Persona 5 is a stylish Japanese RPG that saw a Western release in 2017. The success of the game introduced the franchise to a worldwide audience. It even resulted in the main character being featured in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a game featuring gaming legends of all types.
With the release of the PlayStation 5 and the inclusion of Persona 5 in the PlayStation Plus Collection, more players than ever will have access to this awesome adventure. This may lead to people asking if Persona 5 has different endings. As you may have guessed, it certainly does! However, Persona 5 is a massive beast of a game with many systems to master. The game also features various endings of both the good and bad variety. As such, we have put together this Persona 5 ending walkthrough in order to help those who would like to see a specific ending, or even all of them. Naturally, spoilers will be included for all of Persona 5’s endings below!
How many endings does Persona 5 have?
Persona 5 has two “good” endings, one of which is considered the “true” ending. It also has bad endings for various events within the game. We will explain how to get all the good endings as well as all the bad endings.
Before we get started… a note on Mementos
It would make sense for players to shoot for the best ending first. Therefore, it would be wise to give a little heads-up on one of Persona 5’s vital mechanics. As players work through the game, Persona 5’s street-wise cat companion, Morgana, will introduce players to something strange.
Mementos is a nonsensical spiral of pathways leading deep under the streets of Shibuya. Players will have to contend with demons as they slowly work their way through the maze. A large, ominous door will eventually stop progress. This door will remain locked until the story progresses, preventing players from clearing Mementos all at once.
Let it be known that completing Mementos is incredibly important to the endgame of Persona 5! Players should dedicate one in-game day per chapter to reaching the end of Mementos. If the nightmarish maze is ignored until the end of the game, players will find themselves having to do ALL of the dungeon at once. This may take hours, exhaust resources, and even kill some playthroughs for those who lack the patience to go through it all.
Remember: Time management is the key to success in Persona 5.
How do I get the bad endings in Persona 5?
A bad ending can be achieved in a variety of ways. Events such as dying in battle can trigger a special ending cutscene. However, a little more effort was put into the endings where the characters fail in a narrative sense. These failures can be attributed to making the wrong decisions or simply running out of time to accomplish a task.
Persona 5 Bad Ending #1 — I disagree
Persona 5 starts off with a standard contract agreement framed in a thematic way. Series mascot Igor will read off a few lines of dialogue during this moment. In them, he will make it clear that the game is fictional and that none of the characters are based on real people, living or dead.
The player is then given a choice to acknowledge that they agree with these facts. Players eager to start the game will obviously agree and move on. However, the more curious or rebellious crew may disagree to the terms. In doing that, Igor says that he understands, but cannot allow you to proceed into the game. This results in a premature game over. Then the player is kicked back into the main menu so they can start again.
Persona 5 Bad Ending #2 — You failed
Persona 5 is set up in a way that each chapter has a conflict. These conflicts always have timed deadlines in which the player must find a solution before their time runs out. These conflicts can range from a character being expelled from their school or to more serious situations involving the Japanese government. No matter what, however, failing to meet the deadlines never ends well.
Fortunately, the game does give players more than enough time to complete the dungeons presented to them. The objective is to infiltrate these dungeons known as “palaces,” and to reach the end of them with a couple of days to spare. From there, the final confrontation with the palace’s ruler will be set up. These confrontations hopefully result in an end to the conflict at hand.
However, if players simply do not meet their deadline on time, then the game does go on briefly. The game will present players with a short cutscene showing the aftermath of whatever happens following the conflict. These endings can get super dark and really pack an emotional punch in some cases. As such, it is best to avoid getting them. For those curious, however, there are special ending for failing to complete each palace by the deadline.
Tips for avoiding Bad Ending #2
Skill point management
Persona 5 features an SP system that uses “Skill Points.” Each time a player uses a character’s Persona to attack an enemy, their SP decreases. If they are not careful with their attacks, they can actually run out of SP during a palace run.
If this happens, they will more than likely have to retreat from the palace. This means that they lose an in-game day and move closer to the deadline. Using SP items can refill their bar, but those do run out, as well. Always stock up on SP and health items before infiltrating a palace.
Avoid procrastination
Persona 5 is a game where the slice-of-life aspects of modern Japan can be just as enthralling as the action-packed gameplay of palace infiltration. Players may find themselves saying, “Yeah, I really need to complete the palace today, but Ryuji wants to hang out. I can’t just ignore him, right?”
Try to avoid doing this. The palace should always be top priority. Luckily, the game will give you an incredible amount of free time after you finish the palace. That is when you can just relax and hang out with your favorite characters.
