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Persona
The logo of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona, the remake of the first game in the series. Each game uses its own font and styling.
Genre(s)	Role-playing, social simulation
Developer(s)	Atlus
Publisher(s)
Creator(s)
Composer(s)	Shoji Meguro
Platform(s)	PlayStation, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo 3DS, Arcade, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
First release	Revelations: Persona September 20, 1996
Latest release	Persona 5 Scramble February 20, 2020

Persona,^{[Jp. 1]} sometimes known as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona outside of Japan, is a video game franchise developed and primarily published by Atlus.^[a] Focusing around a series of role-playing video games, Persona is a spin-off from Atlus' Megami Tensei franchise. The first entry in the series, Revelations: Persona,^[b] was released in 1996 for the PlayStation. The series has seen several more games since, with the most recent main entry being 2016's Persona 5.

Persona began as a spin-off based on the positively-received high school setting of Shin Megami Tensei If... (1994). Persona's core features include a group of students as the main cast, a silent protagonist similar to the mainline Megami Tensei franchise, and combat using Personas. Since the release of Persona 3 in 2006, the main series has used a social simulation function called Social Links, which are directly linked to how Personas evolve. Character designs are by series co-creator Kazuma Kaneko (Persona and the Persona 2 duology) and Shigenori Soejima (Persona 3 onwards). Its overall theme is exploration of the human psyche and how the characters find their true selves. The series' recurring concepts and design elements draw on Jungian psychology and psychological personas, along with religion, mythology, and literature.

Revelations: Persona was the first role-playing Megami Tensei game to be released outside of Japan. Beginning with Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the English localizations began to remain faithful to the Japanese versions at the insistence of Atlus. The series is highly popular internationally, becoming the best-known Megami Tensei spin-off and establishing Atlus and the Megami Tensei franchise in North America. Following the release of Persona 3 and 4, the series also established a strong following in Europe. The series has since gone on to sell over 13 million copies worldwide, outselling its parent franchise. There have been numerous adaptations, including anime television series, films, novelizations, mangas, stage plays, radio dramas, and musical concerts.

Games[edit]

Main series[edit]

• Revelations: Persona is the first entry in the series, was released in Japan and North America for the PlayStation in 1996.^[1][2] A port to Microsoft Windows was released in Japan in 1999.^[3] The game was later ported to the PlayStation Portable (PSP): it was published in 2009 in Japan and North America as physical and digital releases, and 2010 in Europe as a digital release.^[4][5][6] Set in the town of Mikage-cho, it follows a group of high school students from St. Hermelin High, who are forced to confront an outbreak of demons in their hometown.^[7]
• Persona 2: Innocent Sin is the second entry in the series, released in Japan for the PlayStation in 1999.^[1] After the success of Persona's PSP port, a port of Innocent Sin was greenlit. For this version, adjustments were made so that it played more like its sequel, along with added features and a new scenario.^[8][9][10] The port was released in 2011 in all regions.^[11][12][13] Set in the coastal city of Sumaru, the story follows Tatsuya Suou, a student of Seven Sisters High, as he confronts phenomena generated by reality-altering rumors.^[14]
• Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is the third entry in the main series, released in Japan and North America for the PlayStation in 2000.^[15][16] Like Innocent Sin, it was remade for PSP, and included a new scenario by the game's original writer.^[17] The remake released in Japan in 2012, but did not reach the West. The original version was re-released worldwide on PlayStation Network (PSN) in 2013 in response to this.^[17][18] Set shortly after the ending of Innocent Sin, the story follows Maya Amano, a supporting character from the previous game, as she confronts a similar rumor-created threat along with Tatsuya.^[19]
• Persona 3 is the fourth entry in the main series. Developed for PlayStation 2, it released in 2006 in Japan, 2007 in North America, and 2008 in Europe.^[1][20][21]Persona 3 FES, a director's cut featuring new content and an epilogue, was released in 2007 in Japan and 2008 in North America and Europe.^[22] The main portion of FES was later ported to the PSP in Japan in 2009, North America in 2010, and in Europe in 2011 as Persona 3 Portable: it featured a few enhancements such as a female playable character and the ability to control all characters in battle, and some content was adjusted or removed so it could fit on a portable platform.^[23][24] The story takes place in the town of Iwatodai, following a group of students known as "SEES" who fight monsters that appear during a time known as the Dark Hour.^[25]
• Persona 4 is the fifth entry in the main series, released for the PlayStation 2 in 2008 in Japan and North America, and 2009 in Europe.^[26] The success of Persona 3 Portable inspired the creation of a portable version of Persona 4, titled Persona 4 Golden. As using the PSP would result in cutting too much content, it was instead developed for PlayStation Vita, which allowed for the addition of new features and content. A port of Golden was released for Microsoft Windows in 2020. ^[24]Persona 4 takes place in the rural town of Inaba, where a group of students investigate a series of killings related to a realm known as the Midnight Channel.^[27]
• Persona 5 is the sixth entry in the main series, released for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. It was released in 2016 in Japan, and in 2017 in North America and Europe.^[1][28]Persona 5 is set in Tokyo and follows a group of students as they adopt disguises of thieves to tackle the city's corruption and attain freedom from imposed societal pressures.^[29][30]Persona 5 Royal, an enhanced version of the game similar to Persona 4 Golden for Persona 4, was released in Japan in 2019 and worldwide the following year.^[31][32]

Spin-offs[edit]

Persona 3 received a Japan-exclusive spin-off online game titled Persona 3: The Night Before;^{[Jp. 2]} it follows a similar cycle of daytime activities and night time combat as the original game, with one player being chosen as the party leader each night.^[33] After its closure in 2008, a new free-to-play browser game titled Persona Ain Soph^{[Jp. 3]} was released that year; the gameplay focused on players fusing Personas and confronting a threat known as the Qliphoth. Staying exclusive to Japan, it closed down in June 2010.^[34][35] A fighting game sequel to Persona 4, Persona 4 Arena, was released in arcades in Japan in 2012.^[36] Console versions were released in 2012 in Japan and North America, and 2013 in Europe.^[37][38][39] A sequel, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, was similarly released in Japanese arcades in 2013, then released in 2014 in all regions for consoles.^[40][41][42] A standalone spin-off for the Nintendo 3DS, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, was released worldwide in 2014;^[1] it features the full casts of Persona 3 and 4, and is classed by Atlus as an official entry in the Persona canon.^[43] A sequel, Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth, saw the addition of the Persona 5 characters and was released in Japan in 2018 and worldwide in June 2019.^[44] A rhythm game set after the events of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, was released worldwide in 2015.^[45][46][47] Two follow-ups to Dancing All Night, Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, were released together in 2018.^[48] A Dynasty Warriorshack and slash spinoff of Persona 5, titled Persona 5 Scramble, was released in Japan in February 2020.^[49]

