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To celebrate National Cat Day in Japan on February 22, Atlus started a new poll to select the most popular cat character from a variety of the games. 17 feline characters have been chosen as examples, and the deadline for voting is February 24, 2025.

Anyone can participate in the poll regardless of region. To vote for the most popular Atlus cat, all people need to do is like the X (formerly Twitter) post featuring their cat of choice on the Atlus social media . Multiple votes are allowed, and people are also free to vote for any other Atlus cat character other than the 17 selected, by adding their own vote alongside the hastag #アトラスねこの日総選挙 (which translates to Atlus Cat Day General Election) in their post.

Here is the list of pre-selected 17 cat characters for the Atlus poll:

• Morgana from Persona 5
• Maneki Neko (Lucky Cat Statue) from Persona 2
• Helios from Persona 2
• Lieutenant General Zula from Persona 2
• Plateau from Metaphor: ReFantazio
• Neko Shogun from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Cait Sith from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Nekomata from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Senri from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Ose from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Flauros from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Byakko from the Shin Megami Tensei series
• Schrödinger from the Digital Devil Saga series
• Gouto-Douji from the Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha series
• Great Lynx from the Etrian Odyssey series
• Fluffy (Shippo in Japanese) from 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim
• Socrates from Odin Sphere

You can also see the characters here:

In other related news for cat lovers and Atlus fans, Good Smile Company recently started taking orders for a figure of Morgana based on his appearance in Persona 5 Tactica, and the deadline for pre-order is March 5, 2025.

The post Atlus Starts Poll for Most Popular Game Cat 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 3t6l3r

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.

Persona 3 Reload releases in early 2024 as a monumental entry. It represents one of the few remakes in series that mostly dealt with the occasional remaster, re-release, or updated version, but never quite a true remake from the ground up. However, Persona 3 Reload should only be the first of several remakes, including a Persona 2 Remake.

Persona 2 has a unique status in the series as not one, but two games that make up its storyline. Innocent Sin released first in 1999 for the PS1 and was followed up a year later with its direct sequel Eternal Punishment in 2000. Sure, Atlus remastered both of these games for the PSP, but only one released outside of Japan.

However, that awkward release isn’t even the main issue with these games. Both Persona 2 titles (and the original for that matter) are such a challenge to go back to. I played them for the first time over a decade ago on the PSP, and they were a trudge to get through even back then. If people think Persona 3 needs a remake, it goes doubly so for these two games.

The isometric perspective feels awkward when exploring both in and out of dungeons. The turn-based combat is somewhat similar to later games, but feels slow and like a chore at times. This is all a shame, because the Persona 2 duology offers some of the finest storylines in the series if you can get through the frustrating gameplay.

Both titles focus heavily on the power of rumors. This plays a part in the gameplay, where the player makes choices and spreads rumors for events to happen. It also deals with a very different Joker than the iconic Phantom Thieves leader in Persona 5 and a surprising story with twists and turns.

Without spoilers, both titles feel essential and intertwined with one another to make the overall Persona 2 plot. This is why I feel like a Persona 2 Remake with both games in a singular story could be fascinating. Alternatively, it could come in a package of separate games.

The overall plot and lovable characters can remain the same, especially in the case of the rare female protagonist Maya, but the graphics and gameplay could benefit from a modern touch. It would be nice to see some of the features from the later core titles as well, such as the Persona Compendium and a deep social link system.

The latter is especially vital, since these games introduced romance for the first time. Players could romance and get special endings with a few of the party , including the first same-sex relationship in the franchise. These games were far ahead of their time at the turn of the millennium but the graphics and gameplay feel severely outdated today. Here’s hoping the release of Persona 3 Reload leads to an eventual Persona 2 Remake or two.

Persona 3 Reload will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on February 2, 2024.

The post Persona 3 Reload Should Pave the Way for a Persona 2 Remake appeared first on Siliconera.

