Shin Megami Tensei: Persona
Encyclopedia
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, known in Japan as is a series of role-playing video game
s developed and published by Atlus
. The series is a spin-off of the Megami Tensei
series which focuses on demon summoners. However, the Persona series centers around groups of teenagers who have the ability to summon facets of their psyche, known as Personas, into being. The game draws many elements from Jungian psychology and various Jungian archetypes
. The first game in the series is called in Japan which translates to "Record of the Goddess' Strange Tales," denoting a side story or alternate universe. The series underwent a drastic change in design during Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 which introduced elements of simulation games into the series which was continued in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. Each title in the series utilizes a different method to summon Personas such as Evokers in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 and Tarot cards
in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. While the North American localizations of the Persona series all carry the Shin Megami Tensei label, the Persona series is actually a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei main series.
: Innocent Sin, released in 1999, and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, released in 2000. Both games were released on the PlayStation. Only Eternal Punishment was localized and released in North America. So far only one of the eight games has not received a North American release namely the PlayStation game Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 represented a drastic change in design for the series, as it introduced elements of simulation games. The player controls a high school student, who attends classes during the day; after school, the player's character is free to engage in a number of activities, such as seeing a movie or spending time with a classmate. These actions all have effects on the game's combat, which takes place at night. It is also known for the use of Evokers, gun-like objects the game's characters fire at their heads to summon their Persona. A similar concept was applied on the fourth game, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
with the exception of the characters using tarot cards instead of evokers to bring forth their Persona.
, that he is beginning to develop the next game in the Persona series. He also mentioned that he "wants to add things that are being expected of the series and change things that can be changed within those boundaries." In September 2009, Shoji Meguro, a member of Atlus
, was listed in Sony's
site as the producer on Persona 5 exclusively for the PlayStation 3
. However The Australian Classification Board seems to have confirmed that PSP version was listed as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona and "(PS3)". The date of classification is May 24, 2010. Which could lead that Atlus moved it to Sony PSP instead. At E3 2010
, a game in the series was announced for the Nintendo 3DS
system; all that is known at this point is that it will be part of the Persona series, it is unknown if it will be a port, remake, or a new game altogether. In August 2011, Persona 5 was officially confirmed to be under development, with Soejima, Meguro, and Hashino returning to their roles as art designer, composer, and director. However, Hashino stated to "wait for quite some time for Persona 5 to be released."
In Persona 2, each playable character has a specific method of communicating with enemy demons. For example, The game's protagonist Tatsuya (in Innocent Sin), who is always silent, sometimes will make sounds like jets, a construction site, etc., Maya, who works for a teen magazine, will attempt to interview an enemy, while the character Ulala (in Eternal Punishment) will offer to read its fortune. In addition to using one character, the player may combine up to three characters to initiate a conversation as well. As with Revelations: Persona, demons have a set of personality traits which determine how they will respond to different methods of communication. The player can elicit four different responses out of a demon: anger, fear, joy, or interest. Triggering the same emotional three times will cause the demon to do something. An angry demon will assault the player, a scared demon will flee the battle, a joyful demon will give the player money or items, and an interested demon will give the player a number of Tarot cards, which can be used to create new Personas.
ulation elements of the game. In Persona 3, the player controls a high school student, who attends classes during the day; after school, the player's character is free to engage in a number of activities, such as seeing a movie or spending time with a classmate. These actions all have effects on the game's combat, which takes place at night. In Persona 4, social links present the same benefit to the player. Social Links are friendships the Protagonist makes as the game progresses, each represented by one of the Major Arcana
. When a Social Link is first formed, it starts at Rank 1, increasing over time as the Protagonist spends time with that person, until it reaches Rank 10. Social Links grant the player bonus experience when creating new Personas in the Velvet Room. Because level grinding is a very inefficient way of levelling a Persona, social links become a vital part of the game play. Social Links are also influenced by the protagonist's attributes, which vary depending on the game. In Persona 3, the protagonist's attributes are Charm, Intelligence and Courage. In Persona 4, the protagonist's attributes are Understanding, Diligence, Courage, Knowledge and Expression. They can be improved through various activities such as part-time jobs. These attributes in turn may also affect player's interaction in daily activities outside of Social Links.
