The Best Romances in Persona 5 Royal

Updated September 7, 2026, by Mark Sammut: I freshened this article up with a new feature image, links, and other quality-of-life adjustments. As old as P5R is, the JRPG remains widely popular, and that probably won't change anytime soon. The Makoto entry was rewritten, as well.

On September 15, Persona 5 celebrates its 10-year anniversary, a statement that I'm sure makes plenty of people feel ancient. Persona 5 Royal isn't quite as aged, but that version turns 7 in October, and Atlus' single-player RPG still averages nearly 10K players on Steam. While plenty of reasons exist to replay the campaign, Persona 5 Royal's romance system is among its strongest, as you generally need multiple playthroughs to maximize all routes.

That raises the question: who should I romance in P5R​​​​​​? Not every Confidant is open to a romantic relationship, but Joker can date 10 girls (or women), each with unique stories and rewards for reaching milestones along the way. If this is your first time playing and you aren'r sure who would make for the best love story, then this article should help you make that decision.

Romance is tied directly to Persona 5 Royal's Confidant system (your social bonds with various characters). While romance doesn't alter the main storyline or affect combat stats, it unlocks unique hangout scenes, provides special items on Christmas Eve and Valentine's Day, and changes how those characters interact with you during specific calendar events.

Progression through a Confidant route requires a high Social Stat, with each character having their own preference (for instance, Kindness for Futaba and Charm for Makoto). To activate the romance option, you need to reach Confidant Rank 9 with your chosen character. At that point, the game provides a dialogue option that lets you decide whether to maintain a platonic relationship or pursue a romance. Hang out with the character again to reach Rank 10, cementing your romance in the process.

OK, we might as well answer the most important question right away: Does romance hold any value in P5R?

Well, the answer is complicated. Speaking strictly on mechanics, romance provides absolutely no rewards. Improving the Confidant ranking provides an array of positives, but picking a romantic over a platonic relationship yields no additional benefits.

However, P5R is just as much a Social Sim as it is a turn-based JRPG, and romance elevates the former. You also get to spend a bit more time with your chosen character, which is nice.

سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/best-romances-persona-5-royal/