Combat inPersona 5andPersona 5 Royalis very satisfying, partially because it offers players so many potential strategies. There are lots of different damage types to try on enemies, as well as plenty of unique status effects to inflict, and special attacks like Showtimes dish out huge damage while showing off the playable characters' personalities. IfPersona 6combat is anything like its predecessor, it ought to be a delight. This applies to boss battles inPersona 6as well as normal fights;Persona 5andPersona 5 Royalconjure up all kinds of unique enemies that make players think creatively and manipulate the environment to their advantage.
Persona 5’s combat, especially its boss battles, do suffer from one notable pitfall that many turn-based RPGs suffer from. If a JRPG likePersona 5has six or more playable characters but a maximum party size of four, then lots of characters have to stay out of combat for extended periods of time. It also means that memorable combats like boss battles don’t let everyone participate, which is a shame, since the game’s protagonists all deserve to contribute to defeating a major enemy.Persona 5 Strikers' final boss, however, found a way to integrate all of its characters in a very satisfying way.Persona 6should usePersona 5 Strikers' final fight as a blueprint when designing boss encounters.Warning:Persona 5 Strikersspoilers ahead!
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Persona 5 Strikers' Teamwork
The final battle with the Demiurge at the end ofPersona 5 Strikersstarts out not unlike the fight with Yaldabaoth atthe end ofPersona 5.Despite being confronted with a massive malevolent god, the Phantom Thieves rally to attack it, leading players to control a party of four in battle. The fight shifts significantly in a later phase, however, after the Demiurge releases orbs that protect it from harm and attack the Phantom Thieves. At this point, the Phantom Thieves split up into teams determined by the player, with two teams taking down the orbs before a third team takes down the Demiurge.
This boss battle is unique in that it actively makes use of every playable character in the game.InPersona 5’s boss battles, there are often special mechanics that ask the player to send one party member away to complete a task, even though the player could feasibly ask a backup Phantom Thief to go sabotage the boss instead. That design means thatPersona 5misses out on a valuable opportunity to show the Phantom Thieves working as a cohesive unit. Teamwork is crucial in lots ofPersonagames, and soPersona 6should reinforce that theme by giving backup party members things to do in each of its boss battles.
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Team-Based Battles in Persona 6
Atlus has plenty of design options for boss battles that make use of the whole team.Persona 6couldimitatePersona 5 Strikerscloselyby introducing a smaller threat in each fight that the player’s backup characters have to take down in order for the main fighting group to progress. Alternatively,Persona 6’s boss battles could take on a grand scale by letting the player control every party member at once, which could be pretty empowering for players. Outside of combat options,Persona 6could also have backup characters progress through puzzles and skill challenges between rounds of combat, encouraging players to think critically and unlock a combat advantage as quickly as possible.
If it’s anything like other recentPersonagames,Persona 6could feature up to eight or nine playable characters, which means quite a few people will miss out on major boss battles unless Atlus finds a way to integrate them. Using every character in every boss battle may not becrucial toPersona 6’s success, but it could be valuable.Personagames increasingly emphasize the importance of friendship and teamwork. Boss battles where everyone contributes consistently would be a great way to reflect those values. Hopefully,Persona 6putsPersona 5 Strikers' innovations to work.
Persona 6is in development.
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