The Persona franchise has dominated the JRPG scene in recent years with its releases, and it has cultivated a reputation for engaging players with its immersive gameplay. Each Persona title has had a cast of fan favorites and notable villains, although finding the right balance of complimentary characters can pose a challenge for even the most seasoned developers. Persona 5's cast included Futaba Sakura, who was among the best-liked characters in the game thanks to her upgrades over previous Navigators in the Persona franchise. Atlus could improve on Futaba's abilities to add another dimension to Persona 6's gameplay.
Fans of the Persona series have waited anxiously for any official updates relating to the development of Persona 6, but Atlus has been tight-lipped concerning the game. Many expected the developer to officially announce Persona 6 at the 25th Anniversary Celebration in 2022 but were disappointed at the anticipated title's conspicuous omission. However, with expectations in the community still confident of Persona 6's eventual release, players are coming up with potential areas of improvement for the latest installment to focus on. Considering the Confidant perks that feature in Persona 5's Futaba -- which saw several upgrades on the abilities of previous Navigators -- Atlus has a challenge on its hands to introduce new elements to Persona 6's Navigator.
Futaba's Backstory Directly Influences Her Skillset
Futaba's role as the Navigator for the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5 was met with much appreciation from the fans of the Persona franchise, as her tragic backstory endeared her to players who were glad to see her emotional growth throughout the game. Futaba begins Persona 5 with a case of severe social anxiety, which prevents her from physically attending classes and leaving her room in general. Her reclusiveness, which is exacerbated by the trauma of losing her mother, is to the point where her Shadow Self reflects positive thoughts. For most characters in the Persona franchise, their Shadow Selves force them to face their nagging doubts, but Futaba's case differs due to her life experiences.
Among her peers in the Phantom Thieves, Futaba is not the most talented in combat prowess or tactical know-how. Her physical abilities leave a lot to be desired, as she can sleep continuously for days. However, her usefulness to the team extends beyond the field, stemming from her computer hacking; she perfected this skill during her many years of seclusion. Before her introduction to the Persona 5 storyline where she begins by helping the Phantom Thieves remotely, Futaba was a member of the Medjed, a world-renowned group of genius hackers. Her Hermit Arcana suits her character perfectly, as she tends to push others away, preferring to live in isolation.
Futaba's Confidant is equipped with an array of abilities that aid the missions of the Phantom Thieves in Persona 5. Her Rank 1 skill, Moral Support, has a random chance to cast party-healing magic or Kaja during battle. While seemingly the least notable of Futaba's powers, this support skill's potential applications in both attack and defense can rally a floundering Persona party. Kaja skills can enhance an ally's attack, defense, or agility for a few turns, enough to turn the tide of a battle.
Since Moral Support served the same function in Persona 5's full universe, Atlus can reduce the randomness of the ability's selection for Persona 6's Navigator. Players should be able to select the specific function they want the ability to perform. Similarly, the same mechanic can be applied to Active Support, Futaba's Rank 6 skill in Persona 5. Active Support is tied in function to Moral Support, allowing the latter to either recover a portion of the party's SP or trigger Charge or Concentrate.
Again, these functions are selected at random and don't allow for decision-making among gamers. By ceding control of a skill's effects to players, Atlus will ensure higher levels of engagement in its audience due to the added element of strategy in Persona 6's gameplay. Quite a few of Futaba's skills in Persona 5 are influenced by pure chance, and the new Navigator should explore a new dynamic.
The Navigator's Max Rank Skill Holds Potential for Persona 6
Second Awakening is Futaba's Max Rank skill, and this ability allows her to transform her initial Necronomicon Persona into Prometheus, her ultimate form. Necronomicon was a new addition in Persona 5, and the Navigator Persona came preloaded with a limited skill set. Through Futaba's progression in her Confidant, more skills with a variety of uses became available to players. Prometheus, being the ultimate Persona for Futaba, adds the ability to detect enemies' rare items to Necronomicon's array of skills. For Persona 6, Atlus could add more functionality to the ultimate Persona, expanding the range of abilities beyond HP and SP recovery for backup allies and treasure skimming.
Futaba's tale is relatable to that of Joker, and experiencing her emotional growth from the harrowing pains of her childhood invests players in her character, so similar story development for the next Navigator will endear the role to Persona fans. Following Persona 5's blueprint in storytelling and implementing less random outcomes when using the Navigator's Confidant skills in battles coupled with the expanded functionality of the ultimate Persona could prove essential in Persona 6's difficult task to surpass its predecessor.
Persona 6 is in development.