Metacritic has published its annual 'Best Video Games' list, and it turns out that Persona 5 Royal was the highest rated title of 2020 across all platforms. The PS4 exclusive managed a frankly ridiculous metascore of 95, making it the highest rated release since Red Dead Redemption 2 (97) in 2018.
But it's worth remembering that Persona 5 Royal is an enhanced and expanded re-release of Persona 5 — a game that was already extremely highly rated back when it launched in 2017, ending up with a metascore of 93. It was always likely that Royal was going to top that.
Still, it's an impressive achievement. Just behind Persona 5 Royal was fellow exclusive The Last of Us: Part II, which sits very pretty at 93. And although it had way fewer reviews than Naughty Dog's blockbuster, Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age also managed 93.
PS5 launch title Demon's Souls rounded up the PlayStation top four, with a metascore of 92. It was a really good year for re-released RPGs!
[source metacritic.com, via destructoid.com]
Comments 38
Great game. While not my favorite mainline entry P5R did enough to make it a refreshing return trip to Tokyo nonetheless
I probably would've already bumped that score up when I realized gun ammo replenished after Shadow encounters in Palaces
@TheFrenchiestFry Aside from the new story arc my favourite thing about Royal is how many small changes it makes to gameplay and general game flow. Some of them are tiny alterations but they all add up.
I get where people are coming from when they say Royal should have been DLC, but after playing Royal you realise that Persona 5 has been made completely redundant. What a game.
@b1ackjack The other tiered versions outside the standard edition just give you some of the extra DLC to my knowledge. Honestly not really worth it unless you really want to dress up Joker and co as the Strange Journey task force op
The only ones of actual note are the P3 and P4 protagonist fights which should've legit just been unlockable in game like the Margaret fight in P3P
@ShogunRok I feel like P5R did enough personally for me to justify it not just being a DLC or some sort of big patch that just adds to the existing game, but I get the complaints, especially considering P5R is releasing on the same exact platform the original debuted on a la Persona 3 and FES
The good news is it’s cheap now. I mean $24.95 type cheap. I’ve even seen sales of the collector edition with a toy for $29.95. So if you loved the original, it’s a pretty cheap upgrade now.
I hope it gets a PS5 release, it deserves it.
@TheFrenchiestFry I still need to play Royal, I have it all ready to go but I’ve been playing so many games I haven’t spent 80 hours on that I don’t know if I could justify essentially replaying it. I wonder if playing it alongside AC Odyssey would be overkill.
I'll probably get around to playing Royal sometime in the future. I played and beat the original just last year so I want to wait a while.
@TheFrenchiestFry It didn't for me, like come on $60? It should've been $40 at the least for how small the content was.
I’m happy to see this. It’s simply one of the best games I’ve ever played.
@nessisonett its tough isnt it? I'm playing Royal now, but i have a stack of PS5 games shouting at me to be played. Just shows how good Royal is that i am putting them off until i'm done
What’s the difference between Persona 5 & P5 Royal?
I’m new to the series and I’m thinking of playing Persona 5 since I got it with that PS+ collections, or whatever it’s called.
What would I be missing by not playing the ‘Royal’ version?
I need to get back in the Royal. It really is an amazing game. It should have received more awards, as there’s a reason it rates so high. The only game that should have really competed with it is Demon’s Souls, but hey, the game awards pretended it didn’t exist, so that’s lost this years credibility.
@JeffWhiff Royal adds a third semester (the base game ends around Xmas time and does some time skips to the end of the school year), a couple of new confidants (one being a party member and romance), not to mention a ton of small changes throughout the entire game to everyday stuff, combat etc.
On paper it seems like it might not be worth a full release but all told it really does change the game in subtle but brilliant ways. The third semester alone adds about 30-40 hours.
@JeffWhiff. New characters.new dugeons.new moves. New enemies.boss types also.joker now have a hook.etc.word up son
does sony have to do with anything or did they just pay it to be exclusive and not manage the development at all?
@LiterallyDoNotCare Sony has nothing to do with Persona's exclusivity. They don't publish nor fund the games
The only explanation here is that Atlus just wants to keep Persona locked to PlayStation for whatever reason, probably because that's where the core fanbase has been for the majority of the series' life, the same way they've approached Shin Megami Tensei and pretty much most of the non-Persona side games being exclusive or on Nintendo systems
P4G's PC success could probably change that mindset though. It was SEGA's big breakout success amid all the financial troubles they were burdened with during the pandemic. P5S and apparently Nocturne HD getting Steam ports is definitely a step towards that
Well deserved. Persona 5 Royal is incredible. I’ve talked two of my friends into playing it and they absolutely loved it
@Gatatog @playstation1995 just picked up a copy on eBay for less than £12, can’t grumble at that.
I’ll give it a go.
@TheFrenchiestFry so persona 5 devs ps fanboys?
@LiterallyDoNotCare Definitely not the case or else Atlus would've put literally everything on PlayStation
Persona has been on Nintendo consoles before, just not the numbered entries. Nintendo at least still has the Q games completely to themselves and not even to mention the rest of MegaTen
If they really were PS fanboys or shills why would Joker be a headlining newcomer in a Nintendo-published fighting game complete with a stage themed around Mementos, cameos from the Phantom Thieves and music spanning P3, P4 and P5
P5/P5R were my PS4 game(s) of the gen
@TheFrenchiestFry I was joking
Then xbox haters then
@LiterallyDoNotCare Well....at least they have P4 Arena and Catherine???
@TheFrenchiestFry Oh. Their pattern is very weird then.
The original was a must play!... so not surprised. Great jRpg.
I put 116 hours into Persona 5 and bought Persona 5 Royal Day One but still have not got round to starting it yet.But now with Persona Strikers round the corner I may wait until I've played and finished that one as it would make more sense seeing as Strikers doesant include characters from Royal.
So happy for Atlus, I love the series if my username/pic didn't offer a hint.
Here's hoping SMT V has the success of its spin-off this year.
@nessisonett Don't do it, trying to play both at the same time is definitely overkill. It took me a while to finish them both and I played them a year and a half apart. I also went for 100% with both games though (since I had already gotten so close just trying to do everything that seemed like it needed to be done before the cutoff points), so mileage may vary.
Bought the game (and the original persona 5) steelcase edition day one, still haven't played it since I want to be sure to have 100+ hours to play this game.
I think I'll play it on ps5, I hope the game have at least better loading time compared to ps4 😃
Oh yeah and Red Dead Redemption II is the Highest Rated Game of the Generation on Metacritic. Isn't it @Col_McCafferty😉
@TheArt The Nintendo fanboy in me won't let me fail to mention.
Joined top with BotW and Mario Odyssey XD
Persona 5 was huge disappointment to me. I've spend 30 hours in that game when i decided to rid off of it. I hade to push myslef to play it. Really don't understand why it gets so high ratings.
@Darth_Stofi Game's target audience is more teens and young adults who are also anime fans.
@KidBoruto @Darth_Stofi The game also came out at a time when the largest (I think?) video game market in the world could really resonate with the messages in the game. In a nation where people felt that corruption is subtly (or not so subtly to some) eating away at their government, people in power are exploiting it with relatively little repercussions, and a powerlessness to do much about it was felt by many in the populace, a game comes out that allows you to fight back against the unfairness and really do something about it - at least in a fictional world.
I'm not specifically speaking from experience either, it was a general sentiment you got from many people who really got into the game at the time of its release. Even when Royal came out, I kept hearing people talk about how its core themes had become even more relevant to them.
And rightfully deserved too!
@Darth_Stofi i agree totally.
I love this game so much im only on futaba's palace but its really good
My favourite game of all time
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