Atlus has been nigh-unstoppable in recent years, andPersona 6is expected to continue this legacy of greatness. Character-driven narrative design, unique world-building, and clever, nuanced social sim mechanics have helped to make IP likePersona,Shin Megami Tensei, and nowMetaphor Refantaziomore relevant and polishedthan ever, which should give JRPG fans hope for the future.
The so-called “Personastyle” of game design revolves around several load-bearing pillars: social simulation/time management, turn-based combat encounters, and build crafting, to name a few.Metaphor Refantaziomade key changes to this formula, resulting in a more synergetic progression system and more streamlined combat overall, but it also added an interesting new ingredient to the formula: real-time combat. It’s not exactlyDevil May Cry—Metaphor’s hack-and-slash combat boils down to a few simple moves and a dodge—but it’s effective at injecting some frenetic energy into enemy encounters, materially rewarding players who manage to stun enemies ahead of longer, turn-based fights. That said, the upcomingRAIDOU Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Armyis an action-RPG through-and-through, and it, along withMetaphor, might hint at Atlus' plans forPersona 6and beyond.
Persona 6 Should Include Action-RPG Elements
Metaphor Refantazio and RAIDOU Remastered Show How Real-Time Combat Benefits Atlus Games
RAIDOU Remastereddoesn’t have a whole lot in commonwith the likes ofPersona, but it certainly retains many other core aspects of Atlus RPGs, those being a low-fantasy setting, an emphasis on otherworldly creatures, and extensive dialog sequences. Within this framework, real-time action-RPG combat helps to elevate the intensity of the narrative and the fantasy of being a detective-slash-devil-summoner. In other words, the relationship between the player and the game world is altered via the real-time combat focus, rooting them more firmly in the present moment.
As its name suggests,RAIDOURemasteredis arevamped version of 2006’sDevil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha. Even though it’s a remaster, its real-time combat focus may indicate that Atlus is willing to embrace such mechanics in its modern games.
More significant thanRAIDOU RemasteredisMetaphor Refantazio, whose aforementioned action-RPG elements, while much less pervasive than the former, are still transformative. Navigating dungeons—an activitySMTandPersonafans are intimately familiar with—is far moredynamic and engaging inMetaphordue to these simple hack-and-slash mechanics. No longer is exploration an matter of simply avoiding conflict and engaging when appropriate, but a test of skill, shaping the broader combat journey.
How Persona 6 Can Double-Down On Action-RPG Gameplay
It’s rather unlikely thatPersona 6will follow theRAIDOUroute, fully embracing action-RPG combat, and this is a good thing:turn-based combat is a crucial part of thePersonaseries. But this doesn’t mean that the game can’t take some notes from this ostensible trend toward action-RPG conventions, serving players smaller doses of real-time, reaction-based combat in addition to the main course of turn-based battles.
FollowingMetaphor Refantazio’s footsteps might be the safest bet in this regard.Metaphor’s real-time combat is simple, easy, and rewarding, smoothing its integration into the broader gameplay loop. It’s an understated and elegant way to infuse the combat sandbox with a bit more energy, but it can also get old after so many hours of basic hacking-and-slashing. Thus, perhapsPersona 6could borrow the broad-strokes approach ofMetaphor’s real-time combat while fleshing it out a bit. Additions as simple as an alternative or heavy attack, or perhaps more dedicated progression options for real-time gameplay, would go a long way toward improvingMetaphor’s action-RPG stylings without losing their simplicity. Such an approach could makePersona 6more mechanically complex and robust, while maintaining Atlus' burgeoning action-RPG momentum.
Persona 3 Reload
WHERE TO PLAY
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI. Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover. Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters. Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
