3 Things We Want from Persona 6

Persona 6 might not be immediately over the horizon, but considering the huge success of Persona 5, it is inevitable that we’ll see it at some point.

Atlus has always been very tight-lipped when it comes to what is coming next in their games, preferring to leave as much as possible hidden for as long as they can — including after launch in some cases. Considering that Persona 5 was initially announced in 2013 and didn’t hit consoles until September 2016 in Japan and April 2017 in the rest of the world, we still likely have several years to wait until we find out what Atlus has in store for Persona 6.

But it’s not all bad, because now we get to engage in that wonderful Internet pastime of wild speculation and raising our own expectations to frankly unreasonable levels!

The College Years

Up till now, every game in the series has centred around a group of Japanese high school students running around doing sketchy stuff to try to save the world. It’s a classic anime trope that still works and can feel fresh if it is tackled in the right way, but I’d like to move on slightly. Giving us older protagonists will open up new issues for characters to tackle in Persona 6.

Paying rent for the first time, dealing with a fluctuating schedule, and the crushing weight of despair that hits you once you get your first taste of what the profession you think you’ve always wanted is really about are all important parts of the college experience. (My door’s open if you need to talk, sir – Ed.) Tackling them while also dealing with the supernatural shenanigans that are a staple of the series would give everything a slightly different flavour to what is happening in the game.

JRPGs need more over-18 characters and this is a good chance to make that happen with Persona 6. Plus, can you imagine the Velvet Room as a dorm, with the attendants as your resident advisors?

Different Level Designs

This one is as much about praising Persona 5 as it is hoping for changes in Persona 6. I loved that each Palace felt different, with unique puzzles that went beyond elaborate fetch quests, so that’s something I’m hoping continues in Persona 6. I actually wouldn’t mind this design philosophy extending to whatever their version of Mementos is to help break up some of the monotony that from grinding down there for too long.

If there is any change in the level design, I hope it is to switch up some of the balance issues that almost require you to sneak up on enemies to succeed in the dungeon until you get to be grossly overpowered. I don’t mind gameplay that is a bit more forgiving if it means I will have to spend less time grinding for levels. I don’t have the same amount of free time I did as a teenager, after all.

Female Protagonist

I don’t even mean the option for a female protagonist like we got in one of the remakes of Persona 3. Give me a straight up female protagonist by default and add the male version in a remake a few years down the line. There are a lot of new plot elements that could be tackled by changing up the series in this way. Heck, all the best characters in the series have always been female anyway, so its not even like it couldn’t be done. (B-but Yusuke… – Ed.)

I’ve been playing as a boring boy for over a decade now. Let me play as a boring girl for a little while so I have a shot of hooking up with the best boy finally. Chances are they’re still going to be a silent protagonist anyway (there are some things that I never expect to change), so it won’t even get in the way of whatever weird story Atlus is trying to send our way and would make the main character stand out that little bit more.

So that’s what I’m hoping for when we finally get our hands on Persona 6 in a few years. What are you looking forward to? Any other features or changes you’d like to see happen? Let us know on the usual socials. And if you’re desperate for your Persona fix, be sure to check out Persona 5 Strikers later this month for PC, Switch, and PS4.

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Trent Cannon

Trent is a fan of anything that doesn't take itself too seriously. He is frequently hilarious and adorable. If 240 character takes on gaming, anime, or rat pictures are your thing, follow him on Twitter.

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