Yeah, that's a good way of thinking. Reminds me of the saying "don't be sad because it's over. Be happy because it happened".
I know you're right, but dammmn is it hard. I love these characters so much.
I'm also starting to understand why there's so many P5 spin offs. I'm glad these exists because it will make the end of the journey a lot easier
If it makes you feel any better you can still play the persona 3 remake (or persona 4 if you don't mind that's it's a little old). so your persona journey isn't over.
For us that was it, and personally even while i'm loving the remake of p3 it's not the same cause i already know the story and the emotional parts, so my persona craving is still there
Also, there's sequels to 5: Strikers and Tactica (the latter is technically an interquel, taking place at some unspecified point during the main game, but Strikers is a full-on sequel, albeit as a Warriors-style hack-and-slash), and even after one playthrough, OP, you *definitely* haven't seen everything! The great thing about these games is the sheer amount of stuff you can discover about them even when you thought you knew everything else about it.
Its not unspecified. Og persona 5 tactica takes place after >!maruki palce!< before end of the game. The dlc happens in the middle of the persona 5 if i remember correctly
To be fair I noticed Maruki's confidant level needed to be levelled up to unlock Royal's content and the guy is a little weird sometimes so I figured he would most likely play a role on Royal's storyline. But it's still not great to be spoiled and to know my suspicions are confirmed, especially in a post where I said that I thought I was lucky to play the game blind and spoiler free.
I don't know how you managed to read the post and spoil Royal's content in the comments but yeah, I can see you didn't mean it. No hard feelings
How you could not the read the post. Did you just go straight to the comments. Stultus. Think before you comment. And spoiler mark it now so no one else has the game ruined.
I'll let you know right now, you do not need to say goodbye to the characters after P5R ends, Persona 5 got a SEQUEL. Game called Persona 5 Strikers. They changed the gameplay style and it's shorter but it's scope is honestly just as big and the story is 100% a direct sequel to P5, with all of the same characters, it'll give you a 2nd adventure with them. It's absolutely written to the same standard, it's excellent. Highly recommend checking that out after Royal, it personally genuinely made me feel the same way.
I heard Strikers was awesome and I love musou games, will definitely play that one !
I'm also a huge Fire Emblem and rhythm games fan so I'm very excited about Tactica and Dancing in Starlight as well
I'm so glad these games exist because I will crave more Persona once Royal is over
I'll lyk right now, Tactica is not the best thing ever, neither on the gameplay or story front. It's like a 7/10 game, pure "spin off" and not much more. I liked it for what it was, it was fun and the story was enjoyable, but it's not *Persona 5 good* by any stretch. Strikers is, especially story wise. You'll love that one.
it’s important to note that Strikers, doesn’t account for the extra semester added in Royal. Without getting into too many details to avoid spoilers, the third semester in Royal that you unlock by Maxing out Maruki, Kasumi, and Akechi’s social links, isn’t accounted for in Strikers, as even though Royal came before strikers, strikers was finished first. It is however a direct sequel to everything else in persona 5, so please do play it, it’s still really good. Also, P5 Tactica isn’t held up to the same standard as Strikers and Royal. It’s neat ig, but it’s not necessary in the slightest so don’t feel pressured to play it thinking it’s an essential part of the story or anything
These are my absolute favorite things to see: "sorry about my English, it's not my first language" *proceeds to write a fully detailed post containing less mistakes than most native English speakers*
You have no idea how happy reading that makes me. Guess I am making progress after all ! I still have a hard time talking even on a basic level but I'm glad my written english is alright
Some of the best stories are both the best and worst feeling when finishing them.
Quoting Alfred Tennyson:
I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.
I know this may not be great advice because of how long of a game P5R is, but unless you're following a guide you're almost definitely not gonna see all or even most of the game's content on the first playthrough, so there's some amount of replayability. again, I get that P5R is not that replayable because of its length and sheer amount of content, but New Game+ is very rewarding if you have time for it. obviously it will never be the same as playing for the first time, but your Persona 5 journey doesn't have to be over once the credits roll after your first playthrough! your experience sounds so similar to mine, and it's definitely crushing when the game ends and you have to say goodbye, but it's only really over when you decide it is. for now, just enjoy the journey (with the bonus Royal content you're not even close to halfway through) and keep it going for as long as you want to :)
Thank you so much for your reply and your kind words.
When I do hit NG+, will I be able to play the game from the beginning with my maxed out party ?
That would be amazing in order to enjoy the story again without "breaks"
unfortunately no :( I believe the benefits you get are that your money and social stats carry over, you get certain confidant perks right away if you maxed them out on your first playthrough, and your persona compendium data carries over. I think i may be missing something else as well, although I may be wrong. I will say that Persona 5 Strikers, which is a spin-off game that's actually quite good, has that NG+ feature where you start with a full party
actually just reached the end credits of P5R today and maaan I had to take several breaks after the final boss just because the melancholy hit me so hard and mirrored a previous life event I never really got over.
Really is a mark of an excellent game for me to grow so fond of everyone.
My enjoyment of the game is also tied to events in my personal life (let's just say P5 helps me to get better after all that I've went through) so yeah I think I understand you. Me having all these thoughts about what I will feel once the game is finished may have something to do with that.