Persona is a series that's done super well for Atlus over the years. Basically, a Shin Megami Tensei spin-off turned into an IP that is more recognizable to some than the original RPGs that spawned it. This does mean it might seem a bit overwhelming to hop into the series. Especially since there are numbered installments and spin-offs. However, it's all really quite approachable, and it isn't too difficult to jump in if you're wondering how to start playing through the Persona games.

How to Play the Mainline Persona Games in Order 1d4f3o

First, here is the full list of Persona games. Only certain entries really should be played in order.

You should play Revelations: Persona/SMT Persona before Persona 2: Innocent Sin, then Innocent Sin before Eternal Punishment. There are overarching elements that all tie together here, as well as recurring characters.

With the later Persona games, it’s best to start with a Persona 3 entry, then move on to Persona 4 and 5. However, all three are completely self-contained, so you don’t have to play them all in order or worry about losing context if you only choose to go through one.

• Revelations: Persona (PSX) or Shin Megami Tensei: Persona (PSP)
• Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSX, PSP) - The PSX version only appeared in Japan.
• Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSX, PSP) - The PSP version only appeared in Japan.
• Persona 3 (PS2), Persona 3 FES (PS2), or Persona 3 Portable (PS4, PSP, Switch, Xbox One, XSX, PC) - I’d recommend Persona 3 FES, as it is the fullest experience, but Persona 3 Portable is the easiest one to find and play now.
• Persona 4 (PS2) or Persona 4 Golden (PS4, Switch, Vita, Xbox One, XSX, PC) - Go with Persona 4 Golden here, as it is the easiest to find and features the most lore and gameplay.
• Persona 5 (PS3, PS4) or Persona 5 Royal (PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, XSX, PC) - Persona 5 Royal is the smart choice here, as it’s available on more platforms and includes additional story elements.

But What About the Persona Game Spin-Offs? 6ak5c

Okay, this isn’t too tricky. Mainly, because only one line of spin-offs actually has a consistent story to it. Even though the Dancing and Q games are considered sequels, there’s no overarching story.

Persona 4 Arena 6k1q2t

These are the fighting games with Persona 3 and 4 characters. Ultimax takes place after the original, so play them in order to get the full story! Though if you’re getting one of the more modern remasters of Ultimax, you’re good and can already go through things properly in order.

1. Persona 4 Arena (PS3, Xbox 360) -
2. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (PS3, PS4, Switch, Xbox 360, PC) -

Persona Dancing 3u3y65

All of the Persona Dancing entries are rhythm games. A good rule of thumb is to play the ones for entries whose soundtracks you enjoyed most.

1. Persona 4: Dancing All Night (PS4, Vita) - As this is the entry with a story mode, you’ll want to play it first.
2. Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (PS4, Vita) or Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight (PS4, Vita) - As these entries aren’t as story heavy and “take place” at the same time, you can go with whichever entry’s music you prefer first.

Persona Q 3w1a6s

These are essentially Persona takes on the Etrian Odyssey dungeon-mapping formula. Each installment is self-contained. So play the original if you only like the Persona 3 and 4 characters, and go into Persona Q2 if you like the Persona 3, 4 and 5 folks. The sequel does build on mechanics, so you may want to go with that second if you play both.

• Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth (3DS)
• Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth (3DS)

Persona 5 Strikers 1e72r

This is a weird one too! It takes place after Persona 5. Not Persona 5 Royal, to be specific. It’s a Musou-style beat’em up, so play and beat Persona 5 before getting into this PS4, Switch, and PC game for the best experience.

The post How to Get Started with the Persona Series appeared first on Siliconera.

The Persona 2 protagonists, Tatsuya Suou and Maya Amano, are ready to investigate...as Nendoroids. The two are available to pre-order from Good Smile Company. Tatsuya will appear as he does in Innocent Sin, which is the game he was the protagonist of. You will have until July 6, 2022, to pre-order these Nendoroids. They will both come out in November 2022 for Japan and January 2023 for North America.

