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This review contains spoilers
The game is good. It has a lot of issues, though.
Starting with the good. The new music is really great, actually. I was happy I didn't hear a lot of the old P5 music, and heard a lot of new tracks that fit this game's style well yet emulated what P5 felt like. The main boss themes are great. Additionally, while I kinda disliked the art style at first, it grew on me. I still didn't feel totally comfortable with it during serious cutscenes and whatnot, but I get why it's this way.
The gameplay as a whole is good. I didn't find it to be super special - it was kind of a dumbed down version of Mario-Rabbids. A lot of the time it felt like a puzzle game and not a tactics game. Not a complaint, just an observation. Triple Strike was super broken and can win maps really easy. I played on hard and only had trouble with the awards in the last 10 or so missions.
To speak on what's not as great with this game. The story in the game is a net good. However, I find a lot of issues with its first half, namely just the fact that it's super boring. It relies on your attachment to Toshiro, who has a very lame design. He doesn't even get a Thief outfit when he unlocks his persona, which really sucks. The main boss is par for the course of persona, and the third kingdom boss is by far the best (secret persona 4 game???). But it was really hard to keep my attention during the first and second kingdoms, especially when I just didn't care about Toshiro and, to an extent Erina, although I liked her more.
Unlike Persona 5 Strikers, the dialogue in this game doesn't suck. It does try to fit every character in to the game in some cutscenes (which becomes cumbersome to follow), but it wasn't too bad. I think this game would have been better off by, when every one gets taken in the first part of the game, if you got them back slower than just the first kingdom. That way characters like Haru might have gotten more screen time and less for characters like Ryuji or Ann. Depends on what order you get them, etc. Just a nitpick.
Overall the game is decent. I think it could have been condensed down and sold for $40 or $50 dollars, although having it on gamepass was nice.
AMBITIOUS. RGG had a full vision for this video game. In a lot of ways, I saw it. Unfortunately, there are too many key mechanics and moments that obscure the experience from being truly great.
The plot is very likely the best one I've played so far. It sits right next to 0. The overarching story is incredible, and the way it comes together in the last couple chapters of Kiryu and the Finale are just breathtaking. The emotional highs surrounding the main female lead are executed perfectly. I have next to no notes, and the ending (and end credits scene!) have me extremely excited for what is to come.
Combat in this game is actually quite fun - or at least it's quite fun when the enemies aren't chain grabbing you like you're stuck in the melee marth match from hell. But each character has a really fun moveset that feels unique. I wish each character had more time to build up their skill tree without binging substories, but I get why it's this way. I also think that each character should be switchable once each is unlocked, but I understand why that wouldn't work with this narrative.
The game falters in most other departments, to be frank. The substory design is okay, but turns poor without a guide to show where everything is. The 0/Kiwami/Kiwami 2 Substory Tracker has fixed this issue since, but everything should be marked.
Quality of Life in this game is pretty abysmal. Additionally, everything is slow, whether it be combat transitions or just menuing. Speaking of, this system of enemies finding your character in the streets that continued from 3 is absolutely reprehensible.
Overall, I can't hate this game because of its story. However, this game desperately needs a Kiwami with changes that fix it. With it, this could be a masterpiece of video game storytelling.
Yikes.