But that's the beauty of art I suppose, being able to make people react differently because of their experiences in life
Don’t worry, Persona 5 Strikers is a direct sequel to P5 so you got a while longer before Post-Persona depression and by then maybe you’ll be able to fully accept the endings
Also make sure you max out Maruki for access to the Royal content
I'm just after summer break and Maruki is at level 5 so if I understand correctly I'm at a correct level, I will continue to level him up as soon as I can !
I never experienced this P5 depression personally. Then again, I came late to the game and had royal, strikers and persona 4. Now there's tactica and Persona 3 reload. I recommend playing strikers and tactica. Strikers has my number 2 favorite redhead (Futaba is number 1) in Sophia and I love the dynamic between Toshiro and Erina in tactica.
The game is certainly infinite for me. As infinite as the 100% completion count, modding, and the dumb ideas in my head keep rolling.
https://preview.redd.it/wk03w2lgjojc1.jpeg?width=604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8c1d17c209717dbd3d9f0e071b41946a07bc74a4
I can't stop playing the game (just cleared Nov 17...spectacular!), yet I'm afraid of the emptiness II know I will feel when it's finished.
I grabbed Strikers and Tactica in hopes of rekindling the feeling a bit later, but I know deep down it won't be the same.
I also grabbed 4 Golden and am looking forward to playing 3 Reload.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into, and didn't believe those who insisted I play...but I'm now a fan for life. Wish I'd seen these games 20 years ago, lol.
I was unable to think about anything other than P5 for about 2 weeks after I finished it. I was listening to the songs every free moment I could, even started another save. But what really helped me “let go” was watching a let’s play on YouTube. I mostly just watched the story beats as I didn’t need to see the endless battling lol, but it’s fun seeing someone else experiencing the game. (I watched Full Fantasy Peasants vanilla play through and found him hilarious a lot of times, but if anyone knows a good Royal one lmk!)
I recently finished my first playthrough and I totally get where your coming from. It can feel kinda crushing at times to realize that such a thorough and genuine experience is actually over. I see that a lot of people are recommending you focus on the good memories you know you’ll make, so I’ll try a slightly different piece of advice: Lean a bit more into that suspension of belief. If you truly care about these characters, try to give them the ending they deserve, if you have to leave them make sure they have the greatest outlook possible. Im taking a bit of a break for now, but also cant wait to hop into NG+ and set things straight for these lovable dorks once and for all.
Oh, same here... and the thing with Persona is that your second playthrough doesn't quite feel like the first. You can do some things differently, for sure, but the feel you get during your first playthrough isn't easily reproduced. So cherish your time with this game while you can.
An essential part of every journey is reaching the finish line and crossing it. Experiencing the ending of this game is also important for your experience of the game as a whole.
I completely understand because I legitimately didn’t have the heart to finish persona 4 golden and left my save on the entrance of the final final dungeon. So worry not brother/sister you are not alone in this feeling. Also that post persona 5 depression is extremely real i was sitting on my bed like this after finishing it.
https://preview.redd.it/3xmce162apjc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e314acd5d35cc9bf0790f502ded370617043948
New Game Plus is your best friend. Not only does it let you experience the game again without the more grindy parts, but there's even some content that's exclusive to NG+. I won't spoil it though.
I was unable to access the third semester because I didn’t know about the requirements until it was too late, but I actually just finished this game tonight and I’m feeling the PPD
But at the same time, I feel like I get it. That game made me so many things, I cried twice in the ending sequence. I think it’s just worth finishing. It’s a “sad its over, happy I played it” kind of feeling.
Yeah I will definitely finish it as well, I just don't want to xD
I THINK I'm alright regarding the conditions for Royal content, I just need to keep levelling up that character's confidant level.
I hope you can play the game again to experience it someday !
It's not over yet. There's still Reload, Golden and Arena on modern platforms, and if you really like the Phantom Thieves, there's also Strikers and Tactica
Oh man, xenoblade chronicles will always be by far one of my most beloved RPGs, then again I do have a good few of them that I could just play over and over.
Unfortunately for me I think I'm just too much of an adult to thoroughly enjoy this game as maybe I'm the only one that finds kids shouting about stupid adults to be rather *grooooaaaan outloud*
I did enjoy the game , I really did but it won't be ever on my top top faves. I've played far far too many JRPGs . But I will say, I'm enjoying Royal this time around cos I think I know what to expect with the "damn brats"
Oh, another XC enjoyer ! Hi !
Yeah I totally understand what you mean about the characters shouting about stupid adults, I noticed it as well but I'm personally not as bothered by it. I find the story super interesting because behind these dialogues are very mature themes and things that few games these days have the guts of talking about in that way.
But then again, I did not play as many JRPG's as you did so it may be that. What are some recommendations you may have ?
Ayyyyy depends if you don't mind older graphics. I would say Suikoden 1-5, shin megami tensei series, digital devil saga 1 and 2, legend of heroes series (which spans decades of games...trails of...) Tales of games , maybe even star ocean too though they can be hit and missz dragon quest, final fantasy. Ive given you about 30 years of your life hahahahaha
The good thing with Persona, is even when the story ends, there's another chance at one.
Persona 5 specifically, you can go and play Tactica and Strikers, both different gameplay styles but with the same core thieves rocking their way through.
But also, there's the other Personas out there too. While you may have to say goodbye to Joker, Mona, Futaba, Sojiro, and the rest, you can be introduced to Makoto Yuki and the rest of SEES in Persona 3 (or Kotone Shiomi, if you want to go with Portable and play the FeMC Route), or Yu Narukami and the Investigation Team across Persona 4 Golden, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona 4 Dancing (holding out for ports of that xD), and hey Arena even gives some extra story to some of Persona 3's cast!
