Persona has always held a special🌼 place in my heart. My entry point to the series was Persona 3 all the way back in 2008. Even to this day, I’ve rarely experienced the feeling of enthrallment I had playing that game for the first time. I was captivated by its story, character♋s, and limitless style. I frequently credit the game’s composers, Shoji Meguro and Lotus Juice, as driving factors in encouraging me to embrace new genres of music. More than anything though, I saw this game through during a seminal time in my life.
I doubt I’m alone in saying that my early years of high school weren’t the best. Persona 3 provided the high school experience I was looking for through an unbreakable friend group, teenage shenanigans, and all the joy that com💖es with it. We didn’t shoot ourselves in the head and su▨mmon ancient demons during the Midnight Hour, but I’ll always treasure that time regardless. Then, like everyone else has to some day, I grew up.
So too, it seems, has its audience. In 2016, fan site highlighted results from a survey conducted by Dengeki Magazine which showed that 52 percent of players buying Persona 5 were in their 20s. A further 23.1% were aged between 30 and 39. Sentiment has been expressed online repeatedly that thඣe series should explore a college setting. This could provide a chance to portray a rich and unexplored side of Japanese culture while allowing the series to undergo a significant evolution. One it has been in dire need of for a long time now.
For many, college marks the first real steps into adulthood, and a huge part of that journey is the people you meet along the way. Persona’s biggest strength has always been the bonds that drive the ensemble of characters that define each title, and a college environment could offer something truly bold and exciting. Data provided by showed that colleges across Japan accommodated 231,456 international students in 2022. Tohoku University, one of the country’s most esteemed♔ establishments, alone.
The vast majority of these students - from Asia, Europe,🌄 and Africa - share dormitories and classes with Japanese students. Imagine a Persona game that takes social links to the next level with a plot that portrays the protagonist exploring and bonding over different cultures depending on the confidant. It would be an accurate depiction of the college experience that sees us encountering people from all walks of life which can help us grow and expand our worldview. For a series that has often felt so stubbornly attached to certain cultural stereotypes, this would also subvert fan expectations and bring Atlus kicking and screaming into the modern day.
Th🙈is could also impact the mythological Persona archetypes the party wields in battle. Typically, a user’s Persona is rooted in Japanese and Greek mythology, but a diverse party could see other cultural deities with their own unique designs and abilities take the spotlight. Certain gods from African mythology look like they’d fit right in with Persona’s aesthetic.
Friends you make along the way are only one part of university life. Arguably, the most distinct aspect of Japanese colleges is the concept of Circles. These operate much like the clubs found in the series’ usual high school setting, but there’s less of a focus on training and commitment. Rather, the core purpose of Circles - much like the spirit of Persona 🐻– is forming bonds and friendships with those around🗹 you.
Circles can focus on traditional sports like tenniꦫs and basketball, but there’s a much bigger focus on Japanese cultural activities and pastimes. One example is Shodo, a type of art form and calligraphy rooted in Japanese life. Some are also centred around Kendo and martial art styles like Aikido and Judo.
While the sport or activity forms a substantial part of each Circle, there’s a huge emphasis on college parties and drinking which have never been portrayed in the franchise before. I can picture advancing a social link after drunkenly pouring my heart ouꦯt as me and a fellow Persona user look up at the stars. Nabe Parties could also play a meaningful role in a Persona that chooses to embrace the beautiful chaos of college life.
Nabepa is essentially a hot plate in Japan and a popular winter meal. Students come together to enjoy the delicacy and socialize. If there’s one thing Persona loves, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:it’s food. The series has proudly displayed exquisite Japanese meals in the past and Nabepa could be used to continue the tradition of enjoying food together as major bonding moments for the party. Maybe we’ll even name our party around one instead of a luxurious cake buffet. College will of course offer far more intensive educational side activities. Tꦛhe series’ typical general knowledge questions would still be present but other tasks could be introduced too.
Overcoming the dread and anxiety of a presentation could help build social stats like courage. On the other hand, managing the stress of a group project could help to build kindness and charm. Internships and jobs would also play a larger role in the overall narrative and life-sim 🌌aspects as the protagonist prepares for adulthood. There would be more pre🍰ssure to deal with, more responsibilities to juggle, and a more nuanced view on the modern world as we prepare to take on the world of work.
Atlus should utilise the current console generation to truly move the series forward. With the capabilities available, it can accurately portray the scale and scope of Japanese universities. Tohoku University is made up of four campuဣses and is 620 acres, so big that students frequently use shuttle buses to get around. That’s a fast travel system that writes itself.
This increased scale can convey the excitement, optimism, and a little bit of anxiety that comes with making the transition from high school 💫to college. To see the series stick with the high school setting would be disappointing and stagnant at this point, especially on current hardware. For the Persona series to once again steal the hearts of fans, it must mature alongside them.
Sometimes, it’s okay to grow up.
