The quality of the English localization was one of the few aspects singled out for criticism, with Polygon describing it as "aggravatingly mediocre". [160] [161] Another was its treatment of LGBT topics. [146] [128] [155] Writing for Paste, Kenneth Shepard considered the game to be heteronormative and noted a "lecherous" gay couple who are treated as a joke, which led him to conclude that Persona 5 sees gay men "at best as a joke and at worst something revolting to be feared". [162] These scenes' dialogue were altered in the Western version of Persona 5 Royal, [163] with its localization team advocating for the change. [164] Writing for Gayming Magazine, Shepard opined that Royal 's localization changes were appreciated, but the game was still broadly uninclusive to LGBT identities. [165] Polygon writer Laura Dale wrote that the new scenes were still based on the premise of LGBT people being predatory. [166] Royal [ edit ] Whitney, Kayla (January 25, 2018). "Complete list of winners of the New York Game Awards 2018". AXS. Archived from the original on January 27, 2018 . Retrieved January 28, 2018. a b c d e Romano, Sal (May 10, 2016). "Persona 5 introduces three new party members [Update]". Gematsu. Archived from the original on May 11, 2016 . Retrieved May 21, 2016. Giant Bomb staff (December 26, 2017). "Game of the Year 2017 Day Two: Music, Surprise, Multiplayer, and Mess". Giant Bomb. Archived from the original on December 27, 2017 . Retrieved December 27, 2017. a b 株式会社ドメリカ - Works. Domerica (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 5, 2020 . Retrieved March 5, 2020.

Persona 5 Review A stylish victory". USgamer. March 30, 2017. Archived from the original on July 26, 2020 . Retrieved August 11, 2020. Persona 5 Teaser Video Reveals PlayStation 4 Release". Anime News Network. September 1, 2014. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016 . Retrieved September 5, 2014. Persona 5 Games Sales Pass Over 9 Million Sales Worldwide". Siliconera. June 20, 2023 . Retrieved August 8, 2023. Sato (December 28, 2018). "Masahiro Sakurai Shares His Thoughts On Persona 5 And Atlus Games In A Special Video Interview". Siliconera. Archived from the original on February 1, 2019 . Retrieved January 31, 2019.a b c Farokhmanesh, Megan (September 14, 2016). "The Persona Series, Explained". Polygon. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016 . Retrieved September 16, 2016. Game review: Persona 5 is the best Japanese role-player ever". Metro. March 29, 2017. Archived from the original on August 2, 2017 . Retrieved July 9, 2017.

Total War and Persona 5 lift Sega's games revenue". GamesIndustry.biz. May 12, 2017. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018 . Retrieved May 4, 2018. a b Sato (July 19, 2016). "Persona 5 Is Getting Futaba Sakura Collaboration Headphones From AKG". Siliconera. Archived from the original on May 22, 2017 . Retrieved January 3, 2018.a b James, Lucy (March 29, 2017). "Persona 5 Review - Style and substance". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017 . Retrieved March 29, 2017. a b c Prahl, Kyle (February 4, 2014). "Persona 5 details: If you've played P3 and P4, you 'should feel right at home' ". PSU.com. Archived from the original on May 4, 2015 . Retrieved September 5, 2014. Tamoor, Hussain; James, Lucy (April 5, 2017). "9 Essential Persona 5 Tips You Should Know Before Starting". GameSpot . Retrieved October 18, 2023. Persona 5 takes place within the Persona universe, revolving around a group of high school students who harness Personas, physical manifestations of their inner psyche. [16] The story begins in April "20XX" and spans roughly a year. It is set in modern-day Tokyo and features several real-world locations, including Akihabara, Shinjuku, and Shibuya. [17] A major setting throughout the game is Shujin Academy, a high school that the protagonist attends. [2] [18] [19] The second major location is the "Metaverse", a supernatural realm consisting of the physical manifestations of humanity's subconscious desires. In the Metaverse, people with corrupted desires form their own unique "Palace," which is modeled after their distorted perception of a place in the real world, along with a Shadow version of themselves (their true self) possessing a "Treasure" symbolic of their desires. [18] [20] [21] Returning from earlier entries is the Velvet Room, a place that exists for the growth of Persona users and shifts appearance depending on the current guest; in Persona 5, it takes the form of a prison. [13]