Summary
A unique element that sets thePersonafranchise apart from other JRPGs is its social simulation. Players need to deepen their characters’ relationships with their friends and other companions to get various perks in other aspects of the game, like combat and Persona fusion. This system was called“Social Links” inPersona 3andPersona 4,but was rebranded to Confidants inPersona 5 Royal. Confidants offer more benefits compared to Social Links, so players often have to prioritizeP5R’s social sim more than dungeon-crawling. Atlus now faces a fork in the road forPersona 6, as it needs to decide whether to continue with the new Confidant system, go back to Social Links, or integrate both systems.
Moving up the Social Link ladder gives players new Personas and experience bonuses for Persona Fusion, depending on the link’s Arcana. Players also acquire additional combat abilities when ranking up their party member Social LinksPersona 4.Persona 5doubles down on this by letting non-party Confidants offer combat abilities. Mishima, an NPC that can’t be used in battle, can provide EXP to allies on standby. These perks could likely find their way intoPersona 6,as they make leveling up much less of a chore. Some Confidants also offer other tangible benefits in-game, like:
The Case for Continuing the Confidant System for Persona 6
Confidants Have a Lot of Potential in Persona 6
What’s great aboutPersona 5 Royal’s Confidantsystem is that it’s just Social Links with more unique features. Each character with whom the player can build a relationship has a specific benefit that can improve one’s experience, from unlocking new features in the Tartarus-like dungeon of Mementos to providing players with new ways to obtain combat items. This system incentivizes players to explore and improve their relationships with each character. Compared to the perks that Social Links provided back then, the benefits that Confidants provide are too good to pass up. It only makes sense to improve on this system forPersona 6.
How Atlus Might Handle Confidants After Persona 5
The term “Confidant” fitsPersona 5 Royal’s clandestine/heist theme quite well. Confidants are either part of thePhantom Thievesor a close ally to the protagonist. After all, a major plot point in the story is Joker’s arrest, so he needs the testimony of those close to him to get him out of serving time. They’re more than just friends that help the protagonist improve their sense of self, they’re allies that assist the Phantom Thieves in finding justice.
Persona 6will likely have a vastly different motif, as is the case with all thePersonagames, so Confidants won’t be applicable. This system should at least be rebranded to something else if it’s going to be ported to the sequel. The social sim inP6could be downgraded back to Social Links if Atlus wants to refocus the gameplay back to dungeon crawling.Persona 6could even double down on combat by adding more battle-focused abilities likePersona 3 Reload’s new Theurgy systemto Social Links, and make other elements like shop upgrades and Shadow negotiation unlockable through story progression instead.
Either way, upgrading both the social sim and combat is a hard bar to clear for Atlus, as it needs to keep the players’ priorities balanced. It’s a challenge that Atlus faces with every release of a newPersonagame, but it has always emerged successful so far. Only time will tell if they’ll surpass the almost perfect gameplay formula ofPersona 5 RoyalinPersona 6.
