Persona 5 Royal

Pros

• Incredible UI and stylish visual presentation
• Outstanding soundtrack that remains memorable long after playing
• Engaging social simulation and unique character cast
• Snappy, fast-paced turn-based combat that feels modern
• Light on mandatory grinding compared to other genre entries

Cons

• Extremely long runtime with significant amounts of filler and padding
• Highly repetitive dialogue that often rehashes plot points multiple times
• Pacing issues that can make the game feel like a "slog" in later sections
• Long stretches of dialogue (up to 45 minutes) that can prevent saving
• Tutorials that persist for dozens of hours into the experience

Caveats

• A large portion of the game's new content (the third semester) is locked behind specific, non-intuitive social requirements that are easy to miss.
• The game is very dialogue-heavy and leans into "anime-esque" melodrama which may not appeal to all players.

Best for

• Players looking for a long-term, immersive world to get lost in
• Fans of social simulators and turn-based RPGs
• Steam Deck users looking for a high-quality handheld experience

Avoid if

• You have limited gaming time and prefer tight, fast-paced narratives
• You are easily frustrated by repetitive exposition and verbose dialogue
• You dislike games that gate significant content behind specific, unexplained requirements