In stark contrast to the epic length cutscenes that greet you in previous Persona games, Persona 5 starts its long journey with a bang, introducing a complex yet approachable turn-based battle system with more depth and variety to combat.
This is the combination of everything the JRPG series has been building to.
With familiar elements dialed up to 11 and some welcome new surprises added into the take him mix in what's by far the series strongest story to date, Persona 5 puts you in the capable shoes of a high school student who spends his evening saving the world.
By day you'll attend class, answer quiz questions and live the life of a typical teenager but after school, you'll invade the minds of corrupt adults who are up to no good in order to change their hearts.
These standout hand-built dungeons take place in palaces, created within the mind of each target and developer atlas takes advantage of this to set them in diverse and outlandish places tied to the target.
A museum for example, has very different security measures than a medieval castle and drastically different puzzle types make them feel like almost entirely different games.
The sense of scope here is staggering compared to the dungeons Persona 3 or 4 and each palace provides some smart, unpredictable story moments and challenges.
Battle in Persona 5 is a familiar turn-based formula, with melee attacks ranged weapons and magic attacks based on one of eight elements.
A bit like catching Pokemon, each Persona you collect has its own unique set of skills as well as strengths and weaknesses.
Collecting multiple personas with different abilities and combining them to create custom ones is a fun way to tailor your playstyle to the type of combat you prefer.
Persona 5 is a solid modern turn-based JRPG first and foremost but it also quickly becomes a captivating time management simulator.
When you're not saving the world, you're able to boost your skills by visiting hub districts within Tokyo; for activities like working a part-time job, batting practice, seeing a movie or just heading home to study, play a retro game or read one of dozens of books.
On top of those social activities, you'll also have 20 confidants to spend time with; forging bonds with fellow students or other citizens in Tokyo.
As you level up these bonds you'll learn relevant stat increases and gameplay advantages that are surprisingly robust.
I found myself almost as interested in some confidant stories as I was in the main plot which offers even more incentive for dedicating time to hanging out with those people.
By offering so many options and only a finite amount of free time, Persona 5 gives every decision a fantastic amount of weight.
Choosing to work a part-time job might make you extra cash to buy better weapons but it comes at the cost of ranking up a confidant or increasing your stats.
Even lamenting the opportunities you missed adds a unique layer of replayability that makes starting a new game plus all the more enticing, even after 100 hour playthrough.
Aside from the dozens of activities available, the very act of exploring Persona 5's Tokyo is a delight.
From city lights at night to crowded subways during your school commute, every part of this world is bursting with vibrant color and every detail feels meticulously thought out and eerily accurate to real world Tokyo.
all of this is further enhanced by an impressive sense of style. Sharp design choices permeate even tiny details of gameplay and I can't overstate the number of times that I marveled at the gorgeous effects while ambushing an enemy or went out of my way to explore on a rainy day to appreciate small touches.
Persona 5's dynamic acid jazz inspired soundtrack also helps to highlight everything from quiet moments to bombastic boss battles, helping to tie together an overall experience that feels truly special.
Persona 5 is a massive, gorgeous JRPG with well over 100 hours of gameplay for completionists.
With more to do than ever and the series strongest story to date, it stands out as an extraordinary memorable experience and easily one of the deepest JRPGs of the last decade.
Its sprawling dungeon design and stylish fully realized world are an absolute joy to explore and even after three playthroughs in the platinum trophy, I find myself itching to go back. This is a new gold standard for Japanese RPGs and by far the best entry in the series yet.
