Persona 3 Reload on Xbox
“This can be coming just a little late for many of you, however welcome to the dorm.”
Persona 3 is a really particular recreation to me for a wide range of causes. For starters, like many different informal followers, this was my introduction to Atlus and Shin Megami Tensei. It additionally marked the discharge of the new-school Persona video games with relationship sim parts and a visible novel-style story JRPG that will lay the groundwork for Persona 4 and Persona 5. Along with all of that, Persona 3 additionally occurs to have the darkest story out of the three trendy entries, and it hits exhausting even at the moment.
I bear in mind poring over each single element of the sport as a youngster, rubbing my drained eyes as I stared on the tv display screen at 2 within the morning. Afterward, I might jab at my PSP display screen beneath the covers at night time when Persona 3 Moveable launched, and I greedily inhaled each new plot beat that got here with the inclusion of the feminine protagonist. I spent hours upon hours studying Gamefaqs boards, min-maxing my time on subsequent playthroughs, and studying theories in regards to the ending and what the characters would do subsequent.
Having your characters all be excessive schoolers that lived collectively in a college dorm was such a stroke of genius as nicely, due to how bonded everybody felt. As a pupil on the time, this resonated with me.
Mainly, I lived and breathed Persona 3 for a lot of my formative teenage years. Like a complete nerd. 10 years later, it’s nonetheless an absolute banger of a recreation.
One thing, One thing, My Buddies Are My Energy!
Persona 3 Reload is nearly all the things I might’ve ever hoped for from a remake of the basic PS2 recreation. If I might finish the evaluate right here and go proper again to enjoying extra of it, I might. However I’m listening to from my editors that *checks notes* 275 phrases merely received’t do for a full recreation evaluate, so alas, I have to proceed writing.
Beginning with the plain, Persona 3 Reload appears to be like good. I imply, simply have a look at it. This can be a from-the-ground-up remake of the PS2 title, redone within the Persona 5 engine with refreshed character artwork and animations. The animated cutscenes and artwork look cleaner, and extra importantly, we’re getting a extra constant artwork model between all three video games. Tatsumi Port Island has by no means seemed brisker, and trendy consoles have allowed Atlus and P-Studio to get just a little bit extra formidable with populating the environments with NPCs and different bells and whistles.
It’s not all nice, although. Whereas it’s not a dealbreaker by any means, I did discover appreciable slowdown at any time when I entered Paulownia Mall. That is by far probably the most densely populated space of the sport, and the framerate simply chugs a lot at any time when I go to it. The difficulty persists even throughout Social Hyperlink conversations that happen right here; my button presses lag, I can’t skip via dialogue quick sufficient, and it’s simply not a pleasing expertise total.
It’s a disgrace as a result of so many enjoyable actions and occasions happen right here. But within the Xbox model of the sport, I discovered that I used to be by no means really in a position to get pleasure from my time there due to how poor the efficiency is.
Fortunately, this challenge is unique to Paulownia Mall and doesn’t pose an issue wherever else. It’s an unbelievable feeling, with the ability to discover the island and its environs that beforehand seemed so blurry and low-res on the PS2 {hardware}.
All Social Hyperlinks are actually absolutely voiced as nicely, which actually added to my total immersion within the recreation. Whereas I’ve all the time adored the overarching narrative of Persona 3, the Social Hyperlinks have all the time felt just a little lackluster to me. Most characters appeared extremely one-dimensional and uninteresting; and whereas I wasn’t anticipating the voice performing to do a lot for me, I used to be shocked by how simply they pulled me into these characters’ tales.
As an illustration, Yuko all the time struck me as a little bit of a whiner, however her voice actress provides a little bit of an edge to her character, which drastically adjustments how I understand her. The voice performing is stable throughout the board, and whereas I received’t deny that Persona 3 Reload’s Social Hyperlinks are nonetheless among the weakest within the collection, it’s nonetheless a direct enchancment over what we obtained initially.
It’s a little bit of a disgrace that the voice actors for the principle forged have largely been changed too, as I’d all the time been a fan of the unique forged. Even so, the brand new actors do justice to all of your favourite characters; it’ll probably simply take a little bit of getting used to.
It’s vital to notice that there isn’t a lot in the way in which of story tweaks and additions in Persona 3 Reload, as you’d sometimes count on from a re-release of a Persona recreation. There aren’t any new Social Hyperlinks, although Reload does embody loads of new actions that can assist you bond together with your celebration members. Junpei and Akihiko, specifically, had been in sore want of social occasions and scenes that would deliver them nearer to the male protagonist, and Persona 3 Reload alleviates that by introducing new hangout sequences that pop up now and again.
From time to time, a celebration member will textual content you, asking you to hang around. This may end in a brief scene of your characters bonding, adopted by some kind of boon that can help you in fight. With Akihiko, I obtained much more perception into his background and familial standing, in addition to a handful of small however key scenes that assist foreshadow revelations that don’t come until a lot later within the recreation. I nonetheless want we might’ve gotten new Social Hyperlinks for these beforehand jilted celebration members, however I’ll take what I can get.
Maybe probably the most hanging bit about Persona 3 Reload is how completely the remake captures the college dorm vibe that the unique recreation was going for. The upbeat jazz soundtrack provides to the homey environment of Iwatodai Dorm, and coming again to it on the finish of each college day simply feels good. You stroll into the dorm, get greeted by certainly one of your friends, and also you simply discuss and hang around with them.
Because the examination interval attracts close to, now you can kind research teams with them to get an Lecturers increase, whereas studying extra about every character’s quirks. It’s only a nice feeling, and it’s good to see that Persona 3 Reload has correctly introduced the dorm to life.
