Originally released in Japan in 2016, Persona 5 earned itself a place as one of the best JRPGs of the last decade and for many gamers, it is one of the greatest in the genre. The Persona series is a spin-off from the mothership Shin Megami Tensei series. While it maintains many of the same themes from the mainline series, the Persona games implement visual novel and dating sim mechanics.
Despite being a spin-off series the Persona series has become Atlus’ best selling and most mainstream JRPG series. The SMT series is often associated with its difficulty which can be off-putting for many gamers. Though the Persona games are still challenging in their own right, they are far more accessible.
Persona 5’s success has lead to the release of an expanded version of the game called Persona 5 Royal. The new version functions as something of a director’s cut with its additional story and gameplay mechanics. However, as great as Persona 5 Royal is, the game does come to an end so we’ve put together a list of games that fans may want to try if the loved P5R.
Updated by Michael Connor Smith on August 23rd, 2020: It’s truly remarkable how Persona 5 singlehandedly brought JRPGs into the limelight atop the charts with other more popular game genres and became a worldwide phenomenon upon its release. As was done with Persona 3 and 4 before it, Atlus gave Persona 5 its second shot of glory with the updated version, Persona 5 Royal, adding new characters, story and gameplay changes, and graphical enhancements.
We’ve updated this list to include five additional games of varying RPG genres that have the same high points that make Persona 5 as wildly popular as it is. Since Persona 5 and Royal acted as such a great starting point for those looking to get into RPGs, giving those players as many game suggestions as possible is our main goal.
15 Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
The sequel to the original Persona Q, the mix of Etrian Odyssey inspired dungeon crawling with Persona‘s style and characters brings in the fan-favorite cast from Persona 5 to allow characters from 3, 4, and 5 to fight alongside each other and share an absolute ton of cute dialog.
If you really felt a genuine bond forming with the P5 cast during your playthrough, there’s no surprise that Persona Q2 will be right up your alley. The gameplay can differ pretty heavily from the Persona that you’re used to, however, so make sure to do a bit of research before diving in.
14 Persona 3 and 4
It should go without saying that if gamers loved Persona 5 Royal and they haven’t played its predecessors then their first port of call should be the nearest gaming retailer to find copies of Persona 3 and Persona 4. Just like Persona 5 Royal, both titles have an extended version called Persona 3 FES, P3P, and Persona 4 Golden.
Originally released worldwide on the PlayStation 2 in 2007 and 2009 respectively by the time they made it to European territories Persona 3 and Persona 4 follow the same themes as P5R. Both entries in the series take place in modern-day high schools where relationship building and character development play a vital role.
13 Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Now that both Shin Megami Tensei V and Nocturne are both slated to release for the Switch in 2021, mainline SMT is more popular than it’s been in quite a while, and there’s no better time to jump in than the present.
What separates Digital Devil Saga from games like SMT IV or Nocturne is its greater focus on a character-driven narrative, which will allow Persona fans to feel right at home. DDS has a tight-knit cast of memorable characters, challenging and rewarding gameplay, and a sequel to flesh out its fantastically interesting story.
12 Danganronpa
Danganronpa and Persona are often mentioned in the same conversation on the internet as they do share a lot of similarities. This high school murder-mystery will definitely be enjoyed for those who got more out of Persona‘s slice-of-life side rather than its turn-based, demon-collecting combat.
The Danganronpa series are hefty visual novels that span quite a few games, meaning that there’s a ton of content here to be enjoyed if this style of game is your cup of tea. Just be warned of how addictive these games can be, and the countless hours that they’ll take off of your life.
11 Tokyo Xanadu
First released in 2015 for the PlayStation Vita, Tokyo Xanadu was later ported in an enhanced expanded version for the PlayStation 4 in 2017 called Tokyo Xanadu eX+. It was developed by Nihon Falcom the creators of the Ys and The Legend of Heroes series.
While Tokyo Xanadu doesn’t have the depth or the character relationship mechanics of a Persona game it does have an engaging story set in around modern-day Tokyo high school with interdimensional dungeons to explore. In addition, the game is split into chapters that do a great job of giving each character their chance to shine.
10 Final Fantasy XV
Looking for something a little more fast-paced that still retains the feel of forming unbreakable bonds with your party members? Final Fantasy XV is quite different when compared to any other game in the long-running franchise, straying away from turn-based combat and focusing on being a full-on action RPG.
FFXV‘s main cast of four is rather slim when compared to Persona 5‘s eleven main party members, but your road trip across Eos with Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis creates an unreal amount of bro-chemistry that’s almost too heartwarming to be true.
9 Xenoblade Chronicles
First released on the Nintendo Wii in 2012 and then the New Nintendo 3DS in 2015, Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the best Japanese RPGs of the last decade. It developed by Monolith Soft, a studio comprised of the same member that created Xenogears for Square-Enix and the Xenosaga Trilogy for Bandai Namco.
