Persona 5 is the result of a decade of evolution on the part of the Persona series. It shared its predecessors’ critical acclaim, but its modernized gameplay and style contributed to an overwhelming success. By the time of its release, Persona was one of Atlus’ signature series, usurping the franchise it spun off from, Shin Megami Tensei. Persona 5 proved the series can thrive, and the Persona IP was integrated into the mainstream, cemented by Joker’s inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Atlus has everything it needs to keep milking Persona 5 for at least a decade, if one were to look at how it treated Persona 4. It did not take long for Persona 5 to get its own spin-offs like Strikers, an inclusion in the Persona Q subseries, and other cameos, such as the Joker costume in Sonic Forces. However, Persona 6 is confirmed to be in development, so the end of Persona 5’s reign is inevitable. Thankfully for Atlus, a blueprint to replicate Persona 5’s success while remaining fresh has already been set.

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Persona 5’s Aesthetics

Ichiko Ohya's confidant profile.

Persona 5 is arguably the only mainline game in the series whose tone and intent are accurately represented through its visuals, thanks to the PS3 and the PS4 being more powerful systems to work with. The awkward, figurine-line visuals that represent the characters in Persona 3 and Persona 4 were no more, as Persona 5 represents the series finally implementing fully stylized models. They are animated, cel-shaded, and faithful to the intentions of the characters’ official artwork. The transition from anime cutscenes to events depicted in the game’s engine was no longer as jarring, and the game’s now iconic UI and comic book-like splash art contributed to its identity. The game took roots established by its predecessors and made its presentation flashier and more accessible.

There has been a pattern with the Persona games. The first two games were released on the original PlayStation. They shared a lot of similarities with the Shin Megami Tensei games at the time, and are very different experiences from modern Persona titles as a result. Persona 3 and Persona 4 were both released on the PlayStation 2, and were the beginning of the franchise’s dominance in Atlus’ library, as well as its contemporary identity. “Definitive versions” of the games were also made for Sony handhelds, and Golden was released on PC not long ago.

Persona 5 was the series’ debut on modern gaming platforms and the transition from cult-classic status to Persona being beloved by worldwide masses. It is unlikely that Persona 6 will share a console with its predecessor, however it is expected to follow certain things Persona 5 started. An expressive UI, models that are even closer to the artwork than ever before, and a similar cel-shaded look are the basic blueprints.

Gameplay Changes

persona 5 shadow recruitment

Persona 5 follows the general template established by the PS2 installments. Just like Persona 3 and Persona 4, it is a JRPG with dungeon-crawling and life-simulation aspects. The player’s battle capacities in the dungeons depends on their actions in the “real” world and how they interact with the characters surrounding them. Persona 5 did spice up the formula in some ways. Some changes were superficial, like renaming Social Links “Confidants,” but others changed the way to approach strategizing. For example, the dungeons have a fixed pattern rather than consisting of randomly generated paths and enemies.

To an average player, this indicates that extra effort was put into designing the dungeon-crawling aspects of the game rather than relying on a randomizer. Additionally, mechanics from previous Shin Megami Tensei games, including the first two Persona games, have been brought back. Interacting with Shadows before recruiting them and the return of two elemental affinities, Nuclear and Psychokinesis, were among the formerly neglected mechanics that were brought back. If Persona 6 wants to live up to Persona 5’s legacy, it needs to conserve these elements that either enriched the experience or improved the quality-of-life, and then develop them further. By preserving these traits and adding new features to complement what has already established, Persona 6 will allow the franchise to naturally evolve.

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The Story

persona 5 kamoshida encounter

One of the main reasons for an average RPG’s success tends to be its story. While Persona’s depiction of gender and sexuality has been criticized, alongside other parts of the storytelling, the stories remain a key part of the experience. Persona 5 notably provided an escapist journey full of socially marginalized youths relying on antiheroic tricks to get back at the powerful people who wronged them. In a way, it is a classic underdog story, and its interactive nature adds a layer of satisfaction.

Persona 6 needs to live up to its predecessor’s ideals. While admittedly very Japanese in its themes, Persona 5’s relatability showed that the series was capable of universalist storytelling. A future Persona game is fully capable of exploring accessible themes, all while fixing the sloppier parts of the writing. Tighter pacing, events that are as consistently relevant to characterization as possible, and maybe even leaving Japan are all choices Atlus could pursue if it wants to outdo itself with Persona 6 while keeping what made Persona 5 so special.

Persona 6 is in development.

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