Persona
A JRPG series that alternates dungeon crawling with a life simulator.
Where Persona comes up1 episode or test
Persona alternates dungeon crawling with a life simulator, and Game Maker's Toolkit says this fits gameplay to the story. Its friendship theme runs through both the battles and the life sim sections. The sources give no numbers. The lesson for builders: when combining genres, point each one at the core theme, and choose a method deliberately, such as handing off, offering play styles, or blending.
- RPG battles
- Theme: friendship
- Hands off to life sim
- Life simulator sections
- Theme: friendship
- Hands off to dungeon
One shared theme makes two mechanics feel like one game
From Source on combining genres in games
What was said about Persona
Persona hands off between dungeon crawling and life sim. The series switches between the two genres at different times, which gives the game pacing and variety. The shift also lets the gameplay fit the story being told.
Handing off is one of three ways to combine genres. The other two are offering play styles, where players pick skills from different genres, and blending, which merges aspects of two genres into something new. In the source's words: "I think there are three different ways to combine genres in games."
Persona points both genres at one theme: friendship. The friendship theme runs through the RPG battles and the life simulator sections alike. That shared focus makes two different sets of mechanics feel like one game.
The lesson drawn is to "make sure everything is pointing in that same direction". The theme ties the modes together even when the mechanics differ.
How To Combine Video Game Genres
It swaps between dungeon crawling and life simulation so gameplay fits the story, and its friendship theme runs through both halves.
Persona hands off between dungeon crawling and life sim. The series switches between the two genres at different times, which gives the game pacing and variety. The shift also lets the gameplay fit the story being told.
Handing off is one of three ways to combine genres. The other two are offering play styles, where players pick skills from different genres, and blending, which merges aspects of two genres into something new. In the source's words: "I think there are three different ways to combine genres in games."
Persona points both genres at one theme: friendship. The friendship theme runs through the RPG battles and the life simulator sections alike. That shared focus makes two different sets of mechanics feel like one game.
The lesson drawn is to "make sure everything is pointing in that same direction". The theme ties the modes together even when the mechanics differ.
More in Games
GamesNintendo
A Zelda adventure where Princess Zelda copies objects and monsters as echoes to solve puzzles and fight.
GamesThe Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Nintendo's long-running action-adventure series about Link exploring Hyrule, solving puzzles and fighting Ganon.
GamesDead Space
A major video game publisher and the guest's employer.
G
29 sources · 94 tipsMind Over Magnet
A puzzle platformer where you escape a factory using a magnet and a magnetic field.
GamesFar Cry 2
An open world action game where you recruit and play any of London's citizens.
GamesGod of War
A combat-focused action adventure game from Santa Monica Studio with Norse mythology and light puzzles.
Mind Over Magnet
Mark Brown's first game, a puzzle game he made while learning Unity.
GamesDishonored
A first-person stealth action game from Arkane with supernatural powers and the Clockwork Mansion level.