It’s Monday and I’m tired, so do I really have to write out hundreds of words telling you who Nic Reuben is? You already know Nic! He’s been writing here as a freelancer loads. He threw a rock through the treehouse window and were preparing to sacrifice him to appease Horace’s great coils, but the endless bear spake and instead commanded us to hire him, after a rigorous interview process. Say hello to Nic in his new and official capacity here on the site! My enthusiasm has woken me up again!
If I were to write a list of all the things that made Skyrim special, it’d be as long as The Elder Scrolls themselves. Considering that’s a massive waste of parchment, I can boil Skyrim’s magic down to one word: dragons. Few games have recaptured the thrill of Tamriel’s wyrms crashing down from the sky to interrupt an otherwise run-of-the-mill fetch quest. But I’ve got good news: that very same sense of awe, terror, and excitement fuels Dragon’s Dogma 2, a game where a towering cyclops can unexpectedly emerge from the forest’s edge, or a terrifying drake swoop down from on high, all in unscripted, emergent moments.
If you’re familiar with the original Dragon’s Dogma, then you’ll likely know that the game’s director, Hideaki Itsuno, was partly inspired by The Elder Scrolls series. That inspiration makes the first game, and in turn Dragon’s Dogma 2, stand out against not only the traditions of Japanese-developed RPGs, but also much of the Western RPG scene, too. Dragon’s Dogma 2 rejects many of the genre’s narrative-heavy staples in favour of a more organic, exploration-focused structure. It’s a philosophy that powers Bethesda Game Studios’ trademark approach, and so within Dragon’s Dogma 2 there are recognisable echoes of Skyrim.
Our memories of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim are more often than not related to our lived experiences within the world, rather than specific characters or narrative beats. This makes The Elder Scrolls something unusual among RPGs, a genre typically reliant on novel-like stories. It’s likely a result of the series having roots in Ultima Underworld, the key progenitor of games like System Shock and Deus Ex. These games are built on interlocking systems and mechanics that combine to create worlds that feel organic and authentic – everything has its purpose and interacts with the things around it. While story is a foundational pillar in these games, it’s delivered without the cinematic lens used in more traditional RPGs – they’re not Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect, or Dragon Quest. These are games about doing and experiencing, rather than being part of a beautifully written tale.
That brings us back to Skyrim’s dragons, and in turn Dragon’s Dogma 2’s array of colossal beasts. They turn up without warning, injecting unexpected challenges into… well, anything. You could be having a mundane stroll back to the city to hand in a quest, or be in the middle of an already heated battle. Just yesterday I was on an errand to collect gold ore, only for my mining expedition to be interrupted by a ferocious griffin. A great battle ensued, with my party calling down bolts of lightning and shooting flaming arrows in an attempt to bring it down. The creature eventually realised it was bested and so took to the skies, but not before I grabbed its tail and clambered onto its hind leg. Hurtling through the skies and hanging on for dear life, I began a new adventure. An adventure with no quest log entry or objective – I’d just let this massive half-eagle, half-lion decide my fate.
Many RPGs carry the sense of being crafted for you; every quest is bespoke for your protagonist. Dragon’s Dogma 2 feels much more organic. The world lives and breathes of its own accord, and every time you step outside your front door you’re at the mercy of the overlapping systems that give its creatures life and make its rivers flow (I should mention here that Dragon’s Dogma 2’s rivers can literally eat you). It means that every journey is an anecdote delivery machine – you can’t go from A to B without some kind of wild and wonderful event leaping out at you.
I recall my time in Skyrim in exactly the same way – permanent images of being chased by frost trolls and stumbling across giants herding mammoths, none of which were part of any actual quest. Many of us remember Bethesda’s schtick of “See that mountain? You can go there”, but it wasn’t actually the mountain that was important – it was the journey there. The many unscripted, organic moments that happened on your particular journey are what make Skyrim special, as they made it your experience, not everybody else’s. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is an entire game cut from this same cloth.
