A brand new Persona themed cookbook is heading to the United States. Persona: The Official Cookbook will bring recipes to make famous meals from the Persona games in readers' own kitchens on September 23, 2025. It will cost $27.99 for the hardcover and $10 for the Kindle version.

It will contain 55 recipes for fans to try out. This will include recipes for everything from the Master Curry and Coffee from Leblanc in Persona 5, to Persona 4's Rainy Day Mega Beef Bowl Challenge. As of now, the full list of recipes is unknown but the description for the cookbook mentions that options like Chies's fsteak skewers and the Mystery Food X will be on the table.

The cookbook is written by Jarrett Melendez, who, in addition to writing numerous themed cookbooks for series like Pokémon, Runescape, and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, has also been a contributor to Bon Appetit and other food-centric online publications.

The Persona series is no stranger to food related collaborations. In September 2024, a special craft cola called "Sea of Souls" inspired by Persona 3: Reload was released. In addition, a Lucrea figure based on Persona 5 Royal's pancake-loving detective Goro Akechi will once again be available to purchase in August 2025.

Persona: the Official Cookbook will be available on September 23, 2025.

The post Persona: The Official Cookbook Brings Recipes from 3, 4, and 5 appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus has released banger after banger the last couple of years, and 2024, in particular, was an incredible year for the studio. New, definitive versions of existing games, remakes of older titles, and even some brand new experimentation with new series. As we look forward to 2025, though, it is now time for Atlus to release Persona 6.

To start, let’s take a look back at the studio behind Persona 5 and its Royal version, P-Studio. This is the studio designated to make your favorite Persona games. While many of the creators from the original mainline game went on to make Metaphor: ReFantazio, P-Studio still exists as the future of this particular series.

P-Studio’s last work, at the time of writing, was Persona 3 Reload in February 2024 and the last new game before that was Persona 5 Tactica in November 2023. The problem with these two games is the former is a remake of an existing title, while the latter was a smaller spin-off. P-Studio has always shown it is able to make these types of games in between the larger titles without affecting them too much.

Before those two games, it was Persona 5 Royal as the main game P-Studio worked on, which came out in 2019 in Japan and 2020 worldwide. The development team there has been working on pretty much spin-offs, remakes, and re-releases since the original release of P5 in 2016. That certainly sounds like plenty of time to work on a more significant new title amidst all of these.

Even if, for instance, P-Studio didn’t start working on Persona 6 until after Royal, that would be going on six years in 2025 of full-time development. While we have waited much longer than that in the past between mainline releases, the previous title laid the groundwork visually for what Persona 6 can offer. The same can even be said for Metaphor and SMTV in some ways.

As such, six years to come out with Persona 6 seems like a pretty reasonable timeframe. If nothing else, it seems likely to expect an announcement of the game with a formal release date sometime in the next year. The question then remains whether or not we also see it release in the same year of 2025. This is possible, but most likely in the latter half of the year.

The benefit of this, though, would be the ability for the new release to learn from past releases. For instance, it could release simultaneously worldwide for multiple platforms. I want to see Persona 6 come out for Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC at the same time. In addition, I want it to take some of the ideas from past games like Metaphor.

For instance, I love how the Bonds system works in that 2024 JRPG. They are much shorter, sweeter, and to the point. They have eight stages to each relationship, rather than the usual 10. Better yet, there is no weird unnecessary mechanic like reversing relationships or needing to waste time to hang out with someone just to reach the next level on the next hangout.

This is exactly how the social links or Confidants in the mainline entry should work. Let go of the fluff and let players just focus on the relationship with the various characters. Beyond social links, I also hope to see a male and female protagonist. It is high time for this feature. Sure, it does take a lot of work, but it is worth it. If this means both protagonists are able to romance every option, so be it. Otherwise, specific dialogues and events will be necessary for both sides.

Then there is the combat side of Persona 6. I adore how Metaphor allows players to enjoy both action and turn-based combat. You can mash away and defeat some enemies without ever transitioning to a combat screen. This is such a great hybrid system and we need an expansion of that. Allow players to fully take on all normal, non-boss enemies this way. There should be a dodge, block, and Persona skills you can use.

