“Persona 3 Reload” video gameplay. (Atlas/Contributed)
There was no definitive best version of Persona 3 before 2024. New fans who want to play this cult classic again will have to choose between two versions of him, each with their own drawbacks and advantages. Now, Persona 3 Reload introduces a version of the game that combines the best features of all previous versions with reworked graphics.
The basic premise of Persona is the same. You play as a high school student and unlock the ability to summon powerful beings who once fought against the shadows of monsters. Players must balance daily life and combat while strengthening their party and building social connections with others.
The game's dark atmosphere helps distinguish it from its more popular sequels. Accepting death and dealing with loss is a central theme of the story, creating a dark atmosphere that permeates the entire game. One thing that differs in presentation from older versions is the soundtrack. New songs and remixes do a good enough job of recreating the sound of the originals, but they can't replace the old songs. The new English dub is also hit-or-miss.
The divisive element of Persona 3 has always been the dungeon, Tartarus. Unlike other his RPGs, where players pass through various areas and dungeons throughout, Tartarus is a central location where most combat takes place. Just climbing floors over and over until you encounter a boss fight can be tiring, but the lack of visual variety only adds to the sameness. Thankfully, the developers have spiced things up by adding a few features like Monadic passages, locked chests, and fatigue removal.
“Persona” games are known for great combat, and while the “reload” combat isn't as good as “Persona 5,” it's still great. The turn-based system is still focused on playing carefully and exploiting weaknesses. A new attack called Surgi has also been added, which will be of great help when tackling boss battles. Over time, it feels like the brutal difficulty Atlas games were known for has faded away. So while combat is still satisfying, it doesn't feel as rewarding when the game gives the player so many tools.
I think this game is perfect for beginners because of all the changes and the fact that it's a remake of a game that was made before the game that made this series explode in popularity. “Reload” allows new players to advance to “Persona 4 Golden” and then “Persona 5 Royal.” These are one of his best RPG trilogies out there and a must-play for fans of the genre.
The game's story is well-paced despite being dozens of hours long, and it has some of the best characters in the entire series. Although the script has been rewritten, there is none of the redundancy that is common in his modern anime-style RPGs. This is a great game, but unfortunately it's held back by boring dungeon design and mixed presentation. Persona 3 Reload received 4 stars out of 5.