This kind of approach comes with its own drawbacks though. Creating a land this big, where the fun is often ‘whatever happens to you’ rather than pre-scripted quests, means there has to be a dozen systems constantly ticking behind the scenes to keep the world alive. More moving parts means more jank, and if there’s anything a Skyrim fan knows well it’s jank. Dragon’s Dogma 2 is exactly the same. Its NPCs repeat ever-looping dialogue. Your companions are over-eager and constantly get in trouble. Characters stare dead-eyed into the wrong direction for entire conversations. Combat feels messy and imprecise. It’s a list of things that would traditionally see a game written off. But rather than diminishing its quality, these rough edges feel oddly comforting because they lend the game personality… a personality reminiscent of Skyrim. There’s something endearing about all this distinctly video game-y artifice, and how it finds a way to sit in harmony alongside a world that so often feels truly alive.
Perhaps that feeling is rooted in nostalgia. We’re in a golden age of RPGs, but few games try to capture the very specific magic of Skyrim. We’ve been waiting 13 years for something that comes close, and it could be that we’re waiting forever if we pin our hopes on Bethesda. In the years since Skyrim’s launch, the studio’s games have increasingly been inspired by the survival genre rather than advancements in the RPG space. Fallout 4’s crafting and building focus was a clear response to Minecraft’s colossal success, while Fallout 76 attempted to ride the wave of Steam’s survival game boom. More recently, Starfield’s procedurally generated galaxy is inescapably in No Man’s Sky’s orbit. It stands to reason, then, that The Elder Scrolls 6 could push further in this direction, potentially at the expense of what made us fall in love with Oblivion and Skyrim.
Dragon’s Dogma 2, though, with its map absent of icon clutter and reliance on curiosity, discovery, and emergent gameplay, feels akin to a Bethesda game that took inspiration from Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring. These are touchstones that are hard not to get excited about – I appreciate Bethesda is what it is precisely because it doesn’t make RPGs like anyone else, but I’d like to see it push focus on its open worlds rather than its survival elements. Thankfully, that’s what I’m getting from Dragon’s Dogma 2.
Capcom’s latest is different from Skyrim in many ways – its lore is a pamphlet in comparison, its quest design is only half as good, and you definitely can’t play as a stealth archer. It’s much more challenging than an Elder Scrolls game, too, with long and often arduous journeys that must be sufficiently planned for. Messing up can mean reverting to an hours-old save. And so Dragon’s Dogma 2 is not a ‘spiritual sequel’ to Skyrim in the way that Obsidian’s Avowed is positioned to be.
But Skyrim’s true magic was never what it was, but how it made you feel. And, for the first time in 13 years, I finally had that same feeling again. The world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 has the spirit of Skyrim flowing through it. It feels like a home away from home (although only if you think homes should be full of 20-feet-tall monsters that surprise attack you in the middle of the night.)
Matt Purslow is IGN’s UK News and Features Editor.
Fantasy action-RPG Dragon’s Dogma 2 has had a tumultuous launch week: praised by reviewers, slated for its performance issues, and berated for its (pretty inconsequential) microtransactions. Now begins the labour of patching the game. Capcom have released a few hints about forthcoming Dragon’s Dogma 2 updates. Their plans for the PC version include letting players acquire dwellings earlier on in the story, improving quality when DLSS super resolution is enabled, and adding the option to start a new game when save data already exists.
Microsoft has reportedly reached an agreement with former Crash Bandicoot developer Toys for Bob for the studio’s next game.
In February, Toys for Bob announced plans to spin off from Microsoft-owned Activision to become an indie developer. Toys for Bob is the developer behind Skylanders, Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and Crash Bandicoot games, but in more recent years had become a Call of Duty support studio.
At the time, Toys for Bob said it was exploring “a possible partnership between our new studio and Microsoft”, adding both Microsoft and Activision were “extremely supportive” of its new direction. While Toys for Bob’s first project as an indie studio is apparently “in the early days”, fans wondered speculated it could be a revival of Crash, Spyro, or another IP Toys for Bob has become known and beloved for.
Now, according to Windows Central, that partnership is a done deal, with Microsoft agreeing to fund development of the unannounced game. This new game will be “similar” to games Toys for Bob has made in the past, Windows Central said. Microsoft and Toys for Bob are yet to comment.