The Persona 2: Innocent Sin Tatsuya Nendoroid will have two face plates: a standard one and a surprised one. He will also come with a sword, a microphone, a mic stand, and a lighter. It is a little difficult to see which lighter it is. However, as this is the version of Tatsuya from Innocent Sin, it is likely the lighter he received from Jun. The Tatsuya Nendoroid will cost 6100 JPY, or $55.99.

[gallery columns="5" ids="927467,927466,927465,927464,927463" link="file"]

The Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Maya Nendoroid will lend herself to slightly more variations in poses. Unlike Tatsuya, she will have three expressions: a standard one, a surprised one, and a winking one. She will come with her two pink handguns and interviewing equipment, which consists of a microphone and a bag. She will also come with a guardrail that has a butterfly on it, which you can set next to her. The Maya Nendoroid will cost 6200 JPY, or $56.99.

[gallery columns="6" ids="927473,927472,927471,927470,927468,927469" link="file"]

Good Smile Company first announced Nendoroids for the Persona 2 and 3 protagonists in February 2022. Pre-orders for the Persona 3 Protagonist Nendoroid are open until June 2, 2022. The Tatsuya and Maya Nendoroids are available for pre-order until July 6, 2022.

The post Persona 2 Tatsuya and Maya Nendoroids Open for Pre-Order appeared first on Siliconera.

Felissimo is making a special line of commemorative merchandise for the Persona series' 25th anniversary, and the items are now available for pre-order. Atlus launched a special Persona x Felissimo anniversary goods site to showcase the line, which will ship to customers in Japan in late 2022. [Thanks, Persona Central!]

https://twitter.com/felichara_info/status/1526035424900423680

Pre-orders for the Persona x Felissimo line are open and will run until June 15, 2022. Delivery of pre-ordered items is scheduled for the September-October 2022 window.

The items featured in the line cover all the extant Persona series titles, and there are also items celebrating the series as a whole.

The Persona 25th Anniversary multi-use cloth combines art and game screens from all five mainline Persona entries into a collage printed onto a microfiber cloth. The cloth itself has a glossy, satin-like composition. It costs 2,200 yen (about $17 USD).

The Persona 25th Anniversary School Logo Multi-use Pouch is an A4-sized pouch decorated with the emblems of the schools attended by the Persona series protagonists. These emblems include St. Hermelin High School from Persona, Seven Sisters High School from Persona 2, Persona 3's Gekkoukan High School, Persona 4's Yasogami High School, and Persona 5's Shujin Academy. The interior lining is colored Velvet Room blue and printed with the game logos. The pouch also has pockets to store items like notebooks, gadgets, and other miscellaneous items. It costs 3,400 yen (about $27 USD).

Several items in the Persona x Felissimo collection are specific to Persona 5. These include a t-shirt decorated with the HP Heart UI element (4,400 yen, about$35 USD), a long-sleeved tee mimicking the prison uniform worn by the protagonist when visiting the Velvet Room (5,720 yen, about $45 USD), a Velvet Room-themed teacup and saucer set (3960 yen, about $30 USD), and even nail stickers themed after the game and the Velvet Room (1,815 yen, about $14 USD).

Check out the items in the gallery.

[gallery ids="927209,927211,927212,927213,927214,927203,927202" link="file"]

The Persona x Felissimo merchandise line is available for pre-order in Japan. The Persona Super Live P-Sound Wish 2022 Concert will take place in October 2022, with streaming tickets available for international fans.

The post Persona x Felissimo 25th Anniversary Goods up for Pre-Order appeared first on Siliconera.

Three new Persona Nendoroids are on the way, and they're figures from older games. At WonHobby 35, Good Smile Company announced Persona 2 and Persona 3 Nendoroids. Tatsuya Suou from Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Maya Amano from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, and Makoto Yuki from Persona 3 will all appear. Only unpainted prototypes showed up at the event.

First, here's a look at Tatsuya from Persona 2: Innocent Sin. He's wearing his normal uniform.

