You All Missed This RPG From 2025 That Feels Like Old-School Persona

by

There are a lot of role-playing games available, but very few capture the magic of the Persona series. While independent developers have tried to fill the gap, there’s still a shortage of high-quality games that combine a relaxing, everyday school life with a dark and emotional story exploring themes like death, loss, and mental health. It’s an unusual mix, but it works incredibly well, especially when paired with Persona’s distinctive style and exciting turn-based battles.

Things are starting to look up, with a few excellent, but lesser-known, Japanese role-playing games trying to capture the popularity of recent Persona titles. But I’m even more interested in games that don’t just copy the style of Persona 3 and later installments. I’m drawn to the unique feel of the first two Persona games, especially the second one. They were truly original, and while comparable to even Persona 5, they felt different in a way that no one has attempted to recreate. When I think of games that genuinely capture that classic Persona atmosphere, one title immediately comes to mind: the often-overlooked 2025 gem, Demonschool.

Demonschool Borrows The Best Parts Of Old-School Persona

When I first started playing Demonschool, I immediately recognized the influence of Persona 2: Innocent Sin. However, that doesn’t mean Demonschool isn’t original – it’s full of its own creative ideas. I was surprised to find a style reminiscent of the older, classic Persona games from the PlayStation 1 era, rather than the more recent, polished look of games like Persona 5. It was a welcome change, especially since those earlier games have been overshadowed by the massive success of Persona 5, which brought the series to a whole new level of popularity.

If you’re like me and you’ve enjoyed games like Persona 5 or even the new Persona 3 Reload, you’ll probably feel pretty comfortable jumping into this. It really does feel like a Persona game at its heart – you’ve got a schedule to keep, things to do with friends that make you stronger, school to go to, and tons of creepy monsters to fight in really cool battles. But honestly, the way it looks is different – it’s like an old-school top-down view with these incredibly detailed 2D backgrounds, and the art style reminds me of the early Persona games. Plus, it’s genuinely scarier! While Persona 5 dealt with some serious stuff, Demonschool is legitimately unsettling in a way that Persona just doesn’t quite reach. It’s a fresh, and exciting take on the formula, at least for me!

What truly makes Demonschool special is its incredibly unique and cleverly designed combat system. You strategically move each character on a grid, carefully planning each turn to create powerful combos and maximize damage. After planning, you watch your strategy unfold in real-time. This system strongly encourages thoughtful, strategic play and makes you really consider each character’s strengths – something the more recent Persona games don’t emphasize as much. This isn’t a criticism of Persona, which doesn’t necessarily need complex turn-based battles, but rather highlights how deep and creative Demonschool’s combat is, setting it apart from not only Persona, but many of the best JRPGs out there.

We Need More Games Like The Original Persona Titles

I’m really drawn to how Persona games are designed and played, even though I haven’t loved the most recent ones as much as I’d hoped. While I have some issues with the stories Atlus tells, the combination of everyday life simulation and turn-based battles in Persona is always engaging, and Demonschool shows just how well that formula works. I’ll always be looking for games similar to Persona, revisiting older titles in the series, or eagerly following any news or rumors about Persona 6.

Playing Demonschool sparked a desire to see the successful formula of recent Persona games evolve in bolder and more engaging ways. By moving away from the high school setting, Demonschool can tackle deeper themes, and its combat feels more thoughtful and satisfying. While the social simulation aspects aren’t fully polished, they represent a clear improvement. What makes these elements work so well, I believe, is that they draw inspiration from earlier Persona titles – games known for their mature stories, distinctive art style, and even better combat. These earlier games should serve as inspiration not only for indie developers interested in this type of game, but for the Persona series itself.

I really hope we see more games like Demonschool. It’s not going to appeal to everyone—even fans of Persona might not like the ways it changes things up. But I absolutely love it, and I’m always excited to see the Personastyle gameplay evolve. Demonschool* hits all the right notes for me in an RPG, and it’s a shame more people haven’t played it, especially since there’s a free demo available. If you haven’t tried it yet, please do—you won’t regret it, and the music is fantastic on its own!

Are you planning to check out Demonschool? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/gaming/list/5-jrpgs-that-will-actually-make-you-cry/embed/#

Read More

2026-04-04 19:12