When Toys for Bob announced its independence, it told fans to “keep your horns on and your eyes out for more news.” Some are taking this as a nod to Spyro the Dragon. Now Microsoft owns Activision Blizzard, it owns all associated intellectual property, including Crash and Spyro.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Mr. Cool.
Update : After a killer set, we finally have a winner for Splatoon 3’s instrument-themed Splatfest.
It was Team Keyboard that came out on top in the battle of “Which instrument would you play?”. The headline act took home a whopping 500p, while Team Guitar and Team Drums followed on 190p and 180p respectively.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
It’s a brand new week in Computer Game Land, and right now, I am playing a nasty little survival sim called “Beating Jetlag”. I landed back in the UK from GDC on Saturday afternoon, and my brain and eyeballs still feel as though they’re being gently sautéed in a medicinal blend of oil and vinegar. The sun and sky bear down with a terrible, holy light and I can’t seem to conjure any warmth into my elbows. In the street outside, a small dog is barking. Soon, very soon, I will catch that dog, place it in a box and FedEx it to China.
Following Larian’s shock decision to move on from Baldur’s Gate 3 and Dungeons & Dragons, some fans have pointed the finger at Wizards of the Coast — but, according to Swen Vincke, the Hasbro-owned company is not to blame.
Last week, Larian confirmed it had no plans to release DLC or expansions for smash hit Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game Baldur’s Gate 3, and indeed it had no plans to make another video game set in the D&D universe, ruling out a Baldur’s Gate 4 from the studio. Instead, it’s making a brand new game.
Following the news, some fans expressed concern that Wizards of the Coast, which owns and operates Dungeons & Dragons, had caused Larian to walk away from the fantasy universe. Wizards of the Coast is owned by toy maker Hasbro, which issued a statement to IGN addressing Larian’s decision:
“Larian has been an incredible partner, and together we are proud of the success of Baldur’s Gate 3. Watch this space for more on some awesome D&D games we are bringing to life through Hasbro’s studios and our network of licensing partners. We have an unbeatable library of toy and game brands and many fantastic partners around the world.”
Hasbro failed to respond to IGN’s question about the future of Baldur’s Gate now Larian is moving on, nor did it say whether Wizards of the Coast plans to hand the licence to a new developer. Baldur’s Gate 3 has made some $90 million for Hasbro, an impressive sum even as the company has struggled overall, experiencing a revenue decline of 15% and operating at a loss of $1.5 billion in 2023.
In December, Hasbro announced a huge wave of layoffs that affected over 1,000 staff just before the holidays. Following the news, Vincke offered his condolences to the massive group of Wizards of the Coast workers affected by the cuts, drawing specific attention to the fact that nearly everyone at the company who was part of early discussions about Baldur’s Gate 3 had left.
“I also want to thank [Wizards of the Coast] and specifically the Dungeons & Dragons team for giving us carte blanche,” Vincke said at the time. “I’m really sorry to hear so many of you were let go. It’s a sad thing to realize that of the people who were in the original meeting room, there’s almost nobody left. I hope you all end up well.”
Now, clearly mindful of the growing resentment towards Wizards of the Coast following Larian’s announcement, Vincke has issued a follow-up statement, defending the company.
“Reading the reddit threads, I would like to clear up something,” Vincke said. “WOTC is not to blame for us taking a different direction. On the contrary, they really did their best and have been a great licensor for us, letting us do our thing. This is because it’s what’s best for Larian.”
In an interview with IGN at GDC 2024, Vincke revealed Larian began work on Baldur’s Gate 3 DLC and even gave some thought to a potential Baldur’s Gate 4 before pivoting away to other projects because the team was “going through the motions.” “You could see the team was doing it because everyone felt like we had to do it, but it wasn’t really coming from the heart, and we’re very much a studio from the heart,” Vincke added. “It’s what gotten us into misery and it’s also been the reasons for our success.”