Several Persona mobile games have been made in partnership with other Japanese mobile companies such as Bbmf. Their first partnership was in 2006 with the development and release of Megami Ibunroku Persona: Chapter of the Foreign Tower of Emptiness,^{[Jp. 4]} a 3D dungeon crawler set within the environments of the first Persona game.^[50] The companies later collaborated on two mobile games based on the Persona 2 games: Persona 2: Innocent Sin - Lost Memories^{[Jp. 5]} in 2007, and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment - Infinity Mask^{[Jp. 6]} in 2009. Both games carried over the basic gameplay functions of the original games tailored for mobile phones.^[51][52] Many mobile spin-offs are related to Persona 3: there is an RPG side-story titled Persona 3 Em,^{[Jp. 7]} an action game prequel set ten years prior to Persona 3 titled Aegis: The First Mission,^{[Jp. 8]} and an alternate version of Persona 3 featuring different characters titled Persona 3 Social.^{[Jp. 9]} Multiple Persona 3-themed puzzle games have also been developed.^{[53][54][55][56][57][58]} An online mobile RPG set around the high school featured in Persona 3, titled Persona Mobile Online,^{[Jp. 10]} was released in 2009.^[59]Persona 4 likewise received a mobile card game spin-off, titled Persona 4 The Card Battle.^{[Jp. 11][60]}

Common elements[edit]

Gameplay[edit]

Screenshots from Persona 4 Golden featuring a battle against Shadows using a Persona (above) and the growth of Social Links (below).

The gameplay of the Persona series revolves around combat against various enemy types: Demons, Shadows and Personas.^{[61][62][63][64]} Main combat takes place during dungeon crawling segments within various locations. The way battles initiate varies between random encounters (Persona, Persona 2) or running into models representing enemy groups (Persona 3 onwards). Battles are governed by a turn-based system, where the player party and enemies each attack the opposing side. Actions in battle include standard physical attacks using short-range melee or long-range projectile weapons, magical attacks, using items, guarding, and under certain conditions escaping from battles. During battle, either side can strike an enemy's weakness, which deals more damage than other attacks.^{[14][27][65][66][67]} Starting with Persona 3, landing a critical hit grants the character an extra turn. If all enemies are knocked down by critical hits, the party can perform an "All Out Attack", with all party members attacking at once and dealing high damage. Each party member is manually controlled by the player in all but one Persona title: in Persona 3, all the party apart from the main character are controlled by an AI-based command system. The general gameplay has remained consistent across all Persona games.^{[14][27][64][67][68][69]}

Each Persona game also includes unique elements. In Persona, battles take place on a grid-based battlefield, with characters' and enemies' movements dictated by their placement on the battlefield.^[62] This system was abandoned for the Persona 2 games: the party has free movement across the battlefield, and is assigned a set of moves which can be changed in the menu during and in between battles.^[14][70] In Persona and Persona 3, there is a lunar phase tied to gameplay, time progression, and the plot. In Persona 4, this was changed to a weather-based system, where changes in the weather keyed to the story affected enemy behavior.^[64][71][72]Persona 5 introduces elements such as platforming and stealth gameplay to dungeon exploration.^[61][67][73] The All-Out Attack can be initiated in a "Hold-Up" session, triggered when all enemies are knocked down.^[74]

Personas[edit]

A defining aspect of the series is the use of the "Persona", which are physical manifestations of a person's psyche and subconscious used for combat.^[75] The main Personas for the cast used up to Persona 3 were inspired by Graeco-Roman mythology. Persona 4's were based on Japanese deities; while Persona 5 used characters inspired by fictional and historical outlaws and thieves.^[76][77][78] The summoning ritual for Personas in battle varies throughout the series: in early games, the party gains the ability to summon through a short ritual after playing a parlor game; in Persona 3, they fire a gun-like device called an Evoker at their head; in Persona 4, they summon their Personas using Tarot cards; in Persona 5, they are summoned through the characters' masks.^[75][79]

Personas are used for types of physical attack and magical attacks, along with actions such as healing and curing or inflicting status effects.^{[14][27][62][66][75][80]} For all Persona games, all playable characters start out with an initial Persona, which can evolve into other Personas through story-based events and use during battle.^[14][69][80] In multiple Persona games, two or more Personas can be summoned at once to perform a powerful Fusion Spell.^[14][69][70] In Persona 3, 4 and 5, only the main character can wield and change between multiple Personas; the other characters use a single Persona.^[27][80] During the course of the game, the player acquires more Personas through a system of Skill Cards, represented by Major Arcana Tarot cards. Each skill card represents a different Persona family, which in turn hold their own abilities inherent to that family. Multiple Personas can be fused together to create a new Persona with improved and inherited abilities: these range from fusing two Personas in the Persona 2 duology to up to twelve in Persona 4.^{[14][27][62][66][80][81]} Starting with Persona 3, the main protagonist of each game has an ability known as "Wild Card", an ability to summon multiple Personas represented by the Fool Arcana.^[82]

Social Links and Negotiation[edit]

"Social Links" is a system introduced in Persona 3 that is a form of character interaction tied to the growth of Personas. During their time outside battle, the main character can interact with and grow a particular Social Link, which acts as an independent character growth system tied to a Persona family or Arcanum. As the main character's relationship with the character representing a Social Link grows, its rank is raised and more powerful Personas related to the Social Link's assigned Arcanum can be summoned and fused.^[27][65] Attributes related to the main character's social life can also be used to improve their Persona abilities, such as their academic abilities and social aptitude.^[27][80] An enhanced version of the Social Link system, known as "Confidants", appeared in Persona 5.^[61][83]

