All 21 Character video games and spinoffs, ranked

Character has been round for over 20 years now, and it’s extra standard than ever. Sprawling from the Shin Megami Tensei franchise, the principle subseries is composed of RPGs from the views of highschool scholars, all of whom struggle the use of entities known as Personas.
Over time, particularly with the discharge of Character 3, the video games followed a calendar-based agenda desirous about social outings and actions after the closing school room bell rings on a daily basis. It makes for a singular approach of experiencing tales which might be any place from the 60-hour mark to over 100 as you create bonds with characters, strengthening your fight talents and feeding into your visits to dungeons.
With a couple of re-releases, remasters, and spinoffs that run the gamut of genres, score them isn’t simple. To begin with, doing so ends up in the painful realization that a few of these video games are now not to be had to buy, except you have got older consoles handy or the willingness to spend masses of bucks above MSRP on bodily copies. If the rest, the record under supplies a historical past lesson at the versatility of the concept that in the back of Character, and the entirety that the sequence has left in the back of since its conception.

21. Revelations: Character

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Your best possible guess is a PlayStation Vintage, which comes pre-downloaded with it
The bottom 0 for the sequence we all know nowadays. Revelations: Character was once launched in Japan and North The united states for PlayStation 1 in 1996. It supplies an obtuse however similarly attention-grabbing early take a look at the concept that of prime schoolers combating demons after departing from the Shin Megami Tensei mainline. Simply needless to say it’s a time pill in each sense. If random encounters and a complicated map aren’t sufficient to discourage you, the characters’ baffling race-swapping and strange translation of the Western launch would possibly.
20. Shin Megami Tensei: Character

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Unavailable as of July 2, 2021, excluding from secondhand dealers
Whilst it keeps the unique’s unfashionable really feel, Shin Megami Tensei: Character revitalizes the primary sport for the PlayStation Transportable in a couple of facets. It features a higher English translation, an more straightforward overworld map to navigate, quicker motion whilst exploring dungeons, and extra quality-of-life enhancements. Most significantly, it has the Snow Queen quest, a large storyline that’s lacking in Revelations, and anime cutscenes. The soundtrack is other, too, and extra on par with the latter video games.
19. Character 5: Dancing in Starlight

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita
Launched in 2018, Character 5: Dancing in Starlight is a rhythm sport derivative constructed at the identical basis as Character 3: Dancing in Moonlight. The largest distinction, and flaw, is its unique monitor record. It suffers from the truth that it got here out ahead of lots of the new soundtracks, missing a better and richer selection around the board. Certain, there are DLCs you’ll be able to purchase, together with songs from the anime, Character 5: The Animation, in addition to Character 4 Area Ultimax and Character Q. However additionally they paintings in Character 3: Dancing in Moonlight, which is a a lot more rounded package deal.
18. Character Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Unavailable as of March 31, 2023, excluding from secondhand resellers
For those who ever questioned what would occur if the casts of Character 3 Transportable, Character 4, and Character 5 all were given in combination in a haunted film theater, smartly, that’s Character Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth in a nutshell. The 2018 launch takes the root of Q and improves it within the gameplay sense. However it additionally lacks novelty, and the fan provider of the primary is additional annoyed via having but every other group in an already crowded surroundings, resulting in much less room for significant interactions.
17. Character Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Unavailable as of March 31, 2023, excluding from secondhand resellers
The primary access within the sequence to be evolved for a Nintendo console, Character Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, launched on 3DS in 2014, is a mashup evolved via the Character and Etrian Odyssey groups, offered as a first-person dungeon crawler. The casts of Character 3 and Character 4 sign up for forces in a chibi-style depiction, along a couple of new characters. It’s a special but intriguing crossover that gives extra intensity for individuals who beloved exploring dungeons within the unique video games.
16. Character 4 Area

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Xbox consoles by means of backward compatibility with the 360 model, in the stores digitally till July
The derivative generation of the Character sequence kicked off with a combating sport. Certain, why now not? Character 4 Area, launched in 2012, sees Character 4’s protagonist returning to Inaba after the occasions of the tale. After some occasions spread, each the unique forged and a few characters from Character 3 all finally end up excited about a combating event P-1 Grand Prix. It’s as wacky as it’s exhilarating. However there’s a greater technique to revel in it.
15. Character 4 Area Ultimax

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Transfer, and PC for the re-release, or Xbox 360 when you personal the console, because it’s now not backward suitable with later platforms
Character 4 Area Ultimax was once launched on consoles in 2014, serving as an instantaneous sequel to Area. It has a larger roster of characters, bringing much more other folks from the Character 3 forged, a strong set of mechanics (akin to charging up assaults and being ready to make a choice Shadow sorts, amongst others), and a tale instructed in a visible novel genre. Remember the fact that the tale from Area is incorporated within the PS4, Transfer, and PC variations, and it was once firstly to be had as DLC for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 variations.
14. Character 4: Dancing All Evening