As Larian moves on to new things, Hasbro is now left pondering what to do with the Baldur’s Gate series and the incredible characters Larian created for Baldur’s Gate 3. Does it draft in a new developer to take up the reins? Does it leave Baldur’s Gate 3 behind, as Larian has? In a tweet, Vincke passed the torch: “As for BG3 and its characters – they now belong to WOTC and I think they understand how important they are for the community. I trust that they’ll be treated with respect.”
What we do know is there are a number of Dungeons & Dragons video games in development that are not Baldur’s Gate 4. Gameloft Montreal, maker of Disney Dreamlight Valley, is working on a new Dungeons & Dragons game set in the Forgotten Realms. It’s described as “a unique and innovative experience blending survival, action RPG, and life simulation that will test players’ skills in an unforgiving campaign set in the D&D universe.” And Payday developer Starbreeze is working on a Dungeons & Dragons co-op multiplayer game codenamed Project Baxter, although it’s not due out until 2026.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
Ranked by you.
If there’s any franchise that’s no stranger to a spin-off or two, it’s Pokémon. The inherent appeal of the little Pocket Monsters makes the series ripe for all kinds of genres and video games. Name a genre, and Pokémon has most likely done it.
But, dear readers, what’s the very best Pokémon spin-off? That’s where you come in. We asked you, folks, to rate all of the Pokémon spin-offs that you’ve played, and this list is the result of your scores. We’re doing this in celebration of a childhood favourite, Pokémon Snap on the N64, which celebrated its 25th anniversary on 21st March 2024 — and we just aged another five years by typing that in…
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Beginning its life as a Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, the Persona series has quickly launched into something entirely of its own and become one of the biggest names in 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 be slowing down anytime soon.
With the latest entry in the franchise, Persona 3 Reload, now available to play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC, new players are probably wondering where’s the best place to start. Below, we’ll give you a full rundown of every game and spin-off, including the best entry point for newcomers and both the chronological and release order of the series.
Jump to:
In total, there are currently twenty Persona games. Several of these are expanded versions of the mainline entries in the series, whether that’s in the form of re-releases featuring new story content or remakes. While we won’t include direct ports or remasters, we’ll make sure to note every alternate version of each game when listing them below.
If you’re looking for the perfect place to start, you can’t really go wrong jumping into Persona 3 Reload, Persona 4 Golden or Persona 5 Royal first. They’re the latest versions of the third, fourth and fifth mainline entries in the series, and, aside from Persona 3 Reload missing Nintendo Switch, they’re all available on PC and every major console.
For those concerned about skipping the story by jumping into later entries in the series, you won’t miss anything by going straight to Persona 3, 4, or 5. Each game tells an entirely new story with original characters that’s largely disconnected from its predecessors, so they’re great launching points for those coming in fresh.
These blurbs contain mild spoilers for each game, including characters, settings, and story beats.
The first game in the series, Revelations: Persona was Atlus’ reaction to the positive reception of Shin Megami Tensei: If…, which was another Shin Megami Tensei spin-off centered around high-schoolers battling demons. Capitalizing on how much players enjoyed the central concept, Revelations: Persona offered a full dungeon-crawling RPG centered around a group of high schoolers battling a supernatural uprising throughout the town of Mikage-cho.
Along the way, they use the powers of their awakened Personas to take down shadows and explore dungeons filled with random encounters, leveling up their party and growing stronger over the course of the game. Revelations: Persona was the foundation of the franchise as we know it today, introducing elements like wielding Personas in combat, the Velvet Room and a teenage cast of heroes.
The second entry in the Persona series, Persona 2: Innocent Sin launched in 1999. The game follows a new set of high-school students led by protagonist Tatsuya Suou, who set out on a mission to take down a mysterious villain known as Joker and the cult of the Masked Circle.
Centring around an evil plot where malicious rumors spreading around the town of Sumaru come to life, Persona 2 once again focuses on exploring dungeons, wielding Personas, fighting shadows and leveling up your party. Unlike other entries in the series, it received a direct sequel just a year later, with Persona 2: Eternal Punishment acting as a continuation of the game’s story.
