Chef's Menus Stun with Style, Ease of Use Questions

The stunning menus in the Persona series, including the highly anticipated Metaphor: ReFantazio, are a testament to artistic dedication, but also a significant development challenge, according to director Katsura Hashino. In a recent interview with The Verge, Hashino revealed the surprisingly laborious process behind crafting these visually impressive user interfaces.

While players admire the sleek and stylish menus, Hashino confessed that their creation is far more "annoying" than it appears. He explained that unlike the simpler UI design approaches common in game development, the Persona team strives for both functionality and aesthetic beauty in each individual menu. This commitment to unique, bespoke designs for every menu element significantly increases development time and complexity.

Hashino recounted the difficulties faced during the development of Persona 5, where early iterations of the iconic angular menus proved "impossible to read," necessitating extensive revisions to achieve the perfect balance between form and function. This meticulous attention to detail extends to the creation of separate programs for each menu, from the in-game shop to the main menu, further highlighting the extensive effort involved.

The visual impact of these meticulously crafted menus is undeniable, contributing significantly to the overall aesthetic appeal of Persona 5 and Metaphor: ReFantazio. However, this stunning visual identity comes at a cost, demanding significant development resources and time. The result, however, is a visually captivating experience that has become a hallmark of the series.

Metaphor: ReFantazio, launching October 11th on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, pushes the boundaries of this design philosophy even further. Pre-orders are now available. The challenge of seamlessly blending functionality and aesthetics in UI design has been a defining aspect of Persona's development since Persona 3, culminating in the visually stunning menus of Persona 5 and now reaching new heights in Metaphor: ReFantazio. While the process may be "annoying" for Hashino, the end result is undoubtedly spectacular for fans.