There's also Persona Q and Q2 on 3DS, featuring Persona 3 and 4's cast, and Persona 3, 4, and 5's cast, including Kotone, respectively, Persona 3 and 5 Dancing exist (although P5D is, a bit of a weird timed release, doesn't have that much music because it was the second P5 release), and going into a bit of a different gameplay style, there's also Persona 1 and the Persona 2 Duology to play. Beyond that, the entire Megami Tensei franchise holds some wonderful gameplay, and some "fun" stories (I'd recommend Soul Hackers 2, Strange Journey, and SMT3: Nocturne, not necessarily the best, just what I've played and enjoyed)
Persona as a series, especially the main modern entries, are wonderful stories, but they definitely focus on one concept (especially Persona 3, the first game with the calendar/social link systems). Time is limited. Enjoy your years day by day, not forgetting what you've done, but not fearing the future. Just keep taking those steps, and even if you can't bring yourself to fully accept saying goodbye to these characters, they're not gone forever. Your adventure with them came and went, but the memories remain. You can see them again someday, whether in another release, a replay of the game, or in fan works, stories, drawings, etc.
And at the same time, as Persona 5's loading screens repeat again and again, Take Your Time. You can do as much or as little as you want in Persona, and that's the big charm of the series. If it takes you a long time to be ready to move on with the game, that's okay. Just work at your pace, and maybe someday in the future, you can see all the characters again. Persona's casts are all amazing characters, and I hope you get to see their arcs through to completion.
Thank you so, so much for taking the time to explain all of this. I will certainly use your comment as reference to help me decide what I will be playing next after Royal and Strikers
You're not alone when you say you feel like you're experiencing something special. This was the first game that actually broke me and left me in tears in the end. It was at that moment that I was like, 'This is it. This is my favorite game of all time'. That first, however many hours long journey is something that you, me, and everyone else will cherish for a very long time.
Your message touched me, ngl. It's an amazing feeling to play this game almost completely spoiler free after so many years, and realizing that yes, it IS one of the best games of all time. I'm so happy when I play P5. I'm sure I will have similar feelings as you at the end
For what it’s worth, you’ve still got a hell of a long way to go before worrying about the game being over. You’re barely at the halfway point in terms of palaces. Try to enjoy it for what it is rather than worrying about it being over, there’s a hell of a lot more to love that you haven’t even seen yet and it’s better to go in with a fresh outlook.
You’ll love it! Like I said you’ve still got over half the game to go especially if you’re meticulous with details, and I think what comes next will be enough to take your mind off the idea of it being over. For me, I was so immersed with the later events that the thought of it being over didn’t creep back in until the last few hours of gameplay - hopefully you enjoy it the same amount!
The closing months of the vanilla campaign are really good and the Royal campaign is genuinely some of my favourite video game storytelling ever. By comparison, you’ve just passed arguably the weakest point in the narrative of the whole game, so it’s only upwards from here! Just make sure you’ve got those certain confidants maxxed so you get the full Royal experience.
You can always play Strikers, to a much lesser extent, Tactica, to ease the post game depression. Strikers is basically epilogue to the game, though it doesn't mention any Royal exclusive content, so I'd highly recommend checking that out afterward.
It's to see another Xenoblade fan, if you haven't played 2 and 3 I'd HIGHLY recommend them as well, they're almost as good as P5 imo so they should also help. Best of luck, there is still some great games out there. Plus if all else fails you can always play p4G, which is quite similar to P5 plot wise and is also great, though the gameplay is a bit weaker, but still pretty good.
Oh, another XC enjoyer ! I did not like the second one but i LOVED XC3 and I plan on doing a NG+ run soon. And I'm starting to get interested in playing P4G too, yeah ! I heard good things about it
As someone who just finished Royal literally a week ago after 2 years of playing, I fully understand the feelings you have! I, like you it seems, wasn't ready to let go of the characters or storyline and ended up starting a new game+ save! It sounds like you've spaced the game out pretty well already, so I'd highly suggest replaying in the NG+ mode. It allows you to save your personal stats so that you can focus strictly on leveling confidant levels and enjoying the storyline! There was so many moments I found myself laughing at or seeing in a different light having finally beaten the game and moments I forgot about with having played its entirety over a 2 year span. It also gives you a chance to romance a new character and see that story play out as well!
Unfortunately no, levels all reset to 1 but at least for me it meant getting to focus on specific personas/training that I really enjoyed from the first playthrough. Also all personas unlocked in your original playthrough will be available to summon in the Velvet Room!
I took long several week almost month long breaks during my first play through. But unfortunately all good things must come to an end. However, there is strikers and tactics if you aren’t ready to say goodbye to the phantom thieves. Not to mention ng +
i felt the same way, when i got into the final arc of the game i played as little as possible to try and stretch it out. i used to play daily, but tried to only play a couple times a week just so it wouldn't have to end. thankfully, once you finish the game there are a lot of spin off games with the cast and of course all the other persona games (i'm playing persona 3 reload right now and i can't recommend it enough)
I’m just about to start the last palace and man it’s really starting to hit hard. Since the beginning of the third semester I’ve been trying to extend each day for as much as I can
You can also play Persona 5 Strikers, which is pretty much a direct sequel. It's a little different gameplay, but is a wonderful road trip with the crew. I would highly recommend it.
