Persona 5 & other considerations

Last year, my friend Ben bought me a game when I opened my Steam account: Persona 4 Golden. I hadn’t played any Persona or Shin Megami Tensei games before. It was a fairly intimidating video game at first glance. A lot of moving parts and unfamiliar mechanics, all bundled up with a very Japanese bow that doesn’t always culturally translate to a lowly American like myself.

In the end I spent over 120 hours playing Persona 4 Golden. To get the true ending of the game, it requires at least two subsequent playthroughs, which I did. With minimal guidance from walkthroughs, mind you!

A few weeks ago I purchased Persona 5 Royal, the beloved and acclaimed follow-up title. As of today I have sunk over 60 hours into the game during downtime throughout the workday or evenings in. I swear it’s designed with the sole purpose of giving you no good reasons and fewer-than-ample moments to save and quit.

Persona 5, amongst other things, operates like a lifestyle simulator. When you’re not investigating the overarching mystery of the game, destroying monsters called “shadows,” or honing your skills as a “phantom thief,” you’re making friends. Building up relationships. Bettering your own attributes like kindness and knowledge. One way to look at how vital you becoming to your ever-growing community could be this: the moment your character falls in battle, the game ends. You’re sent back to the last save point to try again. Never is there any indication that your friends could possibly go on without their leader.

Not to say something awfully sad like, “life is like a Japanese Role Playing Video Game,” but certain parts force me to reflect on my own tendencies. Each evening, after I’m finished with work, what do I spend my free time on? Do I make efforts to advance my personal relationships? To better myself? To explore the map? I may not be the protagonist, but I am my own. Why not be a decent one? I don’t necessarily want the world to stop the moment I disappear, but I’d like those close to me to feel the loss. I’d love an “I can’t go on,” even if it’s temporary.

So anyways. I’ve been enjoying Persona 5 Royal.