Finally, there needs some serious work on the pacing and story. What really annoys me about the recent Atlus games is how awkward the storytelling can be at times. For instance, Persona 5’s best story arcs are the very first one and the very last one in Royal. It is a similar situation for Metaphor, too. The beginning of that story up through the Martira Arc is the most compelling part.

It is time for the stories to be engaging from start to finish. And it is certainly time for the new definitive versions like Royal to go away for good. I am all for DLC like Episode Aigis that expands the existing game. But it is downright disrespectful to expect players to play through a 100-hour JRPG a possibly second time with a new version just to see the new content.

2025 feels like the right year for Persona 6. It will have been nine years since the original release of Persona 5 in 2025. Atlus has the chance to shock the world with one of the best JRPGs of all time next year. Let’s just hope that it is announced and released sometime in 2025.

Persona 5 Royal is available right now for Nintendo Switch, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The post The Time Is Right for Persona 6 in 2025 appeared first on Siliconera.

As part of the latest 4Gamer New Year’s interview discussing 2025 plans with various developers, Persona 5 Tactica Director Naoya Maeda and SMT V and SMT V Vengeance Producer Shinjiro Takata teased new unannounced Atlus games. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

When asked what are their plans for the next year 2025, Maeda said that he’s sorry for not being able to give any details about the game he’s currently working on, but that he’s confident that players will enjoy it. Meanwhile, Takata said he hopes to be able to announce a new title as soon as possible.

The developers gave no more details or comments about the unannounced Atlus games. Takata’s body of work within Atlus has mainly focused on the Shin Megami Tensei series, while Maeda is part of P-Studio and has mostly worked on games belonging to the Persona series. With this in mind, the words of both Atlus veterans might be a hint that they are working on separate unannounced SMT and Persona games during 2025.

In addition to the aforementioned titles, Maeda worked as lead designer in Persona 5 and was a designer on the Persona Q series, with Takata acting as the Producer of Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE and working as Director and Producer of the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor sub-series.

In the December 2023 version of the 4Gamer interview, Soul Hackers 2 and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE Director Eiji Ishida teased another unannounced Atlus game. As of writing this, we still don’t know what this game is, or if it is related to the titles that Maeda and Takata are working on.

The post Atlus May Be Teasing SMT and Persona Games in 2025 New Year’s Message appeared first on Siliconera.

During the CEDEC + KYUSHU 2024 conference, Persona series creative producer Kazuhisa Wada explained the reasons behind choosing a male protagonist for the Persona series, as well as why the cast is mostly students. [Thanks, Famitsu!]

During the Q&A section of a talk focused on the past and present of the Persona series, Wada was asked how much freedom he has during the planning stage regarding the main protagonist in each Persona game, as well as what was the reason for deciding to make a cast of mainly students and a male character for the protagonist for the latest entries in the series.

In response, Wada said that games in the Persona series are coming-of-age stories focused on growing up, and the most effective setting for those kinds of stories are of students on the verge of entering adulthood. Wada added that student life is an almost universal common experience and people can easily identify themselves with it.

As for the gender of the protagonist, Wada said that the choice is related to maturity and mental age. For high school students of similar ages, it seems like female students tend to have a higher mental age than male students, Wada continued. To better depict the themes of growth, the developers decided that a male student as the protagonist would fit better. However, Wada insisted that the team doesn't think that adults or women as protagonists aren't a possibility to consider.

The CEDEC + KYUSHU 2024 conference was held on November 23, 2024 and new information about some of the talks by the attending game developers have started to come out. In past years of the event, there have been talks offering details about how character lighting is handled in Xenoblade Chronicles 3 or details about Dark Souls boss arenas.

The post Persona Series Producer Wada Explained Why Protagonists Are Male appeared first on Siliconera.

In a financial report for 2024, Sega reported a new sales milestone for the Persona series, stating that it had sold over 23.5 million copies, both physical and digital, for the entire series. Most of these sales come from Persona 5, which is the best-selling entry in the franchise.

This number comes from the report on what IPs are profitable for Sega. Other series that contribute to its finances include Sonic the Hedgehog, Yakuza (Like A Dragon), Hokuto no Ken, and Phantasy Star Online: New Genesis. The report also mentions that the charm of Persona comes from its unique characters and setting, stylish tracks, and relatable stories. It makes note that media like concerts, anime, and manga bring in fans who might not have played the games.

