Every major entry in Atlus's popular Persona series has gotten a little subseries of its own, and Persona 5 is no different. This strategy allows for the developer to really dive into the world of each series, forming a complete universe before moving to the next one. In the case of Persona 5, expanding the universe has allowed a popular game to rise to new heights.
While Persona 5 is the game that started a renaissance in the JRPG genre, it's not the only game out there featuring the Phantom Thieves. Several other entries have expanded upon the world and characters of Persona 5 since 2016, and with Persona 6 nowhere in sight, it looks like Atlus might be looking to savor Persona 5 a while longer. For gamers looking to jump into the series, however, it can be a little tricky to know where to start or which version of Persona 5 to play. For existing fans, there could be a lot to look forward to in the next year or so.
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Persona 5 is the original version of the game, where players were introduced to Joker and the Phantom Thieves. Released in 2016, it was one of the main catalysts that made the Persona series and the JRPG genre so popular. Fans immediately took to Joker, the silent protagonist players embody during the game, and the captivating story and art style is hard to resist.
The original Persona 5 is widely considered one of the best JRPGs of all time, and it has won numerous awards to support that statement. It won Best Roleplaying Game in 2017 against NieR: Automata and Final Fantasy 15, and has only risen in popularity since then. Now, Persona 5 is available as part of the PS Plus Collection, so anyone with a subscription can dive right in.
Persona 5 Royal is an enhanced edition of Persona 5 that added a ton of new content to the original game. The biggest addition is Kasumi, an entirely new character that joins the Phantom Thieves during the story. Players can also explore Kichijoji in Royal, which opens up a ton of new opportunities to build relationships and increase Joker's stats. The final major addition is an entire new semester added to the calendar, which allows time to explore an entirely new palace.
Apart from the huge additions, there are several smaller ways that Royal expands upon the original. There are new Personas to discover, new confidants, new holidays, and additional cutscenes. There are also two additional endings in Persona 5 Royal, making for a grand total of 8. Persona 5 was a 100-hour game already, but Royal adds a wealth of extra content that deepens the story and characters. Persona 5 Royal is the definitive way to play the game, and well worth trying out even for fans who've already played the original.
Persona 5 Strikers is the summer vacation entry in the Persona 5 subseries, but it does flip the concept on its head a little bit. Instead of stealing hearts and desires from the Metaverse, in Strikers, the Phantom Thieves are trying to return hearts to those who had them wrongfully stolen. Just as in Persona 5, the stakes are high as Joker's freedom rests on the success of the Phantom Thieves. Persona 5 Strikers also included new gameplay elements, breaking away from the classic turn-based combat.
Effectively a sequel to Persona 5, Strikers takes the group to six distinct cities all over Japan. It's full of new characters and new dungeons to explore and adds a new character named Sophia to the party. For fans of Persona 5, Strikers is a must-play, but the great thing about it is that it's easy to jump into without having played any of the previous titles. Unlike other Persona 5 games, it's also available on PC and the Nintendo Switch.
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Atlus has a history of adding rhythm games themed around dancing to many of the Persona subseries, and Persona 5 is no exception. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight is a rhythm game starring the Phantom Thieves released in 2018 for PlayStation 4, and while its narrative is really just an excuse for dancing, it can be a lot of fun.
The premise of Dancing in Starlight is that Velvet Room prison wardens Caroline and Justine need champions to compete against their sister's in a dance-off, and the Phantom Thieves are the lucky winners. While not the most impressive or popular game in the Persona 5 universe, it's a great party game and highlights the incredible Persona 5 soundtrack.
While not confirmed, rumors have been floating around for the past couple of months about a possible Persona 5 fighting game. Persona 4 had two fighting game spin-offs: Persona 4 Arena and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. The fighting games were successful and actually added more to the lore and narrative of the Persona 4 universe, which made them even more satisfying for existing fans.
According to rumors, a Persona 5 fighting game might be in the works. The rumor started when Persona Central revealed that Atlus has registered for a lot of new domain names, one of which was "P5U.JP." It's very similar to the domain used for Persona 4 Arena Ultimax and looks similar to the game's Japanese abbreviation. Based on this, it's possible that Atlus has decided to make a spiritual successor to Ultimax in the form of a Persona 5 fighting game. Fighting games blend seamlessly with the Persona series, so it's a great option Atlus must be contemplating.
Finally, Code Name: X is an upcoming mobile game that's rumored to be based on the Persona 5 series. It's not officially confirmed, but "P5" is in the code and the game is confirmed to be based on a popular Japanese RPG, so there isn't a lot of space for it to be related to anything else. However, it looks like it will star a new cast of characters rather than the Phantom Thieves.
There's not much that's been revealed about Code Name: X yet, but it's exciting to see that Persona is moving towards the mobile platform. Unfortunately, Code Name: X is currently only confirmed to release in China, but if it's successful there's a big possibility it could be released for the rest of the world.
Persona 5 is available now on PS3 and PS4.