. Fusing Personas of an arcanum that matches an established Social Link will grant the Persona a bonus when it is created. The bonus is greater based on the current rank of the Social Link.
's Patrick Joynt praised the social elements the series calling them "almost universally fascinating" as well as saying "can't stress enough how well-done it is."
Persona 3 and Persona 4 have been listed at or near the top of several "RPGs of the Decade" lists. In RPGFan's "Top 20 RPGs of the Past Decade" list, Persona 4 was ranked at fourth place, while Persona 3 was ranked in second place behind Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
. In RPGamer
's "Top RPGs of the Decade" list, Persona 3 was ranked at first place.
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
s developed and published by Atlus
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
. The series is a spin-off of the Megami Tensei
Megami Tensei
, commonly abbreviated as , is a Japanese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country...
series which focuses on demon summoners. However, the Persona series centers around groups of teenagers who have the ability to summon facets of their psyche, known as Personas, into being. The game draws many elements from Jungian psychology and various Jungian archetypes
Archetypal pedagogy
Archetypal pedagogy is a theory of education which was developed Clifford Mayes. It is in the Jungian tradition and directly related to analytical psychology.- History :...
. The first game in the series is called in Japan which translates to "Record of the Goddess' Strange Tales," denoting a side story or alternate universe. The series underwent a drastic change in design during Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 which introduced elements of simulation games into the series which was continued in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. Each title in the series utilizes a different method to summon Personas such as Evokers in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 and Tarot cards
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4. While the North American localizations of the Persona series all carry the Shin Megami Tensei label, the Persona series is actually a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei main series.
Titles
The series consists of two anime and eight games—five main games developed by Atlus, an enhanced version of the PlayStation 2 game Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 titled Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3: FES, a PlayStation Portable remake of the PlayStation game Revelations: Persona titled Shin Megami Tensei: Persona and an enhanced PlayStation Portable port of the PlayStation 2 game Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 titled Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable. The second title in the series was released as two installments: Persona 2Persona 2
is a two-part series of Japanese console role-playing games for the Sony PlayStation, developed by Atlus. and are two chapters of the same storyline...
: Innocent Sin, released in 1999, and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, released in 2000. Both games were released on the PlayStation. Only Eternal Punishment was localized and released in North America. So far only one of the eight games has not received a North American release namely the PlayStation game Persona 2: Innocent Sin. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 represented a drastic change in design for the series, as it introduced elements of simulation games. The player controls a high school student, who attends classes during the day; after school, the player's character is free to engage in a number of activities, such as seeing a movie or spending time with a classmate. These actions all have effects on the game's combat, which takes place at night. It is also known for the use of Evokers, gun-like objects the game's characters fire at their heads to summon their Persona. A similar concept was applied on the fourth game, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...
with the exception of the characters using tarot cards instead of evokers to bring forth their Persona.
Main games
- Revelations: Persona (1996: PlayStation, 1999: Microsoft Windows, known as in Japan)
- Persona 2: Innocent SinPersona 2is a two-part series of Japanese console role-playing games for the Sony PlayStation, developed by Atlus. and are two chapters of the same storyline...
(1999: PlayStation) - Persona 2: Eternal PunishmentPersona 2is a two-part series of Japanese console role-playing games for the Sony PlayStation, developed by Atlus. and are two chapters of the same storyline...
(2000: PlayStation) - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (2006: PlayStation 2)
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...
(2008: PlayStation 2) - Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 5 (TBA JP)
Ports
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (2007: PlayStation 2)
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (2009: PlayStation Portable)
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable (2010: PlayStation Portable)
- Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2: Innocent Sin (2011: PlayStation Portable)
- Persona 4: The Golden (2012 JP: PlayStation Vita)
Spin-Offs
- Persona 4 Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena (2012 JP: Arcade, Playstation 3, Xbox 360)
Future
In March 2010, the director and producer of Persona 3 and Persona 4, Katsura Hashino, told Japanese gaming magazine, Dengeki PlayStationDengeki PlayStation
is a Japanese gaming magazine published by ASCII Media Works . The magazine originally featured information pertaining to PlayStation video games, but since then has also incorporated information from PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable games...
