Persona 5 Royal add an entire extra third semester at the end of the game, but it adds content to the existing dungeons, a new member of the Phantom Thieves, new Personas, new boss battles, and switches elements of the original story, like to introduce characters like Haru earlier. Persona 5 Royal has a lot of changes and they make it worth a second go, including DLC fights against the protagonists of Persona 3 and Persona 4, for those who wish to challenge the heroes of the older games.
Persona 5 Royal Is Worth The Price For Those Who Played The Original
The people who played Persona 5 Royal on PS4 likely know that it's available on other platforms. To date, Persona 5 Royal has ports on Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. These versions of the game are functionally identical in of content to the PS4 version and there's no added value in replaying them again on those platforms. Persona 5 Royal on Nintendo Switch has the added benefit of being a portable version of the game, which is helpful, as Persona 5 Royal is a long game, and being able to play it on the go means there are more opportunities to experience the story.
When Persona 5 Royal launched on PS4 in 2019, it was met with acclaim from fans and critics alike. This isn't to say that the game avoided any criticism, especially in regard to its new story content, but the general response was that it was a worthy successor to Persona 5. Persona 5 Royal is a massive time investment and those playing the game after experiencing the original Persona 5 will be experiencing some of the same story beats again.
However, it's worth sitting through to get to the new stuff and well worth the cost. Persona 5 Royal had positive reviews at launch, and it earned its 95 on Metacritic. It's an improved version of one of the best games of its era, and everyone should play it, even those who already played Persona 5.