The report is 50 pages long and you can read it here. Aside from listing sales milestones for its franchises, it goes into internal details on company growth and such. Of the franchises with specific sales data in the report, Persona is the third most profitable franchise in Sega. The Yakuza series has sold over 27.7 million copies. Meanwhile, Sonic has sold 1.77 billion. This number includes both full titles and F2P ones though.

The latest main entry in the Persona series, Persona 5 Royal, is available on the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Windows PC.

The post Persona Series Sales Exceed 23.5 Million Worldwide appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus and Bandai released new wafers packaged with illustrations of Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal characters. People can get the Persona Series Wafers at various stores across Japan with a tax-inclusive price tag of 165 yen (~$1.11).

Each package contains a vanilla cream-flavored wafer, and it will also come with a random Persona illustration card. A total of 30 cards are available in this collection.

The cards will feature 20 character portraits and 8 artworks distributed evenly between Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal. The last two cards in the list will feature each title's protagonist in special foil stamps with a rarer probability of appearing.

The full list of illustration cards obtainable from the wafers is available to view right below, with major characters from each game featured prominently:

Persona 3 and 5 have been two of Atlus' most popular titles, and when other companies hold collaboration campaigns with the franchise, many of them specifically use both titles. Some of the examples include Sega with its online mahjong game MJ and GiGO with its taiyaki and drink stands.

The Persona Series Wafers featuring characters from Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal are now available for purchase in stores across Japan.

The post Persona 3 and 5 Wafers Appeared in Japan appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus is one of the best Japanese publishers and developers today. From Persona to Shin Megami Tensei to even the new Metaphor Re:Fantazio, this is a team that knows how to make and release some of the best JRPGs and Japanese games. But what is the most underrated Atlus game of all time? Here is our staff ’ picks for the games you need to play.

Siliconera Speaks Up: Most Underrated Atlus Game 6e3q6e

I mean, of course Devil Survivor 2: Record Breaker should be brought up here. This spin-off, tactical series is fantastic. But I'm really going to cite Princess Crown. This is a VanillaWare game that is a precursor to games like Odin Sphere and Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and it's just so much fun. There are multiple viewpoints. You see how it influenced more recent releases. It's wonderful. -- Jenni

One of my favorite Atlus games and most underrated series in their catalogue is the Trauma Center games, especially the sequel to the original Nintendo DS game. I fondly the mix of hospital drama visual novel elements with the frantic gameplay and outlandish bioterrorism plots that seemed appropriate for a Resident Evil game. Unfortunately, as an European, I never got to play Trauma Team, which means that Atlus personally owes me for not bringing the game to PAL regions and it now has to develop a new one to make up for it. That's how this works, right? -- Daniel B

In of games that aren’t the obvious choices in the mainline Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series, I have to say that Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology is the most underrated game from Atlus. This JRPG holds a special place in my heart as the first 10/10 I gave a game, of which there aren’t many. The time travel storyline leads to so many unexpected twists and heartbreaking moments. You spend so much time with the cast and come to care for them in a signature Atlus way. What I truly love, though, is how this game feels like Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward — one of my favorite games of all time — in its branching paths structure and a classic Atlus JRPG mashed together into a masterpiece creation. -- Cody

The post What’s the Most Underrated Atlus Game of All Time? appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus is practically a household name in the JRPG genre these days thanks to games like Shin Megami Tensei V, Persona 5, and Metaphor: ReFantazio, but it has been doing its thing for decades. Whether you're a longtime fan looking to revisit old favorites or a new one who wants to see the origins of the publisher, we've got some of the best retro Atlus JRPGs for you to check out.

Shin Megami Tensei 184f4n

While this isn't the first game in Atlus's Megami Tensei franchise, it's one of the most important ones. Initially released on the Super Famicom, Shin Megami Tensei was later ported to many platforms including PlayStation, Game Boy Advance, and even mobile phones. The only official English release was on iOS and is no longer available. It's an interesting game, as you can see the foundation of many of today's Atlus hits.