In Persona, the Persona 2 duology, and Persona 5, there is also a "Negotiation" mechanic carried over from the Megami Tensei series, in which player characters can talk with enemies and provoke certain actions depending on their dialogue choices. Some responses yield Skill Cards for use in creating new Personas.^[14][62] Negotiation was removed from Persona 3 and Persona 4, although Atlus staff considered the Social Link system and aspects of Persona fusion to be a "disguised" version of it.^[84] In Persona 5, they can be initiated during a "Hold Up" session; Shadows can be persuaded to join the party as a new Persona if the Negotiation is successful, the player does not already have them, and is at an appropriate experience level.^[74][85]

Setting and themes[edit]

The Persona series takes place in modern-day Japan and focuses on a group of high school students, with the exception to this being Eternal Punishment, which focused on a group of adults.^[75][86] The setting has been described as urban fantasy, with extraordinary events happening in otherwise normal locations.^[87] The typical setting used is a city, with a noted exception being the rural town setting of Persona 4.^[86] Although they are typically stand-alone games that only share thematic elements, the Persona games share a continuity, with elements from previous games turning up in later ones.^[75][86]Persona and the Persona 2 games shared narrative elements which were concluded with Eternal Punishment, so Persona 3 started out with a fresh setting and characters.^[88] The first in the series is Persona, set in the year 1996. This is followed by the events of Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment in 1999. At the end of Innocent Sin, the main characters rewrite events to avert the destruction of Earth, creating the Eternal Punishment reality, with the original reality becoming an isolated Other Side. Persona 3 and subsequent games stem from Eternal Punishment.^[7][89]Persona 3 is set from 2009 to 2010, and Persona 4 is set from 2011 to 2012. The Persona 4 Arena games and Dancing All Night take place in the months following Persona 4.^[7][90][91] In contrast, Persona 5 is set in a non-specific year referred to as "20XX".^[92] The Persona Q series takes place in a separate enclosed world in which the characters of Persona 3, 4, and 5 are drawn into from their respective time periods.^[93] Dialogue in Q also suggests that Persona 5 takes place only a few years after 4.

A central concept for the series is the collective unconscious, a place generated by the hearts of humanity and from which Personas are born.^[7][89] According to the official Persona Club P3 book, the collective unconscious was generated by the primitive life on Earth as a means of containing the spiritual essence of Nyx, a space-born being whose presence would cause the death of all life on Earth. Her body was damaged by the impact and became the moon, while her psyche was left on the surface and locked away at the heart of the collective unconscious. The fragments of Nyx's psyche, known as "Shadows", are both a threat and a crucial part of humanity's existence. To further help defend against hostile Shadows, people generated the deities that exist within the collective unconscious, many of which manifest as Personas. Nyx appears in Persona 3 as the antagonist.^[94] The major dungeon locations in each game are generated by the latent wishes and desires of humans and are generally used by another force for their own ends.^[95] A recurring location appearing in most of the games is the "Velvet Room", a place between reality and unconsciousness created by Philemon that changes form depending on the psyche of its current guest. Its inhabitants, led by an enigmatic old man called Igor, aid the main characters by helping them hone their Persona abilities. While normally inaccessible and invisible to all except those who forged a contract with the room, others can be summoned alongside the guest, intentionally or otherwise.^{[96][97][82][98]}

The main character of each Persona game is a silent protagonist representing the player, with a manner described by the series' director as "silent and cool".^[99] When the writer for new story content in Eternal Punishment's PSP version wished for the main character to have spoken dialogue, this was vetoed as it went against the series tradition.^[100] Two recurring characters generated by the collective unconscious are Philemon and Nyarlathotep, the respective representatives of the positive and negative traits of humanity.^[7] In Innocent Sin, the two reveal that they are engaged in a proxy contest as to whether humanity can embrace its contradictory feelings and find a higher purpose before destroying itself.^[89] Philemon makes appearances in later Persona games as a blue butterfly.^[76][82] Many of the major antagonists in the series are personifications of death generated by the human subconscious.^[82] The central theme of the Persona series is exploration of the human psyche and the main characters discovering their true selves.^[101] The stories generally focus on the main cast's interpersonal relationships and psychologies.^[102] There is also an underlying focus on "the human soul".^[103]

Many of the concepts and characters within the series (Personas, Shadows, Philemon) use Jungian psychology and archetypes.^[97] A recurring motif are the "masks" people wear during everyday life, which ties back to their Personas. This motif was more overtly expressed in Persona 5 through the main casts' use of masks in their thief guises.^[99][104] The dual lives of the main casts are directly inspired by these themes.^[95] Each game also includes specific themes and motifs. Persona 2 focuses on the effect of rumors on the fabric of reality (referred to by the developers as "the power of Kotodama"); Persona 3 employs themes involving depression and the darkness within people; Persona 4 focuses on how gossip and the media influences people's views of others; and Persona 5 shows how the main characters pursue personal freedom in a restrictive modern society.^{[76][87][105]} A recurring element in the earlier entries is "The Butterfly Dream", a famous story by the Chinese philosopher Zhuang Zhou. It ties in with the series' themes, and also with Philemon's frequent appearances as a butterfly.^[7] Philemon's original appearance was based on Zhuang Zhou.^[97] The character Nyarlathotep is based on the character of the same name from H. P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos, and the Mythos as a whole is frequently referenced in Persona 2.^[76][106] The Velvet Room was based on the Black Lodge from Twin Peaks, while Igor and his assistants are all named after characters from Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein and its adaptations.^[97][82]

Development[edit]

The Persona series was first conceived after the release of Shin Megami Tensei If... for the Super Famicom. As the high school setting of If... had been positively received, Atlus decided to create a dedicated subseries focusing on the inner struggles of young adults.^[103] The focus on high school life was also decided upon due to the experiences of the series' creators, Kouji Okada and Kazuma Kaneko: according to them, as nearly everyone experiences being a student at some point in their lives, it was something everyone could relate to, representing a time of both learning and personal freedom. In their view, this approach helped players accept the series' themes and the variety of ideas included in each title. Kaneko in particular tried to recreate his experiences and the impact it had on him during his time with the series.^[107] The main concept behind the first game was a Megami Tensei title that was more approachable for new and casual players than the main series. The abundance of casual games on the PlayStation reinforced this decision.^[97][108] The game's title, Megami Ibunroku,^{[Jp. 12]} represented the game's status as a direct spin-off from the series.^[109] It was later dropped to further define Persona as a standalone series.^[106] After the success of Persona, Innocent Sin began development, retaining many of the original staff. During the writing of Innocent Sin, it was decided that the world of Persona 2 needed a different perspective than that of the current protagonist. This decision laid the groundwork for Eternal Punishment.^[106][110] Following this, the Persona series entered a hiatus while focus turned to other projects, including Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne.^[111]

