Revealing Persona 5 Royal's Intriguing Story Teasers: What Could They Mean for Persona 6?

Highlights

Persona 5 Royal has set a high standard for storytelling in the series, with its approach being some of the best ever seen in an Atlus title.

Persona 6 presents the chance to further explore the personal challenges faced by its characters, captivate players' attention right from the beginning with a compelling opening act.

The exceptional nature of the characters' narratives in Persona games sets them apart from other JRPGs, making their stories relatable and enhancing the immersive experience.

Persona 5 Royal represents the culmination of the series' finest concepts from previous games, coupled with fresh ideas that offer a unique experience. This can be quite intimidating to follow, but analyzing the game reveals certain trends that Atlus can effectively incorporate into Persona 6, their upcoming installment.

Ensuring the story of Persona 6 resonates with fans and adequately builds upon its predecessor will be crucial. While Persona 5 Royal has received some criticism for certain confidants like Kawakami or Takemi, its overall storytelling approach is among the best in any Atlus title. Furthermore, it establishes a pattern, starting with Persona 3 and Persona 4, which if handled correctly, can be taken to new heights in the sixth entry of the main series.

Building The Persona Team

Persona 6 has a unique opportunity to explore its characters' personal struggles in a more profound way and create a captivating opening act that immediately captivates players. The franchise has consistently excelled in this aspect, with the introduction of each game becoming increasingly intricate and extensive. Persona 5, for instance, concludes its opening act at a point where most games would already be reaching their conclusion. This progression in complexity highlights Atlus' commitment to establishing each character and their motivations, thereby enhancing the immersive nature of the experience.

Over time, Persona games have taken steps towards crafting more personal narratives for their initial teams. In Persona 3, the protagonists' motivations gradually evolve from a sense of obligation to more profound personal reasons. Persona 4 intensifies the stakes by immersing the characters and their newfound abilities in a perplexing murder mystery. Persona 5 Royal takes emotional investment to new heights, presenting characters who, like the players themselves, encounter the distressing circumstances that sadly plague many within their community. This relatability of each character's story enhances an already compelling narrative experience.

Where Persona 6 Can Take The Series' Narrative

It is understandable that Atlus wants to push Persona 6 to new heights or, at the very least, meet the character expectations established in past entries. The beginning of the forthcoming game will likely center around a situation that compels the characters to confront their internal struggles or challenging external circumstances, ultimately uniting them and inspiring their early journey. What distinguishes Persona from many other JRPGs is the deeply personal nature of these circumstances. Instead of noble adventurers saving a royal figure or secret agents battling a world-ending threat, players are immersed in the lives of high school students grappling with everyday challenges such as class schedules, bullies, and manipulative teachers - aspects that resonate more directly with the audience's own experiences.

Undoubtedly, Persona 6 will require numerous additional elements to truly excel as a worthy follow-up to Persona 5 Royal, a responsibility that is likely weighing on Atlus due to external expectations. However, the unique setting of a Persona narrative is arguably the defining characteristic that distinguishes it as a game within this highly regarded franchise, setting it apart even from its counterpart franchise, Shin Megami Tensei. Rumors indicate that Persona 6 is currently being developed.