Persona 3 Reload: A Gorgeous and Improved Version of a Classic RPG

Atlus, the renowned gaming company, has been revitalizing its popular franchises to cater to the 2020s market. One such franchise is the Persona series, which includes the Persona 3 game, first released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. Atlus decided to remake this classic title, named Persona 3 Reload, and bring it to current-generation consoles.

Persona 3 Reload is not a total remake like Final Fantasy 7 Remake, but it does offer significant improvements. The game’s environments are limited to those found in the original, and the environments have received a graphical upgrade. The game’s environments are now more detailed and visually appealing, with some parts looking better than anything in Persona 5’s real-world environments.

The graphical upgrade is the most noticeable change in Persona 3 Reload. The game takes advantage of technological advancements across the three generations of consoles that have launched since the original game debuted. The original Persona 3 was criticized for repetitive environments and battles, but Reload addresses the battle improvements.

The characters in Persona 3 Reload are more detailed and fluid, especially during their anime-styled attacks. The personas, the magical spirits used to wield magic, look and move better, too. The game has also undergone a Persona 5-style filter, with dynamic and snappy menus and battle results screens, and new animated scenes.

The battles in Persona 3 Reload are improved, with a turn-based RPG system where enemies and allies take turns attacking each other. The battle dynamic hinges on striking an enemy’s weak spot, allowing for extra attacks and interrupting their turn. Persona 3 Reload has integrated some of the series’ quality-of-life improvements, such as the ability to pass your turn to another player and the ability to unleash powerful attacks called Theurgy.

Theurgy is a new battle dynamic introduced in Reload, best considered as ultimate attacks. Each character has a particular characteristic that, if leaned on, will charge the gauge substantially faster. For one character, it might be landing a status effect on an enemy, and for another, it might be buffing party characters. Regardless, it’s often worth doing these specific actions instead of what you planned to do, if only to tap into a powerful attack quicker.

Social links form the backbone of the game and how your character spends time between supernatural fights. Unlike recent Persona games, improving your relationships with NPCs in Persona 3’s world doesn’t offer many boons during your fights. However, enhancing your connection can also happen through new “Link Episodes” available to some party members and NPCs. Participating in these can lead to new Persona creations and even stat boosts.

Most fights occur in Tartarus, a vertiginous tower split into different sections but typically offering more of the same, whatever level you’re on. This component of the Persona experience is familiar and frustrating. It can get boring fast, especially if you’ve played the original game, which many have. It’s also where the least effort’s been made to improve this game. It is repeated corridor mazes, with treasure, enemies, and other distractions scattered around. Sometimes there are treasure monsters, high-stakes, high-reward enemies that will often run away unless you beat them quickly, and the Reaper, a high-powered enemy that will steamroll you until you’re wielding end-game weapons and a high enough level.

Despite the repetitive environments and lack of improvement in Tartarus, Persona 3 Reload is worth replaying for the quality-of-life improvements and the graphical upgrade. The game’s social links offer new opportunities to deepen your connections with characters, and the network connection feature shows you what other players are up to each calendar day, helping inform how you spend your time and helping with the tricky school tests.

In conclusion, Persona 3 Reload is a gorgeous and improved version of a classic RPG. The game’s graphical upgrade, quality-of-life improvements, and new social link opportunities make it worth replaying for fans of the original game and newcomers to the series. The repetitive environments in Tartarus are a disappointment, but they do not detract from the overall experience of the game. Persona 3 Reload is a must-play for fans of the Persona series and a great introduction to the series for newcomers.