Revelations: Persona 4j1r59

If you love Persona, this is definitely one of the best retro Atlus JRPGs to play. The Persona series got a massive overhaul with Persona 3, rocketing the series to its current stardom. These earlier games in the series might not be as stylish, but they deliver just as powerful a punch. Persona first released on the PlayStation and is included in the PlayStation Classic mini-console. Atlus also remade it for the PlayStation Portable.

Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers 436v14

The second game in the Devil Summoner series, Soul Hackers is a fantastic slice of 1990s cyberpunk. You play as a member of a hacker group called the Spookies, who must battle against a demonic invasion that threatens the city. The gameplay is similar to the first few games in the Shin Megami Tensei series, with first-person exploration and turn-based battles. What makes Soul Hackers one of the beset retro Atlus JRPGs is in its style, story, and excellent world design. Originally released on the SEGA Saturn, it was eventually ported to the PlayStation and the Nintendo 3DS.

In the wake of Pokémon's massive success, almost every publisher rolled up its own Pokémon-style game. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children was Atlus' take, starting on Game Boy Color with this pair of titles. Atlus released a PlayStation remake, and the series would continue on to the Game Boy Advance. Both versions tell slightly different stories, but either way you're searching for a family member in the world of demons. You'll have to assemble a team of demons to fight on your behalf, naturally.

Revelations: The Demon Slayer v2w1f

One of the earliest in the Shin Megami Tensei series to get localized, Revelations: The Demon Slayer is also one of the most straightforward. This Game Boy Color JRPG differs from others in the franchise, using a fantasy setting. In series tradition, you'll have to recruit demons and fuse them to create stronger ones. As usual, you can count on a lengthy, challenging adventure. Atlus doesn't often dip into the realm of traditional fantasy, so you might want to check out one of its first attempts.

Let us know what your favorite retro ATLUS JRPG is below!

The post The Best Retro Atlus JRPGs appeared first on Siliconera.

Acryl Complex and U Products have revealed "Sea of souls," a new craft cola themed after Atlus' video game Persona 3 Reload. The companies have also opened orders for the cola product on the latter's web store.

As the product title suggests, this craft cola will depict the sea of souls that exists inside the protagonist of Persona 3 Reload. The ingredients used to produce the blue cola are granulated sugar, apple juice, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, butterfly pea, rosemary, black pepper, ginger, table salt, and chili pepper.

A bottle of this craft cola costs 2,980 yen. It will contain 180 ml (~6 oz) of the cola, and its expiry date will be set for a year after production. People who reside outside Japan can also place orders via the WorldShopping widget at around $20.80.

Many companies in Japan have been producing merchandise inspired by Persona 3 Reload, which has been available worldwide on the PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC since February 2024. The companies range from the Japanese branch of the German footwear brand Puma to the local company Statso, which is producing new chibi Onemutan figures. In the meantime, Atlus is working on releasing the Episode Aigis DLC on September 10, 2024.

U Products will start shipping the Persona 3 Reload-themed craft cola "Sea of souls" in early October 2024.

The post Persona 3 Reload Themed Craft Cola Will Appear in October appeared first on Siliconera.

Sega and Atlus have updated their annual Tokyo Game Show website with the TGS 2024 edition. The companies have yet to announce the list of games they will feature at the event. However, they have revealed the list of items that will be available for purchase at their t merchandise booth.

The lineup will include franchises from both companies. Sega is listing items from the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise—including those branded with the title Sonic X Shadow Generations—and the Like a Dragon series which was formerly known as Yakuza. Meanwhile, Atlus will bring in items themed after Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance as well as Persona 3, 4, and 5 titles.

Some of the items in the list are also available for online pre-orders. Amazon Japan will release the items on October 12, 2024, and it can also ship them internationally. However, it only lists items from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog and Like a Dragon series. That means people who are after Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei and Persona merchandise will have to get the items directly from the physical booth at TGS 2024.

Tokyo Game Show 2024 will take place at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on September 26-29, 2024. Sega and Atlus will set up their TGS 2024 merchandise booth at Hall 11.

The post Sega and Atlus Reveal TGS 2024 Merchandise Lineup appeared first on Siliconera.

The Persona series contains some of the best JRPGs of all time. However, even the Persona games can still be ranked accordingly.

