Let it be known, I waited for this game to come switch since 2018, I wanted Joker in Smash Ultimate the entire hypecycle before launch and got what I wanted. And yet, I waited until 2022 to finally get that dream.
This game is special, it is the game I waited year after year to play due to my only platform being Switch for years until 2023. Persona 5 Royal was everything I wanted and more, my favourite turn based combat ever, one of my favourite games artistically with some of my favourite characters ever.
Atlus' weird backwards decisions does plague the base games writing quite a lot sadly, sexualising Ann, having a teacher student option (or any adult romance option with ren who is 16) going against the first arc.
However, like with other flawed games I love, I criticise it whilst still loving the game to pieces. Sumire is one of the best additions to the game alongside the third semester in general giving Ren a villain she deserves that isnt just "oh its an rpg so its god" and it was BEAUTIFUL!
Sumire hit me very close to home with trying to be someone your not, and dealing with survivors guilt that was handled magnificently.
The music is the best OST ever and I stand by that... and a side note, I treated Ren like a trans woman given how much I myself projected onto her when I first watched the vanilla game in 2018. And yeah, I love my version of ren SHES SO CUTE I LOVE HER!!
Such a comfort experience this game was with me staying up late constantly from obsession
Thank you persona 5 <3