While there’s nothing quite like the jazzy, suave style of Persona 5 Royal, that doesn’t mean there’s not something that could satisfy your craving for more. Here’s a collection of some truly stellar games that are like Persona 5.
Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age
Considered by many to be the grandfather of the JRPG genre, with a franchise dating all the way back to 1986, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age is the latest mainline entry that fans ADORE. This receives plenty of love for its basic but beautifully told, almost fairytale-like story. The cast of characters are all compelling in their own way and bounce off one another with fantastic voice acting in both English and the original Japanese. A special shout-out goes to Sylvando, Entertainer Extraordinaire, who may just be my favorite JRPG character of all time.
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While the gameplay is nothing revolutionary, its familiarity and confidence in its presentation are what carry it. Like every other Dragon Quest game, Echoes of an Elusive Age also boasts the artwork and character designs of Akira Toriyama, one of the most influential manga artists of all time. Every monster, NPC, and boss looks fantastic, while the turn-based combat, which is slightly more simplistic in comparison to Persona 5, still provides an excellent sense of power and progression.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
While they may not share much in the way of combat, Persona 5 Royal and Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, or any other mainline entry in the franchise, both series are drenched in a similar over-the-top but otherwordly cool aesthetic. In Danganronpa, players will be spending their time hanging out with an assortment of characters and trying to deduce which one is a murder. To do this, they’ll need to sit through plenty of conversations while also putting their peers on trial in an effort to prove that someone is hiding a sinister secret.
It’s not really as action-orientated as Persona 5, but anyone who enjoyed the more “life simulator” aspects of ATLUS JRPG will find a lot to love about Danganronpa. It helps that the voice-acting is similarly fantastic, if not slightly over-done in some instances. Frankly, that’s kind of the appeal of this sort of game, so that’s likely an extra win in your book if you’re reading this article.
Shin Megami Tensei V
Despite the fact that Persona is a spinoff of Shin Megami Tensei (and it shockingly reached five mainline games BEFORE the mothership franchise), they’re different enough from one another that players shouldn’t feel bored by switching between the two. While SMT is a more dire, dough franchise than the quirkier, darkly fantastical Persona, they share a lot of similarities in a mechanical sense. If collecting and leveling up Personas is your drive, any SMT game will bowl you over with the amount of creatures you can find and train.
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Shin Megami Tensei V is the latest game in the series, and while some found its difficulty curve to be unreasonable, long-time veterans found a lot to love. Its story might not be as character-driven as Persona 5 Royal, but the sprawling world, deep RPG mechanics, and sheer variety of enemy encounters are more than enough to keep you going all the way to the end.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
If fussing around after your friends and completing menial tasks during the more mundane sections of Persona 5 Royal are what hooked you, then Fire Emblem: Three Houses is right up your alley. Widely considered by fans to be one of the best game in the series, players will need to get to know the game’s many characters if they want to boost their combat efficiency. The power of friendship (or mentorship, in this case) is generally enough to overcome any and all evil, so leveling up your relationships by giving gifts, hanging out, and having conversations is an essential part of the gameplay.
While Three Houses features turn-based combat, its grid-based system may throw off some fans who appreciate Persona‘s more straightforward JRPG battles. If you’re able to work around that learning curve, then you’ll find a rewarding and compelling combat loop that never lets up on the tension, especially when playing with the permadeath option.
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
Another visual novel that may not have many mechanical similarities to Persona 5, the creepy, bizarre world of 1980s Honjo, Tokyo, is consistently enthralling. Playing as a detective game of sorts, players are tasked with solving the mystery surrounding seven curses and an ancient rite that seemingly requires a murder to accomplish. It’s an intense exploration of mythology and folklore with a cast of excellently written characters, each of whom has secrets that they won’t give up easily.
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The battling of gigantic demons may not be at the forefront of Paranormasight, but the contrast of a creepy other world stuck over reality lends itself to an aesthetic that Persona 5 will likely adore. The best part is that the story is genuinely exceptional and easily one of the most compelling on this list. I absolutely can’t recommend this game enough.
Yakuza: Like a Dragon
One of the more unique entries on this list, Yakuza: Like a Dragon managed to pivot the entire franchise into the direction of traditional JRPG turn-based combat. While many may have missed the brawler action, the change was a remarkable success that captured the zany antics often associated with Yakuza with a compelling RPG system. It helps that each of the main characters, and most of the supporting NPCs, are terrifically written with stellar voice acting.
Whereas Persona 5 Royal offers up adventures that take place in contrasting realities, Like a Dragon blends the absurd with the serious, achieving a genuinely unique mixture of off-the-wall comedy and heartfelt storytelling. There’s nothing quite like in the JRPG genre, and it serves as an excellent introductory point for those who want to enjoy the new systems without wanting to play six blockbuster games beforehand. Oh, it also has the best summons of any JRPG. Period.