#WonHobby35 Figure Update!

Good Smile Company
Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Nendoroid Tatsuya Suou

Web Gallery: https://t.co/1cYGQTBJF6#Persona2 #nendoroid #goodsmile pic.twitter.com/PFgfCOwIVp

— GoodSmile_US (@GoodSmile_US) February 11, 2022

Next is the Maya Nendoroid from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.

#WonHobby35 Figure Update!

Good Smile Company
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Nendoroid Maya Amano

Web Gallery: https://t.co/yu6O2etRYe#Persona2 #nendoroid #goodsmile pic.twitter.com/2kXm0r2TPG

— GoodSmile_US (@GoodSmile_US) February 11, 2022

Finally, here's the Makoto Persona 3 Nendoroid. Of the three, he's the only one with accessories shown. He's holding a tarot card and has an Evoker in the holster around his waist.

#WonHobby35 Figure Update!

Good Smile Company
Persona 3
Nendoroid Persona 3 Hero

Web Gallery: https://t.co/u56F8jBbIZ#Persona3 #nendoroid #goodsmile pic.twitter.com/Pf1DTaewSW

— GoodSmile_US (@GoodSmile_US) February 11, 2022

Good Smile Company's released quite a few Nendoroids from different installments. One of Yu Narukami from Persona 4 showed up in November 2021.

There's no release date for any of these new figures yet.

The post Persona 2 and 3 Nendoroids Announced appeared first on Siliconera.

People will soon have a new way to get Persona information and find items related to Atlus series. Atlus took to Twitter to announce the opening of a Persona 25th anniversary website and a new worldwide Shop Atlus online store. The former is open now. The latter will open its virtual doors in October 2021 and launch with a Persona collection.

The Persona 25th anniversary site is a bit barren at the moment. It only consists of a few things. One is a welcome announcement celebrating the occasion. There is a section with digital wallpapers for PCs and mobile devices. Finally, there’s the announcement about the storefront.

As for the storefront, some of the Shop Atlus online store details are vague as well. It will open in October 2021 with Persona items. Catherine and Shin Megami Tensei merchandise also came up in the reveal. Finally, it said that new collections based on series will periodically appear.

In Japan, details about Persona 25th anniversary items are already coming up quite frequently. For example, there will be a watch based on the Velvet Room in Persona 3. A made-to-order Velvet Room Persona music box is in the works as well.

The Shop Atlus online store will open in October 2021.

The post Shop Atlus Store Will Open With Persona 25th Anniversary Collection appeared first on Siliconera.

What about a Persona 5 or Persona 3 dancing game? An HD remaster of the first Persona? How about a sequel or port to Persona Q? Follow-up titles for Tokyo Mirage Sessions or Odin Sphere?

The post Atlus Asks If You Want To See A New Persona 5, Persona HD Remasters, Or Other Spinoffs appeared first on Siliconera.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment will be available as a PSOne Classic this week. The game is a follow-up to its predecessor, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, and was originally released in North America in the year 2000.

Persona 2: Innocent Sin didn’t see a release in North America until 2011. Originally, only the second Persona 2 game was released in English, until Atlus developed enhanced ports of both for the PSP.

While Atlus released the PSP version of Innocent Sin in the U.S., the PSP version of Eternal Punishment has not been announced for North American release. Atlus USA appear to be concentrating on other games instead, such as Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers and Etrian Odyssey IV, both of which will be released in the U.S.

The post Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Reaches PSOne Classics This Week appeared first on Siliconera.

The status of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment port for PSP is in limbo, but Persona fans may be able to play the follow up to Innocent Sin another way. The ESRB rated Persona 2: Eternal Punishment for PlayStation 3 and PSP. Since Sony Computer Entertainment America is the publisher, the rating is most likely for a PsOne classic.