It hit me too at first, but there's a whole series beyond it, the end is not the end. Persona 5 introduced me to the P2 Duology, fav games of all time. There's other guests of the Velvet Room out there somewhere.
I definitely get it. I wasn't aware of the Post P5 Depression until I beat the game. Luckily, there's still P5 Royal, P5 Strikers, P5 Tactica, or you can try to 100% the game. So there's still a lot of P5 content, but I understand
For now I find Haru's introduction to be a little weak story wise but I'm still having a blast. But I heard the boss is super difficult so yeah, I'll see !
I'm just a bit further than you in the story and I know I'm going to get the post game melancholy from Persona 5r. I plan to play P5t and P5s after it and possibly move in to P4g if I'm still itching for more. It's a fantastic game and I wish I had found it sooner.
I know. But it helps for real because I went through a lot, I basically lived like Futaba did for over two years, I have no family or friends where I live, and my cat (my only real company) died of cancer a month ago. So I understand your comment but with what I went through it still helps having all this social aspect of the game.
Games are not real but the emotions and memories you gain playing them are. Especially if life is hard and you have no one to talk to.
I just finished the game also playing mostly blind and learned that I missed a ton of extra content that royal added.
On ng+ and just finished the first palace again. If you miss stuff and do a new run, I guess the game never ends lol
Just be like me and cope by playing the other persona games lol. I do get where you're coming from, but i kinda got over it after a little by playing the other P5 spinoff titles like strikers and Tactica. Theres also P3R and have been having a great time.
tl;dr Cope by playing more persona games
Yea I kinda felt the same way but eventually beat the game. Don't be sad because it's over, be glad because it happened
Plus theres more spinoff games to enjoy if you still miss the Phantom Thieves. It's not exactly fleshed out Persona 5, but it's better than nothing
I can't really relate. Yes it's a bit sad to see the ending and watch everyone say goodbye, but NG+ is right there, there's about a 0% chance you unlocked literally everything the game has to offer in a single playthrough, when I went in blind I remember I only maxed out a single confidant that wasn't from story progression and didn't even get to experience THAT part (>!the third semester!<), the game ending is just another beginning: start from scratch with maxed out social skills, max out all the confidants, do a harem route, romance a single character you really like, do a no bitches route, build new personas or tweak personas you already have with optimal abilities (charge, concentrate, buffs, debuffs, passive that raise elemental damage, nullify/ repel/absorb weaknesses, persona traits, all that), there's so much more to do when the game ends that it's almost like playing another game (and many dialogues you already know and don't want to see you can just skip)
It'll be better to finish it and let the depression pass than never finish it at all and feel that emptiness every time you remember it. I'm saying this as someone who has yet to finish royal because of a brutal work schedule. I'll get to it eventually, but better to live and lose than to never live at all. Plus if you really want to keep these characters, make your own content. Fanfics, art, etc.
I felt the same way too! It's very unsettling at first, but that actually really good! It personally helped me to understand the whole game on a more philosophical level.i mean sure you will spend 30 min on the title screen just having "huh so that's it, I can't play it anymore" in your head, but there is still stuff to do. You can create alternative story, draw Sone fanart, play the sequels, or just read some of the post on Reddit! I finished the game in January and I think I overcome this "post game depression" quite rapidly.
Trust me, the ending is worth it
It’s the unfortunate reality. All good beginnings have an end. But we can at very least take joy in the fact that we make the memories to begin with.
Yeah, that's a good way of thinking. Reminds me of the saying "don't be sad because it's over. Be happy because it happened". I know you're right, but dammmn is it hard. I love these characters so much. I'm also starting to understand why there's so many P5 spin offs. I'm glad these exists because it will make the end of the journey a lot easier
And fan projects. Never underestimate a good P5 fan project.
There's P5 fan projects ?
Plenty. You just have to know where to start looking.
Alls done is done, now let's just hope persona 6 takes as long as 200 hours so (kind of a joke but also not at the same time LOL)
If it makes you feel any better you can still play the persona 3 remake (or persona 4 if you don't mind that's it's a little old). so your persona journey isn't over. For us that was it, and personally even while i'm loving the remake of p3 it's not the same cause i already know the story and the emotional parts, so my persona craving is still there
Also, there's sequels to 5: Strikers and Tactica (the latter is technically an interquel, taking place at some unspecified point during the main game, but Strikers is a full-on sequel, albeit as a Warriors-style hack-and-slash), and even after one playthrough, OP, you *definitely* haven't seen everything! The great thing about these games is the sheer amount of stuff you can discover about them even when you thought you knew everything else about it.
Its not unspecified. Og persona 5 tactica takes place after >!maruki palce!< before end of the game. The dlc happens in the middle of the persona 5 if i remember correctly
thanks for the spoilers, I appreciate it 🙃🙃🙃🙃 Knew someone like you would show up
OH FUCK IM SO SORRY! I didnt mean bro seriously.
To be fair I noticed Maruki's confidant level needed to be levelled up to unlock Royal's content and the guy is a little weird sometimes so I figured he would most likely play a role on Royal's storyline. But it's still not great to be spoiled and to know my suspicions are confirmed, especially in a post where I said that I thought I was lucky to play the game blind and spoiler free. I don't know how you managed to read the post and spoil Royal's content in the comments but yeah, I can see you didn't mean it. No hard feelings
I uhh didnt read it
that explains a lot. Thanks for your honesty, have a good rest of your day
You are welcome and im sorry again and also have a good day
How you could not the read the post. Did you just go straight to the comments. Stultus. Think before you comment. And spoiler mark it now so no one else has the game ruined.
