Persona 5 will be releasing in North America and Europe next Tuesday, on April 4, 2017, and the review embargo has been lifted today.
The current Metacritic score for the game is 94 based on 20 reviews. Here are some of the reviews for the game, which have been largely positive.
PlayStation Official Magazine UK — 10/10
Whether you’re a series fan, a JRPG evangelist or a total turn-based newcomer, this is an essential play. Persona 5 is packed with stuff to do, expertly put together and exquisite to the last pixel. An unabashed masterpiece.
From issue #134
GameSpot — 9/10
Within Persona 5 is a complex set of interconnected gameplay mechanics, and in almost every aspect Atlus has executed on its vision exceptionally, barring the pacing issues towards the end. At every turn, it presents something to marvel at, whether it’s the fluid combat, vibrant world, or the many memorable characters. It’s a game I could talk about for hours; I haven’t mentioned the ability to connect to the Thieves Guild, which lets you see how other players spent their day or ask them for help answering questions at school. Or the thumping acid-jazz-infused soundtrack that I’ve not been able to get out of my head. Or even just the joy of seeing how it stylishly transitions between menus. But that encapsulates why Persona 5 is a game that shouldn’t be missed. It’s stuffed to bursting point with gameplay ideas and presentation flourishes–there’s an overwhelming level of artistry in every part of Persona 5, making it a truly standout entry in the series. It’s a refined, effortlessly stylish RPG that will be talked about for years to come.
Game Informer — 9.25/10
The first few hours of Persona 5 feel like settling in with the opening chapters of a massive novel. Even though you don’t know the characters well or understand where the plot is going, you can feel the weight behind the narrative like hundreds of pages waiting to be read. As new threads and mechanics are introduced, that depth and sense of intent persist, and Persona 5 takes the requisite time to do its many ambitions justice. The result is an uncommonly complex and satisfying RPG in terms of both story and gameplay, and when you factor in its impeccable stylishness, Persona 5 is hard to put down.
IGN — 9.7/10
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 and the Platinum trophy, I find myself itching to go back to try different dialogue options with Confidants or revisit particularly fun puzzles. This is a new gold standard for Japanese RPGs and by far the best entry in the series yet.
Polygon — 9/10
It’s been almost a decade since the original release of Persona 4, a game that introduced many players — including myself — to this series. With that amount of time, with the amount of energy and passion a lot of Persona 4 fans put toward that game, it would have been easy for Persona 5 to be a letdown. Instead, it successfully pushes this series to new heights of polish, allure and charm. It has a few blemishes, enough to distract a bit from the intriguing and weighty themes that the game wrestles with. But even through the rough patches, Persona 5 doesn’t give up a drop of its colorful personality.
Persona 5 was released for the PS3 and PS4 in Japan on September 15, 2016. It was released for the PS4 in Traditional Chinese on March 23, 2017. It will release in North America and Europe on April 4th, 2017, and in Korean in 2017.