The conceptual Persona 3 was submitted to Atlus in 2003 by Katsura Hashino, who had worked as a designer for multiple Megami Tensei games and had been the director for Nocturne. Gaining Atlus' approval of the concept, development started in the same year, after the completion of Nocturne and the Digital Devil Saga duology.^{[112][113][114]}Persona 3 was part of Atlus' push to expand their player base outside of Japan.^[111] Ideas were being passed around about Persona 4, but the game did not begin official development until after the release of Persona 3.^[103] Preparations for Persona 5's development began in 2010. The team decided to shift towards more challenging story themes, saying that the shift would be more drastic than that experienced with Persona 3.^[115][116]Persona 4 Arena and its sequel were the first non-RPG collaborative project in the series: its success inspired the creation of both Persona Q and Dancing All Night.^[117][118]

The first three Persona games were developed by Atlus' internal R&D1 studio, the studio responsible for the mainline Megami Tensei games.^[119] Beginning with Persona 3, a dedicated team originally referred to as the 2nd Creative Production Department began handling development for the series. The team was later renamed P-Studio in 2012.^{[120][121][122]} Hashino remained in charge of the studio until the Japanese release of Persona 5 in 2016, when he moved to found a new department, Studio Zero, to work on non-Persona projects.^[123][124] Aside from Atlus, other developers have helped develop entries in the Persona series. During the pre-production stage of Persona 4 Arena, Hashino approached Arc System Works after being impressed by their work on the BlazBlue series.^[24] For Dancing All Night, development was initially handled by Dingo, but due to quality concerns Atlus took over primary development with Dingo being retained as a supporting developer.^[125]

Art design[edit]

The two character artists for the Persona series are Kazuma Kaneko, a central artist in the main Megami Tensei series who designed characters for the first three Persona games, and Shigenori Soejima, who worked in a secondary capacity alongside Kaneko and took Kaneko's place as the character designer from Persona 3 onwards.^{[97][128][129][130]} While designing the characters for Persona, Kaneko was inspired by multiple notable celebrities and fictional characters of the time, along with members of Atlus staff. In Persona and Innocent Sin, the main characters all wore the same school uniforms, so Kaneko differentiated them using accessories.^[97][128] For Eternal Punishment, the main cast were adults, so Kaneko needed to rethink his design procedure. Eventually, he adopted the concept of ordinary adults, and gave them designs that would stand out in-game.^[107]

Soejima's first major work for the series was working on side characters for Persona 2 alongside Kaneko.^[131] Kaneko put Soejima in charge of the series' art direction after Persona 2 as Kaneko did not want to imprint his drawing style on the Persona series, and also wanted Soejima to gain experience.^[129] Soejima felt a degree of pressure when he was given his new role, as the series had accumulated a substantial following during Kaneko's tenure.^[126] In a later interview, Soejima said that although he respected and admired Kaneko, he never consciously imitated the latter's work, and eventually settled into the role of pleasing the fans of the Persona series, approaching character designs with the idea of creating something new rather than referring back to Kaneko's work.^[72] For his character designs, Soejima uses real people he has met or seen, looking at what their appearance says about their personality. If his designs come too close to the people he has seen, he does a rough sketch while keeping the personality of the person in mind.^[130] For his work on Persona Q, his first time working with a deformed Chibi style due to its links with the Etrian Odyssey series, Soejima took into account what fans felt about the characters. A crucial part of his design technique was looking at what made a character stand out, then adjusting those features so they remained recognizable even with the redesign.^[130][132]

Starting with Persona 3, each Persona game has been defined by a different aesthetic and key color. It is one of the first artistic decisions made by the team: Persona 3 has a dark atmosphere and serious characters, so the primary color was chosen as blue to reflect these and the urban setting. In contrast, Persona 4 has a lighter tone and characters but also sports a murder-mystery plot, so the color yellow was chosen to represent both the lighter tones and to evoke a "warning" signal.^[130] According to Soejima, blue was the "color of adolescence", and yellow was the "color of happiness".^[72] For Persona 5, the color chosen was red, to convey a harsh feeling in contrast to the previous Persona games and tie in with the game's story themes. Its art style was described as a natural evolution from where Persona 4 left off.^[104][133]

Music[edit]

The music of the Persona series has been handled by multiple composers. The one most associated with the series is Shoji Meguro, who began working on Persona shortly after he joined Atlus in 1995. His very first composition for the game was "Aria of the Soul", the theme for the velvet room that became a recurring track throughout the series.^{[134][135][136]} During his initial work on the series, Meguro felt restricted by the limited storage space of the PlayStation's disc system, and so when he began composing for Persona 3, which allowed for sound streaming due to increased hardware capacity, he was able to fully express his musical style. His main worry for his music in Persona 3 and 4 was the singers' pronunciation of the English lyrics.^[72] He was unable to work on the Persona 2 games as he was tied up with other projects, including Maken X.^[137] Meguro also served as the lead composer in Persona 5, using elements of acid jazz and the game's themes for inspiration to achieve the right mood.^[138] The music for Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment was handled by Toshiko Tasaki, Kenichi Tsuchiya, and Masaki Kurokawa. Tsuchiya had originally done minor work on Persona, and found composing for the games a strenuous experience.^{[139][140][141]} Spin-offs, such as the Persona Q and Dancing subseries, are usually handled by other Atlus composers such as Atsushi Kitajoh, Toshiki Konishi, and Ryota Kozuka.^[142]

Release[edit]

