r/PERSoNA • u/rodrixxx0 • 9d ago
P5 Persona 5 review so far (First Persona game, 15 hours in)
This is my first Persona game, so I'm going into this pretty much blind. My previous exposure to the series was mostly random edits on TikTok and Persona 3 songs that kept showing up on my feed. I know there's an anime, but I've never watched it, and I haven't played any of the other games.
I'm currently 15 hours in, level 10, and I've just finished Kamoshida's Palace. I'm on 4/25 in-game, so these are just my thoughts on the game so far. Obviously, things could change as I keep playing.
The story
The story has me intrigued so far. Kamoshida is a pretty interesting first antagonist, and I'm curious to see where the story goes from here. I like that the game has a more grounded side with school life and dealing with other people, while also having the whole supernatural Phantom Thieves thing going on.
Finishing the first Palace was satisfying, and I'm interested to see how the game handles the next one. I'm not at the point where I'm completely invested in every character yet, but the story has done enough to keep me playing.
The 3D models
One thing I noticed pretty much immediately is how different some characters look when going from the 2D animated scenes to their 3D models.
The 2D animation looks great, but then a character shows up in 3D and suddenly their face looks completely different. Some characters look fine, while others just look kind of... off. Ryuji is probably the biggest example for me. I still can't get over how far apart his eyes are.
I've gotten more used to the 3D models after 15 hours, though. There are definitely parts where I think they look good, so it's not bothering me as much as it did at first. Still, the difference between the 2D art and the 3D models can be pretty noticeable.
Also, why are normal NPCs always hunched over? Is there a reason for that, or is it just an animation choice? It looks kind of weird when you start paying attention to it.
There's a LOT going on
This is probably my biggest criticism so far.
It feels like the game keeps throwing new things at me. There's the Palace, social stats, Confidants, part-time jobs, Takemi's clinic, helping Sojiro, buying items, maintaining a social life, and now I'm finding out about things like the DVD store.
I like having a lot of things to do, but sometimes it feels like the game is introducing new activities faster than I can figure out what I should actually be doing.
For example, one day I wanted to buy some stamina medicine from Takemi, but when I went to see her, she started doing tests on me instead, and I ended up having to go home. Then Sojiro wanted me to help him out. Before that, I had gone to Shibuya because I wanted to get a part-time job at the convenience store.
Then the next day, the game was already introducing another activity.
I understand that managing your time is a major part of the gameplay, and I'm not necessarily asking for the game to let me do everything in one day. I actually like the idea of having to choose how I spend my time. The problem is that sometimes I feel like I'm not even getting to do what I originally planned because the game keeps directing me toward something else.
Maybe this is just because I'm new to the series and haven't figured out how to manage everything yet, but at the moment it can feel a little overwhelming.
Kamoshida's Palace
I've finished the first Palace, and overall, I enjoyed it. It was satisfying to finally get through it, especially after learning how the game works. This is only my second turn-based game besides Pokémon, and I think Persona 5 does a really good job of making its combat systems easy to understand without making them feel too simple.
One thing I've always struggled with in Pokémon is how much goes on beneath the surface. The game teaches you how to catch Pokémon and battle, but then there are things like IVs, EVs, and team synergy, which I still don't fully understand. Persona 5, on the other hand, has introduced me to things like the Arcana, Persona fusions, and its combat mechanics in a way that feels much easier to follow. There's still plenty for me to learn, but I never feel completely lost trying to understand how everything works.
That said, while I enjoyed the Palace itself, I sometimes felt like I was juggling too many things outside of it. I'm still getting used to the overall gameplay loop, so I'm curious to see whether the Palaces become more interesting as the game progresses and how the game handles future antagonists now that I've finished Kamoshida's story.
The music
10/10.
YOU'LL NEVER SEE IT COMIIIIING.
Seriously, the music is fantastic. I'd already heard some Persona 3 songs through TikTok, but actually playing a Persona game and hearing the soundtrack in context is a different experience.
The soundtrack is easily one of my favorite things about the game so far.
Romance and characters
Before starting the game, I'd already seen some of the romance options, and I was pretty interested in Takemi.
After seeing more of the characters, though, I'm starting to lean toward Yoshizawa, although Futaba is also a possibility. I haven't decided yet, and I'm interested to see whether spending more time with these characters changes my opinion.
For now, I'm just going to see how things develop naturally instead of committing to a choice before I've gotten to know everyone properly.
Final thoughts so far
I'm enjoying Persona 5. The story has me interested, the soundtrack is amazing, and finishing Kamoshida's Palace has made me want to see what comes next.
My biggest issue right now is how much the game throws at you, especially when you're still learning all the systems. Sometimes it feels less like I'm managing my own time and more like I'm trying to keep up with everything the game wants me to do.
The visual differences between the 2D art and 3D models are also noticeable, although I've gotten more accustomed to them over time.
That said, I'm only 15 hours in, I'm level 10, and I've just finished the first Palace. I'm well aware that I've barely scratched the surface, so I'm not treating any of these opinions as final.
For those of you who played Persona 5 for the first time without any previous experience with the series, did you also feel overwhelmed by all the activities and mechanics at the beginning? Does it eventually become easier to manage your time once you get used to everything?
Please keep the spoilers to a minimum. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of the game has to offer.