When ranking the Persona games, it's important to clarify that we’re considering only the best version of each title. Therefore, remakes or enhanced editions are what we’ll be focusing on. We're also sticking to only main entry titles, so no spinoffs here.

Also, fair warning—there's a notable shift in the series starting with Persona 3. While some fans are nostalgic for the earlier games, I believe the series reached new heights with the later entries. So, if you're a fan of the older style, this list might not entirely align with your preferences.

Persona Ranked from Worst to Best 2i1s2w

6. Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

The PSP remake of the original Persona offers a better English localization and restored content that was missing from the original Western release. While the game introduces some interesting ideas, its age is evident in the gameplay and storytelling. The pacing can be sluggish, and it lacks the polish and depth of later entries. Still, it’s worth playing to see where the series began, but it’s clear that everything that follows improves upon it.

5. Persona 2: Innocent Sin

Innocent Sin improves on almost every aspect of the original Persona. The cast is more developed, and the story is richer and more engaging. However, like its predecessor, it shows its age, especially in of gameplay mechanics. This is also the game that famously features Hitler, which is a major talking point for many. Despite its flaws, it’s a significant step up from the original but still falls short of the series' later masterpieces.

4. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

Unlike Innocent Sin, the PSP remake of Eternal Punishment never made it to the West. Among the early Persona titles, this is undoubtedly the best. The story is exceptional, potentially even suring some of the later games in the series. The cast is phenomenal, and the narrative is gripping from start to finish. However, the game’s age and outdated mechanics hold it back. It’s a gem from the past, but it feels very much like a product of its time.

3. Persona 3 Reload The remake of Persona 3 adds modern polish to a game that was already a turning point for the series. The cast and story are top-notch, with themes that delve into darkness and mortality. The blend of social simulation and dungeon crawling was unique at the time and set the stage for future entries. While it sits right in the middle of this list, it’s a game that deserves every bit of praise it receives for being the bridge between the older and newer Persona games.

2. Persona 5 Royal Here’s where things might get controversial—Persona 5 Royal lands in the number two spot. It undeniably has the best dungeons in the series, the most refined gameplay, and a stylish presentation that’s unmatched. The music, visual design, and the heist-themed story arc are all top-tier. However, while the Phantom Thieves are a great cast, they don’t quite reach the depth of the characters in the top spot on this list. It’s an almost perfect JRPG with endless content to explore, but it just misses out on the top spot.

1. Persona 4 Golden Persona 4 Golden takes the crown as the best Persona game. The cast is unforgettable, with deep character development and relationships that feel incredibly real. The story balances light and dark themes masterfully, and the rural setting gives the game a unique atmosphere that sets it apart from the others. The murder mystery plot keeps you hooked from beginning to end, and the emotional beats hit hard. Persona 4 Golden is where the series truly perfected its formula, making it the best entry in the franchise.

In the end, the Persona series is one of those rare franchises where even the "worst" game is still a good experience. Each entry has its unique strengths, and while they may differ in gameplay style and storytelling approach, they all share a common thread of deep character development, compelling narratives, and unforgettable experiences.

The post What Is The Best Persona Game? appeared first on Siliconera.

With Katsura Hashino’s departure from P-Studio and Kazuhisa Wada becoming the new head of the division, we’re about to enter a new era for the Persona series after Persona 3, 4, and 5 revolutionized it. One of the changes that I hope P-Studio brings to Persona 6 (whenever it comes out) is a playable cast of adult characters, rather than yet another story about teenagers in high school going through high school troubles. Yes, today, we're rehashing that old discourse.

While you can play Persona games as standalone titles, some common themes and motifs (not to mention gameplay elements) tie the series together and give them all a sense of cohesion. Themes of friendship, self-discovery, and growth are present at the heart of most Persona games. Those are basically the ingredients for success in a shonen manga. So it stands to reason that the cast tends to skew young. But after three mainline titles in a row focusing on the teenage experience, adults should get a chance to reach out to the truth of who they really are under the Persona mask.