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 4, the latter best to be had with the Unending Evening Assortment package deal
Taking into consideration how prevalent tune is in each Character access, a rhythm sport was once certain to occur faster quite than later. In 2015, Character 4: Dancing All Evening kicked off the primary of 3 entries, together with each unique tracks and a few very good remixes that proceed to be in my day-to-day rotation to at the present time. The tale isn’t as memorable, however you want to finish it to unencumber the best issue possibility. Nonetheless, if you need an excuse to look the forged once more or simply love rhythm video games, it is a nice start line.
13. Character 5 Tactica

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Nintendo Transfer, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Collection X, in addition to on Recreation Move
Simply after we concept Atlus was once operating out of genres for its spinoffs, Character 5 Tactica comes alongside as a fusion with tactics-style gameplay. The 2023 launch is very similar to the XCOM sequence in nature, however like Strikers, does a tight process of capitalizing at the present toolsets of the mainline video games. Its tale carries some combined messages, and it might use fewer ranges to head thru, because the enemy selection will get repetitive towards the top. However it’s a daring mashup value testing.
12. Character 4

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 3
Only a few other people know in regards to the perils of spending an excessive amount of time in entrance of the TV as do the townsfolk in Inaba. Character 4 is focused across the Middle of the night Channel — an city legend that says when you stare at your TV on a wet evening, your soulmate will supposedly seem at the display screen. This, as anticipated, has horrible effects, with the TV Global being the core of a sequence of tragic murders in an in a different way non violent the city. Character 4 is a huge soar from Character 3 with regards to gameplay. Except you’re a nostalgic consumer, despite the fact that, there’s a greater model to be had.
11. Character 3

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Unavailable, excluding from secondhand resellers
The primary advent to the Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES) happened in 2008 with the discharge of the unique Character 3. Character 3 took step one to setting up the fashionable Character formulation, introducing the calendar-based construction and an early take a look at the fight that more recent lovers have grown used to. It additionally has arguably the most productive pitch for a plot, with the twenty fifth hour of the day summoning a depressing moon up within the sky and Shadows at the streets for the ones unfortunate sufficient to revel in the horrors.
10. Character 5

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4
What else is there to mention about Character 5 at this level? The blueprint for what we all know as a contemporary Character sport was once launched in 2017 within the U.S. It’s a slick revel in that takes parts from previous entries and refines them in a daring and trendy package deal. The Phantom Thieves stole everybody’s hearts, whilst additionally developing the root for the gameplay genre, and glance, of next entries. The one explanation why it’s now not upper at the record is as a result of, put merely, the unique is slightly out of date compared to its definitive version.
9. Character 3: Dancing in Moonlight

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita
The most productive out of the 3 rhythm video games within the sequence. 2018’s Character 3: Dancing in Moonlight reminds us that the Character 3 soundtrack remains to be unrivaled, and it does so with an array of remixes that best fortify the atmosphere and really feel of the originals. It’s punchy, trendy, and exhilarating to play and replay till you get a complete combo in each tune.
8. Character 5 Strikers

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Transfer, and PC
A derivative in nature and a tale sequel to Character 5, 2021’s Character 5 Strikers has the Phantom Thieves reuniting over again for a highway commute. It’s additionally a musou sport comparable to Dynasty Warriors, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, and so forth. It’s a rendition of Character 5 on a smaller scale, however the fight provides a stunning quantity of intensity, capitalizing on using Personas in a hack-and-slash type.
7. Character 3 Reload

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, and Xbox Collection X, in addition to on Recreation Move
From its conception, it was once transparent that Character 3 Reload wasn’t aiming to be the definitive model, with the absence of each The Solution epilogue from FES and the feminine protagonist path from Transportable. It additionally borrows from Character 5 Royal slightly widely, refining its presentation and including plethora of quality-of-life updates. In essence, the 2024 launch is a retelling of the unique Character 3 tale within the genre of Character 5.
It makes for an approachable access, with some welcoming additions, like further actions to partake in after faculty and tweaks to its fight. However when you’re curious in regards to the unique renditions, particularly to revel in firsthand the principle appeals of Character 3 that didn’t make it into the remake, you’ll have some possible choices to make.
6. Character 2: Everlasting Punishment

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita
The second one access within the duology, Character 2: Everlasting Punishment noticed an reputable launch for PlayStation 1 in 2000. So, sure, it did pop out ahead of Character 2: Blameless Sin was once ported. Struggle stays in large part the similar, even if with some refinements and a better issue. Its energy is in how it acts as an instantaneous sequel to the tale with a couple of returning characters, in addition to being the primary Character sport to function a feminine protagonist in Maya Amano. The PlayStation Transportable model wasn’t formally localized, however there’s a fan translation available in the market.
5. Character 2: Blameless Sin

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation Vita
In the beginning launched in Japan for PlayStation 1, Character 2: Blameless Sin didn’t arrive in North The united states and Europe till 2011. At the outdoor, it’ll be remembered as an RPG that featured Adolf Hitler, which is reportedly a part of the explanation why it took goodbye to obtain a port in a foreign country.
The tale is unquestionably certainly one of its highlights, that includes a wild plot with a robust forged that carries a massively other tone than the only from long term crews. Certain, the dated fight may well be laborious to abdomen, but it surely’s definitely worth the commute down reminiscence lane to witness how other the sequence was once.
It additionally includes a imaginable romance between two male characters — which hasn’t but been replicated within the franchise — and has general more potent queer illustration than the remainder of the sequence.
4. Character 3 FES

