After many years of trying to play this game but ultimately dropping it because I had/have developed a kind of rejection for RPGs in general, I decided to beat it for real this time. I continued a save I had from June 2022 when I was only at the third dungeon. The game was grindy, the introduction too slow and the persona fuse system too complicated, but I decided it would get better. And it did.
The worst part about this game is undoubtedly the first 10 hours. Full of tedious (although necessary) exposition, character building, system introductions, being overwhelmed about the many choices laid out every day. It all pays out in the end. Once you become familiar with the game, you start having a LOT of fun. Fusing specific skills into personas to have a death machine, trying to set up your week in advance in order to get every social link while leveling up skills, grinding dungeons with some video essay or music in the background, and in general having fun with the fleshed out cast of characters, their cozy dialogue and the intriguing mystery.
I will say I was totally spoiled about the culprit, but not about everyone else, and specially not about the golden-specific ending. It takes merit to surprise me although I knew such a massive story beat from the beggining. The golden story content was a tear jerker and the epilogue was just a very warm and optimistic ending, which I love.
Bear with the first 10 hours, please. You will not regret it.