The series consists of thirteen games, not counting re-releases and mobile games.^[1]Persona was the first role-playing entry in the Megami Tensei franchise to be released outside of Japan, as previous entries had been considered ineligible due to possibly controversial content. As examples of this content were in a milder form for Persona, the restrictions did not apply.^[143][144] According to Atlus, Persona and its sequel were to test player reactions to the Megami Tensei series outside of Japan.^[119] The greater majority of Persona games were either first released on or exclusive to PlayStation platforms. This trend was broken with the release of Persona Q for the 3DS in 2014.^[145] All the Persona games have been published by Atlus in Japan and North America.^[119] An exception in Japan was the Windows port of Persona, which was published by ASCII Corporation.^[3] After 2016, due to Atlus USA's merger with Sega of America, Sega took over North American publishing duties, although the Atlus brand remained intact.^[146]

Due to the company not having a European branch, Atlus has generally given publishing duties to other third-party publishers with branches in Europe. This frequently results in a gap between North American and European release dates ranging from a few months to a year or more.^{[42][147][148]} For Persona 3, Atlus gave publishing duties to Koei.^[21] For Persona 4, European publishing was handled by Square Enix.^[149]Persona 4 Arena was originally published in Europe by Zen United after a long delay, but the digital rights were eventually returned to Atlus, resulting in the game being removed from PSN.^[147] Atlus ended up re-publishing the digital PlayStation version in Europe.^[150] They had previously digitally published the PSP port of Persona in Europe and Australia.^[6]Arena Ultimax was published in Europe by Sega, who had recently purchased Atlus' parent company. It was speculated that this could lead to a new trend that would shorten the release gap between North America and Europe.^[42] A regular publishing partner was Ghostlight, whose relations with Atlus went back to the European release of Nocturne.^[151][152] A more recent partner was NIS America, which published Persona 4 Golden, Persona Q, and Dancing All Night.^{[47][153][154]} Atlus' partnership with NIS America ended in 2016, with NIS America citing difficulties with the company since its acquisition by Sega as reasons for the split. As part of their statement, NIS America said that Atlus had become "very picky" about European partners, selecting those which could offer the highest minimal sales guarantee on their products.^[155] Sega of America and Atlus USA eventually entered into a partnership with European publishing company Deep Silver to publish multiple games in the region, including Persona 5.^[156]

Localization[edit]

The localizations for the Persona series are generally handled by translator Yu Namba of Atlus USA, who also handles localization for multiple other Megami Tensei games.^[84][157] Another prominent staff member was Nich Maragos, who worked with Namba on multiple Persona games until moving to Nintendo of America prior to 2015.^[157][158] The localization of Persona was handled by a small team, which put a lot of pressure on them as they needed to adjust the game for Western audiences: the changes implemented included altering names, changing the appearance of characters, and removing numerous cultural references. An entire alternate main quest was also removed.^{[143][157][159]} After Persona, it was decided that future Persona games should be as faithful as possible to their original releases.^[157] Namba's first localization project for the series was Eternal Punishment.^[160] For the release of Innocent Sin, there was a debate over whether to release it, as it contained potentially controversial content including allusions to Nazism.^[157] In the end, due to staff and resource shortages, Innocent Sin was passed over for localization in favor of its sequel Eternal Punishment.^[143] Later, when the company developed the PSP ports, the team released the ports of Persona and Innocent Sin overseas so fans attracted by Persona 3 and 4 would be able to easily catch up with the rest of the series. The localization for Persona was completely redone, reverting all the previous altered content and restoring all previously cut content.^{[143][159][161]} The port of Eternal Punishment was not localized due to "unusual circumstances", so the company released the original version on PSN instead.^[18]

For the localizations of Persona 3 and 4, the team incorporated as much of the original content as possible, such as using Japanese honorifics and keeping the game's currency as yen rather than changing it. As a general rule, they incorporate cultural elements from the original versions unless they would not be understood by the player, such as with certain jokes.^[84] Nevertheless, some changes had to be made. In one instance, the character Mitsuru Kirijo was originally an English speaker, but her second language for the localized version was changed to French due to her cultured appearance. School tests also needed to be changed due to similar language-based issues.^[157] The Social Links were originally called "Community",^{[Jp. 13]} but this was changed as the word "Community" had a very specific meaning in English. The new name was inspired by the way the character Igor made reference to the concept using words such as "society" and "bonds".^[162] Some in-game Easter egg references were also changed: in Persona 3 references to the larger Megami Tensei series by a character in an in-game MMORPG were changed to reference earlier Persona games, while mentions of a fictional detective in Persona 4 were altered to reference the Kuzunoha family from Eternal Punishment and the Devil Summoner series.^[162] Character names have also needed adjustment, such as the stage name of Persona 4 character Rise Kujikawa, and the way characters referred to each other was adjusted to appeal more to a western audience.^[162][163]Persona 5 was also localized in this fashion.^[160]

The localized English names of games have also been altered. The banner title for Persona was changed from Megami Ibunroku to Revelations, principally because the team thought the latter name sounded "cool". The Revelations title was removed for Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment. After the successful release of Nocturne, the "Shin Megami Tensei" moniker was added to the series title to help with Western marketing.^[143] This has not been the case for some games: Persona 4 Arena's original title, Persona 4: The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena, was shortened as it sounded "awkward", and the "Shin Megami Tensei" moniker was dropped as it would have made the title too long, which has been applied to every game in the series since.^[28][162] The same change was made for Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal, with the team dropping "The" that was in the Japanese title because it would have sounded "odd" in English-speaking regions.^[162]

Reception[edit]

As of July 2020, the series has sold over 13 million copies worldwide.^[175] The first Persona was referred to at the time as a sleeper hit, and the success of it and Eternal Punishment helped establish both Atlus and Megami Tensei in North America. In Europe, the series did not become established prior to the release of Persona 3 and 4, both of which were highly successful in the region.^{[143][145][176]} According to Atlus CEO Naoto Hiraoka, the main turning point for the franchise was the release of Persona 3, which was a commercial success and brought the series to the attention of the mainstream gaming community. Persona 4 received an even better reception. The Persona series' success has allowed Atlus to build a strong player base outside of Japan, contributing to the success of other games such as Catherine.^[145][c]

The Persona series has been referred to as the most popular spin-off from the Megami Tensei

Originally released in Japan in 2016, Persona 5earned itself a place as one of the best JRPGs of the last decade and for many gamers, it is one of the greatest in the genre. The Personaseries is a spin-off from the mothership Shin Megami Tensei series. While it maintains many of the same themes from the mainline series, the Persona games implement visual novel and dating sim mechanics.