Adults? In a Persona game? Preposterous! The Persona games are a very uniquely teenager experience! That’s the kind of response some people have given to the idea of a Persona game about adults. But is it truly that strange? Before we continue, I would like to note that “someone 19 or older” is an adult in the context of this entire article. While the Persona series has always had its share of hardcore fans, it didn’t blow up and become the global juggernaut it is today until the success of Persona 3. Previous games in the series, such as Persona 2, have never shied away from playable adult characters. The problem is that the first two games (from Team Maniax) are fundamentally different when it comes to how characters get their Personas. Because of that, it’s hard to do a one-to-one comparison.

Fortunately, the newer entries seem to be experimenting with older playable characters. In Persona 5 Strikers, Zenkichi Hasegawa s the party as Wolf. He is a police inspector who’s probably in his forties or so. This is even more of a spin-off than Strikers was, but in The Phantom X, there’s Kayo Tomiyama, who moonlights as Okyann in the Metaverse. When she’s not serving as the player’s Navigator in battle, she’s a housewife in her mid-forties. To be fair, she looks much younger than her actual age when she’s in the Metaverse.

From what I can see online, there are two main camps to this discourse: those who believe that Persona games cannot be about people older than teenagers, and those who want to play as adults in the next entry. There’s always the chance that Persona 6 will do what Persona 3 did and change the overarching rules for how someone can awaken to a Persona. That would be an interesting thing to see. But even if it doesn't, there's nothing about Persona that inherently tells a teenager story. It's only the framing device of "transfer student" that makes it feel that way.

When thinking of stories that can only work when the characters are a certain age, the first one I think of is Puella Magi Madoka Magica. A lot of the story beats feel like they would be unbelievable if the characters are older. Sayaka is the worst offender of this. Aside from her black-and-white worldview and obsession with justice (very Persona 5 of her), her general naivete about love led to her making a stupid decision with major consequences. Apart from Sayaka, Madoka in Homura’s original timeline decided to become a magical girl to save a cat. These are choices that are only believable when the characters are twelve years old. The narrative focuses on the girl experience.

Now, let’s go back to Persona. None of the major story beats really focus on something that is teenage-specific. There are some interpersonal conflicts that arise from general immaturity—think Junpei’s jealousy early on in Persona 3, Yosuke bringing weapons to the food court in Persona 4, and the Ryuji and Morgana argument in Persona 5. But other than that, the stories aren't as centered on the teenager experience as Madoka Magica was for girls.

Let’s say that Persona 6 doesn’t change anything in how characters can awaken to their Persona. The new method of awakening to your Persona in 4 and 5 is, in simple , to come clean to yourself about your true feelings. It’s a bit naive to think that adults magically figure themselves out as soon as they hit 19 years old. In the case of Futaba, she had to overcome a past trauma before she awakened her Persona. Again, this is not unique to teenagers. In Persona 2, Baofu’s past trauma and guilt are major parts of his narrative arc and characterization. Zenkichi and Kayo prove that the newer versions of Personas can also manifest in adults. So, please, Atlus, give us more!

Without sacrificing realism, there are only so many stories and themes to explore with a teenager. But adults can have such a wealth of experiences, both negative and positive, and complexities just by merit of living a few more years and going through more stuff. Zenkichi was a single, widowed dad who was losing touch with his beloved daughter thanks to his workaholic tendencies. That's so interesting precisely because it was out of the expected norm from Persona.

Something I didn’t consider until discussing this with a friend is how the Persona writers can get away with lots of things when the characters are teenagers and not adults. It’s pretty easy to accept a teenager being self-contradictory. How many teens are there on Twitter who love Black Butler but take offense to “age difference” ships? Like, my friend, you are reading the age difference manga. This is the most obvious in Persona 5, which had one of the messiest stories I've seen from an Atlus game. Despite the narrative framing them as these great heroes, the Phantom Thieves have a very childish and reactionary sense of justice. The game never seems to acknowledge this.

With the exception of Madarame, all of their targets are people others chose for them, or people they need to target because otherwise they’re in danger. Kamoshida is another exception I’m willing to overlook because he’s the first one and the inciting incident. The marketing for the game sold the Phantom Thieves like they’re in control of their own destiny. Yet, never at any point did it feel like they had any real agency over their decisions.

