Sony's June 2022 State of Play may have downplayed expectations ahead of release, emphasizing a focus on VR games, but it delivered far more than PlayStation fans might have expected. Alongside a variety of compelling VR titles, Sony announced a major update for Horizon Forbidden West, dropped a release window for Final Fantasy 16, and much more. The show's indie offerings can't be downplayed either. For instance, the State of Play revealed a new hack-and-slash JRPG from indie developer Studio Sai. The game is called Eternights, and it may have a lot to offer fans of Atlus' Persona franchise in particular.
In Eternights, players take control of a young adult trying to survive in a world on the brink of apocalypse. Mutated humans make the world unsafe, and survivors like the protagonist scavenge to survive. Over the course of Eternights, unassuming characters will seemingly develop incredible powers that help them beat back monsters, and at the same time, bonds with fellow survivors will empower the player. While Eternights clearly packs lots of original ideas, the similarities to Persona can't be ignored. Studio Sai's debut title might be the perfect game for Persona fans to pick up while waiting for a new installation in the Persona franchise itself.
Comparing Eternights to the Persona Series
Eternights' handling of supernatural powers seems to be extremely similar to Persona. In the Persona series, normal teenagers with all kinds of down-to-earth woes awaken to supernatural abilities through manifestations of their true selves called Personas; the contrast between slice-of-life activities and supernatural adventures is a defining characteristic of the series. Eternights similarly appears to star a normal young man who gains remarkable abilities in the thick of the apocalypse, possibly due to the magical arm that he seems to gain at the start of the game. From then on, he and several other normal young people have to take it upon themselves to battle monsters and protect each other.
The social elements in Eternights are an even more clear adaptation of Persona, which is famous for its social sim aspects. Ever since Persona 3, fans of Persona have had the opportunity to take a break from the RPG side of the game and hang out with Social Links or Confidants, whose friendships unlock various bonuses that empower the player. Eternights has a similar system in mind and open bills itself as a "dating-action" game. Players will need to spend their time in Eternights carefully, picking characters to hang out with and earning rewards from their bonds. Eternights' social elements clearly focus more heavily on romance than Persona does, but odds are good that players can bond with Eternights' main characters platonically too.
Eternights' New Take on Persona Themes
Of course, there are plenty of ways in which Eternights differentiates itself from Persona. For instance, while Persona is known for its turn-based combat, Eternights is more action-driven despite incorporating RPG elements. Additionally, Eternights takes place in a very active apocalypse, which is more reminiscent of the Shin Megami Tensei games than Persona, the latter of which usually only teeters on the brink of the world's end. The focus on adult characters is also a significant departure from Persona, which generally revels in the trials and tribulations of high school. It'll be interesting to see how these variations on Persona's ideas add up to a unique experience.
All in all, Eternights could be a solid debut game for Studio Sai. The developer has said openly that the game is inspired by the Persona franchise, and while that much is clear, the game does plenty to differentiate itself. If Studio Sai can deliver on its ambitious promises of flashy combat and dynamic cutscenes that change through different romances, then Eternights could be a great start from the studio. Since it's not clear when the next Persona game will release, fans of Atlus' work should consider putting Eternights in their calendars, since it might scratch the right itch before Persona 6 hits store shelves.
Eternights releases in early 2023 for PC, PS4, and PS5.