Yeah, he did return 2.5 years later. He beat it by doing the proper preparations. It's an RPG, really. Can't expect someone to beat a fight if they're not properly prepared. Well, arguing semantics again; He doesn't prepare for jack diddily squat, he allows intense backseating and sets out to look for nullify charm skills and accessories. That he's then told where to find. He still tries to weasel out his way of everything in the first few seconds, and within the first four minutes we're treated to the Pigroach's signature choir style singing. He agrees to having ragequit it back in 2016... But he doesn't mention that it was a Patreon's event. Convenient! Any day now, the paypigs he scammed way back then for Project 7 monies will get their reboot! Maybe.
I know Phil loves to argue semantics and while technically he did complete the very same playthrough he once ragequit, a 2.5 years hiatus may be a tiny bit longer than expected. None of the Patreon paypigs of yesteryear are still around. Hell, most of the detractors who were around back then are gone by now.
I don't know about you, but if I book a massage and pay for it in advance I expect the masseuse to get it done in the same week. If the masseuse goes to circunnavigate the globe and return on an Indian vessel loaded with spice, I may just ask for my money back instead. Not to mention Phil really DID change over the course of his career. 2016 Phil was a morahn who couldn't tell his ass from his elbow and pigdozed his way through games with little success. 2018 Phil is just a slightly subpar vehicle to conduct a Twitch Plays, and he also begs while he's at it.
If Phil truly, really wants to beat Persona 3, he should do it on Hard, without taking cues from chat. Redemption Run, baby. Even that would be slightly tainted now that chat has told him how to get through once, he may remember. For a guy that loves JRPGs so much, he's all too happy to ignore one very simple fact; Reading guides turns them from games that may be difficult to figure out and slightly challenging to pure busywork.