A character making dumb choices does not make for bad writing. Rather, it's the lack of consistency in themes and tone that do. Ryuji repeatedly blowing the Phantom Thieves' cover in public with his loud voice and impulsive personality doesn't mean that the writers are incompetent. It's a character flaw. What was bad was when the Phantom Thieves thought Ryuji died after Shido's Palace. After he reveals himself perfectly alive albeit shaken up, the Phantom Thieves beat him up as a "funny" moment. It felt out of character at best. At worst, it’s insensitive considering Ryuji’s history of physical abuse from his dad and Kamoshida, on top the fact someone did actually die in that Palace. Though you can argue that only Joker's aware of Ryuji's past, the writers could have simply chosen to not include this, or turn it into a more emotional reunion instead.

The game clearly wants us to take Kamoshida's sexual abuse and pedophilia seriously. It opens with an attempted suicide, after all. But then, after his arc, Atlus starts using the girls for fanservice. Even during it, Ann expressed discomfort about her Panther catsuit. This sort of "Eek, I'm in a revealing outfit but I don't like it!" gag is almost always to titillate. After Kamoshida, we had: Ryuji looking up Ann's skirt while she's sleeping, the girls' underwear being visible due to sweat, a close-up of the girls' necks and legs during the summer festival, and more. I'm not arguing for Persona 5 to remain as grim as it was in the beginning. I'm saying there are ways to be funny without objectifying girls, Hashino, especially when the opening act of the game was about how bad it is to sexualize minors.

As a disclaimer, I don't care about fictional characters' ages. But it's hard not to side-eye Persona 5 when the game opened with Kamoshida being an unrepentant and disgusting pedophile, only for the rest of the game to use the teenage girls as eye candy. This isn't even a point of equality where I'm trying to demand the guys also be sweaty or naked. The dissonance between the themes and narrative framing was just ridiculous, and a microcosm of a lot of Persona 5's issues as a story.

Again, while adults are fully capable of being hypocrites, it’s much more common for teens to say something and then do something completely different. Ryuji calling out Kamoshida for being gross only to turn around and be gross himself is a pretty realistic reaction...for a "dumb" teenager. It’s easy to forgive him for this due to his age, whereas if Ryuji was older, people might not let him off the hook with a "boys will be boys" mentality.

I’ve seen people defend some aspects of Persona 4 and 5’s writing as cultural differences between the west and Japan. For example, if you take into consideration Japan’s family system, it's very easy to understand why Akechi's reveal of his orphan status was framed like a big deal. But these inconsistencies in tone, values, and themes are not a cultural difference. It’s just bad writing. Persona 4 suffered from something similar, though not to the degree of 5. Could an older cast of characters guarantee better writing? Well, no. But it can certainly place more pressure and expectations on the writers when it comes to narrative beats and characterization.

The unfortunate reality is that games don’t just depend on developers and programmers. Investors are a major part of the process as well. Like it or not, the Persona brand has become associated with a certain narrative and people have certain expectations. Much like how you can always expect a mainline Pokemon game to follow a young child going on their first adventure to collect gym badges, Persona games have become stories about a transfer student who moves to a new place, meets new friends, and finds themself wrapped up in some murder plot or other. As I mentioned earlier, some people are firm in their belief that Persona is a series about teenagers. Maybe those people won’t even bother buying a Persona game if it differs too much from that premise, and that “what if” might be enough for investors to shut down a potential adult-oriented narrative.

Atlus has not given us any real information on Persona 6 yet. For all we know, the next game might really feature a cast of people in their early twenties who are adults, ready to take on societal injustices while balancing their career and/or university. I sincerely hope we can finally graduate from high school and explore some more varied or nuanced narratives again.

The post Persona 6 Should Feature More Adult Party appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus has published a lot of details about the Atlus Fes that it will hold to celebrate the brand's 35th anniversary. Other than playable demos, the venue will also have a goods shop. The store will particularly feature merchandise from the title Metaphor: ReFantazio.

The goods shop will also feature items from other Atlus titles. One of the major highlights will be random trading stickers featuring all 272 demons from Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance that cost ¥200 apiece or ¥54,000 (~$345) for the complete set. However, it will also include merchandise from Metaphor: ReFantazio, the new RPG that won't be available until October 11, 2024.