, that he is beginning to develop the next game in the Persona series. He also mentioned that he "wants to add things that are being expected of the series and change things that can be changed within those boundaries." In September 2009, Shoji Meguro, a member of Atlus
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
, was listed in Sony's
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc. is a major video game company specializing in a variety of areas in the video game industry, and is a wholly owned subsidiary and part of the Consumer Products & Services Group of Sony...
site as the producer on Persona 5 exclusively for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. However The Australian Classification Board seems to have confirmed that PSP version was listed as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona and "(PS3)". The date of classification is May 24, 2010. Which could lead that Atlus moved it to Sony PSP instead. At E3 2010
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2010, commonly known as E3 2010, was the 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. The event took place on June 14–17 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software...
, a game in the series was announced for the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
system; all that is known at this point is that it will be part of the Persona series, it is unknown if it will be a port, remake, or a new game altogether. In August 2011, Persona 5 was officially confirmed to be under development, with Soejima, Meguro, and Hashino returning to their roles as art designer, composer, and director. However, Hashino stated to "wait for quite some time for Persona 5 to be released."
Anime
- Persona: Trinity Soul (2008)
- Persona 4: The AnimationShin Megami Tensei: Persona 4Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...
(2011)
Personas
In each game Personas are summoned differently and have different attributes though they are usually used for combat. In Revelations: Persona each character is allowed to have three Personas, more powerful Personas are acquired by fusing spell cards gained from enemy demons in the Velvet Room. These spell cards cannot be obtained by fighting demons, but instead require the player to communicate with them, a feature the game shares with games in the Megami Tensei series. In both Persona 2 games, summoning persona is similar to that of Revelations: Persona, however characters are limited to equipping personas according to their arcana. Philemon also transforms the main characters personas into more powerful versions. In Persona 3, Personas are summoned by each member of the "Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad" using an Evoker. Each character's Persona also has its own set of strengths and weaknesses and belong to a major Arcana. The Protagonist of the game is the only one able to carry multiple Personas which gives him access to a wider variety of skills than any other character. From Persona 3 onwards, each party member's Persona will transform to a more powerful form after completing certain events in the game's story relating to that character. The Protagonist is unique in that he can carry multiple Personas and switch between them during battle, giving the player access to a new set of skills similar to that of Persona 3.Negotiation
In the spirit of past Megami Tensei games, which allow players to recruit demons to fight for them, Revelations: Persona and Persona 2 allow players to negotiate with enemies to gain money, items, or information. This is known as the "Contact" system. Contacts are performed during battles, and allow the player to skip combat entirely. To contact an enemy demon, the player selects a character to talk with the enemy. Each playable character has four unique methods of communication, such as praising the enemy or singing to them. Every enemy, based on its specific personality, will give a different response to specific forms of contact. A demon will elicit one of four emotions: joy, fear, anger, or sadness. Generating enough interest in a demon will prompt it to give the player a spell card, used to create a Persona in the Velvet Room.In Persona 2, each playable character has a specific method of communicating with enemy demons. For example, The game's protagonist Tatsuya (in Innocent Sin), who is always silent, sometimes will make sounds like jets, a construction site, etc., Maya, who works for a teen magazine, will attempt to interview an enemy, while the character Ulala (in Eternal Punishment) will offer to read its fortune. In addition to using one character, the player may combine up to three characters to initiate a conversation as well. As with Revelations: Persona, demons have a set of personality traits which determine how they will respond to different methods of communication. The player can elicit four different responses out of a demon: anger, fear, joy, or interest. Triggering the same emotional three times will cause the demon to do something. An angry demon will assault the player, a scared demon will flee the battle, a joyful demon will give the player money or items, and an interested demon will give the player a number of Tarot cards, which can be used to create new Personas.
