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Play Overview
Persona (1996) 5 (also known as Shin Megami Tensei: Persona) is the latest game in a series of role-playing games that focus on a group of students. You explore the world and take on enemies like other role-play games but here, you manage relationships between characters to help them overcome their personal barriers and unlock new abilities. The series has a dark edge as it explores the human psyche in extreme scenarios, drawing on Jungian psychology, religion, mythology, and literature.
The Persona series is set in modern-day Japan but with extraordinary events happening in otherwise normal locations. Along with social and psychological themes, the games focus on the collective unconscious. For example, a recurring location is the Velvet Room; a place between reality and unconsciousness. This eroding of the barrier between life and death is extended in the recurring motif of the Masks characters wear, that need to be dis-guarded to develop their abilities.
Because of this, the main cast are seen to live dual lives. As you progress there is a chance to become your true self in different ways. Sometimes through combatting the effect of rumours, sometimes understanding depression or sometimes even addressing gossip and the media's influence.
As you explore real and fantasy locations, you encounter enemies to battle. These fights take place in rounds. You and your party attack, then your opponents counter attack. This includes selecting which physical and magical abilities to use. As the series has developed, the system has evolved although the central play mechanic remains the same.
Personas extend these fights. They are physical manifestations of a characters psyche and subconscious and give you special powers. Your team start with an initial Persona, but this is evolved through story events and social interaction.
Establishing Social Links allows you to grow and develop. As well as offering a novel way to advance characters it also powerfully ties the narrative interactions and character stories to the battles in the game.
The main series of Persona games are:
Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Persona 4 years ago. It was re-examined by Ellen Robertson and updated 5 weeks ago.
The Persona series is set in modern-day Japan but with extraordinary events happening in otherwise normal locations. Along with social and psychological themes, the games focus on the collective unconscious. For example, a recurring location is the Velvet Room; a place between reality and unconsciousness. This eroding of the barrier between life and death is extended in the recurring motif of the Masks characters wear, that need to be dis-guarded to develop their abilities.
Because of this, the main cast are seen to live dual lives. As you progress there is a chance to become your true self in different ways. Sometimes through combatting the effect of rumours, sometimes understanding depression or sometimes even addressing gossip and the media's influence.
As you explore real and fantasy locations, you encounter enemies to battle. These fights take place in rounds. You and your party attack, then your opponents counter attack. This includes selecting which physical and magical abilities to use. As the series has developed, the system has evolved although the central play mechanic remains the same.
Personas extend these fights. They are physical manifestations of a characters psyche and subconscious and give you special powers. Your team start with an initial Persona, but this is evolved through story events and social interaction.
Establishing Social Links allows you to grow and develop. As well as offering a novel way to advance characters it also powerfully ties the narrative interactions and character stories to the battles in the game.
The main series of Persona games are:
- Revelations: Persona (1996) PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
- Persona 2: Innocent Sin (1999) PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
- Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (2000) PlayStation, PlayStation Portable
- Persona 3 (2006) PlayStation 2
- Persona 3 Portable (2009) PlayStation Portable - Coming in 2023 to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
- Persona 4 (2008) PlayStation 2
- Persona 4 Golden (2011) Vita, PC, Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- Persona 5 (2016) PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
- Persona 5 Royal (2017) PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
Our examiner, Jo Robertson, first checked Persona 4 years ago. It was re-examined by Ellen Robertson and updated 5 weeks ago.
Kids not old enough for this yet? There are lots of games similar to Persona (Series). Here are some similar younger-rated games:
Play Style
Duration
Play Time: This game will take between 100 hours and 130 hours to complete. The different games in the series vary in length, but are all very long. To see everything and level up characters takes hundreds of hours.
Benefits
Age Ratings
Content Rating
There is a sub-plot in the game which is a topical look at student-teacher relationships. It features a teacher who confesses to having inappropriate relationships with students. This also links to a plot in which one of the female students who was harassed by her teacher attempts to kill herself by throwing herself off the roof of the school.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is rated PEGI 12 for some frequent mild violence and occasional mild bad language. When characters attack each other, despite using weapons there is no blood or gore. All action takes place in 2D and is in an arcade style. When hit, characters respond unrealistically often also producing bright flashes of light that detracts from the realism. The game also contains use of the words, ‘p%$s’, ‘crap’ and ‘b@*!%$@t’.
Skill Level
14+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. Still, it's important for parents and guardians to consider the maturity required to process the game content.
Costs
Persona usually costs £17.99 to £54.99.
There are no additional in-game purchases, loot boxes, adverts or subscription costs.
Persona 3 Portable
Persona 4 Golden
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Strikers
Persona
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Game Details
Release Date: 20/09/1996, updated in 2022
Out Now: 3DS and 2DS, DS, PC, PS Vita, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X|S
Skill Rating: 14+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Adventure, Role-Play (Action, Narrative and Strategy)
Accessibility: 3 features
Components: 3D Third-Person and Cartoon
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Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships. |
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