Starting life as a spinoff of Shin Megami Tensei, the Persona series quickly began its own and became one of the biggest names of modern RPGs. From multiple major sequels and remakes to anime adaptations and even stage plays, Persona is a multimedia sensation, and its popularity doesn’t seem to slow anytime soon.
The latest entry in the franchise, Persona 3 Reload, is now available for play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and PC. I think new players are the perfect place to start. Below is a complete overview of all the games and spinoffs, including entry points that are best for both newcomers and series timelines and releases.
I’ll jump:
How many Persona games are there?
In total, it is currently available 20 Persona Games. Some of these are expanded versions of the mainline entries in the series. This is whether it is in the form of a re-release featuring new story content or remakes. Although it does not include direct ports or remasters, please be aware of all alternative versions of each game when listing below.
Which Persona Games do you need to play first?
If you’re looking for the best place to start, you won’t be able to jump to Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden, or Persona 5 Royal. These are the latest versions of the third, fourth and fifth mainline entries in the series, aside from reloading the Persona 3 missing Nintendo Switch, they are all available on PC and all major consoles.
For those worried about skipping the story by diving into later entries in the series, going straight to Persona 3, 4, or 5 won’t miss anything. Each game tells an entirely new story of original characters, largely cut off from their predecessors, so you can launch great points for those who come fresh. To narrow down your choices, we recommend looking at some of the gameplay videos and social links for each game to make sure you “straights stand out.”
All Persona Games and Time Series Spin-Off
These blurs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
1. Revelation: Persona (1996)
The first game in the series, Apocalypse: Persona, was Atlas’ reaction to the positive reception of the Shin Megami era. Utilizing the number of players who enjoyed the central concept, Revelation: Persona provided a complete dungeon-crawling RPG centered around a group of high school students fighting a supernatural uprising throughout the town of Mikagecho.
Along the way, they use the power of awakened persona to cast shadows, explore dungeons filled with random encounters, level the party and become stronger over the course of the game. Apocalypse: Persona was the foundation of the franchise we know. We introduced elements such as the persona wielding in combat, the Velvet Room, and the cast of teenage heroes.
2. Persona 2: Innocent Sin (1999)
Persona 2, the second entry in the Persona series: The Innocent Sin, released in 1999. The game follows a new set of high school students led by the main character Tatsuya Sue.
Focusing on evil plots that bring vicious rumors to life around the town of Smal, Persona 2 refocuses on exploring dungeons, persona behaviour, fighting shadows and leveling out parties. Unlike other entries in the series, I received a direct sequel a year later. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment acts as a continuation of the game’s story.
Please read us Persona 2 review: Innocent sin.
3. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (2000)
Following the events of innocent sin, Eternal Punishment promotes side character Maya Amano into the role of the protagonist. I was sent to write an article about a new rumor about a phenomenon known as the Joker Curse. The game soon gathers Maya and her allies against the returning enemy.
Serving as a direct continuation of the innocent sin story, it focuses on the same style of turn-based dungeon crawling gameplay, as players use their persona to build parties and fight the shadows.
Please read us Persona 2 review: Eternal punishment.
4. Person3 (2006) / Person 3 FES (2007) / Person 3 Portable (2009) / Person 3 Reload (2024)
Persona 3, the franchise’s third mainline entry, was a major evolution of Persona Formula. Choosing to focus on high school premises, Persona 3 left the game players to school, building friendships and studying half of the game sent them to fight the shadows of Tartarus’ supernatural realm, introducing a daily calendar.
The story focuses on high school student Makoto Yuki. He finds he can experience a mysterious space of time known as Dark Hour, where he is trapped in the Co and Demon Tower from the school. Teaming up with classmates, he explores the tower and reveals an ominous plot that threatens the whole world. Persona 3 is considered a groundbreaking entry in the series, featuring many other mechanics that have become synonymous with social links, daily activities and subsequently with franchises.
Please read us Persona 3 Reload Review.
5. Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (2018)
In Persona 3: Dance In Moor Light, a rhythm-based dance spinoff of Persona 3, which will be held during the main campaign, Elizabeth will challenge the team to dance off in the Velvet Room. Events in the game are set between dreams, but are entirely Canon in the story, following a team that performs various dance routines on the iconic Persona 3 tracks.
6. Person 4 (2008) / Person 4 Golden (2012)
Persona 4, the fourth mainline entry in the Persona series, will be held in the country town of Inaba. The player assumes the role of Yu Narukami. This is a high school student in a city who moves to the country to live with his uncle and cousin for a year. After arriving, a series of violent murders begin to occur in the town as Yu and his friends quickly discover that they somehow link to a mysterious otherworldly realm that they can access by stepping on a TV monitor.
In delving into this mysterious new world, Yu and his friends face supernatural powers when they learn more about murder and try to use their power to stop them. Once you have built the Persona 3 mechanism, Persona 4 will reuse the calendar system. Players build social links and attend school, exploring vast dungeons and defeating enemies with their persona.
Please read us Persona 4 Golden Review.
7. Persona Q: The Shadow of Labyrinth (2014)
Technically, it takes place simultaneously during the storylines of Persona 3 and Persona 4, and Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a crossover between both games. In the Persona 3 Typhoon Segment and Persona 4 Culture Festival Segment, the Seas and Research Teams are trapped in a distorted version of Yasogami High School.
In a time-turning event, both teams work together to investigate strange events and escape back to each spot in the timeline. Along the way, players explore a maze filled with new enemies and reveal the original story. The spinoff acts as a callback to the more traditional dungeon crawler roots.
Please read us Persona Q review: The shadow of the Labyrinth.
