Persona (universe): Difference between revisions

|originconsole = PlayStation

|firstinstallment = ''{{iw|wikipedia|Revelations: Persona}}'' (1996)

|interwiki = wikipedia

|interwikiname = Wikipedia

==Franchise description==

{{ImageCaption|File:Persona 3 logo.png|File:Persona 4 logo.png|File:Persona 5 logo.png|width1=125px|width2=125px|width3=125px|caption=Logos of ''Persona 3'', ''Persona 4'', and ''Persona 5''.<br>Each main entry in the series uses a uniquely styled logo.}}

Following the positive reception of ''{{iw|wikipedia|Shin Megami Tensei If...}}'' in 1994, a spin-off of the ''Megami Tensei'' series which saw the series' traditional post-apocalyptic setting replaced with a high-school setting, Atlus commissioned an experimental spinoff with a dedicated focus on the inner struggles of young adults. The first game in what would become the long-running franchise, ''{{iw|wikipedia|Revelations: Persona}}'', was released in 1996. Departing from the traditional first-person gameplay and post-apocalyptic setting of its parent series, ''Persona'' games take place in a modern metropolis and focus on a party of high school students, each wielding the power of "Personas". Personas are described as "masks to wear through everyday life", and bestow the user with a guardian entity which takes the form of a mythological figure and is capable of magic and other supernatural abilities. The games take heavy symbolism from {{iw|wikipedia|Jungian psychology}}, as well as the {{iw|wikipedia|tarot}} cards. Each game takes place in a separate locale and makes few direct references to its predecessor; key characters such as Tamaki from ''Shin Megami Tensei If...'' appear in ''Revelations'', ''{{iw|wikipedia|Persona 2: Innocent Sin}}'', and its sequel ''{{iw|wikipedia|Persona 2: Eternal Punishment}}'', and the Kuzunoha Detective Agency from another spin-off series of ''Shin Megami Tensei'', ''{{iw|wikipedia|Devil Summoner}}'', though various Personas recur from game to game, as does the series' mainstay location "The Velvet Room" and its mysterious master Igor. Inevitably, the protagonists end up confronting the supernatural being responsible for the game's central conflict, and defeat them in combat in order to resolve it. Starting with ''{{iw|wikipedia|Persona 3}}'', the series placed additional emphasis on "Social Links", a visual novel-like system where the player character converses with various NPCs, including their party members, and forges bonds by helping them through their struggles and fulfill their individual character arcs. In turn, the strengthened bonds of the Social Links grant the main character additional perks, such as new Personas to wield or added inventory to shops.

The original scenario for the game was to emulate a backpacking journey around the world with a storyline that diverged from the established paths of ''Persona 3'' and ''Persona 4'', with "self-discovery" and "journey", being its keywords. However, just as the team began solidifying this direction, the catastrophic {{iw|wikipedia|2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami}} struck Japan. The aftermath of the disaster deeply affected director Katsura Hashino, who then decided to refocus the game's scenario on Japan. More specifically, it has been noted that the Japanese government's actions in response to the earthquake and tsunami's fallout, along with Japanese citizens' reactions to how the government acted during that time, may have served as partial influences on the game's themes. From that point on, the scenario would instead focus on the "freedom and how the characters attain it", as Hashino put it, through the lens of the Japanese. To achieve this, the scenario adopted a more picaresque tone where the main characters were lovable misfits and rebelled against the conventions of society armed only with their wits. This became the basis for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts and "Social Links" were renamed to "Confidants". The party's starting Personas also reflect this change, as most of them are named after famous outlaws and criminals such as Arsène Lupin, Zorro, William Kidd, Carmen, and Pope Joan. The choice for the more stylistic user interface for ''Persona 5'' came from the picaresque direction to reflect the rebellious nature of the Phantom Thieves. This did not come easy, as the team had to continuously test and adjust the UI until it achieved a good balance between style and clarity. Many critics and fans took note of and praised this UI, saying it complemented the themes of rebellion well and calling the game "effortlessly stylish" because of it.

Throughout the series' history, few spin-off titles appeared for it, with different game genres deviating from the role-playing game genre.

* Also starting as a spin-off of ''Persona 4'', the ''[[wikipedia:Persona 4: Dancing All Night|Dancing]]'' series of rhythm game began in 2015. Characters from ''Persona 5'' and ''Persona 3'' also appear in their respective ''Dancing'' titles later in 2018.

* ''Persona 5 Strikers'' is a hack-and-slash game developed by ω-Force, the primary developers of the ''[[Warriors]]'' franchise, and [[Koei Tecmo]] and released in 2020.

==In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]''==

===''{{iw|wikipedia|Shin Megami Tensei|video game}}''===

*Playable characters:

===''{{iw|wikipedia|Revelations: Persona}}''===

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}} Joker's Purple costume represents this game's thematic color.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}} [[Eiha]] first appeared in this game.

*Spirits:

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}} [https://megatenwiki.com/wiki/Igor Igor], a recurring character in the series since the first installment, appears as a spirit.

*Music:

===''{{iw|wikipedia|Persona 3}}''===

*Playable characters:

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}} Joker's Blue costume represents this game's thematic color.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}} The [[All-Out Attack]], which serves as Joker's Final Smash, debuted in this game.

**{{gameIcon|SSBU}} The [[Protagonist (Persona 3)|protagonist]] from this game appears as a costume for the {{SSBU|Mii Swordfighter}}.