If you happened to own a PlayStation 2 back on the latter stages of its lifespan, no doubt you may have come across a little Japanese role-playing game series called “Persona” and the sequels released for the console in Persona 3 and Persona 4. Both games were critical and financial successes for Atlus – the Japanese video game developer that eventually became a subsidiary of SEGA after the latter acquired their company in 2013. Initially a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series, the Persona games eventually became their own brand and the success of P3 and P4 led to several rereleases, updates, and their own spin-off titles, with things peaking with the latest sequel in Persona 5. The success of that game and Persona 5 Royal led Atlus and SEGA to revisit their past games and remake them. Thus Persona 3 Reload was made – a remake of Persona 3 that reintroduces the Atlus JRPG classic for the modern age.
First released for the PS2 way back in 2006 in Japan and then in 2007 for western audiences, Persona 3 tells the story of a group of students from Gekkoukan High School – who form the “Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad” aka SEES to investigate a phenomenon known as “The Dark Hour”. In this period of time that seemingly exists between days, some people aware of this dimension are transported into it and encounter creatures called Shadows who attack and leave their victims in a near catatonic state. The SEES group and those who have abilities are able to combat the Shadows using special summons called “Personas” – which is a manifestation of the user’s second soul inside of them and are called forth using a pistol like object called an Evoker.
Much like the original Person 3, P3 Reload puts players in control of a silent protagonist – who moves back to his home town of Tatsumi Port Island and subsequently transfers to Gekkoukan High School as a student. He learns he can see and experience the Dark Hour, and eventually summons a Persona to battle the Shadows which leads to him to join SEES and meet other fellow students and people who are part of the group as well. The game emphasizes developing social links and cultivating the abilities of the Personas you and your party gather, which strengthens the protagonist’s relationships and skills while playing through the adventure. Much like a simulation game you experience life in and outside of High School and exploring the Dark Hour, and the choices and time you spend with certain individuals builds your bonds with them and could lead to special moments and interactions happening.
Inside the Dark Hour, the protagonist and his team explore the dungeon known as Tartarus – a labyrinth where Shadows lurk and encountering them leads to fights where the party needs to defeat them to progress forward. Battles are turn based and cycle between your group and the enemies, so planning your moves and strategy carefully is crucial to attaining victory. This is especially true for boss fights where you should be properly equipped and on a certain level of experience, so plan wisely and be sure to level up your skills, gear, and abilities before engaging on big battles.
Nearly two decades have passed since Persona 3 was released, so a very much needed upgrade was in order and fans have successfully petitioned Atlus to do it and they listened. Development of the game began in 2019 when Persona 5 Royal was gearing for release, so remaking the game using a similar art style and modern approach came naturally from the developers to represent this game for a new audience. This is also one of the first Persona games to use the Unreal Engine 4, and visually it looks as stunning as the anime cutscenes and presentation that already look gorgeous and appealing to the naked eye. The music by Atlus Sound Team has always been a favorite staple in the Persona series thanks to its jazzy and upbeat pop nature – which gets players grooving and nostalgic over the game and its setting.
As with most modern JRPG titles, expect Persona 3 Reload to come bundled with some downloadable content you can purchase alongside the main game in the Expansion Pass. These range from DLC music from past games and costumes you can equip in the game all the way to a digital soundtrack and artbook for the game you can view outside from playing the adventure. Plus there’s an additional DLC epilogue coming up called “Episode AIgis -The Answer” – which is a remake of the additional epilogue released on a separate disc for Persona 3 and as part of Persona 3 Portable. That will be released on September of this year, so be sure to watch out for that if you’re already done with the main adventure and want more from the story after that.
Overall, Persona 3 Reload brings the best of both worlds to the forefront – a classic and critically acclaimed JRPG’s story represented with modern bells and whistles to make a title worthy of today’s gaming standards and presentation. The series is beloved by millions of Japanese RPG fans, and selling 22 million units since it started is definitely an achievement that Atlus can be proud of. If you love anime and something that simulates life as a student with a sense of mystery, adventure, and cool music, you can’t go wrong with Persona.
Persona 3 Reload is now available for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.