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The Persona 6 reveal could hardly have been less informative, so we've no choice but to scrounge the newly minted store page for something of substance. At a glance: not a lot, but not nothing.
For my money, the main takeaway for the Persona 6 store page is what Atlus isn't doing – namely, fixing what isn't broken. Compared to previous releases, the studio is also strongly emphasizing approachability – presumably hoping to bring all the people who bought Persona 5 back for another game.
"Persona 6 brings everything beloved about the series into a bold new story," the description reads. "The signature blend of heartfelt daily life and pulse-pounding supernatural adventure returns, wrapped around a completely fresh, standalone story and new cast of characters. Whether you've been with the series since the beginning or this is your very first Persona experience, you belong here."
Persona has almost always been a series of standalone games, with the exception of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, the only direct sequel in the mainline lineup. Obviously, you'd want to play Persona 5 before playing a spinoff like Persona 5 Strikers – if only because hanging out with the Phantom Thieves does a lot of heavy lifting in that game – but you can start with any of the core games. At most, you might miss an extremely minor reference or two if you play them out of order.
With Persona 6. Atlus is really banging this drum. A dedicated subsection reads: "New to the Series? Learn about the journey." The closer adds: "Now, Persona 6 promises the perfect entry point into one of gaming's most beloved franchises for newcomers and a haunting, profound new mystery for those who have been waiting."
For Persona 6, Atlus seems to be playing the classics. "Everyday school life" returns, sending us back to the formative, awkward high school years. You'll "build friendships, pursue romance, and cultivate memories that matter" in more social links. The backdrop to this is a "double life in modern-day Japan," with "strange rumors, unsettling urban legends, and occult incidents" creeping into your routine.
After Persona 5 and its many children – Royal, Tactica, Strikers, Dancing, a big happy family – broke records for the series, it seemed unlikely that Atlus would suddenly change course and release a dramatically different installment. The dreary, graveyard-set Persona 6 reveal trailer does suggest a return to dimmer Persona 3 vibes compared to the more bubbly energy of Persona 4 and 5, but that's about all we can say, and even that is speculation. It's looking like Another Persona Game, and you won't hear any complaints from me.
Persona 4 Revival finally gets a release date, and boy does it look good.
