Personally. Archetypes are cool to use. It all depends on how well you use them as tools and how interesting you make their backstories After all, tropes are just mere literary tools to use. It doesn't matter if they're overused, it's how you use them
I dont really get the critique. First of all archetypes as a concept has been brought up before in persona. For instance, Persona 4 Golden added a thing called mr edogawa tv classroom that talks about it and older games had secetions talking about it specifically persona 2 eternal punishment. This is also what the Arcana throughout the series is supposed to represent as well, so even if not directly mentioned this concept has been at play through multiple aspects of the series. I also dont think Atlus is saying that Archetypes are weapons inherently but instead they are just using them as such in this instance. One archetype we see in the game is called a healer so this notion that archetype = weapon universally doesnt seem to be the intention. Just that they are using them for that purpose. Seemingly, you also just dont follow the archetype in the game as there is a mechanic called synthesis that has been said to be inspired by hegelian dialectic which very likely means you can change certain aspects of the archetypes you have. No doubt being a metaphor (haha) with a relationship with the unconscious material to not just follow the old road. Which makes sense to me, this is a video game, after all. Artistic liberties are gonna happen. Especially with the mention of being able to manipulate them after being made aware of them. Dont worry about there not being a religious figure. One of the archetypes seems to be called "messiah."
