Atlus' Persona 5: Royal is a classic JRPG that's always worth playing, but so is this highly underrated XCOM-like spinoff

Cutscene screenshot of Joker running from police in Persona 5: Royal.
🎵Wake up, get up, get out there.🎵 (Image credit: Atlus)

If you're in the mood for a non-horror game for Halloween with a bit of a spooky edge to it while being fun, then look no further than Persona 5.

Dress up as dashing vigilantes and steal the hearts of corrupt villains in Atlus' most popular JRPG to date, which has had its PC version's $67.99 price tag cut by 79% at Loaded for $14.29.

Persona 5 Royal (PC)
Save 79% ($53.70)
Persona 5 Royal (PC): was $67.99 now $14.29 at loaded.com


"Persona 5 Royal is an incredible JRPG that is a must-have for any Xbox JRPG enthusiast. It has an addictive gameplay loop, the characters are well-written, and the anime-style presentation is at its peak thanks to the Xbox Series X|S enhancements." ~ Alexander Cope

Windows Central Review (Xbox version): ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

💰Price check: $59.99 at GreenManGaming (Steam)

😍Alternative deal: $19.99 at Newegg

Persona 5 Tactica (PC)
Save 73% ($44)
Persona 5 Tactica (PC): was $59.99 now $15.99 at Newegg


"Persona 5 Tactica is a cute and fun SRPG which wonderfully mixes the tactical gameplay of strategy games with the bombastic anime aesthetics and turn-based combat mechanics of Persona 5." ~ Alexander Cope

Windows Central review (Xbox version): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

💰Price check: $59.99 at GreenManGaming (Steam)

😍Alternative deal: $17.69 at Loaded

Why should you buy these games?

Summon Personas to strike enemy weaknesses. (Image credit: Windows Central / Atlus)

What can I say that hasn't been said about Persona 5? It's a modern-day JRPG classic that has only propelled the Persona series and Atlus as a whole to super-stardom.

It has a fun and oftentimes dark superhero story with relatable, likable characters, and its art design is absolutely insane and beautiful to look at (especially when you explore the mindscape, 'Palaces', of the depraved villains you will be facing).

Persona 5's bizarre gameplay loop of balancing your civilian life with dungeon crawling to kill bosses before a deadline is also captivating and can even teach you how to manage your time in real life to some degree.

On top of that, Persona 5's turn-based combat is magnificent. It's fast-paced, stylish, and can be brutally challenging if you don't grasp the mountain of mechanics the game throws at you.

Co-ordinate with teammates to destroy Shadows. (Image credit: Windows Central / Atlus)

As for Persona 5: Tactica, that's a little bit trickier, as no one expected Persona 5 to get an XCOM-like spin-off when it was revealed in 2023.

While its story (for the most part) isn't as complex as Persona 5, the characters are just as well-written and fun to watch as they battle nefarious Shadows. Plus, the game is equally artistically rich as Persona 5 while also being slightly cuter by adopting a Chibi-esque motif for the character designs.

The gameplay of Persona 5: Tactica is very enjoyable as it successfully combines the tactical nature of turn-based strategy games like XCOM: Enemy Unknown and Wasteland 3 with the over-the-top battle mechanics of Persona 5.

It's so satisfying to use your party's Persona abilities to blast enemies out of cover, and then line up for crowd-clearing All-Out Attacks.

Plus, it's nice to play a Persona game that finally abandons that outdated and annoying rule where if the main character dies, it's game over, because in Persona 5: Tactica, you can revive the main party leader using other members if they fall in battle.

Delve into Palaces to steal the hearts of criminals. (Image credit: Windows Central / Atlus)

So if you're up for exploring the twisted minds of crooks and beating up giant, disturbing monsters while dressing as rebellious vigilantes in turn-based combat for Halloween, then these games are for you.

Persona 5: Royal on PC is currently on sale for $14.29 at Loaded, while Persona 5: Tactica is on sale for $15.99 at Newegg, saving you dozens of dollars when using these deals for a limited time.

FAQ

What is Persona 5: Royal?

Persona 5: Royal is an expanded version of Persona 5 that features an extra story arc, new party members, new mechanics, and tons of rebalancing and quality-of-life improvements.

Is Persona 5: Royal and Persona 5: Tactica on PC Game Pass?

What platforms are these games on?

What's the release date for Persona 4: Revival?

The next major entry in the Persona series, and highly-anticipated remake of Persona 4, Persona 4 Revival, has no release date announced at this time.


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Alexander Cope
Contributor — Gaming

Alexander Cope is a gaming veteran of 30-plus years, primarily covering PC and Xbox games here on Windows Central. Gaming since the 8-bit era, Alexander's expertise revolves around gaming guides and news, with a particular focus on Japanese titles from the likes of Elden Ring to Final Fantasy. Alexander is always on deck to help our readers conquer the industry's most difficult games — when he can pry himself away from Monster Hunter that is!

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