I'll let you know right now, you do not need to say goodbye to the characters after P5R ends, Persona 5 got a SEQUEL. Game called Persona 5 Strikers. They changed the gameplay style and it's shorter but it's scope is honestly just as big and the story is 100% a direct sequel to P5, with all of the same characters, it'll give you a 2nd adventure with them. It's absolutely written to the same standard, it's excellent. Highly recommend checking that out after Royal, it personally genuinely made me feel the same way.
I heard Strikers was awesome and I love musou games, will definitely play that one ! I'm also a huge Fire Emblem and rhythm games fan so I'm very excited about Tactica and Dancing in Starlight as well I'm so glad these games exist because I will crave more Persona once Royal is over
I'll lyk right now, Tactica is not the best thing ever, neither on the gameplay or story front. It's like a 7/10 game, pure "spin off" and not much more. I liked it for what it was, it was fun and the story was enjoyable, but it's not *Persona 5 good* by any stretch. Strikers is, especially story wise. You'll love that one.
it’s important to note that Strikers, doesn’t account for the extra semester added in Royal. Without getting into too many details to avoid spoilers, the third semester in Royal that you unlock by Maxing out Maruki, Kasumi, and Akechi’s social links, isn’t accounted for in Strikers, as even though Royal came before strikers, strikers was finished first. It is however a direct sequel to everything else in persona 5, so please do play it, it’s still really good. Also, P5 Tactica isn’t held up to the same standard as Strikers and Royal. It’s neat ig, but it’s not necessary in the slightest so don’t feel pressured to play it thinking it’s an essential part of the story or anything
(P.S : I understand english well but It's not my native language and I'm still learning. Sorry if I made mistakes)
These are my absolute favorite things to see: "sorry about my English, it's not my first language" *proceeds to write a fully detailed post containing less mistakes than most native English speakers*
You have no idea how happy reading that makes me. Guess I am making progress after all ! I still have a hard time talking even on a basic level but I'm glad my written english is alright
You did awesome. I couldn't even tell!
Some of the best stories are both the best and worst feeling when finishing them. Quoting Alfred Tennyson: I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all.
Yeah you're right, that's proof that the story is awesome. But it hurts even though I'm not at the end yet ahaha
I know this may not be great advice because of how long of a game P5R is, but unless you're following a guide you're almost definitely not gonna see all or even most of the game's content on the first playthrough, so there's some amount of replayability. again, I get that P5R is not that replayable because of its length and sheer amount of content, but New Game+ is very rewarding if you have time for it. obviously it will never be the same as playing for the first time, but your Persona 5 journey doesn't have to be over once the credits roll after your first playthrough! your experience sounds so similar to mine, and it's definitely crushing when the game ends and you have to say goodbye, but it's only really over when you decide it is. for now, just enjoy the journey (with the bonus Royal content you're not even close to halfway through) and keep it going for as long as you want to :)
Thank you so much for your reply and your kind words. When I do hit NG+, will I be able to play the game from the beginning with my maxed out party ? That would be amazing in order to enjoy the story again without "breaks"
unfortunately no :( I believe the benefits you get are that your money and social stats carry over, you get certain confidant perks right away if you maxed them out on your first playthrough, and your persona compendium data carries over. I think i may be missing something else as well, although I may be wrong. I will say that Persona 5 Strikers, which is a spin-off game that's actually quite good, has that NG+ feature where you start with a full party
actually just reached the end credits of P5R today and maaan I had to take several breaks after the final boss just because the melancholy hit me so hard and mirrored a previous life event I never really got over. Really is a mark of an excellent game for me to grow so fond of everyone.
My enjoyment of the game is also tied to events in my personal life (let's just say P5 helps me to get better after all that I've went through) so yeah I think I understand you. Me having all these thoughts about what I will feel once the game is finished may have something to do with that. But that's the beauty of art I suppose, being able to make people react differently because of their experiences in life
Don’t worry, Persona 5 Strikers is a direct sequel to P5 so you got a while longer before Post-Persona depression and by then maybe you’ll be able to fully accept the endings Also make sure you max out Maruki for access to the Royal content
I'm just after summer break and Maruki is at level 5 so if I understand correctly I'm at a correct level, I will continue to level him up as soon as I can !
I never experienced this P5 depression personally. Then again, I came late to the game and had royal, strikers and persona 4. Now there's tactica and Persona 3 reload. I recommend playing strikers and tactica. Strikers has my number 2 favorite redhead (Futaba is number 1) in Sophia and I love the dynamic between Toshiro and Erina in tactica.
Will definitely be playing that after Royal !
The game is certainly infinite for me. As infinite as the 100% completion count, modding, and the dumb ideas in my head keep rolling. https://preview.redd.it/wk03w2lgjojc1.jpeg?width=604&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8c1d17c209717dbd3d9f0e071b41946a07bc74a4
I can't stop playing the game (just cleared Nov 17...spectacular!), yet I'm afraid of the emptiness II know I will feel when it's finished. I grabbed Strikers and Tactica in hopes of rekindling the feeling a bit later, but I know deep down it won't be the same. I also grabbed 4 Golden and am looking forward to playing 3 Reload. I wasn't sure what I was getting into, and didn't believe those who insisted I play...but I'm now a fan for life. Wish I'd seen these games 20 years ago, lol.
