Fans have every reason to believe thatPersona 6will resemblePersona 5more than any other game in the franchise.Persona 5was a massive hit that skyrocketed the franchise’s popularity, and so odds are that Atlus is studyingP5to figure out what made it so successful. For instance, Confidants will almost certainly return inPersona 6, given how much deeper and more rewarding they were than Social Links of games past. However, ifPersona 6brings back any past mechanic, Shuffle Time may be one of the prime candidates, and Confidants could be key in revamping it for the modern age ofPersona.
Confidants were a revolutionary addition toPersona,not just because of how they made Confidants a better time investment for the player, but how they improved nearly all other avenues of the game as a result. Confidants like Hifumi Togo opened up entirely new combat mechanics forJoker and the Phantom Thieves, while Sadayo Kawakami and Chihaya Mifune helped players get a lot more value out of their free time. These mechanical contributions could expand the Shuffle Time experience significantly inPersona 6, enabling players to better control this post-battle bonus system and maximize their rewards.
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Shuffle Time’s History in Persona
Shuffle Time isPersona 3’s main way of rewarding the player for finishing off a battle with the protagonist or an All-Out Attack, whether it means earning a new Persona or picking up some extra cash. It wasn’t simply a giveaway, though, since players had to keep track of the card they’re looking for and avoid dangerous cards that could summonPersona’s infamous Reaper boss. Altogether,Persona 3’s version of Shuffle Time was a nice way to encourage players to spend resources in their battles, but it was fairly simple to interact with, lacking a bit of depth.
Persona 4’s Shuffle Time was similar toPersona 3’s, butPersona 4 Goldenreworked the system greatly. It kept cards face up, replacing the strategy element with a new list of Major Arcana tarot cards that modified the number of cards, draws, and rewards the player could earn during Shuffle Time. This was arguably a huge improvement, since it made each Shuffle Time into a more unique puzzle and required a bit more thought than just keeping track of a desired reward. Strategizing well to pick up all the cards and earn a Sweep Bonus is both satisfying and lucrative.
While both versions of Shuffle Time worked nicely,Persona 5had entirely different mechanics in mind. Hold Up is more in line withPersona 5’s picaresque vigilante aesthetic and still provides players with a choice of rewards, although it isn’t always as generous asPersona 4 Goldencould be. While Hold Ups are excellent forPersona 5’s themes, it’s a shame thatPersona 3and4’s creative reward system got left behind, especially since it helped the franchise’s tarot card imagery tie into the mechanics on the regular. IfPersona 6drops the picaresque concept, then it might have room for Shuffle Time again, and Confidants can make it better than ever.
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Blending Shuffle Time and Confidants in Persona 6
The way Confidants intersect with Shuffle Time inPersona 6would depend on which past game it leans on. For instance, a Confidant based onPersona 3’s Shuffle Time might help players keep track of their card by slowing down the speed at which cards move, or occasionally letting players eliminate an unwanted card before the shuffle. Additionally,Persona 6’s Confidantscould give players a bonus depending on how quickly they pick a card that’s being shuffled, rewarding players for their attention and confidence.
In contrast, usingPersona 4 Golden’s Shuffle Timewould probably result in a Confidant that’s all about card manipulation. Once players see the cards available to them, they might get the chance to send one back for free and draw a new card, or simply draw an extra card at the start of the Shuffle Time. The Confidant could also give players extra rewards for completing a Sweep Bonus, whether that means multiplying the cards' rewards or giving players a new effect on top of everything else. Any of these rewards would help encourage players to seek out Shuffle Times more aggressively than ever.
While Confidants would offer great rewards for Shuffle Time, Confidants would benefit too. Atlus could design all kinds of uniquePersonaConfidant characters based on Shuffle Time skills. Due to the tarot theme, a fortune teller or occultist character seems like the most obvious choice, butChihaya, the Fortune Confidant fromPersona 5, already occupies that niche. If Atlus wants something fresher, it could introduce players to a card sharp who teaches thePersona 6protagonist some gambling cheats that improve their Shuffle Time skills.Persona 5set a great precedent for tying memorable, complicated characters into creative mechanics, so hopefullyPersona 6does the same.
Shuffle Time’s Odds of Joining Persona 6
While Shuffle Time still has more to offer, Atlus might not consider it a high priority feature to implement. For one, it’s strongly associated withPersona’s past now thatPersona 5skipped it, so implementing it now could feel like a step backward, even if it comes with improvements. For another, Hold Up seems like a hint to the franchise’s future. Hold Up itself might not return either, since it was so strongly tied toPersona 5’s themes, but it could suggest that Atlus wants each mainline game’s battle reward system to reflect that game’s own aesthetic. UnlessPersona 6is all about tarot, Shuffle Time may be too generic to play Hold Up’s part.
Despite these issues, though, Shuffle Time remains worth considering.Personais a franchise founded on tradition, still inheriting a lot fromShin Megami Tenseito this day, so reusing an old mechanic like Shuffle Time wouldn’t be totally out of character. Atlus could focus on adding other combat mechanics or dungeon design elements that enhancePersona 6’s themes while leaving room for Shuffle Time to play the part of the reward system. Confidants are the perfect way to give Shuffle Time a fresh coat of paint, blending the old and the new to create something unique for the new mainline game.
Persona 6is in development.
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