Even though I’ve had some time to reflect on my time with Persona 5 Royal, I remain unsure how to best summarize my experience with the game. When I think about how it went, my brain stalls like a flooded car, because there are just too many things that I want to say and too many things that I don’t. I guess I’ll start by clearing the room of the biggest elephant, and if you followed my updates then you already know: I played Persona 5 Royal but ended up with the Persona 5 ending. I’m ambivalent about that with a slight lean towards disappointment. I’m not at all unhappy with my playthrough. I went into it with only Persona 3 Portable as reference and knowing very little about either version. If anything had been spoiled for me it was Kasumi, and that’s all I knew – her name and that she was new in P5R. Beyond that and the game’s reputation, I had no expectations. So, let’s just start with the “good”…

A Social Butterfly

As has been said many times over, P5R is a social sim mixed with turn-based combat and RPG elements. The social side of the game is stunningly good. After the bombshell that became the game’s first palace and the story that went along with it, I knew that I was going to be in for a ride of a lifetime. The earnestness of this simple group of teenagers – the Phantom Thieves — their wants, fears, and complexities were all put on display. There may have been a few moments of tiptoeing round eggshells here and there, but for the most part, they were all among the most genuinely written, amusing, and human characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.

Most impressive was that while the protagonist’s companions could be easily stereotyped as far as teen drama goes – the smart one, the dumb one, the cute one, the plain one – they were each imbued with such unique characteristics that they easily shattered those molds. With each new conversation came new insights, new charm, new emotional beats that never ceased to keep me invested in their lives. Did I only manage to max out a single compatriot? Well, yes (we’ll get into that later), Ryuji was my only teammate to reach max level, and his was such a pleasing and surprising journey. Was I disappointed that I didn’t max out Akechi? Most definitely. Of course, now that I know what I know about P5R, maybe Maruki should be more appropriate target, but boy oh boy, Akechi. Talk about charisma and tragedy and deceit all rolled into one. He is but my one true regret. This brings me to the flip side…

Sometimes Bad is Bad

Pacing, pacing, PACING. If there was one thing about the game that killed my engagement more than anything else, it was pacing issues. I will grant that at times, this might have been my fault, in that if often wanted to play P5R in short sessions knowing full well that I could, at any moment, get caught up in an overly-long conversation or battle. As much as I liked getting to know my folks and the zillion other confidants that game threw in, some of them simply did not know when to shut up. The same idea also pervaded some encounters in palaces went from one big battle into another big battle without any queues or ability to save in between. More than once I ended up speeding through battles or conversations out of lack of time or mere boredom.

In the over 100 hours I put into the game, I don’t think I ever found a good balance within it. I almost stopped playing the game entirely a couple times because I was angry at how a previous session had ended or just didn’t feel that I had the energy to keep up with the game’s demands. Over the course of the game, I lost track of confidants, felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of things my character could or had to do, and often was confused at what was the best thing to do next or even if there was a “best” thing to do next. These low moments felt strikingly unhappy when compared to the brilliance of the game’s social side. I don’t know that I’ve ever played a game before in which there formed such a large chasm between the elements I liked and the ones I didn’t. Which brings me to…

A New Beginning

So, boo hiss, I didn’t get the Royal ending, and I didn’t max out all my teammates, but new game plus awaits! Eventually. What will I do differently then? Three things. First and most obvious is that I’ll focus more on my teammates. One of the reasons I ended up maxing the confidents that I did was simple: I liked them and their stories. In and among all the people and things vying for the protagonists attention, I could only focus in on so much. I know now that I should have spent less time working, watching movies, and gaming (haha) and more time with friends. Oh, the subtle jabs of art imitating life.

Second, I’ll complete palace runs differently and immediately, now that I understand how they function as far as timing goes. I didn’t really approach them with any rhyme or reason, flitting in and out, sometimes waiting until the last moments before a deadline to finished them. I think I’d be much better off at least getting to a palace’s treasure as soon as possible, and then using the extra time to do “normal” stuff. Counting among “normal” is not only getting to know my teammates but also upping their battle mechanics, such as the baton pass, which becomes a crucial feature later in the game. 

And third, I’ll spend less time in Mementoes. I became obsessed with reaching the end of the general public’s palace, Mementoes, fulfilling requests made of the Phantom Thieves, and hoarding loot. I know that I’ll have to reach its end again, but that I probably don’t need to spend as much time dealing with requests, the rewards for which weren’t all that spectacular. I also learned far too late that I didn’t need to clear any given level of its shadows before moving on to the next. Those tedious and needless battles ate up so much of my energy I really should have figured out otherwise sooner. And goodness if I didn’t end up with so much useless loot. Live and learn.

The End?

While I’m calling Persona 5 Royal “done,” I can’t help but mull over the question, do I wish I HAD known more going in? I don’t know, I really don’t. I played P5R to the best of my abilities, and I just missed out. I don’t blame the game, and I don’t blame myself…er, mostly. When the final, big December battle ended, even though everyone in the game was like “this is really, really it!”, I thought it was a ruse, because the main character still had time before his year was up. Indeed, if I had gotten the true ending, there would have been more. Instead, I saw the main character arrested, the thieves disband, then come back together, and then drive off into the sunset. Honestly, I was so exhausted with the game by then, I was just happy to see the credits roll.

When the times comes to circle back to the game, at least I’ll know better what to do, and maybe my feelings about the game will become less divided. Persona 5 Royal is a great game that stands head to head with the best games going. Its mix of humanity, the supernatural, and the existential has no equal. However, the game makes players work hard if they want to see it all come together. Could it have been that I just wasn’t up to task? Well, if I consider this practice, maybe it’ll make for something more perfect next time.

All images, including lede, were taken by author during Xbox Series S gameplay of Persona 5 Royal (© Atlus).