Social Links
Social Links were only introduced in Persona 3 but are an integral part in the gameplay of that game and Persona 4. Social Links are the life as well as dating simDating sim
Dating sims are a video game subgenre of simulation games, usually Japanese, with romantic elements. They are also sometimes put under the category of neoromance. The most common objective of dating sims is to date, usually choosing from among several characters, and to achieve a romantic...
ulation elements of the game. In Persona 3, the player controls a high school student, who attends classes during the day; after school, the player's character is free to engage in a number of activities, such as seeing a movie or spending time with a classmate. These actions all have effects on the game's combat, which takes place at night. In Persona 4, social links present the same benefit to the player. Social Links are friendships the Protagonist makes as the game progresses, each represented by one of the Major Arcana
Major Arcana
The Major Arcana or trumps are a suit of twenty-two cards in the tarot deck. They serve as a permanent trump suit in games played with the tarot deck, and are distinguished from the four standard suits collectively known as the Minor Arcana...
. When a Social Link is first formed, it starts at Rank 1, increasing over time as the Protagonist spends time with that person, until it reaches Rank 10. Social Links grant the player bonus experience when creating new Personas in the Velvet Room. Because level grinding is a very inefficient way of levelling a Persona, social links become a vital part of the game play. Social Links are also influenced by the protagonist's attributes, which vary depending on the game. In Persona 3, the protagonist's attributes are Charm, Intelligence and Courage. In Persona 4, the protagonist's attributes are Understanding, Diligence, Courage, Knowledge and Expression. They can be improved through various activities such as part-time jobs. These attributes in turn may also affect player's interaction in daily activities outside of Social Links.
Velvet Room
The Velvet Room is a special room that is present in all Shin Megami Tensei: Persona games, it is usually manned by a person named Igor and its functions remains the same throughout the series: to fuse and strengthen existing Personas though the methods used are usually different each game. In Revelations: Persona a more powerful Persona is acquired by fusing spell cards gained from enemy demons. In Persona 2, a more powerful Persona is acquired by fusing spell cards gained from enemy demons; however all characters have restrictions on which personas they can equip. In Persona 3, the main character is the only character who has access to the Velvet Room in which the player is able to fuse multiple Personas together to create a new, more powerful one. A new Persona inherits several abilities from the Personas used to create it; in addition, it can gain an experience point bonus, based on the rank of the Social Link that matches the Arcanum of the Persona being fused. The player is limited by the level of his character when fusing a Persona; the level of the Protagonist must be at least equal to the level of the Persona to be fused. There is also a Persona Compendium which contains all previously-owned Personas; this allows the player to retrieve, for a price, an older Persona to be used. In Persona 4, the functions of the Velvet Room are similar to that of Persona 3 with the exception of a number of new features.Each Persona is of one of the Major ArcanaMajor Arcana
The Major Arcana or trumps are a suit of twenty-two cards in the tarot deck. They serve as a permanent trump suit in games played with the tarot deck, and are distinguished from the four standard suits collectively known as the Minor Arcana...
. Fusing Personas of an arcanum that matches an established Social Link will grant the Persona a bonus when it is created. The bonus is greater based on the current rank of the Social Link.
Reception
The Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series has received overall positive reviews with the more recent entries in the series receiving high praise for its improved battle systems which have been praised as "fluid" as well as strong storylines. It has also been praised for the integration of dating simulation elements into the series which has been extremely well received. GameSpyGameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
's Patrick Joynt praised the social elements the series calling them "almost universally fascinating" as well as saying "can't stress enough how well-done it is."
Persona 3 and Persona 4 have been listed at or near the top of several "RPGs of the Decade" lists. In RPGFan's "Top 20 RPGs of the Past Decade" list, Persona 4 was ranked at fourth place, while Persona 3 was ranked in second place behind Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, known in Japan as , is a PlayStation 2 role-playing game developed by Atlus and first released in Japan on July 15, 2004...
. In RPGamer
RPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
's "Top RPGs of the Decade" list, Persona 3 was ranked at first place.