The Persona franchise has played the role of a trailblazer for JRPGs, achieving massive levels of popularity in the international gaming community with its unique blend of storytelling and party combat dynamics. The series boasts several highly-rated titles, and Persona also has an impressive array of spin-offs, so it comes as no surprise some developers would take inspiration from some of its elements in the hopes of replicating the Atlus powerhouse's success. Whether in the form of a heavy story focus -- akin to Persona's thoroughly fleshed-out backstories of the Phantom Thieves -- or borrowing combat mechanics, the franchise's influence is far-reaching. Gust's 2017 release Blue Reflection has been touted to have a lot in common with the series.

JRPGs typically feature a set of predictable cliches fashioned after the anime scene, such as pre-teen or high school-aged characters with absent parents and terrifying final bosses. Persona adopts a few of these themes, and a widely enjoyed mechanic of the franchise's gameplay is the day-to-day activities of the Phantom Thieves, as players follow the characters to school, attending classes, studying at the library, or picking up a part-time job to earn some extra cash. Blue Reflection has its unique narrative spin to keep players engaged, which many have likened to a blend of anime Magical Girls and Persona, and it shares a few themes with the Atlus giant.

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Blue Reflection's Female Focus Starkly Contrasts Persona 3 Reload's Kotone Removal

The JRPG genre is a niche with many titles that aren't widely known by the gaming community, as very few releases enjoy the fanfare that are now part and parcel of the Persona experience. With Persona expanding its reach far outside the shores of Japan, developers are following the franchise's blueprint in the hunt for a similar breakout, and Blue Reflection found a way to infuse some of Persona's themes into its magical girl experience. Persona 3 kickstarted the modern age of Persona, and Persona 3 Portable's inclusion of a female protagonist was one of the innovative factors that propelled the series to stardom.

Persona 3 Reload has come under fire for dropping the original's female character from the remake's cast. As much of the gaming industry revisits iconic games with remakes, the announcement of Persona 3 Reload generated some excitement, but news of the female protagonist (popularly known as the FeMC) not making the cast dampened anticipation for the title. Since Persona 3 Portable is the only modern Persona game with a female lead, excluding her is a clear misstep from Atlus, as Kotone Shiomi's inclusion would've been an instant ticket to Reload's success.

In contrast to Persona 3 Reload's move, Blue Reflection leaned much more heavily into the female dynamic of Persona 3 Portable, featuring an all-female cast and adopting the Persona classroom dynamic. Players explore Hoshinomiya Girls School through the lens of Hinako Shirai, a first-year student, and the narration of her tale is similar to that of Persona's characters. Hinako initially plays the role of a reserved student with little interest in her peers, and the reason for her reclusive nature is made clear when she meets an old friend familiar with her backstory.

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School Life Elements Dominate Blue Reflection's Gameplay

Hinako had dreams of becoming an Etoile before an unfortunate leg injury dashed her ambitions, and her encounter with the old friend suddenly transports her to a different world, much like the upcoming Persona 5 Tactica's setting, which teleports the Phantom Thieves from Cafe Leblanc into an alternate reality called a Kingdom. In this new world, Hinako can use her injured leg once again thanks to Yuzuki and Lime Shijou, who introduce her to magical abilities, and she gains the description of a reflector -- someone who fights to fulfill her heart's deepest desires. This character development lines up with Persona's themes of being true to oneself and never losing heart.

Dealing with a rough past is a common occurrence in the Persona franchise; along the same lines, Hinako confronts her ordeal and gains the courage to pursue her ballet-dancing dreams once again. Making friends and developing relationships is also a key feature of Blue Reflection, and its episodic slice-of-life moments lend it the description of part visual novel, which are reminiscent of Persona's romance elements with its Social Link-esque dates and hangouts.

The content of Blue Reflection's playable party pales compared to Persona's, with only Hinako, Suzuki, and Lime available to players, in contrast to the impressive Phantom Thieves team in Persona 5. However, support characters can also participate in battles, and raising relationship stats with these supporting characters can be the difference between winning and losing. For instance, when attacking, the tennis girl can launch a ball into the enemy for added damage. Hinako's base stats can also get an upgrade through home activities such as studying and taking a bath.

Blue Reflection is more of a school simulator, where players embark on regular activities like shopping and doing makeup, which have little impact on the game's storyline, unlike Persona where just about every cutscene contributes to the overarching plot. Its Magical Girl dynamic comes from its character transformations from school uniforms and swimwear to the frilly fighting outfits on display in combat, much like Little Witch Nobeta. Blue Reflection didn't have the most comprehensive combat experience, but its slice-of-life feel and heartwarming story is worth a try for fans of the Persona series.

Blue Reflection is available now for PC, PS4, and PS Vita.

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