What's different between the two versions? Persona 2: Eternal Punishment for PSP is more streamlined and has a new scenario featuring Tatsuya. The localization isn't like the original Persona for PsOne either. Maya, Katsuya, and Baofu retain their original names.

Thanks to everyone that sent in tips!

The post Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Rated By ESRB, PsOne Classic Probably Coming appeared first on Siliconera.

Missed the soundtrack CD Atlus bundled with Persona 2: Innocent Sin? You can the Joker theme from iTunes. That song plus Ramen Shiraishi, Silverman Residence, Yukino's theme, and the Boss Battle song from the Persona 2 Innocent Sin X Eternal Punishment Sound Collection Volume 2 album.

Each song is 150 yen ($1.75) or you can get the whole album for 2,400 ($27.50) yen.

The post Persona 2 Sound Collection Volume 2 Now On iTunes appeared first on Siliconera.

Index Holdings announced sales data for their major releases in Japan. As Siliconera reported earlier, Persona 4 Golden was their best selling title this quarter with 260,000 units sold. Persona 4 Arena wasn't far behind with 220,000 units sold as of August.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment for PSP didn't sell as well in comparison with only 60,000 units. Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan sold 150,000 units and Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers moved 90,000 units in August alone.

Atlus USA (aka Index Digital Media) reported 1.835 billion yen in sales ($23 million) for this fiscal year, that's September 1, 2011 to August 31, 2012 and 164 million yen ($2.05 million) of operating profit. Growlanser: The Wayfarer of Time, Gungnir, The King of Fighters XIII, The Cursed Crusade, Game of Thrones, and Persona 4 Arena are some of the games Atlus released during this period.

The post Etrian Odyssey IV Towers Over Persona 2, Plus Atlus USA Sales Data appeared first on Siliconera.

Period: The week of May 14th – May 20th (2012)

Top-seller: My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute Portable Can’t Possibly Continue – 53,175

Nintendo 3DS sales: 45,752 | Total sales: 6,001,586

PlayStation Vita sales: 6,347 | Total sales: 703,446

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment on PSP didn’t fare as well as its predecessor in Japan—at least not at retail stores. Where the PSP port of Innocent Sin sold close to 63,000 copies in its first week, Eternal Punishment only sold 24,500. Meanwhile, Persona 3 Portable debuted at about 94,000 copies sold.

Hopefully, we'll get an idea of how many copies of Eternal Punishment Atlus shipped later this week. One plausible theory for the lower sales is that, perhaps there are simply less fans that care for the older style of Persona games after the releases of Persona 3 and Persona 4.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment was only the #2 game of the week, however. The #1 spot was stolen by Namco Bandai’s My Little Sister Can’t Be This Cute Portable Can’t Possibly Continue. That game sold 53,000 copies.

Here are a few other interesting sales tidbits we noticed for the week:

1. Harvest Moon: The Land of Origin continues to sell well. Producer, Yoshifumi Hashimoto, revealed on the series’ blog this week that 200,000 copies of the game have been shipped so far, due to consistent sales.

2. Pokémon Black/White are back in the top-20. Will we see them move further up the chart as anticipation for Black/White 2 builds and fuels further sales of the originals?

3. Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance dropped out of the top-20. Fire Emblem: Awakening, however, is still in the top-10. KH3D’s sales as of two weeks ago were 311,688. Fire Emblem has already sured it and it doesn’t look like the gap between the two will grow smaller any time soon.

The top-20 software sales chart for the week is as follows:

<< Last week’s software sales chart

The post This Week In Sales: My Little Sister Isn’t Afraid Of Eternal Punishment appeared first on Siliconera.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment for PSP is out now in Japan today. While we're waiting for news about a North American release check out the new animated opening from Madhouse. The original Persona 2: Eternal Punishment is below for comparison's sake.

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment has a new scenario written by Satomi Tadashi, the original Persona writer which explains what happened to Tatsuya and the origin of shadows.

The post Watch Persona 2: Eternal Punishment’s New Opening Video appeared first on Siliconera.