30 January 2024 , 13:11
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After 10 hours spent with Persona 3 Reload, the game is shaping up to be the ideal way to play the classic RPG.
Persona 3 Reload reviews are flooding the internet right about now, and although I'll be reviewing the game here at Mirror Gaming, I don't feel like I've played enough to give you a fair review of the full game. But, from what I've played so far, this is exactly what I've been looking for from a Persona 3 remake
Persona 3 has been an elusive game for me. I've played a chunk of Persona 3 FES on the PS2, but was put off by the lack of controllable party members during combat. And while I did buy the recent port of Persona 3 Portable, I've been holding out on playing it on the off chance a remake arrives. And now here we are, and Persona 3 Reload is exactly what I've been waiting for. While the missing expansions are well documented, this is a great version of the original Persona 3 story, while bringing in improvements from later versions, like the controllable party members from Portable and the added Social Links of FES.
In terms of visuals, let's get it out of the way now because Persona 3 Reload looks gorgeous. I'm playing the game on PC at 1440p 120FPS, and on Steam Deck at a lower frame rate, and it runs like a charm on both. Even though framerate doesn't matter in what is a turn-based RPG, it looks incredibly smooth in motion, which only adds to the visual upgrade. Using Unreal Engine 4, the game surpasses Persona 5 Royal in looks, while learning some vital lessons from that game. The menus are snappy and take cues from Persona 5 by absolutely oozing style, however, it also doesn't lose touch with Persona 3's unique visual aesthetic, with some elements – such as the character icons – remaining mostly the same. Plus, most of the cast got updated designs and character portraits, with the likes of Yuko and the old couple looking far better than before.
The game also features reworked voice acting and music. So far, the voice cast retains the charm of the original performances, with some – like Suzie Yeung's Fuuka Yamagishi – being far better than the original incarnations. But, my thoughts are mixed about the music overall. While the new music tracks that are exclusive to Reload – like the new advantage theme It's Going Down Now – fit right in and are bangers in their own right, there are some minor nitpicks about the returning tracks. For example, the battle theme Mass Destruction's pronunciation of the "baby baby" refrain, or the Iwatodai Dorm theme having a far clearer vocal track. These new iterations are still good, but I don't find them as impactful as the original.
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Persona 3 Reload nails the way we used to talk in MMO's back in 2009 (Sega)The Persona 3 cast loses none of their original charm in this new version. Akihiko is still a total bro, Junpei is still an obnoxious weirdo in the early hours, and Mitsuru is still an icon. Special shoutouts have to go to the Maya Social Link, which sent me back in time with its hilarious use of late 2000's MMO leetspeak. My favourite new addition for this entry has to be the inclusion of new scenes for the likes of Junpei and Akihiko, which – while they aren't Social Links in name – allow you to hang out with the lads and get some battle benefits to go alongside it.
While some Social Link scenes remain the same – such as Kenji regaling you with tales of his love of older women – one major new change is that you're now able to simply be friends with your female party members and still max out the Social Link. This is in stark contrast to the original releases, where every female Social Link interaction was categorised as romantic, and forced you to become a cheating bastard if you wanted to max out every Persona.
One of the original game's biggest weaknesses was the randomly generated dungeons found in Tartarus. While I'm used to this style, thanks to Persona 4, people who have only Persona 5 will be in for a shock if they're expecting Tartarus to be in line with the intricately designed Palaces from that game. Reload makes the visual aesthetic between each block of Tartarus feel more unique than ever before thanks to the improved fidelity, but it's hard to deny that these aren't as engaging as the games that followed it – but to Persona 3 Reload's credit, there's only so much you can do with a faithful remake like this.
So far, Persona 3 Reload is exactly the remake I've been waiting for. While some of the original game's issues remain present, it's still a brand new version of what is considered one of the very best RPGs out there, and it feels like the best way to play Persona 3 from what I've played so far.