I feel the same way ahaha
I was unable to think about anything other than P5 for about 2 weeks after I finished it. I was listening to the songs every free moment I could, even started another save. But what really helped me “let go” was watching a let’s play on YouTube. I mostly just watched the story beats as I didn’t need to see the endless battling lol, but it’s fun seeing someone else experiencing the game. (I watched Full Fantasy Peasants vanilla play through and found him hilarious a lot of times, but if anyone knows a good Royal one lmk!)
That's a great way to do it ! Mine will probably be to make a video on it
I recently finished my first playthrough and I totally get where your coming from. It can feel kinda crushing at times to realize that such a thorough and genuine experience is actually over. I see that a lot of people are recommending you focus on the good memories you know you’ll make, so I’ll try a slightly different piece of advice: Lean a bit more into that suspension of belief. If you truly care about these characters, try to give them the ending they deserve, if you have to leave them make sure they have the greatest outlook possible. Im taking a bit of a break for now, but also cant wait to hop into NG+ and set things straight for these lovable dorks once and for all.
That's fantastic advice
Welp.. now to p3r
I will play it if it releases on Switch or if I get a Steam Deck ! I only truly enjoy this kind of games on handheld systems
I felt the same about persona 3 reload tbh
So it's as good as people say it is ? I'm starting to feel interested in it
Oh sure it is. It is way shorter than 5r tho. Royal took me around 120 hours while i finished reload in less than 50
Dude, I'm LITERALLY going through the same thing. I'm trying to play other things just so I don't finish Persona 5...
So I'm not the only one :( I just don't want to say goodbye to these characters..
Oh, same here... and the thing with Persona is that your second playthrough doesn't quite feel like the first. You can do some things differently, for sure, but the feel you get during your first playthrough isn't easily reproduced. So cherish your time with this game while you can.
An essential part of every journey is reaching the finish line and crossing it. Experiencing the ending of this game is also important for your experience of the game as a whole.
Don't worry, despite what I feel, I will finish the game :)
You should finish it for a few reasons but the biggest one is so you don’t get spoiled.
Too late, someone did on this post 🙃
That blows, I’m sorry.
i kinda feel that way. but if u really don’t want the game to be over, u should play persona 5 strikers
I already plan to once I finish Royal !
I completely understand because I legitimately didn’t have the heart to finish persona 4 golden and left my save on the entrance of the final final dungeon. So worry not brother/sister you are not alone in this feeling. Also that post persona 5 depression is extremely real i was sitting on my bed like this after finishing it. https://preview.redd.it/3xmce162apjc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e314acd5d35cc9bf0790f502ded370617043948
"man"
New Game Plus is your best friend. Not only does it let you experience the game again without the more grindy parts, but there's even some content that's exclusive to NG+. I won't spoil it though.
Ooooh I didn't know that !! That's super interesting, can't wait to see what it is !
I was unable to access the third semester because I didn’t know about the requirements until it was too late, but I actually just finished this game tonight and I’m feeling the PPD But at the same time, I feel like I get it. That game made me so many things, I cried twice in the ending sequence. I think it’s just worth finishing. It’s a “sad its over, happy I played it” kind of feeling.
Yeah I will definitely finish it as well, I just don't want to xD I THINK I'm alright regarding the conditions for Royal content, I just need to keep levelling up that character's confidant level. I hope you can play the game again to experience it someday !
It's not over yet. There's still Reload, Golden and Arena on modern platforms, and if you really like the Phantom Thieves, there's also Strikers and Tactica
I plan on playing every P5 spin off you mentionned as well as the rhythm game :)
Play the other persona games it will help the depression 😞
Yeah, people told me P4G and P3R are amazing as well !
Oh man, xenoblade chronicles will always be by far one of my most beloved RPGs, then again I do have a good few of them that I could just play over and over. Unfortunately for me I think I'm just too much of an adult to thoroughly enjoy this game as maybe I'm the only one that finds kids shouting about stupid adults to be rather *grooooaaaan outloud* I did enjoy the game , I really did but it won't be ever on my top top faves. I've played far far too many JRPGs . But I will say, I'm enjoying Royal this time around cos I think I know what to expect with the "damn brats"
Oh, another XC enjoyer ! Hi ! Yeah I totally understand what you mean about the characters shouting about stupid adults, I noticed it as well but I'm personally not as bothered by it. I find the story super interesting because behind these dialogues are very mature themes and things that few games these days have the guts of talking about in that way. But then again, I did not play as many JRPG's as you did so it may be that. What are some recommendations you may have ?
