The long-running Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series has only gotten better with age. Originating on the PS1 almost a decade ago, Revelations: Persona and its two-part sequel, Innocent Sin (which was never released in North America) and Eternal Punishment, were met with average reviews, though they have since become cult favorites. When Persona 3 came out in 2007, seven years after its predecessor, many RPG fans experienced the series for the first time, and personally, I was instantly addicted. Persona 4 fixed the few flaws that Persona 3 had and greatly improved upon the experience, another shock considering that it came out only a year later. However, there is one thing that has held the series back from reaching its true potential: both games were on the PlayStation 2, despite being released well into our current gaming generation.

This likely will not be the case for Persona 5, however. Since the release of Persona 4, there has been speculation about Persona 5 being made for a next-gen system, with more fuel being added to the fire yesterday when it was revealed that Atlus is hiring 360 and PS3 programmers. I have wondered what Persona 5 would be like since I beat Persona 4, but these recent developments (along with playing through Persona 3 a second time) have really made me think about what I would like to see in the next installment of the series. From the aggregate review scores of Persona 4, it’s obvious that the developers are doing a fantastic job, but that won’t stop me from creating my own Persona 5 wish list (with some help from Paul, Gamervision's other Persona junkie).



When I think about Persona 5, I just can’t imagine playing it on a PlayStation 2. I was more than happy to do so for 3 and 4, but I think it is time for Atlus to move on. With Persona 4 being damn near perfect in the eyes of many reviewers, the next game in the series is going to have to take a big leap forward, and that includes graphically. I love the anime-style cut scenes that the last two games had, but I really want to see what the developers can do with this game if it had the graphical capabilities of the 360 or PS3. This may seem like an obvious move, but I think it is necessary for Persona 5 to appear on a next-gen system.

The Social Links were a brilliant addition to the last two Persona games, so I definitely want Atlus to keep them. However, I would like to see the relationships the protagonist develops evolve a little bit, with more consequences for the player’s actions—particularly when it comes to dating within the group. For example, as I recently played through Persona 3 FES again, I maxed out the Social Links with my four female teammates: Yukari, Mitsuru, Fuuka, and Aigis. Technically, I was dating all four of them, and it could be assumed (since it is implied, but never directly stated) that I was sleeping with all of them (well, Aigis was a bit different, being a robot and all, but she still developed strong feelings for the protagonist). The first time through, I didn’t give it much thought, but playing through again, I found it hard to believe that these four high school girls who lived in the same dorm and hung out constantly wouldn’t know that they were all with the same guy. It would have been interesting to see the fallout of this realization, both in and out of battle. Maybe I couldn’t put the girls together in Tartarus, since they wouldn’t help each other. Perhaps Junpei would have gotten wind and become jealous of my conquests. The idea of having consequences for certain actions is touched upon in the last two games, but never fully explored; I want to see more repercussions for my actions. This would not only make the game more challenging, but also add a whole new layer of strategy to the experience.



In the last two Persona games, when initiating an encounter with a Social Link, the characters the protagonist befriended could always be found in the same place (except on the days he or she was unavailable). I would like to see Social Links be a little less static in Persona 5, maybe moving around the school or town, or changing locations depending on the game’s story events. Maybe even make it possible to hang out with a friend on a day he or she is supposed to be unavailable if the Social Link is high enough, or you have enough Personas of that character’s Arcana. If potential Social Links weren’t so static, it would really help make Persona 5 more immersive, and to the next-gen feel.

The Persona series has always featured a classic silent protagonist, with new characters for every game. The unnamed protagonist is supposed to be an extension of the player, representing his or her thoughts and choices. However, since the player has never actually gotten to change the protagonist’s appearance in any way, it can be a bit hard to see it this way. The upcoming PSP remake of Persona 3 has taken a step in the right direction, giving male and female protagonists that will have dramatically different gameplay options, and this is definitely something that would be an asset for Persona 5. In addition to greatly extending replay value for a game that will likely be around 100 hours to start with, it will make the main character more relatable for all gamers. It might also be nice to have some additional customization options. I don’t necessarily need to create a character from scratch, but perhaps having some control over the wardrobe would make the protagonist feel more like an extension of myself.



While the previous games obviously had no online functionality, I think this is something that Persona 5 would benefit from. I don’t believe the game needs unnecessary multiplayer modes, but being able to trade Personas online might be a nice addition to the series. Getting 100% of the Personas in the game is an almost impossible task, even after multiple playthroughs; add to that equation the different abilities that emerge when Personas are fused, and the combinations are seemingly endless. Instead of spending hours trying to fuse that perfect Persona that you need, maybe trading online with a friend is a more feasible option. My only concern is that this may make collecting Personas a bit too easy, but with the right regulations and balances this could be a welcome feature without altering the challenge level of the game.

As I stated before, I believe that the Persona series is in good hands with the Atlus development team. They have proven more than once that they can make fantastic role-playing games; I just want to see what they can do with a more technologically advanced system. I don’t know if Persona 5 should be a PS3 exclusive, or available on both the PS3 or 360, and as long as the game doesn’t suffer from any glaring technical issues it won’t make much of a difference to me. I know we likely have years to wait before this game comes out, or is even announced, but I eagerly await the day when we finally learn more about Persona 5.