The Persona franchise, developed by ATLUS, has five mainline games; Persona, Persona 2: Innocent Sin, Persona 3, Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 Royal.
Recently, ATLUS has created remakes that fans were desperately asking for. And seeing how Persona 4 and Persona 5 have gotten re-releases, ATLUS figured it was time to create a remake of arguably the fan-favorite game in the series; Persona 3.
Persona 3, originally released July 16, 2006, 18 years later, its time has come to get a fresh breath of air. Persona 3 Reload, the game’s remake, released on Feb 1, 2024. And fans were quick to get their hands on it. But what makes the game so great?
The Premise:
The “Dark Hour” is a secret hour that takes place. Most humans are unaware about this until it’s too late, by then they are turned into coffins and shadows. The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (S.E.E.S) are tasked with dealing with these monsters and ultimately fighting the 12 monsters that represent the tarot cards.
Enter the new transfer student, who shows strange acknowledgment to the Dark Hour but does not get turned. Taken aback by the development, S.E.E.S decides to take in the protagonist and make him the newest member.
The Gameplay:
Persona 3 Reload has drastically improved on the turn-based combat system that its predecessor had. Before, players could not control their party members so they could only use the main character (the player), and set commands to their party members such as supporting, attacking, and no spells/actions.
Instead, players can control their party members, play and devise plans as they wish, and make combat free-flowing. On top of new combat animations, critical hit cut-ins, new models, and almost everything you can think of.
Fans are beyond happy to see Igor and velvet room attendant Elizabeth back to help the protagonist fuse personas, acquire new spells, and arguably the best part, hang out with Elizabeth.
The Environment:
Tatsumi Port Island, the setting of the game, is revamped and looks stunning, seeing the merchants, and buildings, and able to visit all their favorite locations. ATLUS has emphasized ensuring that the game looks and feels new.
Gekkoukan High School, where characters spend the majority of time, (after all the protagonist is in high school), studying, learning, raising their stats, and forging bonds with both main and side characters. The difference graphically between Persona 3 and Persona 3 Reload is night and day. Characters look refined, the building is more accessible, and new sounds fill the school.
The Music:
If there is one thing any fan of the Persona series can agree on; it has to be the music. Persona is famous for their incredible musical soundtracks, ranging from city pop and rap, to mellow classical and jazz.
Although the main singer and the original soundtrack being changed, ATLUS includes new songs, remakes of older songs, and battle music to make everything feel much more modern. “Color Your Night” sung by Lotus Juice and Azumi Takahashi simply provides an incredible sensation of peace, happiness, and even immersiveness to the game.
The original opening “Burn My Dread” is replaced with “Full Moon, Full Night” and as great as “Burn My Dread” is, “Full Moon, Full Night” sets a new and exciting tone right out of the gate.
The Verdict:
If you are new to the Persona series or want to play Persona 3 in particular, you will honestly find no better experience than Persona 3 Reload. Although, that is not to say that the original game is obsolete, but for a sense of modernity, a refined combat system, and clean visuals. Persona 3 Reload is the game for you.
Just prepare yourself for 100+ hours of content as Persona is famous for being longer than your average game. But, if you enjoy long games, Persona 3 Reload will be eye-opening.
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- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/game-reviews/persona-3-reload-the-definitive-experience/2024/03/07/