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: PlayStation 3
Character 3 FES is a considerable revision of the unique. It polishes up the fight, provides an array of latest quests and interactions (like with the ability to take SEES’ dog member, Koromaru out for a stroll, which is essential), and tweaks mechanics just like the Naganaki Shrine.
Maximum notable is The Solution, which incorporates each a brand new dungeon to plunge into and an epilogue for the tale. Because it stands, Character 3 FES represents your complete tale, which makes it a very easy advice. Its greatest flaws are within the loss of quality-of-life updates that Character 3 Transportable delivered to the desk, and maximum particularly, the loss of a feminine protagonist to select. Scholar Kotone Shiomi has her personal discussion choices or even Social Hyperlinks to pursue, permitting you to get to grasp the male participants of SEES carefully. Certain, Character 3 Reload objectives to supply the latter with new social outings involving the forged at massive. However it’s a day-and-night distinction in comparison to what Transportable provides. Against this, FES has a greater presentation, permitting you to keep watch over your personality and spot the arena in shut element.
3. Character 4 Golden

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Nintendo Transfer, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Home windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Collection X
In 2012, Character 4 Golden offered itself as some of the primary causes to get a PlayStation Vita. It first parted techniques with its exclusivity in 2020 with a PC port, and has since been remastered for present platforms. It has a couple of additions around the board, from Social Hyperlinks to actions, quests, tale occasions, and a variety of quality-of-life adjustments. It additionally introduces Marie, a brand new personality that provides you with get admission to to a brand new dungeon and epilogue, similarly to Character 3 FES. As such, if you wish to know the actual finishing of the tale, that is the model to play thru.
Golden additionally supplies a curious glimpse of probably the most mechanics that may later be followed via Character 5. Dungeons, for instance, are nonetheless very similar to those in Character 3 with regards to construction, going thru flooring one after the other till you defeat a last boss. However they’re extra thematically adapted to characters and tale occasions, in some way that was once capitalized on with Palaces in Character 5.
2. Character 3 Transportable

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Nintendo Transfer, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Home windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Collection X
Character 3 Transportable was once firstly launched on PSP in 2009 in Japan and a 12 months later in North The united states. Fortunately, it has since been ported with a lite remaster to present platforms. It provides a couple of extra quality-of-life updates to a model recognized for them — principally, the facility to manually keep watch over your celebration participants in fight. This isn’t only a “Goofy can’t heal me for shit” state of affairs like in Kingdom Hearts. It’s a very powerful for a sport the place the use of the fitting talents on the proper time to take advantage of weaknesses is an integral a part of enemy encounters.
Against this with FES, it will get difficult. Transportable doesn’t have The Solution, this means that that the tale is incomplete. It’s additionally a closely toned-down model with regards to presentation, feeling extra comparable to a visible novel as you hover over attractions in static eventualities as a floating cursor, quite than manually transferring your personality to speak to other people. But FES doesn’t have a playable feminine protagonist together with her personal Social Hyperlinks and discussion choices. And your celebration participants infrequently heal you.
When you’ve got a choice for FES even with its shortcomings, it’s comprehensible. However the quality-of-life adjustments and new protagonist, along more straightforward get admission to, make Transportable the go-to model for now.
1. Character 5 Royal

Symbol: Atlus/Sega

The place to play: Nintendo Transfer, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, and Xbox Collection X
Character 5 Royal, the definitive model launched within the U.S. in 2020, represents the sequence in its most expression. It polishes up fight with an array of welcoming new mechanics, provides extra actions to partake in, and most significantly, expands the tale to give you the final closure. The brand new characters and confidants function an excellent supplement, banding in combination towards the top to kick off a brand new 3rd semester, serving as a hefty epilogue to the unique with a captivating and bittersweet send-off to the Phantom Thieves.
Royal, for higher or worse, is the maximum illustration of Character video games. It carries over problems with sexism and homophobia, regardless of making an attempt to handle previous errors, that the sequence has been reckoning with for many years now.
It has additionally turn into a part of what Atlus now considers “the Character 5 subseries,” which won’t come as a wonder. The manner and presentation were a transparent inspiration for the likes of Soul Hackers 2, Shin Megami Tensei 5, and Character 3 Reload. Having a look into the longer term, it’s transparent that the affect continues to make itself obvious, with Metaphor: ReFantazio as an upcoming instance. Certain, the studio in the back of it’s led via sport director Katsura Hashino, who’s been concerned with the sequence for the reason that starting up till Character 5. However P-Studio’s leap into the mainstream may also be observed all over the place.
For those who’re making plans to get into the sequence, Character 5 Royal is the only first of all. It’s an engrossing glance into what Character video games may also be, with their distinctive flaws and triumphs, finally those years.

Author: OpenAI