Persona 5: The Phantom Xhas finally arrived in western markets, and audiences' opinions on it are somewhat mixed. For better or worse,Persona 5: The Phantom Xis about what one would expect: it’s a gacha-infused spin-off ofPersona 5, carrying over that iconic game’s mechanics, world, and design elements with a hefty dose of in-game purchases.
Thankfully,Persona 5: The Phantom X’s monetizationisn’t too egregious—by gacha game standards, anyway. Players can technically experience the entirety of the game’s narrative without spending a dime, but its various premium currencies make that a difficult task. Many crucial in-game activities, such as overworld recreation opportunities and social link development, require a resource called Action Points, which replenish automatically each day but can also be replenished by spending real-world currency. Stamina is another, similar resource, used for critical actions like unlocking new Personas and upgrading gear. Long story short, premium, hard-to-come-by currency is a roadblock to progression inPersona 5: The Phantom X, which tarnishes its ostensibly substantial runtime, at least a bit.
Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Gacha-Style Energy Mechanics Take the Wind Out of Its Long Playtime
Persona Games Are Usually Long, but Not Like This
Personagames, along with their spiritual siblings likeMetaphor: ReFantazio, are known for their exceptional length. For instance, a fairlystraightforward playthrough ofPersona 5 Royalcan take well over 100 hours, even if the player doesn’t spend a significant amount of time on side activities. This gargantuan time-to-beat is something thatPersonafans have come to expect from the series by now, so it’s not a surprise thatPersona 5: The Phantom Xis beefy in the content department as well.
But it’s not beefy in the same way as its predecessors. For one thing, players can’t really have marathon sessions without engaging inP5X’s microtransaction economy, since every social activity consumes an Action Point, and the only way to restore Action Points without waiting for the daily refresh is to spend real money on in-game items. Similarly, collecting Personas and earning essential upgrade materials relies on stamina, which is regained at a rate of one stamina point per six real-world minutes. Of course, players can also spend real-world money to top up their stamina stores.
The impact that these features have on the broaderPersona 5: The Phantom Xexperience is bifurcated. One important way that this long playtime differs from the likes ofPersona 5is how it’s segmented: players might spendmonths playingThe Phantom X, but that could very well be a result of the game’s self-imposed restrictions, rather than the depth of its content. Assuming that a player wants to extend their time with the game without spending real-world money, they can earn AP-and-Stamina-recovering items through side missions, but this requires a good deal of grinding. In other words, the extended playtime can feel artificial rather than meaningful.
Of course, one could simply bypass these awkward issues by shelling out real-world cash on things like the Phantom Pass or various resource-replenishing bundles. This is why such restrictions exist in the first place: to haveThe Phantom Xgenerate profitwhile still being a free-to-play title. Massive, time-consuming games are generally only worth it when the time spent in the game world is worthwhile; if the time is spent doing menial activities, or if it comes at too great a financial cost, then it’s not as gratifying.
Then again, perhapsThe Phantom Xis simply offering a differentsort of gaming experience, one that’s meant to be enjoyed in bite-sized chunks. Through this lens, and especially considering thatP5Xis a mobile game, the notion that it’s best enjoyed for only a few minutes at a time isn’t totally ridiculous, but it’s not an airtight defense of the game, either.
