Persona fans are eagerly awaiting news on when they can expect the next major release in the franchise. While Persona 6 may still be a ways off, a brand-new Persona 5 spin-off has released for gamers in the West. The latest Persona title is a free-to-play gacha game like Genshin Impact or Marvel Mystic Mayhem. For some gamers, that’s an instant no when it comes to choosing a game on Steam. However, the reviews for this latest Persona release are surprisingly positive.
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The game in question is Persona 5: The Phantom X. This free-to-play game originally released on mobile exclusively in the East back in late 2024. But on June 25th, it arrived in the West. Unlike many gacha games, which often arrive on mobile only, Persona 5: The Phantom X is available on Steam right at launch. It is also available in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for mobile devices. This gives gamers options when it comes to experiencing the free-to-play title, and so far, fans are pretty impressed.
For many gamers, gacha titles can be tricky to get into. Monetization is tough to balance, and not every game developer gets it right. For gacha spinoffs of popular series like Persona, there’s also a risk that it will feel like a cheap cash grab rather than an honest entry that’s faithful to its material. However, early Steam reviews for Persona 5: The Phantom X suggest it’s managed to steer clear of these pitfalls.
Fan Reviews Affirm New Persona Gacha Game is “A Full-Fledged Persona 5 Game”
Since its release on Steam, Persona 5: The Phantom X has reached a Mostly Positive rating. Many of the negative reviews it has received primarily reference disliking gacha games in general, rather than anything specific about The Phantom X. For gamers who are against the free-to-play monetization structure, it’s going to be a hard sell. As one person puts it, “Persona is great gacha is bad.” But those who have tried the game mostly have pretty positive things to say.
As one review puts it, “this is a full-fledged Persona 5 game, not a cheap cash grab.” The reviewer goes on to say that “it’s more of a JRPG than it is gacha, and it’s also pretty generous.” And they aren’t the only one who thinks so. Many other Steam reviews chime in with similar sentiments, praising the game as free-to-play friendly. Several reviews praise the fact that it feels like a true Persona game, with a fresh cast and new story that still captures the iconic feel of the franchise.
That said, those who didn’t care for the game cite the fact that it doesn’t support languages outside of Japanese and English. Others say that the game feels like an advertisement thanks to all the prompts to spend money on various in-game currencies. Despite this, Persona 5: The Phantom X has made a pretty solid Steam debut, reaching over 33,800 Concurrents in the first few days after launch.
Given that the game is free to download, it’s well worth checking out for Persona fans who don’t mind a side of gacha gaming. If you wind up liking it, you’ve got a new Persona game to play until Persona 6.
Have you checked out Persona 5: The Phantom X yet? What did you think of it? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image courtesy of Warner
