Persona 5 Royal

How can I begin to discuss the impact Persona 5 Royal had on my life. After beating this game, I cannot consider it a video game anymore. It is an experience that you will come from completely different after finishing it. The music, characters, story, art style, voice acting, and gameplay hooked me from beginning to finish and it made me feel like my 121 hours spent in this world still was not enough. The music of this game will connect you to it even when you are not playing. The mix between jazz, funk, rock, and pop keeps each section of the game separate and each moment memorable. The entire cast of characters are all grounded, inspirational, and relatable, which makes each experience they have together as Phantom Thieves feel interesting and personal. Pair this with several incredible voice acting performances, and you will be glued to the screen whenever they interact with one another. The story's main concept of stealing the hearts of corrupted individuals in society to support those affected by their abuse of power is very original and captivating, and it will keep you engaged until the credits roll. The gameplay is both challenging and expressive, where you are rewarded for understanding your party members and building a team and a strategy around them. I've spent hours just studying each ally and understanding their strengths and weaknesses, while learning to adapt to their playstyles. Spending time with your friends and building relationships with them helps strengthen your power as a Phantom Thief, and it is a well designed system. Plus, most characters in this game are people I already want to spend time with and learn more about anyways. ATLUS managed to make a game so addicting that I never felt burned out in my entire playthrough. At first, I thought that the length of this game would be an issue, but it is actually a blessing to those who truly enjoy this game for what it is. It is far from a perfect game, but none of its flaws affected the experience it offers. Trust me, all of us who beat Persona 5 Royal wish we could play it again for the first time. So, ignore all the outside noise, play this game through your own lenses, and let the Phantom Thieves steal your heart the same way they stole mine. 10/10