Take a risky chance
When fighting the bosses of a palace, there may be special moments where the game stops briefly. During these moments, the characters will acknowledge that the boss has a special effect in play. From there, players can assign a party member to sneak off and sabotage the boss from behind the scenes.
For whatever reason, this is actually a choice in the game. The important thing to know is that players should ALWAYS take this chance. Refusing to do so will make the boss much harder, if not impossible.
Bad Ending #3 — A businessman’s escape
This ending is smaller than most of the others, but there is a chance that some players will manage to get it. Once players near the end of the overwhelmingly fun and straightforward palace of Kunikazo Okumara, the CEO will attempt something drastic. Fleeing to his spacecraft, Okumara mocks the player and their team as he begins to prepare for takeoff.
This triggers a countdown that steadily ticks away in real time. The player will have to race through the palace in order to catch their target. This will entail either avoiding or rushing through battles while also making their way around obstacles. Fortunately, the countdown timer is pretty forgiving.
There is a possibility that time will run out, though. If that happens, players will see Okumara speed off into space joyfully. Then the palace will explode with the player inside, sadly. As such, this isn’t really an ending worth shooting for.
Bad Ending #4 — Become a sell-out
Right at the beginning of the game, the main protagonist is arrested and detained. From there, an investigator will begin to interrogate the player. The events of the game will then be recounted chapter by chapter. This will continue until the narrative eventually catches up to the main character telling his story.
In shedding light on the adventures that he and his friends have undergone, the main character has earned the trust of the investigator. However, her job is to uncover the entire truth. The best way to do that would be for her to convince the main character to reveal the names of his friends and confidants. This leads to the investigator asking a few questions.
The player will probably understand that these questions will have major consequences once answered. Hopefully, they will also know that ratting out their friends to authorities would never end well, too. The choice is definitely there, though.
Giving the investigator the information that she needs is what unlocks this ending. This causes the game to end, but allows the player to revert back to their previous save in order to try the interrogation again.
Refusing to take the deal puts the player on a track to the two good endings of Persona 5.
How do I get the good endings of Persona 5?
In order to achieve one of the two good endings of Persona 5, the player must do a few things. An important objective is to complete all palaces on time. Another important ingredient is to remain loyal to their friends during the big interrogation scene. As said before, reaching the end of Mementos is also vital to victory in the best endings of Persona 5.
For a more in-depth look at these endings, please continue reading below.
Persona 5 Good Ending #1 — The famous Phantom Thieves
Once again, this guide will be spoiler-filled, so proceed at your own risk.
All right, at this point the player has survived the interrogation. They have cleared all of the palaces and changed the world for the better. So where does the game go from here?
To the very depths of Mementos.
The remaining mysteries regarding Mementos, the Velvet Room, and Igor await. This palace is largely different from all of the rest, but there are no risks of screwing anything up in terms of endings. Simply play the game as normal and march through the story. This will take a fair amount of time, so settle in and allow Persona 5 to reveal all of the narrative heavy twists to you.
By the time that the next big decision comes to the player, they’ll have learned a great deal about the mysterious Igor, as well as the prison guards Justine and Caroline. Igor has actually revealed himself to be an imposter. The true Igor is nowhere to be found, and the man that the player has trusted throughout the game is a god.
More specifically, he is Yaldabaoth, the god of control. No one gets a title like that without actually having some clout to back it up. Therefore, he is being truthful in everything that he says. Even the deal that he offers the player is legitimate.
A big decision
This deal, should the player choose to accept it, results in a good ending. Well, good in a sense that everything will return to normal and no one will be hurt. It is up to the player to determine whether or not they agree with Yaldabaoth on a philosophical level. By taking the deal, the world returns to normal following the events of the game. The main character and his Phantom Thieves remain popular. The population of the world also continues to exist while being manipulated by the god of control.
Refusing the god’s offer will lead to the true ending of Persona 5, however.
Persona 5 True Ending — The spirit of rebellion
Refusing Yaldabaoth immediately throws the player into a new palace. The grand finale of Persona 5 takes place in the air above Shibuya. Mementos has spilled over into the real world, and the player must take drastic action to prevent the damage from worsening.
Now that the player has reached this point, they are pretty much locked in for Persona 5’s best ending. A long, hard fight is ahead, but nothing short of death will derail their victory. Just move through the palace, put up a good fight, and watch as a dysfunctional group of teenagers change the entire fate of humanity.
Reaching the end of this incredibly long adventure is most certainly satisfying, so hopefully the player feels content with the ending that they chose for the characters.
Category: Guides