Despite being a spin-off series the Persona series has become Atlus’ best selling and most mainstream JRPG series. The SMT series is often associated with its difficulty which can be off-putting for many gamers. Though the Persona games are still challenging in their own right, they are far more accessible.

RELATED: 10 Things Fans Didn't Know Behind The Development Of The Persona Series

Persona 5's successhas lead to the release of an expanded version of the game called Persona 5 Royal. The new version functions as something of a director’s cut with its additional story and gameplay mechanics. However, as great as Persona 5 Royal is, the game does come to an end so we’ve put together a list of games that fans may want to try if the loved P5R.

Updated by Michael Connor Smith on August 23rd, 2020: It's truly remarkable how Persona 5 singlehandedly brought JRPGs into the limelight atop the charts with other more popular game genres and became a worldwide phenomenon upon its release. As was done with Persona 3 and 4 before it, Atlus gave Persona 5 its second shot of glory with the updated version, Persona 5 Royal, adding new characters, story and gameplay changes, and graphical enhancements.

We've updated this list to include five additional games of varying RPG genres that have the same high points that make Persona 5 as wildly popular as it is. Since Persona 5 and Royal acted as such a great starting point for those looking to get into RPGs, giving those players as many game suggestions as possible is our main goal.

15 Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth

The sequel to the original Persona Q, the mix of Etrian Odyssey inspired dungeon crawling with Persona's style and characters brings in the fan-favorite cast from Persona 5 to allow characters from 3, 4, and 5 to fight alongside each other and share an absolute ton of cute dialog.

If you really felt a genuine bond forming with the P5 cast during your playthrough, there's no surprise that Persona Q2 will be right up your alley. The gameplay can differ pretty heavily from the Persona that you're used to, however, so make sure to do a bit of research before diving in.

14 Persona 3 and 4

It should go without saying that if gamers loved Persona 5 Royal and they haven’t played its predecessors then their first port of call should be the nearest gaming retailer to find copies of Persona 3 and Persona 4. Just like Persona 5 Royal, both titles have an extended version called Persona 3 FES, P3P, and Persona 4 Golden.

Originally released worldwide on the PlayStation 2 in 2007 and 2009 respectively by the time they made it to European territories Persona 3 and Persona 4 follow the same themes as P5R. Both entries in the series take place in modern-day high schools where relationship building and character development play a vital role.

13 Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

Now that both Shin Megami Tensei V and Nocturne are both slated to release for the Switch in 2021, mainline SMT is more popular than it's been in quite a while, and there's no better time to jump in than the present.

What separates Digital Devil Saga from games like SMT IV or Nocturne is its greater focus on a character-driven narrative, which will allow Persona fans to feel right at home. DDS has a tight-knit cast of memorable characters, challenging and rewarding gameplay, and a sequel to flesh out its fantastically interesting story.

12 Danganronpa

Danganronpa and Persona are often mentioned in the same conversation on the internet as they do share a lot of similarities. This high school murder-mystery will definitely be enjoyed for those who got more out of Persona's slice-of-life side rather than its turn-based, demon-collecting combat.

The Danganronpa series are hefty visual novels that span quite a few games, meaning that there's a ton of content here to be enjoyed if this style of game is your cup of tea. Just be warned of how addictive these games can be, and the countless hours that they'll take off of your life.

11 Tokyo Xanadu

First released in 2015 for the PlayStation Vita, Tokyo Xanadu was later ported in an enhanced expanded version for the PlayStation 4 in 2017 called Tokyo Xanadu eX+. It was developed by Nihon Falcom the creators of the Ys and The Legend of Heroes series.

RELATED: 10 Best RPGs Set In The Modern Day, According To Metacritic

While Tokyo Xanadu doesn’t have the depth or the character relationship mechanics of a Persona game it does have an engaging story set in around modern-day Tokyo high school with interdimensional dungeons to explore. In addition, the game is split into chapters that do a great job of giving each character their chance to shine.

10 Final Fantasy XV

Looking for something a little more fast-paced that still retains the feel of forming unbreakable bonds with your party members? Final Fantasy XV is quite different when compared to any other game in the long-running franchise, straying away from turn-based combat and focusing on being a full-on action RPG.

FFXV's main cast of four is rather slim when compared to Persona 5's eleven main party members, but your road trip across Eos with Prompto, Gladio, and Ignis creates an unreal amount of bro-chemistry that's almost too heartwarming to be true.

9 Xenoblade Chronicles

First released on the Nintendo Wii in 2012 and then the New Nintendo 3DS in 2015, Xenoblade Chronicles is one of the best Japanese RPGs of the last decade. It developed by Monolith Soft, a studio comprised of the same member that created Xenogears for Square-Enix and the Xenosaga Trilogy for Bandai Namco.

Xenoblade Chronicles is an epic open-world RPG with a gripping story and a great turn-based combat system. Furthermore, there’s a bonding system in Xenoblade built around boosting the protagonist’s affinity with the other party members.It’s a system that fans of Persona should feel right at home with. Those looking to dive into Xenoblade Chronicles, however, should wait until the release of Xenoblade Chronicles: The Definitive Edition due in May 2020.

8 Etrian Odyssey

If you're the type of maniac that loads up a new Persona 5 Royal save file and turns the difficulty up to its highest setting, then Etrian Odyssey will definitely give you what you're looking for. If you've played Persona Q, you'll know exactly what to expect in terms of gameplay feel.

Etrian Odyssey is peculiar in the fact that most of its games allow you the choice of either creating your very own party members or playing through a story with a set cast. This flexibility may come as a refreshing change of pace for Persona fans that spend tens and hundreds of hours with the same characters.

7 Bully

Developed by Rockstar the studio behind the Grand Theft Autoseries, Bully is an action-adventure game set in a high school and its fictional town Bullworth. While it’s not an RPG like the Persona series those that enjoyed the social interactions around a school environment will find a lot to enjoy in Bully.

The game was first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006 and was remastered for the Xbox 360 in 2008. Just like the GTA series, Rockstar’s Bully was also the recipient of a great deal of controversy upon its release due to the game’s satirical nature being misunderstood by the media. Bully was actually a coming of age story about social hierarchy, cliques, relationships, and the general struggles of growing up.

