Persona 5: The Phantom X has had a solid start on Steam, and as more players dive in, others are sharing some valuable advice that'll prove particularly helpful for any massive Persona 5 fans – don't treat the latest spinoff like the JRPG you already know and love.
That might sound obvious, but from the outside The Phantom X really does look like a free-to-play version of Persona 5, albeit with gacha elements that not everyone is a fan of. It also brings back Palaces, the big dungeons introduced in Atlus' 2016 game, but one fan on Reddit has a PSA – "you don't need to do the palace in a single in-game day."
In Persona 5 and its Royal re-release, the in-game calendar means you're constantly on a tight time schedule if you want to do everything the game has to offer. If you want to have any hope of maxing out all of your Confidants (AKA become besties with everyone you can) then you need to cut down the amount of time you spend on other things, like completing Palaces. Generally, it's advised that players try to complete Palaces in a single day.
Not here, though. Hoshi_Hime warns that "P5X palaces are HUGE even if you only follow the exclamation point that leads you to continue the story mode. This is especially true from the second palace onward."
While this could seem daunting, there's a key difference: "Being a live service game, P5X does not give you a deadline," they continue, adding that if you want to take a break for any reason, you don't have to feel guilty about saving and taking "as much time you want."
Tip for new players: You don't need to do the palace in a single in game day from r/personaphantomx
Many other players, in replies and similar posts, have shared similar strategies. There's also no need to worry about fully exploring a Palace straight away if you don't want to.
While P5R and Royal's Palaces become inaccessible after their respective story arcs end, in P5X there's still a way to go back to grab extra loot. "Do not bother to 100% a palace and explore every nook and cranny when you explore it for the first time, you will be allowed to visit a cognitive copy of it every time you want even after it collapses," Hoshi_Hime adds.
Basically, don't stress too much about organizing yourself perfectly in the new JRPG – it's clearly not as big of a concern in the spinoff. Sit back, relax, and take your time.
Be sure to check out our ranking of the best Persona games while you're here.
