Katsura Hashino, the director behind Metaphor: ReFantazio and the acclaimed Persona series, recently shared insights on the challenging process of designing the series' iconic menus. While fans have always celebrated the sleek and stylish UI of Persona games, Hashino revealed that crafting these visually stunning interfaces is a time-consuming and "annoying" task for developers.

Persona and Metaphor: ReFantazio Menus Take 'a Lot of Time' to Make, Hashino Said

In an interview with The Verge, Hashino explained that while most developers aim for simplicity in UI design, the Persona team strives to blend functionality with beauty through unique designs for each menu. "In general, the way most developers make UI is very simple. That’s what we try to do as well—we try to keep things simple, practical, and usable. But maybe the reason that we’ve achieved both functionality and beauty is that we have unique designs that we make for each and every menu. This is actually really annoying to do," he admitted.

The development of these menus often takes longer than anticipated. Hashino recalled the early stages of Persona 5's distinctive angular menus, which were initially "impossible to read," requiring extensive adjustments to achieve the perfect balance of style and usability.

The allure of these menus has not gone unnoticed by players. Both Persona 5 and Metaphor: ReFantazio are celebrated for their visually striking designs, which have become as integral to the games' identities as their narratives and characters. However, this visual excellence comes at a significant cost in terms of development time and resources. "It takes a lot of time," Hashino confessed.

Hashino's frustrations are understandable, given the intricate and often over-the-top aesthetics of recent Persona games. Each element of the UI, from the in-game shop to the party menu, is meticulously crafted to enhance the player's experience. "We have separate programs running for each of them as well," Hashino noted. "Whether it’s the shop menu or the main menu, when you open them up there’s a whole separate program running and a separate design that goes into making it."

The challenge of harmonizing functionality with aesthetics in UI design has been a central theme in Persona development since Persona 3, culminating in the visually stunning menus of Persona 5. Hashino's latest project, Metaphor: ReFantazio, further elevates this approach with its painterly UI designed for a high-fantasy setting. While the menus may be "annoying" to create, the end result captivates fans and contributes to the games' spectacular appeal.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is set to launch on October 11 for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders are currently available, and for more information on the game's release and pre-order options, please refer to our detailed article below.