6 Yakuza 0

First released in 2015 for the PlayStation 4 Yakuza 0 was later released on Xbox One and PC in 2020. It’s an open-world action-RPG that places the player in the shoes of a young Yakuza named Kiryu Kazama and his long time rival Goro Majima.

While the game doesn’t have much in common with the Persona series in terms of combat or a high school setting, fans will definitely enjoy the contemporary setting of a 1980s Tokyo. Furthermore, Yakuza 0 features friendship sub-stories where the protagonists are building relationships with several NPCs throughout the city. Where Yakuza 0 shines, however, is its flawless character development and mature storylines this theme continues throughout the entire series. Being a prequel, Yakuza 0 is the perfect starting point.

5 Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore

First released on the Nintendo Wii U in 2015, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is a crossover JRPG between Shin Megami Tensei and the Fire Emblem series. It wasdeveloped by Atlus so the game shares a lot of similarities to the Persona series in terms of its themes and modern-day Tokyo locations to explore.

The narrative isn’t quite as dark or as complex as the Persona series and it can be quite predictable as a whole. However, the side stories and interactions with other party members and the Fire Emblem characters who appear in the form of Mirages are very Persona-like in their gameplay mechanics. An enhanced remaster for the Nintendo Switch called Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Encore was released in early 2020.

4 Attack On Titan 2: Final Battle

Attack on Titan 2 was released on the PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PC, and the Xbox One in 2018, and released on the Google Stadia platform in 2019. It’s action RPG developed by Omega Force based on the Attack on Titananime and manga series.

RELATED: 10 Great Anime Games No One Talks About

It’s expansion Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle was released in 2019 and the physical disc version adapts all three seasons of the series. AoT2 is a fast action game where just like the series it is based on the player has to take down gigantic titans that feed on humans. While that’s the departure from Atlus’ series, the relationship and friendship building mechanics in the game will definitely appeal to Persona fans.

3 Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalpyse

Released in 2016 on the Nintendo 3DS, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse is an alternate version of the fourth entry in the mainline series. For the developers Atlus, Apocalypse seems like another chance for them to rectify many of the original game’s issues and is a much better game.

Despite having some connections to the original, Apocalypse is designed so that newer players can jump right into it. It’s not as narratively driven as the Persona series as the gameplay, demon hunting, and world-building take precedence. However, the writing, story, and character development is superb and Persona fans should still feel at home with the mechanics.

2 Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Released in 2019, Fire Emblem: Three Housesis a Nintendo Switch exclusive. It’s tactical RPG developed by Intelligent Systems who also created the highly regarded Advance Wars strategy series. Interestingly Three Houses was co-developed by Koei Tecmo who also worked on Fire Emblem Warriors and Attack on Titan 2 which was included on this list.

RELATED: Fire Emblem Three Houses: The 10 Most Useful Gifts (& Where To Find Them)

In addition to the strategic combat, Three Houses place a significant emphasis on socializing with other characters between missions, developing relationships, and building bonds that directly affect a character's actions on the battlefield.

1 The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel Series

First released for the PlayStation 3 and the Vita in 2015, The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel was the beginning of a new trilogy in the Trails arc. It was eventually released in 2019 for the PlayStation 4 along with its sequel Trails of Cold Steel II. The third game was released in the west in 2020.

The player is cast as a new student called Rean Swcharzer at an elite military academy. Similarly to the Persona series much of the player’s time will be tasked with building relationships which in turn unlocks new abilities in combat. The world-building and character development in the trails series on another level compared to most games. It would also be worth seeking out the Trails in the Sky trilogy too due to their deep narrative connections.

NEXT: The 10 Best Video Game Sequels Of The Decade (According To Metacritic)

The Arcana, high schoolers who can summon 'demons' and social links. These are but a few things that describe the Persona series. A spin-off of the Megami Tensei series, in the Persona games players can summon beings that are the manifestation of their psyche.

There are six main games, with Persona 5 as the newest. The Persona series has become pretty popular due to its characters, the stories in each game, its gameplay mechanics and more.

While there are plenty of games in the series to keep you busy, these 10 games are great alternatives to play if you enjoy the Persona series.

Updated February 27th, 2020 by Lacey Womack: The Persona series is one that has been popular ever since it started, but Persona 5 Royal being released worldwide in March definitely has more eyes on the franchise than usual. But, even after completing Persona 5 Royal, it's easy to be left wanting more of the action and adventure that these RPGs give us. Luckily, there are a ton of them out there. We've come back and added five more amazing games to play if you're a fan of the Persona games.

15 Xenoblade Chronicles Series

Tetsuya Takahashi is a game developer that has become known for his work on a variety of different fantasy role-playing games over the years, including classics like Final Fantasy V, Chrono Trigger, and the Xenoblade Chronicles series.

The Xenoblade Chronicles series started in 2010 and most recently released Xenoblade Chronicles 2 on the Nintendo Switch in 2017. This game is a fairly open-world one, but it has a really story-driven series in which the player joins Pyra to search for Elysium, a fabled paradise from ancient myths and legends.

14 Catherine

Although most of the games on this list are RPG-style games like the Persona series, there are a lot of genres of games out there. While fans of the Persona series may be drawn to similar RPGs, there are also games in other genres that can also appeal to fans of turn-based RPGs.

Catherine is a puzzle game that was released in 2011. This game follows a man named Vincent. It's divided between daytime segments in which Vincent is having some issues in his personal life and the unusual puzzles that appear in his nightmares. The unique puzzles and interesting storyline will definitely appeal to Persona fans, even though this game is a relatively different genre.

13 The Banner Saga

The Banner Saga is a tactical role-playing game that was originally released in 2014. The game has a massive variety of different characters that can be played and is set in a Viking society. The game is unique because of the fact that the choices the player makes changing the entire course of the storyline, giving it a lot of replay-ability.

This game has a heavy focus on battles and the outcome of these battles can change the outcome of the story and the way that your character interacts with the rest of the world. If a fun RPG with a unique battle system is what you're after once you're done playing Persona, this game is one to check out!