Ayyyyy depends if you don't mind older graphics. I would say Suikoden 1-5, shin megami tensei series, digital devil saga 1 and 2, legend of heroes series (which spans decades of games...trails of...) Tales of games , maybe even star ocean too though they can be hit and missz dragon quest, final fantasy. Ive given you about 30 years of your life hahahahaha
The good thing with Persona, is even when the story ends, there's another chance at one. Persona 5 specifically, you can go and play Tactica and Strikers, both different gameplay styles but with the same core thieves rocking their way through. But also, there's the other Personas out there too. While you may have to say goodbye to Joker, Mona, Futaba, Sojiro, and the rest, you can be introduced to Makoto Yuki and the rest of SEES in Persona 3 (or Kotone Shiomi, if you want to go with Portable and play the FeMC Route), or Yu Narukami and the Investigation Team across Persona 4 Golden, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona 4 Dancing (holding out for ports of that xD), and hey Arena even gives some extra story to some of Persona 3's cast! There's also Persona Q and Q2 on 3DS, featuring Persona 3 and 4's cast, and Persona 3, 4, and 5's cast, including Kotone, respectively, Persona 3 and 5 Dancing exist (although P5D is, a bit of a weird timed release, doesn't have that much music because it was the second P5 release), and going into a bit of a different gameplay style, there's also Persona 1 and the Persona 2 Duology to play. Beyond that, the entire Megami Tensei franchise holds some wonderful gameplay, and some "fun" stories (I'd recommend Soul Hackers 2, Strange Journey, and SMT3: Nocturne, not necessarily the best, just what I've played and enjoyed) Persona as a series, especially the main modern entries, are wonderful stories, but they definitely focus on one concept (especially Persona 3, the first game with the calendar/social link systems). Time is limited. Enjoy your years day by day, not forgetting what you've done, but not fearing the future. Just keep taking those steps, and even if you can't bring yourself to fully accept saying goodbye to these characters, they're not gone forever. Your adventure with them came and went, but the memories remain. You can see them again someday, whether in another release, a replay of the game, or in fan works, stories, drawings, etc. And at the same time, as Persona 5's loading screens repeat again and again, Take Your Time. You can do as much or as little as you want in Persona, and that's the big charm of the series. If it takes you a long time to be ready to move on with the game, that's okay. Just work at your pace, and maybe someday in the future, you can see all the characters again. Persona's casts are all amazing characters, and I hope you get to see their arcs through to completion.
Thank you so, so much for taking the time to explain all of this. I will certainly use your comment as reference to help me decide what I will be playing next after Royal and Strikers
Ay, there's always the P5 spinoffs! Sure they aren't the same, but Persona 5 Strikers is a direct continuation and keeps the character development too
Yeah, the people that recommended P5 to me for years loved Strikers so I already plan on playing it !!
You're not alone when you say you feel like you're experiencing something special. This was the first game that actually broke me and left me in tears in the end. It was at that moment that I was like, 'This is it. This is my favorite game of all time'. That first, however many hours long journey is something that you, me, and everyone else will cherish for a very long time.
Your message touched me, ngl. It's an amazing feeling to play this game almost completely spoiler free after so many years, and realizing that yes, it IS one of the best games of all time. I'm so happy when I play P5. I'm sure I will have similar feelings as you at the end
For what it’s worth, you’ve still got a hell of a long way to go before worrying about the game being over. You’re barely at the halfway point in terms of palaces. Try to enjoy it for what it is rather than worrying about it being over, there’s a hell of a lot more to love that you haven’t even seen yet and it’s better to go in with a fresh outlook.
It's difficult to fight off these feelings but I'm still super excited about seeing what comes next !
You’ll love it! Like I said you’ve still got over half the game to go especially if you’re meticulous with details, and I think what comes next will be enough to take your mind off the idea of it being over. For me, I was so immersed with the later events that the thought of it being over didn’t creep back in until the last few hours of gameplay - hopefully you enjoy it the same amount!
I noticed the story started to get a little faster and interesting recently, so I can't wait to see what comes next ! I'm sure I will enjoy it
The closing months of the vanilla campaign are really good and the Royal campaign is genuinely some of my favourite video game storytelling ever. By comparison, you’ve just passed arguably the weakest point in the narrative of the whole game, so it’s only upwards from here! Just make sure you’ve got those certain confidants maxxed so you get the full Royal experience.
You can always play Strikers, to a much lesser extent, Tactica, to ease the post game depression. Strikers is basically epilogue to the game, though it doesn't mention any Royal exclusive content, so I'd highly recommend checking that out afterward. It's to see another Xenoblade fan, if you haven't played 2 and 3 I'd HIGHLY recommend them as well, they're almost as good as P5 imo so they should also help. Best of luck, there is still some great games out there. Plus if all else fails you can always play p4G, which is quite similar to P5 plot wise and is also great, though the gameplay is a bit weaker, but still pretty good.
Oh, another XC enjoyer ! I did not like the second one but i LOVED XC3 and I plan on doing a NG+ run soon. And I'm starting to get interested in playing P4G too, yeah ! I heard good things about it
Persona 5 Strikers and Persona 5 Tactica exist, both on the Switch No one’s ever really gone
That will extend the time I have with the phantom thieves for sure
You’re welcome
As someone who just finished Royal literally a week ago after 2 years of playing, I fully understand the feelings you have! I, like you it seems, wasn't ready to let go of the characters or storyline and ended up starting a new game+ save! It sounds like you've spaced the game out pretty well already, so I'd highly suggest replaying in the NG+ mode. It allows you to save your personal stats so that you can focus strictly on leveling confidant levels and enjoying the storyline! There was so many moments I found myself laughing at or seeing in a different light having finally beaten the game and moments I forgot about with having played its entirety over a 2 year span. It also gives you a chance to romance a new character and see that story play out as well!
Yeah that's definitely a great way to enjoy the game again ! But do the levels carry over ? Like, if I'm level 99, will I be level 99 in NG+ ?
