Born as a spin-off of Shin Megami Tensei, the Persona collection shortly turned one thing solely its personal and one of many largest names in trendy RPGs. With a number of main sequels and remakes, an anime adaptation, and even a stage play, Persona has develop into a multimedia sensation, and its reputation exhibits no indicators of slowing down anytime quickly.
With the official announcement of “Persona 4 Revival” and Should you’re a brand new Persona 6 participant, you are in all probability questioning the place is the perfect place to start out. Beneath, we’ll offer you a whole overview of all of the video games and spin-offs, together with the perfect entry factors for learners, each collection chronology and launch order.
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What number of Persona video games are there?
At present, in complete, 21 persona video games. A few of these are expanded variations of the mainline entries within the collection, whether or not within the type of re-releases that includes new story content material or remakes. We don’t embrace direct ports or remasters, however we do be certain that to incorporate all different variations of every sport when listed under.
Which Persona sport ought to I play first?
Should you’re in search of an excellent place to start out, you’ll be able to’t go unsuitable with Persona 3 Reloaded, Persona 4 Golden, or Persona 5 Royal. These are the newest variations of the third, fourth, and fifth mainline entries within the collection, all of which can be found on PC and all main consoles, excluding Persona 3 Reload, which isn’t on Nintendo Change.
Should you’re apprehensive about leaping to later entries within the collection and skipping the story, you will not miss something by going straight to Persona 3, 4, or 5. Every sport tells a wholly new story with authentic characters that’s largely separate from its predecessor, making it an excellent place to begin for newcomers. To slender down your selections, we advocate watching some gameplay movies and social hyperlinks for every sport to see what “stands out.”
All Persona video games and spin-offs in chronological order
These blurbs include delicate spoilers for every sport, together with characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Apocalypse: Persona (1996)
The primary sport within the collection, Revelations: Persona, was Atlus’ response to the optimistic reception of Shin Megami Tensei: If…, one other Shin Megami Tensei spin-off centered round highschool college students preventing demons. Constructing on gamers’ enjoyment of the central idea, Revelations: Persona delivered a whole dungeon-crawling RPG centered round a gaggle of highschool college students preventing a supernatural rise up throughout the city of Mikage-cho.
Alongside the way in which, they use the powers of their woke up Personas to defeat shadows, discover dungeons stuffed with random encounters, and stage up their social gathering over the course of the sport, turning into stronger. Revelations: Persona was the muse for the collection as we all know it immediately, introducing components akin to using Personas in fight, the Velvet Room, and a forged of teenage heroes.
2. Persona 2 Sin of Innocence (1999)
The second installment within the Persona collection, Persona 2: The Crime of Innocence, was launched in 1999. The sport follows a brand new set of highschool college students, led by protagonist Tatsuya Suoh, as they embark on a mission to defeat a mysterious villain often called the Joker and the cult of the Masked Circle.
Centered round a sinister plot that turns malicious rumors unfold all through the city of Sumaru into actuality, Persona 2 as soon as once more places the emphasis on exploring dungeons, wielding Personas, battling shadows, and leveling up your social gathering. Not like different video games within the collection, a direct sequel was produced only a yr later, with Persona 2: Everlasting Punishment performing as a continuation of the sport’s story.
learn our article Assessment of βPersona 2: Sin of Innocenceβ.
3. Persona 2 Everlasting Punishment (2000)
Following the occasions of The Innocents, Everlasting Punishment elevated aspect character Maya Amano to the function of the principle character. Despatched to write down an article about new rumors a few phenomenon often called the Joker’s Curse, the sport shortly finds Maya and her allies rallying towards a returning enemy.
It serves as a direct continuation of Harmless Sin’s story and facilities across the identical type of turn-based dungeon-crawling gameplay the place gamers construct a celebration and use Personas to battle Shadows.
learn our article βPersona 2 Everlasting Punishmentβ evaluation.
4. Persona 3 (2006) / Persona 3 Pageant (2007) / Persona 3 Transportable (2009) / Persona 3 Reload (2024)
The third mainline within the collection, Persona 3, was a big evolution of the Persona formulation. Selecting to give attention to a highschool setting, Persona 3 launched a each day calendar. Half of the sport duties the participant with attending college, creating friendships, and finding out, whereas the opposite half sends the participant preventing Shadows within the supernatural realm of Tartarus.