Read our review of Persona 2: Innocent Sin.
Following up the events of Innocent Sin, Eternal Punishment promoted side character, Maya Amano, to the protagonist role. Sent to write an article about a new rumor regarding a phenomenon known as the Joker Curse, the game quickly sees Maya and her allies rally against a returning foe.
Acting as a direct continuation of Innocent Sin’s story, it centers on the same style of turn-based, dungeon-crawling gameplay, as players build their party and wield their Personas to battle shadows.
Read our review of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.
The third mainline entry in the franchise, Persona 3 was a major evolution of the Persona formula. Opting to focus on its high-school premise, Persona 3 introduced a daily calendar, with one half of the game tasking players with attending school, developing friendships and studying, while the other sent them to fight shadows in the supernatural realm of Tartarus.
The story focuses on high school student Makoto Yuki, who finds he’s able to experience a mysterious space of time known as the Dark Hour, where regular people are trapped in coffins and a demonic tower sprouts from his school. Teaming with his classmates, he explores the tower, uncovering a sinister plot that threatens the entire world. Persona 3 is considered a landmark entry for the series, introducing social links, day-to-day activities and many other mechanics that have since become synonymous with the franchise.
Read our review of Persona 3 Reload.
A rhythm-based dancing spin-off of Persona 3 that takes place during the main campaign, Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight sees Elizabeth challenge the S.E.E.S team to a dance-off in the Velvet Room. The events of the game are set during a dream but are completely canon to the story, and follow the team performing various dance routines to iconic Persona 3 tracks.
The fourth mainline entry in the Persona series, Persona 4 takes place in the rural town of Inaba. Players assume the role of Yu Narukami: a high schooler from the city who moves to the country to live with his uncle and cousin for a year. After arriving, a string of violent murders begin to take place in the town, as Yu and his friends quickly discover they’re somehow linked to a mysterious otherworldly realm they can access by stepping through TV monitors.
Delving into this mysterious new world, Yu and his friends face supernatural forces as they learn more about the murders, using their powers to try and stop them. Building off the mechanics of Persona 3, Persona 4 once again utilizes the calendar system, as players build social links and attend school while also exploring vast dungeons and defeating enemies with their Personas.
Read our review of Persona 4 Golden.
Technically taking place during the Persona 3 and Persona 4 storylines simultaneously, Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a crossover between both games. During the typhoon segment of Persona 3 and the Culture Festival segment of Persona 4, the S.E.E.S team and the Investigation Squad are trapped inside a warped version of Yasogami High School.
The time-bending event sees both teams come together to investigate the strange occurrence and escape back to their respective spots on the timeline. Along the way, players explore a labyrinth filled with new enemies and uncover an original story, with the spin-off acting as a callback to the series’ more traditional dungeon-crawler roots.
Read our review of Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth.
A continuation of both Persona 3 and 4’s narratives and the franchise’s first major spin-off, Persona 4 Arena sees Yu Narukami return to Inaba and stumble into a new adventure, as he returns to the TV world for a mysterious fighting tournament. Forced to battle against his allies and a group known as the Shadow Operatives, which is comprised of Persona 3’s Mitsuru, Akihiko and Aigis, Arena offers a full fighting game boasting a roster of iconic Persona characters.
Read our review of Persona 4 Arena.
A year following the release of Persona 4 Arena, the spin-off received a sequel titled Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Taking place directly after the events of the first game, the Persona 4 squad teams up with the Shadow Operatives to return to the TV World and battle against the mysterious forces running the fighting tournament. Ultimax was ultimately an upgrade for the first game, bringing in an expanded roster including returning characters like Yukari, Junpei, Ken and Koromaru.
Read our review of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax.
The fourth and arguably most unexpected spin-off of Persona 4, Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a rhythm-based dancing game where the Investigation Squad performs routines to iconic Persona tracks. It offers a completely canon continuation of the storyline, following Yu and the team as they’re sucked into an alternate dimension known as the Midnight Stage.
Read our review of Persona 4: Dancing All Night.
