Persona 6: Atlus’ Chance to Perfect Persona 5 Royal’s Villain Formula
Persona 6: Atlus' Chance to Perfect Persona 5 Royal's Villain Formula
Persona 5 Royal: The Good, The Bad, and The Lesson for Persona 6’s Villains
When it comes to villains, Persona 5 Royal has an impressive lineup. From the epic battles in their Palaces to the satisfaction of changing their wicked hearts, these evildoers are truly memorable. However, not all villains are created equal, and some could use a little more spice to make them truly exceptional. As we look towards Persona 6, let’s explore what makes a villain great and why certain characters like Kaneshiro and Okumura fell a bit short in comparison.
In Persona 5 Royal, the villains often mirror the personal struggles of our beloved Phantom Thieves. While this creates a deep connection between the characters and their adversaries, some villains don’t quite hit the mark due to their lack of screen time or interaction with the Thieves outside of their boss battles. Although there is a greater variety of notable villains in Persona 5 Royal compared to previous entries, the weaker ones serve as an opportunity for growth in Persona 6.
Unlike their predecessors, Persona 5 Royal introduces a unique evildoer for each story arc. While this approach brings freshness to the game, there are instances where the middle portion falls a bit flat due to weaker villains. Kaneshiro and Okumura, the third and fifth targets respectively, are the outliers in an otherwise fantastic cast of villains.
Kaneshiro’s arc revolves around blackmailing the group, but his personal connection to Makoto, the Thieves’ newest member, is lacking. It makes for one of the game’s weaker storylines as their interaction is mostly peripheral to her investigation of his harassment of Shujin students.
The pursuit of Okumura is often regarded as the least popular chapter among Persona 5 Royal fans. Apart from players finding his Palace annoying to navigate, the lack of meaningful interaction between the Thieves and Okumura weakens their connection to him as a villain. Only Haru, his daughter, has a personal relationship with him, giving the rest of the group little motivation to take him down aside from assisting Haru.
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What sets villains like Kamoshida, Madarame, and Shido apart is their deep-rooted connection to the Phantom Thieves as a whole. They have directly affected multiple members of the group, making the battles personal and emotionally charged. It’s this kind of connection that Persona 6 should strive for, learning from the weaknesses of characters like Kaneshiro and Okumura to elevate its story beyond that of Persona 5 Royal.
Remember, Persona 5 Royal is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. So, gather your Thieves and embark on a thrilling adventure!
For more insights on what Persona 6 could learn from its predecessors, check out our article on how the social link structure from Persona 3 and Persona 4 could make a glorious comeback.
Read more: Persona 6 Should Bring Back a Social Link Structure From P3 and P4
