Summary
Personahas enjoyed monumental success over the last few years. It was once a niche spin-off from the mainlineShin Megami Tenseigames, but after the success ofPersona 4 Goldenon the PS Vita andPersona5on the previous generation of home consoles, it’s very much hit its stride in the west. The remake of the third game is the latest addition, but feels like a warm-up act for the inevitablePersona 6.
Persona 5 Royalis the definitive version of arguably the best in the series to date, with more content in the dungeons, an entire new month, and plenty of story differences that make it the best way to experience the story of the Phantom Thieves.Persona 6will have to one-up a game that has been the flag-bearer of the JRPG genre for over half a decade, and to do so it could lean intoPersona 5’s use of technology.
Persona 5 Wears its Technology Influence on its Sleeve
Nearly a decade passed between the start of thePersona 4generation and the release ofPersona 5. Naturally,P5embraces more modern themes like social media, mobile apps, and virtuallyFutaba Sakura’s entire personality. It’s a smart way to distinguish the game from its predecessors as well as making it a sort of time capsule when going back after a few years have passed.
The Phan-site (Phantom Aficianado Website) offers polls about the Phantom Thieves through the story, giving insight into the way the public feels about the group.
Technology inPersona 5is often a means to see people’s true thoughts and feelings. The app helpsthe Phantom Thievesto see their target’s true nature, and the Phan-site provides the game with a mechanic akin to a social media comments section where people post their true feelings, no matter how disagreeable they may be. It drives the notion that it’s the Phantom Thieves against the world at times, making the changing of hearts feel all the more very satisfying.
Persona 6’s Themes Could Learn a Lot from P5
Technology has changed a lot since the release ofPersona 5andPersona 5 Royal, and even over the last few months. Topics like AI, social media, and virtual reality are in the news because of the advances that have been made, and how the world has to adapt to them. Not all conversations are positive, andPersona 6could be in the best position to use this as a source of narrative inspiration.
Instead of entering the other world through the TV like inPersona 4,Persona 5has the Phantom Thieves do so by using the Metaverse Navigator mobile app.
Persona 5thrives as the story is about fighting a more powerful entity.From Kamoshida to Goro Akechi, andPersona 6could harness the same idea, but with a tech spin. Fighting a rogue AI or creating a plot point that sees virtual reality take hold of people on the Phan-site could help it to feel likePersona 6is learning from whatPersona 5 Royaldid well, and is also exploring real-world themes that could make its otherwise pie-in-the-sky story feel more grounded in real life. Technology, and the way people react to it, has changed a lot in a few short years, andPersona 6could get a lot of mileage out of that.
