There is nothing like playing a good RPG on your handheld which has helped to contribute to the success of the Nintendo Switch. RPGs normally take hours to complete, but with the convenience of handhelds, you can play while commuting or just on break at your job. Persona is such a series with a usual average of over 70 hours to complete one of there games without 100% completion. This may sound like a match made in heaven, however up until now there has not been a mainline Persona RPG released for the Switch. All of that changes on October 21, 2022 because Persona 5 Royal has been announced to be released, with Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden to come soon after. All of these games have been released on the PlayStation already and up until recently, have been PlayStation Exclusives, but after making a guest appearance in Super Smash Bros Ultimate as well as releasing a couple spinoffs, it was only a matter of time according to the fans.
Persona in a Nutshell
All of the Persona games have some similar troupes which connect them. You are a group of high school kids, connected by some events and you end up having the ability to travel to a parallel world and control monsters called Persona. It is turn-based and you usually need to negotiate with wild shadow monsters to convince them to join your team after you beat them up a little. You do have to remember this is a life simulation game as well so in addition to beating up monsters and making yourself stronger, you have to interact with your party and friends to strengthen your bonds and become stronger which also lets you summon stronger Persona and unlock new abilities and perks. Basic game plot is something happens and there is a deadline set for some tragic thing to ruin the lives of your friends, you have to balance between spending time with friends, leveling up your stats, studying, and travelling to the shadow world to traverse palaces which represent a strong concentration of emotions. In these palaces you face bosses and complete your mission after you succeed.
Relatable Characters and situations
Persona is heavy on story and explains each party member in ways that make you select favorites. You even have the opportunity to date one or many of the characters if you choose to do so, with the appropriate cutscenes! You have to spend time with characters to open certain arcs and also to unlock new powers. Don’t be upset if you don’t make it through all the scenes on your first playthrough because these games are always made to be played multiple times. There are usually good and bad endings as well as a true ending which takes a bit more to get if you want to see how the story is supposed to end completely. On your first playthrough focus on building your stats because no matter what you do, there is a wall you will hit with most character stories in your first playthrough. Along the way you do get items which help build trust levels with your peers faster for subsequent playthroughs.
Conclusion
Persona is a great series and I can say many people are excited to finally have it on a portable system. The last time it was available on a portable was Persona 4 Golden of the PSVita (R.I.P. Vita!!). Hopefully these Switch releases will gain Atlus a new following which will entice them to release the teased Persona 6 on all platforms on launch and take all of my money at once.
