My first experience with a fully remade classic game was Diablo II Resurrected back in 2021. I grew up playing the original Diablo II – my mom introduced it to me on a particularly long plane flight when I was 11 or so – so I was intrigued when Blizzard announced that they were releasing a brand-new version with remastered graphics but the same iconic soundtrack and voices. Other popular remakes in recent years have been Resident Evil 2-4, Age of Empires 2, Silent Hill 2, and Alan Wake. Remasters or full remakes tap into a rich vein of nostalgia that ideally retains everything great about the original game while updating clunky graphics and outdated mechanics.
Persona 3 Reload is a full remake of 2006’s Persona 3 from the Megami Tensei series, blending elements of social simulation, role-playing, turn-based action, mystery, and horror. I never played the original Persona 3, so I can’t speak to Reload’s accuracy in sticking to the original story or gameplay. However, after playing the free demo for a few hours, I’m generally pretty impressed, with the caveat that it isn’t totally what I was expecting. But before we get to that, let’s talk about what the game does right.
The graphics are beautifully done in a vibrant anime style, and superb voice acting from the main cast adds a layer of depth and nuance to otherwise one-dimensional dialogue. The story is intriguing and one of my favorite parts of the game, especially if you’re a fan of noir, thrillers, or mysteries.
For those who (like me) aren’t familiar with the original game, here’s a quick overview: you play as a high school student who transfers to Gekkoukan High School on a manmade island in Japan. From the outset, it’s clear that something sinister is afoot in the area, and after about an hour of playtime you discover the full story: every night at midnight, the world undergoes a 25th “Dark Hour,” in which most people transform into coffins, the land is bathed in an eerie green light, and masses of writhing arms called Shadows run rampant.
As one of the few people who can stay awake during the Dark Hour, the protagonist (who you get to name, although his canon name is apparently Makoto Yuki) takes on the task of fighting and killing the Shadows, joining up with three of his dormmates as part of an organization called SEES: Secret Extracurricular Execution Squad. Every night, as the Dark Hour puts the rest of the city into coffins, you and your fellow SEES members fight Shadows, search for treasure, and level up in a mind-bending dark tower called Tartarus, which happens to occupy the same spot as your high school during the day.
The titular Persona refers to an avatar that you and your friends can summon, based on the Major Arcana tarot cards. Personas come with powerful abilities that can dispose of Shadows or empower other members of your party. You start off with the Fool, historically the lowest-ranked Major Arcana card, but it’s quickly revealed that your character is unique in the ability to summon multiple Personas and switch between them. Characters summon Personas by shooting themselves in the head with a silver handgun called an Evoker, and the game comes with a disclaimer that this might be upsetting if you’re uncomfortable with suicidal imagery. I wasn’t bothered by it, but I can see how it might put some people off.
Fighting Shadows in Tartarus is only half the game, though; the other half, more The Sims than Dark City, takes place during the day in school and around town. To power up your character and your Personas, you must gain stats called Social Links. You increase these stats – Academics, Charm, and Courage – by performing various activities, everything from eating a questionable-looking burger at the mall to solving problems correctly in class. Helping a friend in class raises your Charm stat, while staying awake during a boring lecture boosts your Academics.
So, onto my one caveat. I think in order to fully enjoy Persona 3 Reload, you have to know what you’re getting before you start. Although it’s labeled as an RPG, if you go in expecting something like Elden Ring or Skyrim, you’ll probably be disappointed. On the other hand, if you like more leisurely story-driven gameplay, you’ll be right at home. My playthrough of Persona 3 Reload consisted of a lot of cutscenes and cinematics punctuated with occasional moments of exploration and combat. It’s not afraid to go at a slower pace, taking the time to develop the story before you get into the gameplay itself. That’s not a bad thing, as long as you prefer story and character to complex combat and game mechanics. As I said, my favorite parts of the game were the plot and the voice acting.
You can play the opening hours of Persona 3 Reload as a free demo on the Xbox Series X/S, and the full game is (currently) available on Xbox Game Pass. I read a little bit about the plot online, and it’s clear that there’s a vast story beyond my playthrough that I’m interested in diving into. Ultimately, I think the intriguing premise, beautiful graphics, and terrific voice acting are all enough to get you through the slower sections. 8/10
For more information, visit https://www.sega.com/persona .
Related: Reviews by Ian Robinson-Lambert
I've loved video games ever since I started playing Mario Kart on my parents' Wii back in seventh grade. These days, you can find me playing a mix of historical RPGs and horror (shout-out to Assassin's Creed and Resident Evil). I also love a good puzzle, and of course I still have a soft spot for the Super Mario series!
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