Persona 5: Royal is a single-player Japanese role-playing game that combines life simulation with dungeon exploration and turn-based combat. It is an expanded edition of Persona 5, introducing new characters, story chapters, locations, and gameplay systems.

The story follows a Tokyo high school student nicknamed Joker, who after being falsely accused of a crime, is sent to live on probation. Soon after, he awakens to a supernatural power that allows him to enter the Metaverse, a world shaped by distorted human desires. Joining with other students who have suffered injustice, he forms the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, a group that infiltrates corrupted minds to change society from within. The player’s role alternates between living Joker’s daily life as a student and leading his double life as a Phantom Thief.

During the day, players manage school activities, friendships, and part-time jobs. Building relationships with confidants—key characters throughout the city - unlocks new abilities, items, or bonuses in combat. Each confidant represents a different tarot arcana, and their progression expands the protagonist’s options in both daily life and dungeon crawling. Time is limited, so players must balance academics, social bonds, and personal growth.

In the Metaverse, the Phantom Thieves infiltrate palaces, which are dungeons reflecting the twisted desires of corrupt individuals. Exploration involves navigating traps, solving environmental puzzles, and sneaking past guards. Combat is turn-based and emphasizes exploiting enemy weaknesses, such as elemental vulnerabilities, to gain extra actions. Success allows players to negotiate with enemies, gaining money, items, or the chance to recruit them as new Personas. Personas can be fused in the Velvet Room to create more powerful allies, encouraging experimentation and strategy.

Royal adds new features that expand the original structure. A new confidant, counselor Takuto Maruki, plays a central role in the story, while Kasumi Yoshizawa joins as an additional playable character. The game introduces a third semester with an entirely new palace and antagonist. Exploration is expanded with the Kichijōji district, new hangout spots, and activities. Combat improvements include new Personas, fresh team-up attacks called Showtime moves, balance adjustments, and additional quality-of-life refinements.

Side systems broaden the simulation aspects. Players can engage in mini-games such as darts, billiards, fishing, and retro video games, each of which provides minor bonuses. School tests and quizzes improve Joker’s stats, while activities like working at a flower shop or studying at the library increase social qualities such as kindness, knowledge, or charm. These stats in turn influence which confidant relationships can progress.