The year was 1994.
Following the release and positive reception to Shin Megami Tensei: if, ATLUS hatched the idea
to make another game in a school setting, centred around the struggles of young adults.
Deviating from the Megami Tensei series' mythological focus, oppressive post-apocalytic atmosphere and infamous
difficulty, this new Megami Ibunroku spinoff would instead explore the psyche, featuring a
more familiar setting of a high school and taking inspiration from the works of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud.
Megami Ibunroku Persona was released in 1996 on the PlayStation in Japan and North America, where it was
localized as 'Revelations Persona'.
Garnering positive reception and praise for its unique setting, Megami Ibunroku Persona sold more than 200,000 units in its debut week.
Its success and subsequent fan demand would pave the way for Persona 2, serving as a foundation for the rest of the critically-acclaimed Persona series
that we all know today.
This page covers the basics of Persona 1, such as its setting, characters, and gameplay.
Setting:
The game takes place in Mikage-cho, a small Japanese town with a rich history.
As the town's students aimlessly while their youths away, a fortune-telling game
grows popular among them. Supposedly, if you circle around a room while
calling upon an entity called a 'Persona', it might just appear and reveal your future...
Meanwhile, rumours swirl about the energy company SEBEC, which set up a
branch in Mikage-cho ten months ago. Employees hardly appear to leave the
building, and when they do, they complain of overwork and being haunted by a
ghostly girl in black. Why does an energy company need armed security anyway?
Characters:
Boy with Earring:
Your alter-ego, a second-year student in St. Hermelin High School.
He is in class 4, which is known to
house an especially rowdy bunch of students.
Among them, he is noted to be quiet and somewhat of a loner.
Maki Sonomura:
A kind, polite girl whose repeated, lengthy hospital stays have
sheltered her from the world.
She is currently confined to her hospital bed,
where she has been for the past year.
Before she was hospitalized, she was well-regarded in the Art Club.
Masao 'Mark' Inaba:
A spoiled young man with a big heart and a rebellious streak.
His desire to get away from being a mama's boy leads him to
conspicuously reject her affection whenever possible.
Kei Nanjo:
The arrogant, self-confident heir to the wealthy Nanjo family.
He is very smart, but his prideful, pragmatic demeanor drives a wedge between him and his classmates.
As his parents were distant, he was raised by his butler.
Yukino Mayuzumi:
A reformed gang leader whose frank personality and strict manner of speech
lead other students to rely on her as a sort of big sister.
Her part-time work has given her a maturity and level-headedness
that other students lack.
Eriko 'Elly' Kirishima:
A student who recently returned from a stay in America.
Her beauty and her elegant demeanor
make her a popular figure in St. Hermelin. She has an
eccentric fascination with the occult.
Hidehiko 'Brown' Uesugi:
A class clown who is bold around
timid classmates, and timid around bold
classmates, to the point where he'd never defy them.
He likes to crack jokes, but some think he's
trying too hard to be funny.
Yuka Ayase:
A frivolous girl who's heavily into the gyaru subculture.
She doesn’t bother thinking about anything difficult,
and insists on living for the moment.
Her thoughtlessness and abrasive tongue has driven off many a potential boyfriend.
Reiji Kido:
An awkward and cold young man who transferred into St. Hermelin a few months ago.
He is often gossiped about and is popular for his rougish looks,
but most find him hard to talk to, if they can find him at all.
Gameplay:
Persona 1's battle and fusion systems are unique in the series, with combat most notably taking place on an isometric grid. Each character's melee and gun attacks have specific ranges to be effective, taking place on an isometric grid. Take note of your party's attack ranges to breeze through battles.
How to Play:
Persona 1 features a unique.