Though modernPersonahas moved away from its status as anSMTspinoff in favor of carving out its own identity, the strengths that were cultivated from its origins remain. The demons featured acrossSMTpunctuate the series' combat, taking shape not only as the Personas the protagonist may wield with their wild-card ability, but inPersona 5’s case, as enemies as well. In the true form of shadows lies myriadSMTdemon designs that show just how strong their iconography has been crafted with folklore in mind, andShin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeancereminds players of this through its special demon conversations, which could be a boon forPersona 6’s own negotiation feature.
Demon negotiation has long been a mainstay ofSMT, though its feature throughout thePersonaseries has seen fewer iterations, given that demons haven’t taken shape as enemies in every mainline entry. The originalPersonaandPersona 2duology utilized its characters to great effect in its handling of negotiations, making them more of a cast effort, whilePersona 5maintained a similar focus, albeit with less team input, through its holdup mechanic. Fans have argued thatPersona 5’s take on negotiationcame across as more arbitrary than intended, with the freneticism of its conversations being hard to follow at times. While some might consider this a natural effect of the finicky nature of demons, there is a case for their folklore to be emphasized in a way that helps to ground the mechanic.
How Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance Highlights Folklore Through Negotiation
Demon Negotiation
Anyone familiar with theSMTseries will know that demons, as their name suggests, can be cutthroat. Entries likeSMT 3: Nocturnecould have demons take all of the Demi-fiend’s money and still peace out, while others would trample across his grave if they didn’t get the items or Macca they desired. It was a fantastic way to consider demon personalities in a world where strength dictates respect, and as the series has moved forward, similar sentiments have come into play.SMT 5: Vengeance’s negotiation, while perhaps easier altogether, featured moments like this, though it could at times be circumvented through special demon conversations, taking into account both the folklore of its compendium andthe Nahobino’s own party.
Vengeance’s Unique Demon Conversations
Special demon conversations were a way thatSMT 5and itsVengeancecounterpart further accentuated the strength of its demon folklore. As so many ofSMT’s demons are entwined through their religious or mythological connotations, these conversations considered demons interacting not just with the Nahobino, but with each other as well. Though the feature was not exclusive toSMT 5, the strength of its depiction in the game, alongsideVengeance’s Demon Hauntsand side quests, shows just how much room there is to accentuate demons for more than just their designs or battle prowess. Having a demon step out from the Nahobino’s party to converse with the enemy, culminating with an item for the player, was a great way to consider rewarding them both narratively and mechanically.
References to Demon Folklore in Persona 6
Now, it can be argued that demons aren’t the focal point ofmodernPersona, at least not in the same way as they are in mainlineSMTor its other spinoffs. They are, after all, Personas/Shadows and not demons, and so their lore isn’t as relevant to the series' core themes. Still, even making references on a smaller scale, like in negotiation, could be something to consider. While unique dialogue wouldn’t be feasible for every demon considering the scope of past compendiums, taking fromSMT’s demon conversations by keeping the protagonist’s party in mind could help diversify the mechanic from time to time.
The same goes for certain questions and responses that could be considered. Having a demon like Muu Shuwuu ask the protagonist whether they value “brains or brawn” more, for example, would be a great tie-in to its folklore as a creature known for eating brains, which in itself was referenced in one ofSMT 5: Vengeance’s new contentside quests. Such an approach could reward players who have come to know the folklore of these demons throughSMT’s history, helping to makePersona 6’s negotiation less arbitrary. Even having demon folklore be taught inPersona 6’s school lessons and then later be referenced in negotiation could be a great way to tie in its social simulation more intrinsically with combat.
