Persona 5: The Phantom X isn’t what I expected from a Persona 5 mobile game, for good and ill – hands-on

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If, similar to you, your encounter with Persona 5: The Phantom X was brief and superficial, you might not fully grasp its nature. To clarify, it’s a mobile and PC game, free-to-play, featuring the gacha system; however, understanding what it truly represents requires more insight. Who is the latest protagonist, and how does he connect with Joker and the original team? Is it merely a spin-off or something else? The answer isn’t as straightforward as that.

Last week in Irvine, California, we participated in a practical session with the game, where we played the initial stages of Persona 5: The Phantom X. This allowed us to explore the factors that drive this game compared to its original version. To put it simply; Persona 5: The Phantom X is being marketed as an alternate version of Persona 5. It’s not just different in terms of its universe or characters, but also in its storyline. It’s a mobile game that uses the foundation of the original Persona 5 and presents an alternative interpretation of what Persona 5 could have been if it had only ever been developed for mobile and PC platforms.

In terms of The Phantom X, you may have certain expectations based on its features, and to some extent, those assumptions would be valid. However, what sets it apart from others is that it genuinely emulates a core Persona series game. Similar to Persona 5, you traverse the city and dungeons using a 3D map. Mementos is included, although some aspects of its functionality have been adjusted – overall, it doesn’t feel drastically different from how it was in Persona 5 and Royal. Various elements of the game have been optimized for mobile use without significantly detracting from what made the original release exceptional. For instance, demon negotiations are now automated, you can manually change the time of day, and as a result, most time limits not associated with login bonuses or global events aren’t present.

Significantly, we played the game on a PC, making it less apparent that the game initially came from mobile versions. During a group discussion, the developers mentioned that their goal for releasing the game on various platforms was envisioning players engaging in social activities and casual links on their phones, followed by playing challenging levels like dungeons, Mementos, and viewing crucial storylines at home on their computers. For the most part, they’ve managed to preserve this illusion, and I was surprised to find that each party member has distinct mechanics, such as a rotation system, in addition to any abilities you gain from Personas.

As much as I’m immersed in this captivating game world, it’s the monetization aspect that shatters the immersion. Unlike some other mobile games I’ve played lately, it doesn’t blatantly push for in-app purchases, but the abundance of various currencies is overwhelming. There are so many different types of currencies, sometimes multiple for each type of pull, and it can be confusing to understand what they’re used for. Even during my most enjoyable gaming sessions, the sheer number of currencies feels out of place, like a noticeable blemish.

One factor complicating things is that Persona 5: The Phantom X will hit global markets next month, but it has already been released in China and other Asian territories earlier. On one hand, this could lead to favorable comparisons between the original version and the global release; during a recent Q&A session, the development team admitted that while certain aspects of the game had to be altered for censorship purposes before launch, some original designs have been retained in the new global release. This is a positive change, one that most people can appreciate. However, if the only difference besides added languages was this change, there would be no issues.

Some players have noticed a difference in payouts for certain currencies and social links between the original and global version of the game. When I asked about this, the team acknowledged they were aware of the comparison being made. They claim that adjustments to the numbers were necessary due to added Quality of Life (QoL) features in the global release to maintain balance. However, they didn’t directly address whether any changes have been made to monetization for the global version. The final game state will determine my personal view on their explanation.

Although I have some lingering concerns about the game, such as its monetization, we’ll need to wait until we can get a clearer view of the overall picture before addressing those issues. Even though I harbor doubts due to my general skepticism towards gacha games, I find Persona 5: The Phantom X intriguing. However, it’s still too soon to make a definitive judgment about the story as it may seem overly reminiscent of Persona 5. The similarities between this version and the original might not yield favorable comparisons. Nevertheless, from a gameplay standpoint, the potential for team building and in-depth RPG mechanics piques my curiosity and leaves me eager to learn more. Persona 5: The Phantom X is set to release on June 26th, available on mobile (iOS/Android) and PC (Steam).

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2025-05-27 17:26