The story focuses on Makoto Yuuki, a highschool pupil who finds himself trapped in a coffin and capable of expertise a mystical time-space often called the Darkish Hour, the place a demonic tower grows from his college. He groups up together with his classmates to discover the tower and uncover an evil conspiracy that threatens the complete world. Persona 3 is taken into account a landmark entry within the collection, introducing social hyperlinks, each day actions, and lots of different mechanics which have since develop into synonymous with the franchise.
learn our article Persona 3 Reload evaluation.
5. Persona 3 Dancing in Moonlight (2018)
In Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight, Persona 3’s rhythm-based dance spin-off that takes place throughout the principle marketing campaign, Elizabeth challenges the SEES workforce to a dance showdown within the Velvet Room. Though the occasions of the sport are set in a dream, they’re utterly canon to the story and comply with the workforce as they carry out varied dance routines to Persona 3’s iconic tracks.
6. Persona 4 (2008) / Persona 4 Golden (2012)
Persona 4, the fourth mainline entry within the Persona collection, is about in a rural city referred to as Inaba. The participant assumes the function of Yu Narukami. Yu Narukami is a highschool pupil from town who strikes to the countryside to dwell together with his uncle and cousin for a yr. After arriving, a collection of brutal murders start to happen within the city. Yu and his associates quickly notice that they’re in some way related to a mysterious otherworld that may be accessed by means of a tv monitor.
As Yu and his associates discover this mysterious new world, they be taught extra in regards to the murders whereas confronting supernatural forces and attempting to make use of their powers to cease them. Constructing on the mechanics of Persona 3, Persona 4 as soon as once more makes use of the calendar system, permitting gamers to construct social hyperlinks and attend college whereas exploring huge dungeons and defeating enemies with Persona.
learn our article Persona 4 Golden evaluation.
7. Persona Q Shadow of the Labyrinth (2014)
Strictly talking, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a crossover between each video games, because the storylines of Persona 3 and Persona 4 happen concurrently. Through the hurricane a part of Persona 3 and the college pageant a part of Persona 4, the SEES workforce and the investigation workforce are trapped inside a distorted model of Yasogami Excessive College.
On this time-altering occasion, each groups work collectively to research unusual occasions and escape again to their respective areas within the timeline. Alongside the way in which, gamers will discover a labyrinth stuffed with new enemies and uncover an authentic story. The spinoff serves as a callback to the collection’ extra conventional dungeon crawling roots.
learn our article Persona Q Shadow of the Labyrinth evaluation.
8. Persona 4 Area (2012)
Persevering with the story of Persona 3 and 4 and the collection’ first main spin-off, Persona 4 Area sees Yu Narukami return to Inaba, return to the TV world for a mysterious preventing match, and step into a brand new journey. The sector presents a whole preventing sport boasting a roster of iconic Persona characters, as you will be compelled to battle allies and a gaggle often called the Shadow Brokers, consisting of Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Aigis from Persona 3.
learn our article Persona 4 Area evaluation.
9. Persona 4 Area Ultimax (2013)
A yr after the discharge of Persona 4 Area, the spin-off obtained a sequel titled Persona 4 Area Ultimax. Going down instantly after the occasions of the primary sport, the Persona 4 squad groups up with shadowy operatives and returns to the tv world to battle a mysterious drive working a preventing match. Ultimax was in the end an improve to the primary sport, bringing an expanded roster with returning characters akin to Yukari, Junpei, Ken, and Koromaru.
learn our article Persona 4 Area Ultimax evaluation.
10. Persona 4 Dancing All Evening (2015)
The fourth and maybe most sudden spin-off of Persona 4, Persona 4: Dancing All Evening is a rhythm-based dance sport the place detectives carry out routines to iconic Persona tracks. It presents a totally canon story continuation that follows Yu and his workforce as they’re sucked into an alternate dimension often called the Midnight Stage.
learn our article Persona 4 Dancing All Evening evaluation.
11. Persona 5 (2016) / Persona 5 The Royal (2019)
Persona 5, the fifth mainline sport within the collection, was launched in Japan in 2016 and worldwide in 2017. It takes gamers to Tokyo and casts them as a brand new protagonist often called the Joker. Joker finds himself accused of a criminal offense he did not commit and is on probation. Joker and his associates at an area highschool uncover a supernatural alternate dimension that permits them to infiltrate a mysterious palace and alter the minds of town’s evildoers.
