Why Persona 6's Social Link Function Could Make or Break the Party Members' Bond

Persona 6 could benefit greatly from implementing one of Persona 4 Golden's standout features for Social Links. While Persona 5's Confidants provided extra utility for building relationships, there were certain perks for party members that were exclusive to Persona 4 Golden. While both games should be considered for inspiration, it's important not to overlook Persona 4 Golden's major Social Link advantage, which is just as valuable as the Confidant abilities in the long term.

Social Links have been a beloved mechanic in the Persona series since Persona 3, allowing players to form relationships with party members and NPCs to strengthen their Personas of corresponding Arcana. In addition to the traditional benefits of Social Links, party member Social Links offered additional gameplay advantages such as follow-up attacks and taking hits for the protagonist. The Confidant system in Persona 5 expanded on these benefits, making Social Links even more useful in and out of combat.

Persona 4 Golden's Bonus Skills Would Be a Great Social Link Reward in Persona 6

In Persona 4 Golden, the Social Links between party members held greater significance than usual because of their bonus feature. As players progressed through the Social Links, they were given the opportunity to learn additional skills beyond what they would normally gain from leveling up. These skills were tailored to each character's strengths, such as Yukiko's Divine Grace that enhanced her healing abilities. The inclusion of these bonus skills made pursuing Social Links even more rewarding, making their absence in Persona 5 a disappointment. While Persona 6 could benefit from taking cues from Persona 5's Confidants, it's perplexing why Golden's bonus abilities were omitted. Confidants were essentially an upgraded version of Social Links, and yet Persona 4 Golden's unique prize was removed. There's no reason why both bonus systems couldn't exist side by side in Persona 6, as they're both rewards for building relationships. Combining them wouldn't disrupt game balance, so there's no reason to exclude one or the other.

The unlockable skills in Persona 4 Golden's Social Links were not only powerful, but also fitting rewards for players who invested time in maxing out their relationships. For instance, Kanji's The Man's Way could take down all enemies in one strike, setting them up for an All-Out Attack, while Chie's Dragon Hustle boosted the party's stats for multiple turns. These abilities added significant value to the game without being too overpowering, and Persona 5 did attempt to follow suit. However, Persona 4 Golden remains the gold standard for Social Link skill quality, and Persona 6 would do well to incorporate this mechanic in a meaningful way. By providing character-themed skills to party members, Persona 6 could take this idea even further and enhance the overall experience for players. Ultimately, Persona 6 should not ignore the success of Persona 4 Golden's bonus skills, as they would be a vital addition to the game's Social Links.

Persona 4 Golden is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS Vita, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.