The Game-Changing Persona 3 Reload Social Feature that Must Make a Comeback in Persona 6

Highlights

The significance of social dynamics in the Persona series is exemplified in Persona 3 Reload, prompting the idea that Persona 6 should build upon the successful foundation laid by the Social Links in previous games.

Persona 6 should build on the achievements of its predecessors by incorporating visits from Velvet Room attendants to the real world, a concept introduced in Persona 3 Reload. This initiative aims to enhance the depth of relationships and inject enjoyable and captivating moments into the game. While the typical Persona games seldom offer interactions with Velvet Room attendants outside their realm, Persona 3 Reload sets a precedent for Persona 6 to challenge this convention.

Persona 3 Reload showcases a key aspect of the game's social mechanics that could be excellent to incorporate in Persona 6. The social element of the Persona series has become just as significant as the RPG elements, and this holds true for Persona 3 Reload. In fact, Reload has the opportunity to enhance what already made the Social Links in the previous game exceptional. Moreover, it establishes a tradition that Persona 6 would be wise to emulate. These links offer abundant entertainment and have the potential to deepen the player's engagement.

Whether it is through Persona 5's Confidant System or the original Social Links of earlier games, the Persona series would not be the same without its social dynamics. In each game starting from Persona 3, players can form connections with their party members and select NPCs, earning rewards in return. Typically, they receive increased experience points for Personas of the relevant arcana and even gain a new Persona at the maximum rank. Persona 5 took this concept a step further with its Confidants, unlocking a range of advantageous perks and upgrades as the Confidant levels ascended. These social systems effectively complement Persona's strategic RPG mechanics.

Persona 3 Reload's Outings with Elizabeth Could Be Replicated in Persona 6

As a tradition in the Persona series, the protagonists always visit the Velvet Room whenever they need to summon or fuse Personas. Igor, along with his assistants, always oversees the Velvet Room. In Persona 3, the attendant was either Elizabeth or Theodore, depending on the protagonist. In Persona 4, Margaret was the attendant, with Marie being added in Golden, and in Persona 5, it was Caroline and Justine. The attendants in Persona 4 and Persona 5 even had their own Social Links and Confidants, respectively. However, it was Elizabeth in Persona 3 who first established this trend.

One of Elizabeth's most entertaining characteristics was showcased in the latest story trailer for Persona 3 Reload. Throughout Persona 3, starting from FES, Elizabeth would occasionally request the protagonist to take her to various places in town. This resulted in amusing moments, like Elizabeth walking up a down escalator or spontaneously creating a song while playing the piano. In other Persona games, attendants were also able to enter the real world for certain scenes, but oddly enough, this only happened in the expanded editions. As of now, no Velvet Room attendants have been able to visit the physical world in the base game.

Persona 3 Reload's inclusion of Elizabeth's excursions in the real world should serve as a model for Persona 6. As the story of Persona 6 will inevitably involve the Velvet Room, it is essential to incorporate Igor and his attendant. Instead of solely relying on Persona fusion to strengthen their bond, allowing players to spend time with the attendant outside of the Velvet Room could be a more effective and enjoyable method to deepen their relationship. Persona 6 should take note of Persona 3 Reload's implementation of these social events and not overlook the same opportunity.

Persona 3 Reload will be released on February 2, 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.