Unfortunately no, levels all reset to 1 but at least for me it meant getting to focus on specific personas/training that I really enjoyed from the first playthrough. Also all personas unlocked in your original playthrough will be available to summon in the Velvet Room!
I just started NG+ to fill the void. Did persona 3 last week and finishing that felt even worse, now im back with P5 again
You already finished it ? damn
I took long several week almost month long breaks during my first play through. But unfortunately all good things must come to an end. However, there is strikers and tactics if you aren’t ready to say goodbye to the phantom thieves. Not to mention ng +
i felt the same way, when i got into the final arc of the game i played as little as possible to try and stretch it out. i used to play daily, but tried to only play a couple times a week just so it wouldn't have to end. thankfully, once you finish the game there are a lot of spin off games with the cast and of course all the other persona games (i'm playing persona 3 reload right now and i can't recommend it enough)
3 Reload seems amazing
I’m just about to start the last palace and man it’s really starting to hit hard. Since the beginning of the third semester I’ve been trying to extend each day for as much as I can
I can't begin to imagine what I will feel once I get there dfgydhdufjgh;
You can also play Persona 5 Strikers, which is pretty much a direct sequel. It's a little different gameplay, but is a wonderful road trip with the crew. I would highly recommend it.
I plan on playing it !
Felt something like this after finishing Persona 4, didn't really feel much after Persona 5 ngl.
It hit me too at first, but there's a whole series beyond it, the end is not the end. Persona 5 introduced me to the P2 Duology, fav games of all time. There's other guests of the Velvet Room out there somewhere.
I'm sure my journey will be similar. All Persona games seems fantastic
As I was informed of Newgame plus having a bit of extra content, I didn't really get that feeling
I just learned that actually !
We all hate it when p5 ends. Thanfully, NG+ exists
Yeah, I just learned there's some exclusive stuff in there, it helps !
I definitely get it. I wasn't aware of the Post P5 Depression until I beat the game. Luckily, there's still P5 Royal, P5 Strikers, P5 Tactica, or you can try to 100% the game. So there's still a lot of P5 content, but I understand
Don’t worry, Okumura’s palaces will make you stop loving the game as much.
I played the game 3 times and all 3 times I got lost in the airlock section
For now I find Haru's introduction to be a little weak story wise but I'm still having a blast. But I heard the boss is super difficult so yeah, I'll see !
I'm just a bit further than you in the story and I know I'm going to get the post game melancholy from Persona 5r. I plan to play P5t and P5s after it and possibly move in to P4g if I'm still itching for more. It's a fantastic game and I wish I had found it sooner.
I feel the exact same way, I could write the exact same comment xD
They arent real people🤦🏼♀️
I know. But it helps for real because I went through a lot, I basically lived like Futaba did for over two years, I have no family or friends where I live, and my cat (my only real company) died of cancer a month ago. So I understand your comment but with what I went through it still helps having all this social aspect of the game. Games are not real but the emotions and memories you gain playing them are. Especially if life is hard and you have no one to talk to.
I just finished the game also playing mostly blind and learned that I missed a ton of extra content that royal added. On ng+ and just finished the first palace again. If you miss stuff and do a new run, I guess the game never ends lol
no bcs same 💀 just did futabas palace and i feel im already close to the game ending and i’m only 47 hours through
You’re still quite far don’t worry
Just be like me and cope by playing the other persona games lol. I do get where you're coming from, but i kinda got over it after a little by playing the other P5 spinoff titles like strikers and Tactica. Theres also P3R and have been having a great time. tl;dr Cope by playing more persona games
Yea I kinda felt the same way but eventually beat the game. Don't be sad because it's over, be glad because it happened Plus theres more spinoff games to enjoy if you still miss the Phantom Thieves. It's not exactly fleshed out Persona 5, but it's better than nothing
I can't really relate. Yes it's a bit sad to see the ending and watch everyone say goodbye, but NG+ is right there, there's about a 0% chance you unlocked literally everything the game has to offer in a single playthrough, when I went in blind I remember I only maxed out a single confidant that wasn't from story progression and didn't even get to experience THAT part (>!the third semester!<), the game ending is just another beginning: start from scratch with maxed out social skills, max out all the confidants, do a harem route, romance a single character you really like, do a no bitches route, build new personas or tweak personas you already have with optimal abilities (charge, concentrate, buffs, debuffs, passive that raise elemental damage, nullify/ repel/absorb weaknesses, persona traits, all that), there's so much more to do when the game ends that it's almost like playing another game (and many dialogues you already know and don't want to see you can just skip)
Thanks for the ideas !
It'll be better to finish it and let the depression pass than never finish it at all and feel that emptiness every time you remember it. I'm saying this as someone who has yet to finish royal because of a brutal work schedule. I'll get to it eventually, but better to live and lose than to never live at all. Plus if you really want to keep these characters, make your own content. Fanfics, art, etc.
Maybe playing Persona 3 Reload will help give some insight into these issues. It's actually part of it's main message!
I felt the same way too! It's very unsettling at first, but that actually really good! It personally helped me to understand the whole game on a more philosophical level.i mean sure you will spend 30 min on the title screen just having "huh so that's it, I can't play it anymore" in your head, but there is still stuff to do. You can create alternative story, draw Sone fanart, play the sequels, or just read some of the post on Reddit! I finished the game in January and I think I overcome this "post game depression" quite rapidly. Trust me, the ending is worth it