'Persona 5' vs. 'Persona 5 Royal': Key differences

In just a few short weeks, an enhanced version of 'Persona 5' called will launch at a $60 price point. What’s so enhanced about this 'Royal' edition? Why should you justify spending thrice the price? Is there $40 worth of new content?

[BrainSyphoned]

Censorship is the key reason I lost interest. No need to rush to finish persona again before FF7R now, kinda relaxing.

[jambola]

and it's censored
don't forget that detail

[Nerdmaster]

Funny thing is: people who complain about the changed scene says "it was a tiny scene that I didn't even remember! Why are people making such a fuss about it?", but those same people act like that scene being changed ruined the whole game...

[Stopac]

I find it annoying they thought it was necessary to change it. But not enough to think the game is ruined. I know they’re coming from a good place thinking the scene(s) are homophobic but I never got that impression being gay myself.

And as a twenty something gay man living in the city during that time it’s not like every old guy who hit on me was like “oh my god those Old men find me attractive, THEY'RE HOMPHOBIC”

Whatever, it was a super tiny part of the game and it doesn’t even affect anything so I’m still buying it, i didn’t even remember it was a scene til this who mess started up.

[Nerdmaster]

I'm also gay and I am a bit bothered by those two characters.

Here in Japan, gay people are viewed only as entertainment, like comedians and comic relief in movies, TV series and games. So when a Japanese piece of entertainment doesn't show gay people as being "normal" people, but has only stereotypical characters with over the top performances and, even worse, using their sexuality to make the main characters feel weird, like what happened in Persona 5, I do get bothered. Like it or not, people do get influenced by the media they consume, so if every movie, series and game show people being weirded out by homosexuality, people will keep on thinking that this is the only way to feel about it.

If they had included other normal gay characters just living their lives, (eg.: a teacher who lived with his husband and the characters just recognized this without making a fuss), the existence of those two characters wouldn't be as bad. It would be a way of the game saying "here's your comic relief, but we're also showing that gay people lead normal lives". But the way it is now, they're the ONLY gay characters in the game and just perpetuate the stereotype. Even outside that scene, when they're just standing in the street, they'll always say something extremely stereotypical if you try talking to them.

Even Kanji in Persona 4 was a lost opportunity. They could've gone the "if he's gay or bi, that's ok" route, maybe even use his tough personality as "I've accepted who I am and I'll kick your butt if you try to make fun of it", but they chose the route of "that's weird" whenever anything slightly homosexual happened to him. His whole character growth lies in his love of tailoring, avoiding completely the struggle he has with his sexuality.

So although I generally don't like contents beings changed, it's good to see that the Japanese developers are at least aware of this topic. Maybe in the next games they'll have a little bit more sensibility from the get go when dealing with it.

[AspiringProGenji]

@nerdmaster
It was a joke to challenge Riuji’s manliness and cocky attitude. You also have to consider the context in which both of the scenes happened. Hardly anyone would get influenced by that. Ot was not even tied to gameplay or anything or meant to represent anything. Kanji’s situation is different because it was tied to his character story, but in P5 or was just a joke

It is okay to be bothered i guess, but this is being overblown and It is disappointing to see ATLUS caving in like this when there weren’t that many people complaining about this. I acuerdo laughed when this scene played the first time m

[Stopac]

@nerdmaster

I’m very well aware of the situation in Japan's lgbt+ community, and I feel that’ this is a much bigger problem in this context there than here in the US.

In the us the gay community has a bigger influence on politics and government than japan does. We are a more vocal and recognizable minority that makes up a considerable percent of our population. We still have a ways to go in regards to a lot of rights and equality but it’s disappointing that Japan does not have the same consideration for the LGBT community there.

That being said, if atlus were to do anything in respect of that it should have been done from the source game, not just the localized version. The fact that they will edit the us version of these scenes/characters only for westerners is either an extension of the how they view the LGBT community there vs here or they are just pandering to westerners thinking we are more sensitive than the Japanese consumers. Which I’ll be honest, considering we see this kind of edit done not just for gay related stuff but just anything in other games I’m willing to bet it’s the latter reason.

“Stereotypical gay men” do exist here but honestly it’s more of an insult to even have that characterization about them than the portrayal of them. They aren’t “stereotypical” they are normal people living their lives the way they deserve to, expressing themselves in a way that when identified it is viewed negatively...”stereotypically” . But the discussion of how people view gay men behaving in a certain way with their mannerisms is a different discussion all together.

My point is, I would rather have a version of a translated game game be just that instead of it omitting something or having it changed altogether. I’m not bothered by gay men who behave that way, I’m more so bothered by how people react to gay men who act that way. I’m definitely for a more diverse showing of gay characters on the persona series, even a possible male romance option in future sequels. (But it wouldn’t be the first game in the persona series with a male romance in the game)

[jambola]

because some people have principals and don't like things censored
not to mention, if they're willing to censor that, why not more?

[Elda]

Exactly! Though I do think the game should be at a discount price of $30 or $40.

[Kurisu]

I'm still barely in to Persona 5 OG.

[solideagle]

The biggest difference is:

Persona 5: Day 1
Persona 5 Royal: Pass

:)

[nommers]

I enjoyed my playthrough of p5 overall, but trying to replay the game is really hard. Didn’t have this issue with p3 and p4.

The game is just way too long for its own good. Dungeon times heavily padded out. The story has the same focus for tens of hours at a time before it presents real narrative beat changes.

[Outlawzz]

Yup I agree. I played it for 120 hours and I am not eager to return lol the final hours started to drag on. Still loved it but I asked myself a couple times, does this game have an end lol

[Teflon02]

Can't wait

[BlaqMagiq1]

Still a Day 1 buy and still gonna be my GOTY.