Persona 3 remains a genre-defining RPG, but the lack of a “definitive” edition has always hurt it. While its sequels have a clear best option, I remember taking ages deliberating over FES or Portable, eventually beating the former on PS3. I fondly remember that journey, even preferring it to Persona 4, yet I always felt like I was missing a lot. Persona 3 Reload doesn’t quite deliver the all-encompassing remake many fans hoped for, yet my recent preview convinces me that Atlus is otherwise on the right path.
Persona 3 Reload previewDeveloper: AtlusPublisher: SegaPlatform: Played on Xbox Series XAvailability: Out 2nd February on PC (Steam), PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (Game Pass)
Going hands-on for nearly two hours, this preview build differed considerably from the Gamescom/EGX demo. I felt pleasantly nostalgic as I explored Gekkoukan High School and Tatsumi Port Island. Reload recreates the original setting with precise attention to detail. Set shortly after Fuuka joined the Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), I had plenty of freedom and found myself getting invested in this story once again.
Soon enough, I ended up in Tartarus, a hefty dungeon that continues unlocking further floors as you advance. For the unfamiliar, think of Mementos in Persona 5 without the additional “palaces.” I was concerned that Tartarus would feel lacking by comparison. However, noticeable aesthetic differences between the first and second areas reassure me that progression likely won’t become boring across these shorter levels.
Tartarus began demonstrating Reload’s minor changes, often taking welcome cues from the sequels. The condition system’s removal is a welcome change that means party members won’t suddenly become tired during exploration, which causes stat reductions. There’s also the Theurgy mechanic, a nice addition that provides a powerful attack or stat buff once your gauge is full. What’s particularly interesting is how Theurgy reflects each character’s personality by increasing the gauge faster if your actions match what a character would do. Yukari’s increases faster upon healing others, while Junpei becomes more motivated after landing critical hits. It’s a helpful boost that adds extra strategy and better connects combat to the main story.