One of the best parts of being aPersonafan is the sheer amount of variety one gets to enjoy in the universe. SincePersona 4surged in popularity, lots of different spin-offs have been made featuring the casts ofPersona 3,Persona 4,andPersona 5. A trio of rhythm games were made for all three, and a number of other spin-offs have been made as well. These include a couple fighting games, and a pair of first-person dungeon crawler crossovers made in the same vein asEtrian Odyssey. Despite being a turn-based RPG series entrenched in similar gameplay of theShin Megami Tenseifranchise,Personahas proven itself to be quite flexiblein its adaptations.
That brings the discussion toPersona 5, and the future of its spin-offs. In addition to one of the rhythm games and the secondPersona Qdungeon crawler,Persona 5has received an entire sequel framed as a spin-off.Persona 5 Strikersis a hack-and-slash action RPG framed like both the immediate sequel toPersona 5, and aDynasty Warriorsspin-off. To add on to that, there have been plenty of rumors that Atlus isn’t done with thePersona 5brand yet, either. WithPersona 6seemingly a long way off and plenty ofPersonaannouncements on the horizon, there are a ton of wild and innovative directions that can be taken with the still-popular JRPG.
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Persona 5 Fighting Game
One of the most prominent rumors is foraPersona 5fighting game. This title would be a successor toPersona 4 ArenaandArena Ultimax, and would likely feature the Phantom Thieves alongside several characters from previous games, and a couple newcomers. While it’s a fairly predictable roster, assuming this game is developed again by Arc System Works, aPersona 5fighting game will be excitedly received by fans who have wanted another game like this for years. Rollback netcode would make it that much better.Persona 5 Arenastill feels like a pipe dream, but since fans have discussed and potential rumors have come up, it may have a chance of being announced.
Persona 5 Racing Game
Next is a sillier, but still appealing choice.Persona 5: Racing All Dayhas been an in-jokein some circles for several years, but much like its fictional siblingBloodborne Kart, it does hold some merit. The game industry is fairly light on kart racers at the moment, withMario Kart 8 DeluxeandCrash Team Racing Nitro-Fueledbeing the two most recent games. Both of those have been out for two years or longer, and that’s more than enough time for something else to sneak in and fill the gap.
Atlus could ask Sega to tap Sumo Digital, developer of the last threeSonicracing games, to work on the title. Alternatively, another team could work on a 2D platformer racer where the Phantom Thieves ran along a course, much like the gameSpeedRunners. Whatever the case, this magical team with a vehicle already in their group would be great to see in a lighthearted racing scene.
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Metroidvania
For all of the movement and combat versatilityPersona 5has to offer, it seems like a no-brainer that some sort of metroidvania could be on the table for a spin-off. Players would take control of Joker during a heist gone awry, and could procure Personas from defeated enemies as he leaps around a large Palace. This game would contain a lot of theelements one would expect from a 2D metroidvania, including gaining new ways to move and progress through new equipment and Personas.
With heavy RPG elements involved and the ability to level and fuse equipped Personas, this game could come off as another take onCastlevania: Aria of Sorrow, orBloodstained: Ritual of the Night. Seeing as how metroidvania veteran Team Ladybug has already worked on aShin Megami Tenseiplatformer, it could be called in to handle this project.
Persona 5 Stealth Platformer
Tackling a different kind of platformer, it seems likePersona 5is perfect for a stealth game. The genre space is wide open right now, andPersona 5has all the elements it needs to adapt straight into stealth form. Joker is already sneaking past enemies, so scenarios where he would normally sneak attack an enemy mob could be replaced by him dispatching it immediately.
Some sort of 3D platforming could be involved thanks to the Phantom Thieves’ supernatural abilities, but in general, most of the game would just be the typical Palaces reworked to accommodate more stealth mechanics and design principles. It would really be nice to see this genre get another big budget entry that could truly focus on the sneaking experience, andPersona 5could be a vehicle for it.
Persona 5 Roguelike
Speaking of vehicles, the Morgana van used fornavigating the Mementos dungeoncould see some more mileage. A roguelike take onPersona 5would work very well, and could be set in Mementos to justify the randomized nature of the encountered Palaces. Personas and equipment could be found while exploring, and different upgrades could be purchased between trips.
This game would need to strike a particular balance when it comes to storytelling, as the act of navigating through dungeons and fighting monsters would be even more prominent than in the basePersona 5. Perhaps the Thieves are going through their next year of school in the background, and chipping away at Mementos in the meantime. Whatever the case, this seems like another strong genre match.
Real-Time Strategy
One more genrePersona 5could try out is some sort of real-time strategy model. This could work in a number of ways, as the Phantom Thieves make for great hero units, while the many Personas and monsters fromShin Megami Tenseicould be the perfect regular units. There’s also the possibility of the game being a MOBA that takes the form of aPersonacrossover likePersona 4 Arena.
WithPokemon Unitehaving just come out, it’s the perfect time for Atlus to send its own monster-collecting RPG franchise out to combat it. Whether it’s a pure RTS or a MOBA, some sort of tactical top-down game would fitPersona 5like a glove.
Persona 5is available now on PS3 and PS4.
