WhilePersona 6is surely a while away, there are theories aplenty about what it will entail. The Atlus-developed franchise has eclipsed theShin Megami TenseiIP from which it derives, as adventures in Tokyo andInaba, among others, have become known for fantastic storytelling, intricate character development, and engaging gameplay mechanics. When players aren’t endlessly grinding in the depths of a dungeon they’ll likely be wooing the side characters and enjoying the kooky dialogue that fleshes out the world that the game takes place in. It’s an entirely character-led series, with personalities like Kanji Tatsumi, Mitsuru Kirijo, Chie Satonaka and Ann Takamaki littering the land and making a single player experience feel very sociable.
It’s a series that has experimented with new places and story arcs, but the character archetypes always seem to be similar with each new release. Ryuji assumes the role of Yosuke, who feels similar to Junpei inPersona 3. The same could be said of Dojima and Sojiro that are nothing alike in characteristics but have an eerily similar place in the story ofPersona 4and5respectively.Persona 6has the opportunity to break convention, and introducing two or more characters who are tied together by blood rather than just friendship could be a great way to make its story feel unique to what came before. Caroline and Justine are the closest thing thatPersonahas to a family dynamic, but they don’t have enough screen time to truly impact the story they reside in.
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Persona’s Confidants are Essential to the Gameplay and Progression
Though they are also known as Social Links inPersona 4, Confidants are a vital source of progression inPersona 5, as the life simulation aspects would have little meaning if there was no mechanical advantage to visiting friends, talking to acquaintances, orspending time with Morgana. Confidants have a real impact on the party that the player chooses as each character’s arcana is different, and as such they will act uniquely in combat. There’s a reason to maintain relationships with everyone, and pastPersonagames have relied on the narrative angle of the protagonist coming to the setting from elsewhere and forging friendships with NPCs as the player does.
A sibling partnership inPersonacould provoke interesting combat mechanics to enhance gameplay to new heights.Persona’s turn-based battles are in dire need of a change, and implementing sibling-specific all-out attacks would allow for so many new presentational, graphical, and mechanical upgrades that could spruce up the franchise massively. LikeChrono Trigger’s dual techs that use the abilities of two characters,Persona 6would be able to add a similar combat trade-off but have it feel like it also contributes to the story being told in the cutscenes. The narrative benefits of a sibling partnership - be them the protagonists or otherwise - are huge, but it could also provide sufficient mechanical improvements thatPersonaneeds.
Siblings offer Interesting Narrative Elements in Gaming
Having characters from the same family always seems to provoke compelling character interactions in fiction. From the majesty ofThor and Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universeto the rather pathetic but immensely lovable Weasley family inHarry Potter, family dynamics bring so much context to the personalities on display, as they are often a catalyst for embarrassing stories or enlightening character quirks to be told to the player. In gaming, it’s no different, as the Frye twins inAssassin’s Creed: Syndicateand Dante and Vergil inDevil May Cryhave an obvious camaraderie that the player learns more about throughout the story.
Promotional material forFinal Fantasy 16has shown thebrotherly love that protagonist Clive has for Joshua, and much of the emotional impact of the trailers rests on that bond that they share. The Square Enix property is no stranger to the potential of sibling characters, with Edgar and Sabin inFinal Fantasy 6and Alphinaud and Alisaie in14bringing the best out of the dynamic.Personais only growing in popularity, and taking advantage of the potential that sibling characters can provide is something that the Sega-owned IP should have done more of by now.Persona 6needs to be something different while retaining the familiar elements of what came before, and this could be the first step to a betterPersonamoving forward.
Persona 6is in development.
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