Persona 5was the first 3D game in the Persona franchise to use pre-designed dungeons with specific set pieces instead of randomly generated dungeon floors. These dungeons, referred to in the game as Palaces, are generally considered to not be as interesting as Tartarus fromPersona 3but do contain a good amount of fun as the player progresses through the long journey of Persona 5.
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With a JRPG full of these Palaces, it can be very difficult to decide which one is the best. However, if one were to examine the Palaces based on factors like how unique they are, what gimmicks they hold, and how the Persona fanbase responded to them, then it becomes possible to construct the following list of the best Palaces in Persona 5 Royal.
8Okumura’s Palace
Spaceport of Greed
While the summer of Persona 5 is a chance for the player to wind down and focus on theirSocial Links, the moment fall begins, the Phantom Thieves get thrown into a high-stakes adventure where they must traverse through a space station filled with gravity traps, airlocks, andelephants who repel all physical attacks. This entry is dedicated to Okumura’s Palace.
While the gimmicks of Okumura’s Palace aren’t too annoying to deal with on a second playthrough, the Palace’s reputation among Persona fans as one of the worst pace-killing moments in the franchise practically cemented it to the bottom position of this list. In addition to this, the palace’s theme of being a space station doesn’t quite fit with the other dungeons in the game, which are all centered around classic places for thieves to be robbing in fiction.
7Kaneshiro’s Palace
Bank of Gluttony
The next Palace in the game is one with a strong start and great aesthetic theming. Seeing thePhantom Thievesattempt a bank heist is incredibly thrilling and the first few areas and puzzles of the dungeon do a good job at reeling the players in. The introduction of dog-like shadows also helps it stand out from the previous two palaces the player has completed.
Unfortunately, Kaneshiro’s palace falls into the lower half of this list as the palace loses a lot of steam during its final stretch. Not only do these final rooms of the palace, which are themed around a vault, require the player to do the worst punishment possible (basic math), but the rooms themselves all look very similar to each other at a glance. While the palace is decent, there are just better ones in the game.
6Kamoshida’s Palace
Castle of Lust
The first palace in Persona 5, Kamoshida’s castle, leaves an incredible impression on players. Scaling from the dungeon to the top floor of this palace while learning the ins and outs of Persona 5’s gameplay and being introduced to the first members of the Phantom Thieves is a great time, even if the palace itself doesn’t offer any unique gimmicks compared to later areas in the game.
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While Kamoshida’s palace doesn’t have anything particularly wrong with it, it only ranks in the lower half of this list because it is dragged down by tutorials and introducing major gameplay mechanics that prevent it from truly reaching the heights of Persona 5. So while it isn’t a bad dungeon, it’s only as good as a tutorial area can be.
5Madarame’s Palace
Museum of Vanity
Next up on the list is actually the very first palace that was shown in early trailers for Persona 5: Madarame’s Palace. This corrupted look at the heart of an artist sees the Phantom Thieves travel through a museum in more ways than one. When they aren’t evading security routes, the player will be jumping in and out of paintings to progress through the dungeon.
This palace ranks high on the list almost entirely due to its visuals. It would be a tragedy if the dungeon focused around art didn’t look interesting, so Atlus truly put their A-game out here. Nearly every room of the dungeon looks different from any other and provides a very interesting experience as the player slowly progresses through it. Sadly, the actual gameplay mechanics of these rooms aren’t as interesting as the visuals, so Madarame’s Palace doesn’t make the top of this list.
Recruiting Yusuke and being able to have a full party without Morgana certainly helps this Palace in the rankings too.
4Maruki’s Palace
Center of Melancholy
Persona 5 Royal’s extra semester that was added to the plot came with an all-new palace created from the mind of Takuto Maruki. This palace immediately feels different from all others in the game, being clean and pristine to symbolize Maruki’s ideal world. Seeing the Phantom Thieves run through a dungeon like this immediately after the previous climax is an excellent contrast.
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The dungeon is also a pleasure to the ears, both with its normal music and the all-new Royal exclusive infiltration that replaces Life Will Change. This new music as well as two extra party members makes Maruki’s dungeon a breath of fresh air that was needed after the gameplay of Persona 5 began to grow stale during its climactic hours. While this dungeon ranks high on this list for those reasons, it is just barely beaten by a few others in quality.
3Sae’s Palace
Casino of Envy
The opening cutscenes of Persona 5 show a flash-forward of the Phantom Thieves robbing a casino before being captured by the police. This introduction causes anticipation throughout the entire game for the player to finally reach the casino and see this opening sequence play out in context. Thankfully, the Palace itself lives up to the hype.
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Sae’s Palace immediately starts off strong as the only dungeon in the game to have a vocal track playing as the player traverses through the dungeon. The exploration itself is also a joy as the player goes through many gambling-based rooms and set pieces to become a high-rolling casino member and reach the top floor. The fun of the dungeon itself combined with the oncoming dread of knowing that the Phantom Thieves will fail this mission rockets Sae’s Palace high up on this list.
2Shido’s Palace
Cruiser of Pride
Next up on the list is the final traditional Palace in the original version of Persona 5: Shido’s Palace. While it wasn’t the climax of the game as a whole, fighting through the mind of, and getting revenge on, the corrupt politician who set the plot of Persona 5 in motion is extremely satisfying. Seeing several of the game’s ongoing plotlines all come together for a grand conclusion in a single dungeon truly makes this Palace feel momentous compared to those that came before.
Shido’s palace also offers a great amount of symbolism which far exceeds that of other Persona 5 dungeons. A ship sailing through a sunken Japan is a great metaphor for both the country’s economy and how politicians will be safe, as well as the environmental crisis facing the country. Combine that symbolism with fun JRPG combat and gimmicks like turning into a mouse to navigate small areas, and you’ve got yourself one of the most memorable RPG dungeons in the past decade.
1Futaba’s Palace
Pyramid of Wrath
Topping off the list is Futaba’s Palace, an Egyptian pyramid that will make the player think of tomb-raiding media like the Indiana Jones franchise. This palace is unique in that instead of infiltrating it to change the heart of some foul fiend, the Phantom Thieves are here to save the mind of a friend who has been well traumatized by their past experiences.
Futaba’s pyramid is also the only Palace in Persona 5 which requires visiting an area that is technically outside the palace in order to progress, as in order to enter the dungeon itself, the player must first chase a Shadow through a small desert town. This section is very short, but it serves as a testament and preview of how unique each part of Futaba’s palace will be. Every room in this palace does something new and unexpected, culminating in a sequence where the player must explore more of the dungeon midway through the final infiltration. These small moments in the dungeon all culminate to form the best Palace in Persona 5.
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