12 Bravely Default

Bravely Default is a role-playing game that was released in 2012 on the Nintendo 3DS. This RPG is similar to a lot of other classic RPGs in that it has a turn-based combat system and a job system, so fans of that style of game will definitely feel right at home during their playthrough of Bravely Default.

This game was initially in development as a sequel to Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light before being developed into a game of its own. The game is set in a world called Luxendarc where the Crystal Orthodoxy keep the balance of the Earth in order through protecting sacred elemental crystals.

11 I Am Setsuna

I am Setsuna is an action-RPG that was released in 2016. The game takes heavy inspiration from classic JRPGs and anyone who has been a longtime fan of the franchise will definitely enjoy the art style and different gameplay elements at work in this game.

The game follows a woman named Setsuna who finds her homeland, her people, and her self in great danger after hostile demons descend on the area. It's up to Setsuna to muster up all the bravery within herself in order to make a great sacrifice to save her people.

10 Octopath Traveler

Octopath Traveler is an "HD-2D" RPG for the Switch. Players have the option of choosing eight different paths, each one following a specific character and their personal quest. Players can choose to play the game as just one character or join all eight in a party.

Octopath Traveler shares a similar gameplay mechanic to the games in the Persona series. Both feature turn-based battles and require players to figure out enemy weaknesses. In both games finding an enemy's weakness breaks their defense and can force them into a stunned or "downed" state, which makes them take more damage.

9 Final Fantasy XV

Final Fantasy XV is set in the fictional world of Eos, which is mostly controlled by the empire of Niflheim. Players take control of the prince of Lucis, Noctis, who ends up having to retrieve a powerful magical item called the Cyrstal from Niflheim after it was stolen from Lucis.

Both series emphasize the bond the protagonist shares with their friends and the strength of their friendship. In the Persona series it's shown through strengthening social links and in Final Fantasy XV it's shown by having Noctis explore his friendship with Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis.

8 Tales Of Berseria

Tales of Berseria is one of the many games in the Tales series. Players take on the role of Velvet who seeks revenge for the death of her younger brother.

The world of Berseria is inhabited by dangerous creators called Daemons, which Velvet becomes one of after her arm was possessed by the Daemonblight.

RELATED: The 10 Best Games In The Tales Series

The way Daemons manifest in the world is similar to the way they do in the Persona, specifically Persona 3. Shadows are born from human emotions, generally negative ones. And the Daemonblight that creates Daemons is caused by the collective negative emotions of humanity.

7 Dragon Quest XI

Dragon Quest XI is the latest game in the Dragon Quest main series. The game is set in the fictional world of Erdrea.

The protagonist learns the truth about who he is after a strange glowing mark appears on his hand and lets him summon lightning. On his journey to discover the truth he comes across others who join him, and the group sets out to defeat evil.

RELATED: 10 Facts Casual Fans Never Knew About Dragon Quest

It has a similar battle style to the Persona series, using turn-based battles. And just like in the Persona series, players can swap different party members out of the active group.

6 Ys Memories Of Celceta

Ys: Memories of Celceta is an action roleplaying game that was originally made for the PSVita. It is considered to be the third canon game of Ys IV and features the same protagonist of the other Ys games, Adol Christin.

Taking place between Ys II and The Oath of Felghana, Adol arrives in a town with amnesia. As the game progresses he meets up with varies people who claim to know him.

It's similar to the Persona series in that items characters wear and their weapons can be crafted using materials earned in battle, which also affects their stats.

5 Shenmue Series

Shenmue follows Ryo Hazuki, a teenage martial artist from Japan. Ryo embarks on a journey of revenge against the man who killed his father. He also wants to figure out the mystery behind a phoenix mirror that his father had hidden away.

RELATED: 10 Secrets Behind The Making Of Shenmu

Both the Shenmu games and the Persona series have open persistent worlds, more specifically Persona 4 and 5. Outside of combat and the story, players can explore the world the protagonist lives in. Every character has their own routine and things work according to the in-game clock. Both series put a lot of detail into daily activities.

4 Fire Emblem: Three Houses

In Fire Emblem: Three Houses players can take on the role of either a female or male Blythe and become a professor to students of the Garreg Mach. The game eventually fast-forwards five years later as the world is plunged into war.

RELATED: Fire Emblem Three Houses: The 10 Best Waifus And Husbandos, Ranked

Both Three Houses and the games in the Persona series take place in an academic setting, although instead of being another student, players are the teacher. Both game series also encourage players to develop relationships with the characters. You can even romance certain ones is they acquire an S-rank Support or max out their social link.

3 The World Ends With You

This game is set in the fictional Shibuya, where the chosen dead participate in an event called the Reapers' Game. The winner earns the right to be brought back to life or to ascend to a higher spiritual existence. The game follows Neku as he takes part in the games and tries to recover his memories of how he died.

Both The World Ends With You and the games in the Persona series feature protagonists who start off as asocial but through the people they meet and the bonds they establish they grow into more sociable human beings.

2 Tokyo Xanadu

The game was made by the same developer of The Legend of Heroes and the Ys series and is another action RPG. It takes place in an alternate reality of Tokyo, where a devastating earthquake has rocked the city.

Taking place ten years after that event, the game follows a high school student named Kou who finds himself sucked into a nightmare realm called Eclipse, where he joins the group Nemesis.

It has a similar plot of the Persona series, with highschoolers battling through monster-filled dungeons. There are also events similar to social links called bonding events.

1 Tokyo Mirage Session FE

It probably isn't a surprise that Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE is on this list. After all, it's an actual crossover game between Atlus and Nintendo that combines elements of the Shin Megami Tensei and Fire Emblem series.

Set in modern-day Tokyo a group of teenagers fight against evil beings called Mirages, that seek to steal people's energy known as "Performa". The group works with good Mirages and work under the cover of a talent agency, working as idols and other performers.

The battle system is pretty much set up exactly like the one in the Persona games.

NEXT: 10 Things Atlus Cut Out Of The Persona Series That Will Have You Asking Why

Ericka Blye (139 Articles Published)

Ericka Blye is a 29-year-old writer and gamer. She enjoys playing casual mobile games and deep-in-depth console games. A writer for Valnet for a little over a year, she enjoys writing about her favorite games. Currently playing The Sims 4 Discover University, Untitled Goose Game, and Monster Prom, and is slowly getting into D&D.

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