8. Person4Arena (2012)
A continuation of both the Persona 3 and 4 stories and the franchise’s first major spinoff, Persona 4 Arena watches Yu Narukami stumble on a new adventure as she returns to Inaba and returns to the world of television for a mysterious fighting tournament. Forced to fight his allies and a group known as Shadow Otalite, made up of Persona 3 Mitsuru, Akikawa and Agis, arena offers a complete fighting game that boasts a roster of iconic Persona characters.
Please read us Persona 4 Arena Reviews.
9. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (2013)
A year after the release of Persona 4 Arena, the spinoff received a sequel entitled Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Convened shortly after the event in the first game, the Persona 4 teams will work with Shadow operatives to return to the world of television and fight against the mysterious forces running the fighting tournament. Ultimax was ultimately the first game upgrade, bringing an expanded roster that includes return characters such as Yukari, Junpei, Ken, and Koromaru.
Please read us Persona 4 Arena Ultimax reviews.
10. Persona 4: Dance All Night (2015)
Persona 4, Persona 4: Dancing All Night’s fourth unexpected spinoff is a rhythm-based dance game in which the research squad performs the iconic Persona track routines. It offers a complete Canon continuation of the storyline, following Yu and the team, as they are sucked into an alternative dimension known as the Midnight Stage.
Please read us Persona 4 review: Dance all night.
11. Person5 (2016) / Person 5 Royal (2019)
The fifth mainline entry in the series, Persona 5 was based in Japan before its release worldwide in 2016 in 2017. Take the players to Tokyo and cast them as new protagonists known as the Joker. Joker and his friends attend a local high school discover a supernatural alternative dimension.
Eventually, the group becomes infamous on the streets of Tokyo and goes under the alias name of the Phantom Thief. The game is built heavily from the formula established by Persona 3 and 4, and includes levels focused on a large story that unfolds over a month, a return of the negotiation system, and a new dungeon system known as Memento. Persona 5 launched its franchise into the stratosphere and quickly became Atlus’ best-selling game of all time, fostering huge fans.
Please read us Persona 5 Royal Review.
12. Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth (2018)
Persona Q sequel: Labyrinth’s Shadow, New Cinema Labyrinth, again portrays a crossover of various Persona characters. After realizing that the Phantom Thief is trapped in the cinema, they look at the Persona 3 team and the Persona 4 research team, find the Eskete and travel to the movie on screen to fix the ending.
Just like in the original game, Persona Q2 takes place simultaneously during the Persona 3, 4, and 5 storylines, with the adventure pulling each group from each timeline. There, they explore the dungeons from a first person perspective, fighting turn-based battles with various enemies.
13. People 5 Tactics (2023)
Persona 5 Tactica, which will be held during the Persona 5 event, is a spinoff focusing on strategies similar to the XCOM franchise. The story follows a phantom thief mysteriously travels to another realm known as the kingdom. Unable to escape, Joker and Morgana are forced to abandon the rest of the Phantom thief after being brainwashed by Tyrant Marie, the territorial giant ruler of the territory.
Along the way, they cooperated with local resistance and helped them fight the army of tyrant Marie. The game revolves around a tactical grid-based combat system as players point three units to the battlefield and take enemies.
Please read us Persona 5 Tactics Review.
14. Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight (2018)
In Atlus’ third rhythm-based dance spinoff, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, Caroline and Justin bring the Phantom Thief into the Velvet room and challenge the dance off. So the group performs a dance routine on some of Persona 5’s most catching tracks.
15. Persona 5 Striker (2020)
A spin-offset four months after the Persona 5 event, Striker watches the Phantom Thief reunite during summer vacation. However, the team finds themselves sucked into the metaverse after using an app known as Emma. The team escaped with the help of a new alliance, once again equipped with the Phantom Thief and tried to discover what it meant to Emma, Metaverse and the people of Tokyo.
Persona 5 Striker is a long-running crossover with the Dynasty Warriors franchise, showing the series real-time combat. Battles can be dealt with through combos or by calling personas, centering on thieves who have a large number of enemies.
Please read us Persona 5 Striker review.
Spin-offs in all Persona Games and Release Order
- Revelation: Persona (1996)
- Persona 2: Innocent Sin (1999)
- Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (2000)
- Persona 3 (2006)
- Person 3 FES (2007)
- Persona 4 (2008)
- Person3 Portable (2009)
- Person4 Arena (2012)
- Person4 Golden (2012)
- Persona 4 Arena Ultimax (2013)
- Persona Q: The Shadow of Labyrinth (2014)
- Persona 4: Dance All Night (2015)
- Persona 5 (2016)
- Persona 3: Moonlight in Dance (2018)
- Persona 5: Dance in Starlight (2018)
- Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth (2018)
- Person 5 Royal (2019)
- Persona 5 Striker (2020)
- People 5 Tactics (2023)
- Person 3 Reload (2024)
What’s next for Persona?
Fans of Atlus RPG were featured in two releases in 2024. Persona 3 Reload and Metaphors: A completely new RPG from Repantazio and Atlus’ Studio Zero. After a huge success in metaphor (which won quite a few awards), Sega has announced its desire to continue investing in developer Q&A sessions in Atlas, particularly Persona IP.
The next Persona project was released in 2024 in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and South Korea R, and in a Japanese release that was imminent for beta sign-up, which was closed in October. A global release is expected, but there are no official details on that potential release date. Phantom X is described by Atlus as “an original story set in the world of Persona 5 (in which new characters rise from the shadows and wear the Phantom Thief mask.”
Persona 6 is the next expected release for the RPG series, but Atlus has not officially confirmed that the game is in development.
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guide writer and feature writer.
