#blue reflections

[artstore-pl]

Kazuo Nakamura Blue Reflections 1963

[downeyes]

Blue Reflections, Greece

[sandmoonyelse]

[jyujis]

Blue Reflections, Greece

[divinesilverdingo]

Introducing The Persona-Like

We hear terms such as Sous-like and Doomclone throughout the gaming industry, I’m here to introduce the idea of the Persona-Like. Games which are similar to the Persona game series. This is mainly for me to work on, but could also help fans of Persona find new games to play. 

While Tokyo Mirage Sessions COUNTS as one, it will not be included due to the fact that it was made by Atlus, who also made the Persona series. All of the ones on this list are on Steam, and most are on PS4. 

What Makes up a Persona-Like?

The Persona series is based around making a commentary on Japanese Society from the point of view of highschool students. 

These typically balance Life Simulator or Dating Sim elements with RPG mechanics, and usually involve other worlds, religious symbolism, and The Power of Friendship.  

What I Consider Persona-Likes

The games I am thinking could be considered Persona-like are the following:

Tokyo Xanadu: A spinoff of Nihon Falcom’s Xanadu series. Tokyo Xanadu is an Action RPG set in modern day Japan. It follows a group of students as they join an organization to fight off the incursion of another world in a small city just outside of Tokyo proper. While combat is not turn-based like Persona, it still uses the idea of “cognitive weaponry” in order to fight. Also takes infuence from Nihon Falcom’s Trails series. 

The Caligula Effect: Written by Tadashi Satomi, who wrote the first three Persona Games. Follows a group of individuals as they try to escape a “Perfect World” created by a Vocaloid-inspired program named Mu. Turn-based combat with a unique style to it. The life simulator aspects come in when trying to form the party, as you ca add various NPCs you meet to the party, and you have to maintain a relationship with them to gain their powers. 

Death end re;Quest: I actually know the least about this game. All I know is that it shares a lot of traits, including another cognitive illusory world deal, turn-based combat, and life simulator elements. /shrug

Blue Reflection: A game where you play a ballet dancer who was involved in an accident. The life simulation aspects are a heavy focus in this game, as your relationship with characters helps them level up for combat in the other realm. 

Persona-Adjacent Games

These games, while not similar enough to Persona to be considered Persona-clones share some similarities, such as the societal commentary, 

World of Horror: The most obvious of the Persona Adjacents. I considered putting this in Persona-Likes, however, its dark tone and style of gameplay separate it from the other games in the category. Based off of Junji Ito’s works and the works of HP Lovecraft, it is about fighting Eldritch horrors in a quiet Japanese town. Has some minor Social elements, but is more about survival. Also all the art was made in MS Paint. 

Danganronpa: I know, I know, it’s not exactly Persona due to the combat and mystery aspects. However, I put it in this category due to the amount of crossover I see between the fandoms, as well as the fact that it’s Japanese social commentary in a highschool, with unique characters. 

[luluescribe]

I had years strolling down

In rest and they hate it

When I'm around

Till I walked and found

That blue house where you used

To hide away your tears

Keeping all the anxiety

Where we used to live

After one Monday morning

I never meant to spill that tea

Instead I saw you healing yourself

While your scars dried up the bed

We used to lay on

That we used till our eyes shut

As the sky gets dark

Till our world collapsed

Even if we wanted to hold on

We became stars

Looking for each other's galaxies

In that blue house

Where we let our ends meet

Where we chose to meet and end

Where we decided to end.

In That Blue House

Luluescribe

#auroraluna

[bleuberriii]

Decor.

[starmanjakub]

ROADSTER

AUFEER DESIGN, c 2015