Ultimately, this group positive aspects notoriety within the streets of Tokyo because the Phantom Thieves. The sport builds closely on the formulation established by Persona 3 and 4, together with an enormous variety of story-driven ranges unfold out over a month, the return of the negotiation system, and a brand new dungeon system often called Mementos. Persona 5 catapulted the collection into the stratosphere, shortly turning into Atlus’ best-selling sport of all time and garnering an enormous fanbase.
learn our article Persona 5 The Royal evaluation.
12. Persona Q2 New Cinema Labyrinth (2018)
New Cinema Labyrinth, the sequel to Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, as soon as once more depicts crossovers between varied Persona characters. The Phantom Thieves discover themselves trapped in a movie show and work with Persona 3’s SEES workforce and Persona 4’s Investigation Group to discover a solution to escape and journey by means of the on-screen film to repair the ending.
Like the unique sport, Persona Q2 options Persona 3, 4, and 5 storylines taking part in out concurrently, with every group drawing their adventures from their respective timelines. There they discover dungeons from a first-person perspective and battle turn-based battles towards varied enemies.
13. Persona 5 Ways (2023)
Going down in the course of the occasions of Persona 5, Persona 5 Tactica is a strategy-focused spin-off related in type to the XCOM collection. The story follows the Phantom Thieves as they mysteriously journey to a different realm often called the Kingdom. Unable to flee, Joker and Morgana are brainwashed by the dominion’s monster ruler, the tyrant Marie, and are compelled to desert the remainder of the Phantom Thieves, and the 2 start an journey to save lots of their associates and return residence.
Alongside the way in which, they workforce up with the native resistance and assist battle tyrant Marie’s forces. The sport revolves round a tactical grid-based fight system the place the participant instructions three models on the battlefield and defeats the enemy.
learn our article Persona 5 Ways evaluation.
14. Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight (2018)
In Atlus’ third rhythm-based dance spin-off, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, Caroline and Justin take the Phantom Thieves to the Velvet Room and problem them to a dance. There, the group performs a dance routine to a few of Persona 5’s catchiest tracks.
15. Persona 5 Strikers (2020)
A spin-off set 4 months after the occasions of Persona 5, Strikers sees the Phantom Thieves reunite throughout summer season trip. Nevertheless, the workforce finds themselves sucked into the Metaverse after utilizing an app often called EMMA. Escaped with the assistance of recent allies, the workforce as soon as once more dons their Phantom Thieves gear and units out to find EMMA, the reality behind the Metaverse, and what it means for the individuals of Tokyo.
Persona 5 Strikers is a crossover with the long-running Dynasty Warriors collection, introducing real-time fight to the collection. The battle revolves across the Phantom Thieves preventing hordes of enemies. You’ll be able to cope with hordes of enemies through the use of combos or summoning personas.
learn our article Persona 5 Strikers evaluation.
16. Persona 5 The Phantom X (2025)
The newest Persona launch is yet one more spin-off of Persona 5. This can be a little funky. Developed by Black Wings Recreation Studio, Persona 5: The Phantom You tackle the function of a highschool pupil named Surprise, who in fact awakens his Persona to realize entry to the Metaverse.
learn our article βPersona 5 the Phantom Xβ evaluation.
What’s subsequent for Persona?
After the large success of Metaphor: ReFantazio (which received fairly a couple of awards), Sega introduced in a developer Q&A session their intention to proceed investing in Atlus, particularly the Persona IP.
Persona 4 Revival was introduced on the 2025 Xbox Showcase. This can be a new remake of the sport, which was launched on PS2 in 2008 and remastered as Persona 4 Golden in 2012. The remake is scheduled for launch on February 18, 2027, and can be obtainable on Xbox Recreation Cross from day one.
Now we’re in 2026… We lastly have affirmation that Persona 6 is actual. A brief teaser at the very least provides us a glimpse of the basic Atlas-style cool aesthetic, however there isn’t any phrase on a launch date. But it surely’s true! Here is a breakdown of all the things we all know to date.
In the meantime, P5R’s Phantom Thieves proceed to seem in each attainable franchise alternative, most just lately as a pores and skin in Overwatch 2.
Callum Williams is a contract media author with a few years of expertise as a video games critic, information reporter, information author and options author.