Initially beginning life as a spin-off from theShin Megami Tenseiseries,Personahas steadily evolved into its own separate universe. Both franchises still share the same enemies and spiritual beings, but each game depicts a very different version of a JRPG. Although that was never always the case. The first two games in the series, as much as they were definitely establishingPersonaas something different, generally don’t represent the modern perception ofPersonagames.
While fans generally recognizePersona 3onward as the rebirth and true identity of thePersonafranchise,Persona 1andPersona 2are often forgotten or left behind in the conversation. The first two (technically three)Personagames don’t have a lot of what makes modernPersonagames, and are more akin toShin MegamiTenseigames. Generally speaking, Atlus hasn’t really recognized or referenced those olderPersonatitles in any of the spin-off games likePersona Q. While morePersonaPC ports could be on the way, thanks toPersona 4 Golden’s success, it’s hard to expect any of the earlier games pre-Persona 3to receive a port anytime soon.
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Persona Games Pre-Persona 3
BeforePersona 3in 2006, widely considered to be the game that ironically establishedPersona’s true identity, there were three mainlinePersonagames that helped solidify the franchise’s main concepts:Shin Megami Tensei: Persona(also known in the west asRevelations: Persona),Persona 2: Innocent Sin, andPersona 2: Eternal Punishment. Without the first three games in the series having as much popularity as they did,Personawould’ve never exploded in popularity and eventuallybecome its own separate continuity fromShin Megami Tensei.
This is not only because these games were foundational for conceptualizingPersona, but they were also very different games compared to whatPersonais now. While everyPersonagame from 2006 onward is still very much a complex JRPG,Persona 1andPersona 2were further steeped into JRPG complexity in both tone and gameplay. EarlierPersonagames featured a much more complex grid-based battle system, and each party member had interchangeable personas. Not only that, but the narrative tone and aesthetic of earlierPersonagames was far darker and less dramatic compared to games post-Persona 3. Arguably the first two games have more in common withShin Megami Tenseithan what fans would consider aPersonagame.
Persona 3 Revolutionized, But Left a Lot Behind
WhenPersona 3finally released in 2006, the franchise saw its first major burst in mainstream JRPG popularity. This was the game that introduced the delicate social simulator/JRPG balance that modernPersonagames are known and revered for. That’s not to say the first twoPersonagames weren’t popular, because they definitely were sales-wise, butPersona 3helped establish the franchise’s iconic framework. WithPersona 3’s popularity, the series also shed a lot of the thematic elements from the first twoPersonagames.
Some of these changes were generally good, like making the Philemon character a more obscure thematic element in place of the iconic Igor. The whole social simulatoraspect ofPersonamade the series far more unique compared toShin Megami Tensei.
That being said, there were a lot of key changes made toPersonathat weren’t necessarily all positive. For one thing, everyPersonagame post-Persona 3places a heavy emphasis on the importance of the protagonist. Additional characters can be fleshed out with social links and the main story, butPersona 1/2didn’t have as much of a focus on making players the “chosen one” archetype. Additionally, the darker overall tone ofPersonagames were melded with elements of levity post-Persona 3. Many of the heavier themes were alleviated by moments in the social sim sections, whereas in games pre-Persona 3, the story focuses entirely on the mystery and supernatural intrigue.
Persona 1/2 Ports Aren’t Top Priority for Atlus
Sega and Atlus may have promisedadditionalPersonaports on the way to PC thanks toPersona 4 Golden, but this likely won’t encompass olderPersonagames because of these generational changes. Arguably the general population ofPersonafans haven’t played anything released prior toPersona 3, especially in the western/worldwide audience. WhileRevelations: Persona,Persona 2: Innocent Sin,andPersona 2: Eternal Punishmentdid eventually release in North America, they were still niche JRPG titles at the time. Not to mention how vastly different they are compared toPersona 3/4/5, it just makes sense that Atlus would likely save those games for last if they were ported anyway.
That being said, it would be nice to havethe classicPersonagames re-released, especially the PSP remakes. While these games are still quite different compared to modernPersona, there’s still a vested fan interest in experiencing the franchise’s origins. That being said, Atlus' reticence on recognizing the earlier titles, considering how comparatively different they are now, makes a lot of sense. At least the company understands JRPG fans generally exist on the PC platform, but porting the more nichePersonatitles may be a risky proposition for Atlus.
Persona 1and2 Remakesare not likely in development.
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