A memorable game for Katsura Hashino of ATLUS: Shin Megami Tensei

Game Creator: ATLUS' Katsura Hashino

Memorable Games

Entertainment that teaches you. A free and diverse game that teaches you life lessons.

I've always loved story-driven RPGs and simulation games like Wizardry and Mother. One game that particularly captivated me was Shin Megami Tensei. It wasn't a game of good versus evil, where the outcome was up to the player - choose to side with God or the devil - which was unusual for the time. Society is full of assumptions, but it made me think that it would be better if it was more free and diverse.

It's educational, yet entertaining and interesting. I was stunned by the richness of it all and decided to join Atlus. That said, it wasn't so much that I wanted to make a Shin Megami Tensei game myself, but rather that I had a strong respect for the people who thought that game was good and brought it out into the world.

When I create a game, I start by thinking about the goal. I think about how the player will feel when they complete the game, so that they will feel that it was worth playing. Then I create the ending, and add a twist just before the end, fleshing out the path to reach it. Adding meaning is also important.

The theme of "Persona" is the "persona" in Jungian psychology, the mask we wear in society. I have many different faces: the face of a director, the face I wear when I'm being interviewed, and the face I wear at home with my family. It's hard to say which one is my true self, but they're all me, aren't they? I think that's what gives me the strength to live.

During development, I gave advice to a high school student relative, but I felt that the only community he had was his parents, classmates, and coworkers, and that there weren't many channels. Just getting involved as an older guy like me who makes games on a daily basis can help create a new face. If you interact with different people and have different faces, you'll gain the ability to not be swayed by others. I wanted to convey this message through the game, so I incorporated it into a system that creates communities such as "Commu" and "Co-op."

I try to watch not only games, but also anime, movies, music, and other works that are creating an explosive movement in the world. "Attack on Titan," "Demon Slayer," "Jujutsu Kaisen," "VIVANT." I'm always curious to see if I can find the same kind of excitement and enthusiasm in the things that everyone else is into. I want people to be just as absorbed in playing games, and to feel something beyond their imagination and have a rich experience.

Hashino's masterpiece