The fifth mainline entry in the series, Persona 5 hit shelves in Japan in 2016 before launching worldwide in 2017. Taking players to Tokyo, it casts them as a new protagonist known as Joker, who finds himself on probation after being framed for a crime he didn’t commit. Attending the local high school, Joker and his friends discover a supernatural alternate dimension, which allows them to infiltrate mystical palaces and change the hearts of evil-doers around the city.
Before long, the group becomes notorious on the streets of Tokyo, going under the alias of the Phantom Thieves. The game builds heavily off the formula established by Persona 3 and 4, including massive story-focused levels that unfold over a month, the return of the negotiation system and a new dungeon system known as Mementos. Persona 5 launched the franchise into the stratosphere, quickly becoming Atlus’ best-selling game of all time and cultivating a huge fan base.
Read our review of Persona 5 Royal.
A sequel to Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth, New Cinema Labyrinth once again depicts a crossover between various Persona characters. After the Phantom Thieves find themselves trapped in a movie theater, they ally with Persona 3’s S.E.E.S team and Persona 4’s Investigation Squad to find an escape, traveling into the movies on the screen in an attempt to fix their endings.
Much like the original game, Persona Q2 simultaneously takes place during the Persona 3, 4 and 5 storylines, with the adventure pulling each group out of their respective timeline. There, they explore dungeons from a first-person perspective and fight turn-based battles against various enemies.
Taking place during the events of Persona 5, Persona 5 Tactica is a strategy-focused spin-off that’s similar in style to the XCOM franchise. The story follows the Phantom Thieves mysteriously traveling to an alternate realm known as the Kingdoms. Unable to escape, Joker and Morgana are forced to abandon the rest of the Phantom Thieves after they’re brainwashed by the realm’s monstrous ruler, Tyrant Marie, forcing the pair to begin an adventure to save their allies and return home.
Along the way, they team up with the local resistance, helping them fight against Tyrant Marie’s forces. The game revolves around a tactical grid-based combat system, as players direct three units across the battlefield and take out enemies.
Read our review of Persona 5 Tactica.
Atlus’ third rhythm-based dancing spin-off, Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight sees Caroline and Justine bring the Phantom Thieves to the Velvet Room and challenge them to a dance off. There, the group perform dance routines to several of Persona 5’s catchiest tracks.
A spin-off set four months after the events of Persona 5, Strikers sees the Phantom Thieves reunite for a summer vacation. However, the team find themselves sucked into the Metaverse after using an app known as EMMA. Escaping with the help of a new ally, the team don their Phantom Thieves gear once more and set out to discover the truth behind EMMA, the Metaverse, and what it means for the people of Tokyo.
Persona 5 Strikers is a crossover with the long-running Dynasty Warriors franchise, introducing real-time combat to the series. Battles center around the Phantom Thieves taking on large hordes of enemies, which they can deal with through combos or by calling on Personas.
Read our review of Persona 5 Strikers.
Although Persona 3 Reload has only just hit shelves, it seems Atlus has another Persona project in the pipeline. Last year, they announced they were working on a mobile spin-off known as Persona 5: The Phantom X. When announcing the project, Atlus said it was similar in style to the original Persona 5, featuring a new group of characters as they explore the Metaverse and navigate daily highschool life.
While we wait for an inevitable Persona 6, we also know the team behind Persona 3, 4 and 5 is working hard on their next RPG, Metaphor: ReFantazio. It’s slated to release later this year and promises to be a sprawling fantasy tale with all the style, intense turn-based combat and intricate storytelling of the Persona series. It doesn’t have a release date just yet, but you can check out the official trailer above.
Callum Williams is a freelance media writer with years of experience as a game critic, news reporter, guides writer and features writer.
Zelda was its “best 2023 game”.
Metacritic released its 14th annual publisher rankings earlier this week and Nintendo has placed in the top 10 for 2023.
Thanks to the critical success of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and some other titles, Nintendo placed sixth place out of 46 publishers on the list. It had an average Metascore of 79.5 in 2023 after releasing 22 titles, with four great games overall. In the previous year, it was 12th. Here’s what Metacritic had to say about its latest result:
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
