Persona 5is the result of a decade of evolution on the part of thePersonaseries. It shared its predecessors’ critical acclaim, but its modernized gameplay and style contributed to an overwhelming success. By the time of its release,Personawas one of Atlus’ signature series, usurping the franchise it spun off from,Shin Megami Tensei.Persona 5proved the series can thrive, and thePersonaIP was integrated into the mainstream, cemented by Joker’s inclusion inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Atlus has everything it needs to keep milkingPersona 5for at least a decade, if one were to look at how it treatedPersona 4. It did not take long forPersona 5to get its own spin-offs likeStrikers, an inclusion in thePersona Qsubseries, and other cameos, such as the Joker costume inSonic Forces. However,Persona 6is confirmed to be in development, so the end ofPersona 5’s reign is inevitable. Thankfully for Atlus, a blueprint to replicatePersona 5’s success while remaining fresh has already been set.
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Persona 5’s Aesthetics
Persona 5is 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 inPersona 3andPersona 4were no more, asPersona 5represents 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 thePersonagames. The first two games were released on the original PlayStation. They shared a lot of similarities with theShin Megami Tenseigames at the time, and are very different experiences from modernPersonatitles as a result.Persona 3andPersona 4were 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, andGoldenwas released on PCnot long ago.
Persona 5was the series’ debut on modern gaming platforms and the transition from cult-classic status toPersonabeing beloved by worldwide masses. It is unlikely thatPersona 6will share a console with its predecessor, however it is expected to follow certain thingsPersona 5started. 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 5follows the general template established by the PS2 installments. Just likePersona 3andPersona 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 5did spice up the formula in some ways. Some changes were superficial, likerenaming 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 previousShin Megami Tenseigames, including the first twoPersonagames, 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. IfPersona 6wants to live up toPersona 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 6will allow the franchise to naturally evolve.
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The Story
One of the main reasons for an average RPG’s success tends to be its story. WhilePersona’s depiction of gender and sexualityhas been criticized, alongside other parts of the storytelling, the stories remain a key part of the experience.Persona 5notably 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 6needs 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 futurePersonagame 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 evenleaving Japanare all choices Atlus could pursue if it wants to outdo itself withPersona 6while keeping what madePersona 5so special.