Here is the list of Metaphor: ReFantazio-themed items in the shop, along with their prices in Japanese yen:

• A4 acrylic : ¥4,400
• A4 clear files: ¥800
• Hybrid face towel: ¥3,300
• T-shirt: ¥4,400
• Phone tab and neck strap: ¥2,000
• Tin badge: ¥400
• Clear card: ¥400
• Acrylic keychain: ¥600

Atlus will also hold a stamp rally featuring Persona series characters. Participants will be able to stamp the sheet with five of their favorite characters from every Persona entry, ranging from the inaugural Revelations: Persona to the most recent spin-off Persona 5 Tactica. However, Atlus will distribute the character stamps randomly at seven locations throughout Akihabara.

In addition, Atlus will hold multiple sweepstakes that reward prizes deliverable only domestically in Japan. People who complete the above stamp rally can share their completed sheets on X for a chance to win a Persona 3 Reload novelty set.

Atlus will also hold a real-time quiz test on June 1, 2024. Participants will have to follow the live stream to check the questions and answers, and submit the finished form before the stream concludes for a chance to win acrylic s featuring key art from Atlus games.

Atlus Fes will take place at Belle Salle Akihabara in Tokyo, Japan, on June 8-9, 2024.

The post Atlus Fes Will Have Metaphor Merchandise and Persona Stamps appeared first on Siliconera.

Genda GiGO Entertainment has announced that it will bring back taiyaki cakes and drinks themed after Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica temporarily from early June 2024 to mid-July 2024.

The company previously sold the exclusive menu for a limited time. The Persona 5 Tactica-themed menu particularly appeared from mid-November 2023 until mid-December 2023. Genda GiGO added that it will re-sell these items to help celebrate the Atlus brand's 35th-anniversary festival.

Both the taiyaki and drink will be available at 500 yen apiece. The outlets will also give away a bonus coaster mat based on a random character from the same title for each order while stocks last.

The Persona taiyaki will be available exclusively at GiGO's Taiyaki stand in Akihabara, Tokyo. Meanwhile, the drinks will appear temporarily at the following eighteen GiGO outlets:

1. Collab Cafe Stand at Norbesa Mall in Sapporo
2. Dream Town Shirakaba (Obihiro, Hokkaido)
3. Seiyu Teine (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
4. GiGO Sendai
5. GiGO Sohonten / Central Head Office (East Ikebukuro)
6. GiGO Ikebukuro #1
7. GiGO Ikebukuro #3
8. Collab Cafe Stand in Ikebukuro
9. Collab Cafe Stand in Akihabara #2 Outlet
10. GiGO Shibuya
11. Collab Cafe Stand at Market Square Sasashima (Nagoya)
12. Namba Avion (Osaka)
13. Collab Cafe at Namba Sennichimae (Osaka)
14. Collab Cafe Stand in Okayama
15. GiGO Hiroshima Hondori
16. Collab Cafe Stand in Fukuoka Tenjin
17. GiGO Yodobashi Hakata (Fukuoka)
18. Collab Cafe Stand in Kumamoto

The Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Tactica-themed taiyaki and drinks will be available again in select GiGO outlets across Japan from June 1, 2024, to July 12, 2024.

The post Persona 3 and 5 Taiyaki and Drinks Will Return at GiGO Outlets appeared first on Siliconera.

Former Atlus artist Kazuma Kaneko is working on a new game for COLOPL, an iOS and Android game company in Japan. This project is currently known as “project MASK" and been revealed by the company in its recent financial sales report.

Currently, not much is known about the game outside the following artwork, its code name, platforms, and the text used within COLOPL’s presentation.

The Slide pulled from the original sales report can be viewed below:

The text states that Legendary creator Kazuma Kaneko is:  “Creating a New Game Experience with [ God / Kami ]. ”

Kazuma Kaneko is a designer previously in charge of world and character design for the Shin Megami Tensei and Persona series. After leaving Atlus in 2023 after 35 years of employment, he ed COLOPL in 2023. Since then an original IP, now known as “project MASK," began development with Kaneko’s guidance. 

Project Mask is currently one of five smartphone games in COLOPL’s development pipeline. The financial report also noted 10 previously announced games are still in development for console systems.

The post SMT Character Designer Kazuma Kaneko Working on New Game appeared first on Siliconera.