Outdoors of faculty life and hanging out with buddies, you’ll additionally spend your nights surviving Tartarus and the Darkish Hour… Oh, proper. Did I neglect to say what the sport’s really about? Sorry about that.
Tower of Grind
Persona 3 Reload’s story facilities across the mysterious Darkish Hour — a mysterious hour that seems at midnight, and solely choose individuals can expertise it. Through the Darkish Hour, an odd tower known as Tartarus seems as nicely, and Shadows begin roaming town. You shortly turn into a part of SEES, a bunch largely made up of Gekkoukan Excessive college students who’ve the ability to name upon a Persona to battle these Shadows. Your aim is to defeat highly effective boss Shadows each month, whereas exploring Tartarus, within the hopes of eradicating the Darkish Hour endlessly.
It’s fairly typical JRPG stuff, if I’m being trustworthy. However look, like most different JRPGs, it’s in regards to the journey, not the vacation spot. Perhaps the true Darkish Hour is simply the chums we made alongside the way in which, or one thing like that.
Earlier than every full moon, you’ll wish to spend your time climbing Tartarus to get stronger. This was probably the most criticized little bit of Persona 3: Tartarus is a rattling slog. This is perhaps one of the crucial boring dungeons we’ve ever seen in a JRPG. The music barely adjustments, the layouts are uninteresting, and it’s only a grind.
So, has that modified in Persona 3 Reload? Effectively, kinda? Don’t get me improper, it’s nonetheless a slog, and also you’re nonetheless battling your manner up a whole bunch of flooring to succeed in the highest. The important thing variations are that Tartarus appears to be like prettier now, the fight system has been improved, and there are little detours you may take that make the sport just a bit more difficult total. Let’s go over these factors one after the other.
First, Tartarus appears to be like a bit prettier. Which is to be anticipated. What else is there to say?
Secondly, the fight system has seen such an enormous enchancment for the reason that P3P days. Persona 3 Reload now has a Shift mechanic, which is mainly this recreation’s equal of Persona 5’s Baton Cross. Having the ability to hand your additional flip over to a different celebration member after hitting an enemy’s weak point makes battles really feel a lot extra environment friendly and fast-paced, and that’s nice.
Persona 3 Reload additionally introduces a brand new Theurgy system, the place your characters can unleash an final transfer of kinds as soon as sure situations are met. For instance, Mitsuru’s Theurgy bar fills up quicker when she inflicts standing results and illnesses on enemies, whereas Yukari’s bar fills up by therapeutic and supporting the celebration. As soon as the bar is stuffed, you get to make use of Theurgy at no SP value, and these are normally very damaging elemental assaults that may flip the tides of battle.
I have to point out that Fuuka’s Evaluation skill has been drastically improved as nicely. Fuuka was mainly all however ineffective within the authentic recreation, however she’s obtained a little bit of a facelift in Reload, the place she will be able to expend SP to immediately reveal all weaknesses and affinities after the primary flip. She additionally has entry to Theurgy and different cool abilities to offer you an edge whereas exploring Tartarus.
Mainly, fight feels a lot smoother and fast-paced, which in flip makes Tartarus much more bearable.
Lastly, there’s additionally the introduction of Monad Doorways and Passages, that are detours that can present up as you’re exploring Tartarus. These are dwelling to highly effective Shadow enemies that guard useful gadgets and treasure. Preventing them is elective, however they function a enjoyable problem if you want to break up the monotony of climbing the tower.
These are all stable adjustments that make the grind in Persona 3 Reload simply that little bit extra enjoyable. Whereas Tartarus undoubtedly nonetheless appears like a drag, I’m glad these adjustments exist.
What Do the Weapons Evoke?
the entire enjoyable stuff, it may be simple to neglect that Persona 3 Reload is, at its core, a reasonably unhappy recreation. Don’t let the heat of Iwatodai Dorm and its denizens idiot you, P3’s forged is severely tousled. Revisiting the sport at the moment, a few of these plot factors are nonetheless exhausting to abdomen, and the sport isn’t shy about pushing them in your face.
From parental abandonment and neglect to survivor’s guilt and excessive self-loathing, Persona 3 is maybe probably the most poignant recreation within the new-school trilogy in that it was in a position to pinpoint probably the most primary struggles of your common teenager and enlarge them to make them really feel vital, like they matter. This, I feel, is the important thing to Persona 3’s success, and why it’s nonetheless so beloved at the moment.
The imagery of the Evokers is a bit hamfisted maybe, however the message is there. I don’t assume it’s a coincidence that Persona 3’s characters summon their Personas by pointing a gun at their heads and taking pictures. The central theme of Persona 3 is demise and one’s acceptance of it, and the sport isn’t afraid to discover that to various levels of success. Some tales work, like a terminally ailing affected person who tries to seek out worth in what little time he has left. Some tales fall just a little flat, and it may well sometimes really feel like we’re retreading outdated floor and anime nonsense about revenge plots.
Regardless of the occasional stumble, although, Persona 3 is oftentimes tragic and heavy, but in addition earnest and hopeful. And it’s these little moments of brightness and heat that make it really feel particular.
Persona 3 Reload is an excellent and worthy remake of a recreation that’s confirmed it may well face up to the check of time. Welcome again to the dorm.
Professionals
Big aesthetic and graphical improve. Want I say extra?
New social occasions for beforehand uncared for celebration members are a pleasant addition.
Fight is way smoother and fast-paced.
The story and characters nonetheless maintain up very nicely at the moment.
Cons
Tartarus continues to be a drag.
Terrible efficiency points in a single particular part of the sport.
Launch Date
Feb. 2, 2024
Developer
Atlus, P-Studio
Consoles
PS4, PS5, Xbox, PC
Copy offered by Writer