Xenoblade Chronicles is an epic open-world RPG with a gripping story and a great turn-based combat system. Furthermore, there’s a bonding system in Xenoblade built around boosting the protagonist’s affinity with the other party members. It’s a system that fans of Persona should feel right at home with. Those looking to dive into Xenoblade Chronicles, however, should wait until the release of Xenoblade Chronicles: The Definitive Edition due in May 2020.
8 Etrian Odyssey
If you’re the type of maniac that loads up a new Persona 5 Royal save file and turns the difficulty up to its highest setting, then Etrian Odyssey will definitely give you what you’re looking for. If you’ve played Persona Q, you’ll know exactly what to expect in terms of gameplay feel.
Etrian Odyssey is peculiar in the fact that most of its games allow you the choice of either creating your very own party members or playing through a story with a set cast. This flexibility may come as a refreshing change of pace for Persona fans that spend tens and hundreds of hours with the same characters.
7 Bully
Developed by Rockstar the studio behind the Grand Theft Auto series, Bully is an action-adventure game set in a high school and its fictional town Bullworth. While it’s not an RPG like the Persona series those that enjoyed the social interactions around a school environment will find a lot to enjoy in Bully.
The game was first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006 and was remastered for the Xbox 360 in 2008. Just like the GTA series, Rockstar’s Bully was also the recipient of a great deal of controversy upon its release due to the game’s satirical nature being misunderstood by the media. Bully was actually a coming of age story about social hierarchy, cliques, relationships, and the general struggles of growing up.
6 Yakuza 0
First released in 2015 for the PlayStation 4 Yakuza 0 was later released on Xbox One and PC in 2020. It’s an open-world action-RPG that places the player in the shoes of a young Yakuza named Kiryu Kazama and his long time rival Goro Majima.
While the game doesn’t have much in common with the Persona series in terms of combat or a high school setting, fans will definitely enjoy the contemporary setting of a 1980s Tokyo. Furthermore, Yakuza 0 features friendship sub-stories where the protagonists are building relationships with several NPCs throughout the city. Where Yakuza 0 shines, however, is its flawless character development and mature storylines this theme continues throughout the entire series. Being a prequel, Yakuza 0 is the perfect starting point.
5 Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore
First released on the Nintendo Wii U in 2015, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a crossover JRPG between Shin Megami Tensei and the Fire Emblem series. It was developed by Atlus so the game shares a lot of similarities to the Persona series in terms of its themes and modern-day Tokyo locations to explore.
The narrative isn’t quite as dark or as complex as the Persona series and it can be quite predictable as a whole. However, the side stories and interactions with other party members and the Fire Emblem characters who appear in the form of Mirages are very Persona-like in their gameplay mechanics. An enhanced remaster for the Nintendo Switch called Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore was released in early 2020.
4 Attack On Titan 2: Final Battle
Attack on Titan 2 was released on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and the Xbox One in 2018, and released on the Google Stadia platform in 2019. It’s action RPG developed by Omega Force based on the Attack on Titan anime and manga series.
It’s expansion Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle was released in 2019 and the physical disc version adapts all three seasons of the series. AoT2 is a fast action game where just like the series it is based on the player has to take down gigantic titans that feed on humans. While that’s the departure from Atlus’ series, the relationship and friendship building mechanics in the game will definitely appeal to Persona fans.
3 Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalpyse
Released in 2016 on the Nintendo 3DS, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is an alternate version of the fourth entry in the mainline series. For the developers Atlus, Apocalypse seems like another chance for them to rectify many of the original game’s issues and is a much better game.
Despite having some connections to the original, Apocalypse is designed so that newer players can jump right into it. It’s not as narratively driven as the Persona series as the gameplay, demon hunting, and world-building take precedence. However, the writing, story, and character development is superb and Persona fans should still feel at home with the mechanics.
2 Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Released in 2019, Fire Emblem: Three Houses is a Nintendo Switch exclusive. It’s tactical RPG developed by Intelligent Systems who also created the highly regarded Advance Wars strategy series. Interestingly Three Houses was co-developed by Koei Tecmo who also worked on Fire Emblem Warriors and Attack on Titan 2 which was included on this list.
In addition to the strategic combat, Three Houses place a significant emphasis on socializing with other characters between missions, developing relationships, and building bonds that directly affect a character’s actions on the battlefield.
1 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel Series
First released for the PlayStation 3 and the Vita in 2015, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel was the beginning of a new trilogy in the Trails arc. It was eventually released in 2019 for the PlayStation 4 along with its sequel Trails of Cold Steel II. The third game was released in the west in 2020.
The player is cast as a new student called Rean Swcharzer at an elite military academy. Similarly to the Persona series much of the player’s time will be tasked with building relationships which in turn unlocks new abilities in combat. The world-building and character development in the trails series on another level compared to most games. It would also be worth seeking out the Trails in the Sky trilogy too due to their deep narrative connections.
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