Persona Dating Sim in 30 – A New Experience

Japanese developer Atlus has been producing dating sim games for over two decades, with their Persona series being a particular favorite among fans. Their latest game, Persona 5, has been a huge success, but the developers are taking a new approach with their next release. They’re challenging themselves and their fans by creating a new dating sim game, but with a twist – they’re developing it in just 30 days.

What is a Dating Sim?

A dating sim is a video game genre that focuses on building a romantic relationship with one or more characters. The player interacts with in-game avatars to make decisions and progress the story.

Why Create a Dating Sim in 30 Days?

The challenge was first announced in March 2016. The developers wanted to experiment with a new process of game development that would be much faster than traditional methods. With the project, Atlus aimed to create a minimal viable product, everything a game needs to be considered playable.

The Development Process

During the development process, the team focused on creating a 2D minigame-based dating sim centered around a witch school. The game was developed in Unity, with the art assets created in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

The development process involved very little pre-production. The team conducted brainstorming sessions, drew concept art, and then began constructing the game. They decided to make a game with cutesy and simple graphics due to the time constraints.

The Final Product

The final product, titled “Mystic Messenger,” was released on September 2016 and was a huge success in Japan. The game has since been localised into various other languages and has gained worldwide popularity among dating sim enthusiasts.

The game focuses on a character who downloads a mysterious app, which leads them to have conversations with different characters. The player responds to messages in real time, slowly developing relationships with different characters.

Reception and Reviews

The game received a lot of positive reviews, particularly in Japan. Critics praised the game’s unique gameplay mechanics, cute art style, and engaging storyline. Reviewers noted how impactful the game was in the dating sim genre despite being developed in such a short amount of time.

Conclusion

Atlus’s challenge to create a dating sim game in just 30 days was a smash hit, and the game proved to be very popular among fans and critics alike. “Mystic Messenger” has certainly set the standard in terms of speed and innovation in development.

FAQ:

Q1: What is a dating sim game?
A: A dating sim is a video game genre that focuses on building a romantic relationship with one or more characters. The player interacts with in-game avatars to make decisions and progress the story.

Q2: What is the purpose of creating a minimal viable product?
A: A minimal viable product includes everything a game needs to be considered playable. The developers want to get the game into players’ hands as soon as possible so they can get early feedback and development guidance.

Q3: What was the theme of the dating sim game created by Atlus?
A: The game created by Atlus was a 2D minigame-based dating sim centered around a witch school.

Q4: What was the final product of Atlus’s challenge?
A: The final product, titled “Mystic Messenger,” was released in September 2016. The game focuses on a character who downloads a mysterious app, leading to conversations with different characters in real-time.

Q5: What was the reception of “Mystic Messenger?”
A: Critics praised the game’s unique gameplay mechanics, cute art style, and engaging storyline. Despite being developed in just 30 days, the game received positive feedback from fans and critics worldwide.