It’s just so cool that this exists. Feels like a holiday experience for the phantom thieves but also very much a fleshed-out follow-up to the original’s game events where the two new main characters Sophia and Zenkichi have such beautifully realized emotional arcs.

The levels of intensity this got into narratively really felt so earned and just reminded me of how immersive the Persona games can be once the stakes start to amplify because it truly evokes a deep spirit within each member of the thieves that highlights their growth. This is especially portrayed once the members come to terms with the antagonists' traumas that form the root of their detailed, if slightly unevenly laid out, jails.

I do miss the balance of the social links, however, Strikers still retains so much of the characters’ charm (BEST VA CAST EVER FR) in its breather moments including an amazing sequence that shows a maturation for the phantom thieves as they truly interact with the impressionable impact they have on the youth.

Conceptually there’s a super interesting exploration of artificial intelligence in working with the cognitive world as well as both its befriending and manipulative sides. It did take me a while to used to the hack and slash combat (Nier: Automata becoming a huge favorite probably helped a lot with this) that is prevalent with these warrior games, however, once I did I felt super satisfied with how seamlessly the elements from the Persona games were able to work here (even if it drained my SP a lot lol).

And god the sound team does not miss, love all the Strikers versions of the original songs while Daredevil, Singularity and Counter-Strike are absolutely new all-timer tracks.

On so many levels Persona 5 Royal is such a beautifully realized work of art that goes above and beyond as it progresses. Story-wise it not only takes bold turns that build so much character but also cuts into the meat of its psychologically driven themes in a way feels so natural to its vital rebellion motif. All of its vision is even further fleshed out through the endlessly creative designs of its supernatural elements that paint a bigger picture of sin.

While I didn't play the original Persona 5, I know that I definitely would have had a few major issues with it. With Royal, I have none. Not only is mementos completely revamped, it's a grinding heaven that offers a much-needed breather in between the palaces. Akechi's originally rushed character arc is also fleshed out unbelievably well, and the new third semester has such a refreshingly mature outlook on morality and trauma that just floored me - recontextualizing every single bit of the thieves' journey up to this point and emphasizing the importance of their growth in such an emotional light.

Yes 100+ hours is a huge amount of time to dedicate oneself to anything, but honestly I didn't feel a tenth of that time even with several playthroughs. It just strikes the perfect balance of everything that I want in a game to the point where I genuinely struggle to think of things that feel more investing.

So yeah, I unabashedly adore this

[Edit: here's a big ramble that I wrote cause I couldn't sleep]

Simply put, this is my favorite game and tied favorite piece of art of all-time.

The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that there is nothing as uniquely balanced as it. For a game with a lengthy set-up rooted in trauma and injustice as well as consistent urgency prevalent with life-threatening deadlines, it’s extraordinary how seamlessly it contrasts this with the most captivating art style and abundance of fun in its gameplay elements - as if it knows exactly when to reign it in and when to let all just fucking go gloriously berserk (Robbie Daymond’s unmatched voice acting alone captures this). And yes I know it’s around 120 hours long for one play through, however, it has the best pay-off I’ve ever experienced to make it worth such a length - culminating in the most bittersweet perfection imaginable as it shapes the journey of everything that’s been built towards.

Alongside this, it provides the most refreshing breathing space through its social interactions. I love so many of these characters with my all heart and all the little slice of life moments that occur as I build my bonds with them in the game just have so much memorability. The initial formation of the Phantom Thieves feels like a real breakthrough of youthful rebellion and their journey with the international fame and infamy that comes alongside has such a palpable motivation to it that persists. The game’s use of time brings a real authenticity to the interactions as well. It highlights the importance of taking one’s time but also how certain decisions affect certain traits more earlier or later down the line. It seems obvious yet the way its presented here has stuck with me beyond measure.

Royal has also completely altered the way I view dungeons in games because of how it presents them as palaces. These palaces are layered manifestations of the distorted cognitions of increasingly corrupt members of society. The more I explore them, the more I’m blown away by how much detail lies in their surrealism even within just the background elements. Almost all of the palaces are masterpieces in of themselves (god the Tomb and Casino palaces are such a genius constructions it gives me goosebumps just thinking of them) but Royal’s additional palace takes the cake for my favorite as it taps into another realm psychologically.

The Persona series’ overarching conceptual link of improving social elements to heighten combat abilities has always been super fascinating to me and Royal absolutely has the best presentation of that foundational idea. Turn-based combat has never been smoother nor with such a functionality that adds to the game’s overall depth. The staple Velvet Room where the player can fuse, summon or strengthen their personas always has both a sinister and playful aura with how it is evoked subconsciously through a lack of control. Royal heightens this within the lore that lies in the personas themselves, evoking an otherworldly presence alongside the grounded stuff.

For all of these big elements, the little things stick with me just as much. A few examples: I love the goofy voice lines the shadows taunt in combat and even say them out loud myself a fair bit now just to have a laugh. I also can’t get enough of the little social media blurbs that happen after the Thieves do something and how on the nose the public’s fickleness is conveyed. The calling cards are also just the best fuck you ever to the villains, I go crazy in their announcements so much haha.

I gotta mention the soundtrack as well, Life Will Change, The Whims of Fate, Beneath the Mask, Ideal and the Real…this thing is loaded with endless, endless unstoppable bangers, but it's also the more subtle stuff like Sunset Bridge that plays at just the right moments of reflection that hit home so hard. Shoji Meguro is too OP.

Yeah I’ve been rambling way too hard but god there is so much I can gush about it here it’s honestly insane, truly the most exhilarating thing in the world.

If I were ever asked for a video game that best defined my tastes in gaming, then it's easy enough for me to point back to the Final Fantasy franchise - but if I were to pick out a single one, Final Fantasy VII would be the first one that pops right back up. To me, this game is the perfect mix of fun gameplay, a great story, and all these years later, it does more than just simply hold up.

There's a whole lot more that I do want to say about this, but that'll have to wait till later - because this was also the first video game that I remember having cried at (many of you already know the moment, considering it's been spoiled numerous times already). Yet there's also an incredible feeling of satisfaction that comes forth from having accomplished everything that you possibly could within this game - and I've only sunk more time into this more than anything.

As it stands right now, it's my favourite video game of all time.