Summary
Persona 5: The Phantom X’s cognitive manifestations are an interesting quirk that could end up influencing a major decision inPersona 6. With so many years since the last brand-newPersonagame,Persona 6could use something big to get fans excited. Admittedly,Persona 5: The Phantom X, being a mobile gacha game, seems like an unusual choice to draw inspiration from due to how much it shakes up the series' usual formula. Its cognitive manifestations are something that could be incorporated into the next game, and there’s at least one major trick that could be pulled with them.
While the biggestfeature inPersona 5: The Phantom Xis its gacha, the cognitive manifestations may be worth more attention. They are versions of characters that the protagonist knows that can spring forth from his mind and join him in battle. They are distinctly different from the protagonist’s other party members because they have no proper Personas of their own. Instead, they use Persona Duos, which are spun off from the protagonist’s own Persona into forms befitting the manifestations themselves. This is a far cry from past allies in the series. However, it does open the door for some new ideas inPersona 6.
Persona 5: The Phantom X’s Persona Duos Could Play Out in Many Forms in Persona 6
Persona 6’s Party Members Could Have Their Own Persona Duos
There are some ways forPersona 6’s party membersto employ something similar to the cognitive manifestations. For example, there could be a party member who doesn’t have a Persona of their own before gaining one from the protagonist’s own Persona. Mechanically, it wouldn’t be much different from previous games' Persona awakenings, but it could be significant story-wise, especially if this turns out to be the case for multiple party members. Of course, this would lead to an entirely different kind of story than most games in the series. However, one option could play well with another rumor surrounding the games.
Persona 6’s Protagonists Could Potentially Share a Persona
If there turns out to be any truth to therumors surroundingPersona 6’s protagonist, then the game may have two protagonists. That could be a solid opportunity for a take on the Persona Duo gimmick. In this case, the protagonists could each have the same initial Persona, but they would each wield different versions of said Persona. For instance, they could have different elements, or one could be physically inclined while the other is more focused on magic. Using this approach would do plenty to differentiate the two protagonists and their general styles despite the two of them effectively sharing the same persona.
Social Links Could Become Cognitive Manifestations in Persona 6
One more potential use of cognitive manifestations involvesPersona 6’s Social Links. Similar to howPersona 5’s Confidant charactersprovided perks as their links progressed,Persona 6could include cognitive manifestations of the player’s Social Links. They could act as summonable allies with abilities that vary depending on the character and how many ranks the character has achieved with them. This has the obvious advantage of more options in combat, while also providing more Persona designs for the characters in question. Mixing cognitive manifestations with Social Links could prove to be a winning combo when it comes toPersona 6’s design.
Similar toPersona 5: The Phantom X,Persona 6could also potentially let players summon past playable characters as an easter egg.
Persona 5: The Phantom X’s cognitive manifestations could be the source of something exciting forPersona 6. Cognitive manifestations are amechanic worth seeing inPersona 6, even if they aren’t exactly like they are inPersona 5: The Phantom X. There are a lot of ways that the developers could work the idea into the next game, be it through the party, the protagonists, or their Social Links. Thanks to the influence ofPersona 5: The Phantom X,Persona 6could end up with another cool addition to the mainline series.
