ReFantazio and Persona's Stunning, Yet Tedious, Menus
Persona series director, Katsura Hashino, recently revealed the surprisingly arduous process behind creating the series' iconic menus. While players praise their stylish and sleek design, Hashino confessed the creation process is far more challenging than it appears.
In an interview with The Verge, Hashino explained that unlike the typical streamlined UI development approach, the Persona team crafts unique designs for each menu. This meticulous approach, while resulting in both functional and visually appealing interfaces, is, in Hashino's words, "really annoying to do." He cited the development of Persona 5's angular menus as an example, noting initial iterations were difficult to read, necessitating extensive revisions.
The time commitment is substantial. Hashino emphasized the significant resources dedicated to perfecting the visual identity, stating that the process "takes a lot of time." This dedication extends to running separate programs for each menu, from the in-game shop to the main menu, ensuring a seamless player experience.
This commitment to balancing functionality and aesthetics has been a hallmark of the Persona series since Persona 3, culminating in the highly stylized menus of Persona 5. Metaphor: ReFantazio further elevates this design philosophy, adapting the approach to its high-fantasy setting. While Hashino finds the process frustrating, the results speak for themselves, delighting players with spectacular visual design.
Metaphor: ReFantazio launches October 11th on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders are now available.
