Scarlet Nexus Could Help Fill the Void Before Persona 6

gamerant.com:

As the Persona franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary, fans are desperate for word of the next installment in Atlus' long-running, urban-fantasy JRPG. But with no announcement in sight, players will need to look elsewhere to scratch their itch during the wait. One option could be Scarlet Nexus, a sci-fi action-JRPG that released in June 2021, boasting a relationship-based battle system, easy-to-overlook side quests, and a robust story campaign. Like the oft-overlooked earlier installments of Persona, Scarlet Nexus is something of a cult classic with a lot of potential for future installments.

Even though the title launched nearly a year ago, Scarlet Nexus saw a considerable boost in popularity with its recent release on Xbox Game Pass. As a debut series with a different style of gameplay, Persona fans could easily overlook the title, but that would be a shame given the wait for Persona 6. Bandai Namco's psychic, cyberpunk saga likely holds a great deal of appeal for those who enjoyed the Phantom Thieves.

Game Pass Subscribers Shouldn't Skip Scarlet Nexus

Thematically, Persona and Scarlet Nexus were clearly made with the same audience in mind. Both titles explicitly court anime fans with their aesthetics, televised adapatations, tropes, and general trappings. The games also star groups of precocious, battle-proficient youths (with a few adult hangers-on), who must topple God-like entities, save the world, and figure out how they feel about each other.

Character relationships are not only central to Scarlet Nexus' story, but deeply intertwined in the game's action combat. Becoming better friends with party members will pay dividends in the form of new combos and abilities. Relationship-building and gift-giving mechanics are