Genshin Impact,Wuthering Waves,Honkai Star Rail—none of these best-selling gacha games have managed to keep my attention for long, butPersona 5: The Phantom Xcame across like a different beast. I lovethePersonafranchise, and Atlus games in general, so I was willing to put my anti-gacha bias to the side and check out this free-to-play game set in the same world as one of my favorite JRPGs.
And for what it’s worth,Persona 5: The Phantom Xis actually quite good. It has the same impeccable sense of style and charm as the rest of the series, its social simulation fodder is still strong and engaging, and its combat, while watered down compared to the originalPersona 5and subsequent Atlus games likeMetaphor: ReFantazio, is good enough to keep me coming back for more. Indeed,Persona 5: The Phantom Xis “good enough” for aPersonafan such as myself, but I can’t help but feel like I’m playing a hollow imitation of the real thing, and there’s an obvious reason why.
Persona 5: The Phantom X Is Good, but I’d Rather Be Playing Persona 5
The Phantom Xhas been a bittersweet experience for me. It’s fun and enticing in the ways that only an Atlus game can be, but it’s like a beautiful painting reproduced as a cheap print: it doesn’t feel like the genuine article. This comes down to itspredatory gacha mechanics, which not only harangue you to spend extra cash on the game for a minuscule chance at a worthwhile reward, but actively degrade its core systems.
A common defense for in-game spending goes something like this: “if you don’t want to spend money on microtransactions, then just ignore them.” This sounds reasonable in theory, but the reality of in-game monetization is often quite different. When a developer intends for the majority (or, in the case ofPhantomX, the entirety) of its game’s profit to come from in-game spending, said game will inevitably be designed to drive players toward such purchases. In the case ofThe Phantom X, this manifests in a major adulteration ofPersona’s central gameplaytenets.
In a sense, it can feel likeThe Phantom Xis holdingPersona’s best mechanics hostage, locking new combat tools and social simulation opportunities behind a paywall. I feel like I have to shell out extra cash on a bizarre, dystopian game of chance if I want thecompletePhantom Xexperience, which is an awkward and depressing dynamic that isn’t shared by otherPersonareleases.
Aregacha mechanicsenough to spoilPersona 5: The Phantom Xcompletely? For some, maybe, but I still like the game—it’s just that it reminds me that things could be so much better. After just a few hours withPhantom X, I found myself drifting back to thePersona 5 Royaldownload button, eager to explore Atlus' singular vision of magical teenage life in Tokyo. But why do I feel such an urge to replay the originalPersona 5, especially since that endeavor could take north of 100 hours? After all,The Phantom Xis still sitting on my SSD, hiding a world of new characters to meet and adventures to experience, andPersona 5is old news to me at this point.
Maybe it’s nostalgia—Persona 5was my first Megaten game—but I think it’s more than that. The truth is,Persona 5has the same lovable character writing, strong combat, and satisfying progression asPersona 5: The Phantom X, but after I first purchased it, it never asked me for more money.
Persona5: The Phantom X
WHERE TO PLAY
“We’re the Phantom Thieves, and we’re here to steal your heart!”The beloved RPG series with over 22 million copies sold finally arrives on PC and mobile!Set in modern-day Tokyo!Normal high-school student by day, villain-fighting Phantom Thief by night!Explore the dungeons of the heart and defeat the distorted enemyShadows!Dive into dungeons of the heart called Palaces with your fellow Phantom Thieves, who have awakened their Persona, the power of the heart. Steal the Treasure to restore the warped heart!Stylish, snappy, and satisfying turn-based combat!Experience the signature flair of the Persona series with striking visuals and addictive moves that can wipe out all your foes in one swoop!Level up your Persona, the power of your heart, and become the most powerful Persona-user!Obtain new Personas, infiltrate dungeons of the heart, and prevent a future of ruin!Enjoy your youth as a student!Savor student life in an urban metropolis as a high-school student! How you spend your days after school is up to you—deepen your friendships, devote your time to clubs, or even work part-time!Interact with a variety of fascinating characters!Tons of new characters inhabit the game, created under the supervision of Shigenori Soejima and the rest of the Persona team!
