Published , by Brittany Vincent
Published , by Brittany Vincent
Persona 5 is getting something of a makeover with Persona 5 Royal, and plenty of details dropped about the upcoming game during a special presentation today.
For one, Persona 5 Royal remains a PlayStation 4 exclusive, and it doesn't appear to be coming to the Nintendo Switch like so many fans had been hoping for. Still, there's plenty to be excited about, especially as it's seeing the addition of "countless new elements."
To begin with, there's a new third school semester to explore, a new character, and plenty of new enemies as well. A new Phantom Thief named Kasumi Yoshizawa will be added to the cast, a "beautiful girl who transfers to Shujin Academy the same year the protagonist moves to Tokyo." She's a rhythmic gymnast and transferring to Shujin was a great move for her future. While she admires the protagonist, however, she isn't interested in the Phantom Thieves...at first. It's unclear when you meet her whether she's an enemy or an ally.
Additionally, there's a new confidant for the Phantom Thieves joining the cast named Takuto Haruki. He's a part-time school counselor hired to help quell the students' concern after a certain teacher was caught doing unsavory things in April at Shujin Academy. He's popular character among students and belongs to the "Le Consultant" arcana.
Finally, details on the third semester emerge, where the Phantom Thieves will meet an "unknown young man," go on a New Year's gathering, and more. There's also a wide selection of new things to do with your favorite Persona 5 characters, like check out new city areas, a "Darts Live" collaboration, and a new area called Kichijouji in Tokyo. New date spots, photo memories, and additional enemies are also coming to the game.
Honestly, there's so much new content here it's like going from Persona 4 to Persona 4 Golden, and if you already experienced the original title it's definitely worth going back in and doing it all again.
There's also a new soundtrack with new tunes from composer Shoji Meguro, including vocal songs for the opening, ending, and battle music with vocals by Lyn. That'll pair well with PlayStation 4 Pro support, which means it'll look better than ever.
While the game is debuting in Japan this October 31, Western players will have to wait until an undisclosed date in 2020 to play. Additional information is going to be coming out on May 9, which we'll make sure to bring you.
For now, all we can do is wait, though. And what about that Switch version of Persona 5, guys? You gotta know it's coming, what with Joker in Smash.