What Royal Adds: A Guide to Persona 5 Royal’s Biggest Changes

Spoiler note: this article mentions new characters and features in general terms, without revealing story details.

When Persona 5 Royal arrived, it quickly became the recommended way to experience Atlus’s modern classic. It first launched in Japan in 2019 and reached western players in 2020, later arriving on more platforms. But what exactly does Royal add? Quite a lot.

New characters

Royal introduces Kasumi Yoshizawa, a gifted gymnast at Shujin Academy, and Takuto Maruki, the school’s new counsellor. Both are woven into the main story and come with their own Confidants. Their presence shifts the game’s tone in fascinating ways, and they quickly became fan favourites.

A whole new semester

The biggest addition is an entirely new chapter set after the original game’s story, often referred to as the third semester. It includes a new Palace and some of the most discussed moments in the series. Reaching it depends on making progress with certain Confidants by specific dates, so if you want to see it, keep an eye on your relationships — or consult a spoiler-free checklist.

Smarter, faster combat

Royal refines combat in several ways that make battles feel more dynamic:

• Showtime attacks pair two party members for flashy, powerful team-up moves.
• Baton Pass improvements make chaining turns between allies even more rewarding.
• Gun ammunition now refills after battles, making firearms far more useful.
• New enemy types and tweaks to existing mechanics keep familiar encounters fresh.

Upgraded Palaces

Palaces now include a grappling hook that opens new routes and shortcuts, plus collectible Will Seeds hidden in each Palace. Gathering a Palace’s seeds rewards you with a useful accessory, encouraging thorough exploration without making it mandatory.

A livelier Mementos

Mementos gains a new resident, Jose, who offers rewards in exchange for collectibles found during your runs. You can also use those finds to boost the experience, money or items earned in Mementos, making return trips more worthwhile.

New places to spend your time

The new Kichijoji district adds activities such as darts and billiards that can strengthen your team’s battle skills, plus a jazz club where you can spend evenings with party members to boost their stats. There is also a new hideout space, the Thieves Den, where you can view collectibles, music and art earned throughout the game.

Quality-of-life touches

Royal also smooths out many small rough edges: more opportunities to spend time with friends, extra scenes, improved pacing in places and additional music. Individually they are small; together, they make the whole experience feel more generous.

Should you play Royal?

If you are new to Persona 5, Royal is the version to choose. If you have already played the original, the new characters, semester and combat improvements offer more than enough reason to return. Either way, the Phantom Thieves have never looked better.