Summary
Persona 5was a genre-defining JRPG. With well over 100 hours of content for players to enjoy, the game was a culmination of all the things that Atlus had been building on in the franchise’s previous two entries.P5features upgrades to systems across the board as well as a huge roster of social links, but one of its most notable offerings is its dungeons. The game features two types of dungeons: Palaces and Mementos. This approach allowed Atlus to pack the game with engaging content and give players ofPersona 5greater freedom over what to do with their time.
Persona 3andPersona 4feature randomized dungeons. This makes re-exploring and grinding in them more engaging, since there are always new floor plans to navigate and chests to open. Going through each one repeatedly never grows predictable, and Shuffle Time brings randomization into combat and loot as well. The random nature of older titles in the series never makes them truly chaotic, but it keeps the experience fresh.Persona 5took this approach, minus Shuffle Time, and turned it intoMementos, which exists alongside handcrafted, premade Palaces. The inclusion of both Palaces and Mementos allows forP5to offer players a truly diverse experience.
Persona 5’s Dungeons Provide the Perfect Template For Its Sequel
Persona 6should make sure to feature both randomized and scripted dungeons, just asPersona 5does. Handcrafted dungeons are great for the purpose of building a narrative.Persona 5’s Palacesare created from the twisted desires of each of the game’s major bosses. Palaces transform each boss' motivations into thematically rich spaces that provide insight into their character. Atlus could not have expressed each boss through space so effectively with the fully randomized dungeons of previous games. The flip side to this, however, is that each Palace is static, remaining the same each time it is entered.
Grinding the same Palace time and time again becomes repetitive, but thankfully,Persona 5has Mementos as well. Mementos changes every time the player returns to it and is much more engaging to grind in as a result. It is also the venue for many of the game’s side quests, meaning there is plenty to do there, even though the player is seldom required to visit.Persona 5 Royaladded Joseas a Mementos merchant, offering players even more incentive to explore Mementos' endlessly transforming floors. The inclusion of Mementos and Palaces side by side letsPersona 5have handcrafted set pieces for its story without taking away the joy of grinding in varied environments.Persona 6would be remiss not to include and build upon both dungeon varieties.
How Could Persona 6’s Dungeons Build on P5’s Foundations?
P6could build on its predecessor’s two types of dungeons to make each more engaging. Mementos had different sections, but the appearance of each one was very similar. The hypothetical randomized dungeon in the next game could feature more diverse themes to cycle through, with more creativity behind each one.Persona 6’s equivalent to Mementos could potentially have puzzles or other additional content added to them outside of combat to keep the experience fresh as well. Randomization could also play a greater role in all ofPersona 6’s dungeons. Certain sections in the game’s version of Palaces could be randomized upon each entry or in a new game plus mode. Letting these two distinct design approaches influence one another could make each type of dungeon more exciting to explore.
Persona 6’s Dungeons Must Be Ambitious
Persona 6would be remiss not to include both of the dungeon types featured inP5. Randomized dungeons are better for players to grind in, while handcrafted ones are better for storytelling.Persona 5showed that offering both varieties was good for pacing and made the game more engaging. Now, its successor must build on those foundations to make each type of dungeon even more exciting to explore.Persona 6’s rumored release windowis still a ways off, but Atlus will be providing fans withPersona 3 Reloadearly next month andMetaphor: ReFantaziolater this year.
