As Atlus assures its fans that it plans to release a major game in 2022, eyes have started to turn to the long-awaitedProject Re Fantasy. For more than five years, a creative department ofAtluscalled Studio Zero has been hard at work on a brand new fantasy RPG known only asProject Re Fantasy.As a studio known for long-lived RPG franchises, it seems likely that Atlus wants to supportProject Re Fantasyas a brand for many years, but first, it needs to make the franchise’s premiere a success. That means developing a gripping RPG that can draw in the studio’s fanbase, which has expanded considerably in the wake ofPersona 5.
WhilePersona 5’s vast popularity already bodes well forProject Re Fantasy,the new title can borrow more mechanical aspects of thePersonafranchise to succeed. To be specific, the Confidant system, an expanded version of Social Links fromPersona 3and4,seems like it couldcontribute a lot to Atlus' new IP. Between buildingProject Re Fantasy’s world and attractingPersona 5veterans, a social simulation element similar to Confidants could really helpProject Re Fantasybecome a new jewel in Atlus' crown of RPGs.
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How Confidants Can Help Project Re Fantasy
Project Re Fantasy’s entirely new world immediately creates a need for a social sim mechanic like Confidants.PersonaandShin Megami Tenseimay have rich supernatural lore, but they’re also frequently rooted in the modern world, meaning there’s often a little less need for Atlus to supply players with exposition and context for the game’s setting.Project Re Fantasy, on the other hand, has a fantasy setting to introduce. A Confidant system could help the player learn aboutProject Re Fantasy’s setting through supporting characters' struggles and experiences with social norms, political conflicts, and so on.
A loftier theme of the game might pair nicely with a Confidant mechanic as well. Although the game is largely a mystery, Atlus has implied thatProject Re Fantasyis largely about redefining the notion of fantasy and how people’s hopes and aspirations can shape the world, for better or worse.Confidant-style explorations of characterswould give more room for those themes. By puttingProject Re Fantasy’s NPCs under a lens as Confidants in order to unpack their fantasies and what they want to see in the world, Atlus can help fans grow more attached to the characters and the world while building the philosophical overarching story that it has in mind.
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Naturally, introducing Confidants would also work as a simple selling point forPersona 5fans. AlthoughPersona 5drew a ton of new fansinto thePersonafranchise, players who liked the franchise’s latest core entry for its Confidant system may not be as interested in other Atlus RPGs that lack the social sim element. IfProject Re Fantasyis at least comparable toPersona 5in that it provides mechanical benefits for befriending its characters, then newPersonaenthusiasts will have a very strong reason to consider playing it.
Project Re Fantasy and Atlus' RPG Family
IfProject Re Fantasydoes utilize the Confidant system in some way, it probably won’t look exactly the same.Atlus RPGs often share design principlesbut change them in subtle or drastic ways to establish each game’s unique identity. Even so, it’s not hard to imagine the new fantasy RPG having some system where players gain new skills and perks from NPC friends who grow increasingly supportive of them over time. Atlus clearly wantsProject Re Fantasyto be a bold step in a new direction, considering the game’s cryptic concept trailers, but that doesn’t mean it has to abandon all of Atlus' previous ideas. On the contrary, it’d be great to see a little bit ofPersona 5’s accomplishments built into Atlus' next title.
