Persona 3 Reload Analysis

This role-playing saga has reached the top thanks to its debut with such enjoyable works as Persona 3, which is getting a facelift for the new generation of consoles.

Almost a year ago, a server here had the honor of analyzing Character 3 Portable, an adaptation of the original title released on PSP in 2009. A game which, despite its limitations due to the console it preceded, had a very good basis and very good execution. Its arrival on Xbox was surprising because even if it is not a bad title, many users were waiting for the best version of this third opus and not its format. “light”. Lucky for us, it’s finally here the version (or rather revision) released on PS2 with a good facelift and new implementations. And as fate would have it, I had to analyze it and see for myself the changes it presents, which are not rare.

Time is golden

The proposal of Atlus with Persona 3, it remains the most adult story of all that we have experienced. Death is very present, and the protagonists that we will control know perfectly well the threat that hovers above their heads. It is because of they alone are aware of the dark hour. This dark hour is a time when the clock strikes midnight, life stops, and shadows roam the city streets. No one realizes what is happening because they sleep in coffins. and only we have the capacity to face these beasts. An objective which also has a time limit, since one year after our arrival, something serious will happen if we do not fulfill our mission.

Although this thought will constantly be present among our team members, We cannot forget our daily obligations. Like any title in the saga, we will have the obligation to go to school and socialize with the rest of the students. By doing this, OUR social link He will become stronger, acquiring a series of advantages and skills that will be useful to us during our ascent to the Tower of Tartarus, the “enemy base” which will only appear in the dark hour mentioned above. We cannot neglect one part of the game to focus on the other, and the trick lies in knowing how to balance the two parts of the game very well to progress appropriately.

The restart of a wake

These facts don’t change much from what I wrote a year ago…and that’s because the story remains the same. If you have already enjoyed Persona 3 Portable, this may be a handicap if we embark on this remake. There is a palpable graphical change, new cutscenes, a new collection of side missions and the dungeons have a different style. But at its core, it’s the same game we enjoyed a year ago, which is a double-edged sword if you’ve played it recently. Of course, if at the time you missed the opportunity to play the portable version, Now is the best time to take advantage of the delivery that changed everything.

In Persona 3 Reload we will enjoy three-dimensional environments. It’s wonderful to move around the different rooms of the institute looking for conversations or moving from one class to another. Even enjoying leisure and shopping areas is better with this ability to move freely. Of course, the The Tartarus Tower also changes, and although the seams are visible because its design is very repetitive, The exploration is pleasant and gradually goes up the floors.

Classic but renewed role

Let’s not forget that This work by Atlus focuses on a Shin Megami Tensei. This means that we have a very deep role that we must internalize. Each of our protagonists will have the possibility of summoning a Persona. As I mentioned before, death is very present in the game and this time for these allies to appear we will have to shoot ourselves in the head with a special gun. Yes, everything is very graphic and scary.

Each of these summons will have several magics to deal with the enemy. To create as much damage as possible, we will have to study the weak points to finish off the rival as quickly as possible. In fact, if we manage to make all opponents “bite the dust” in the same round, we a group attack that will bring us blessed glory. And although at first this special move will be easy to perform, over time the requirements will become greater, so you will need to equip yourself with balanced equipment.

Higher level!

I reiterate. We are facing a Shin Megami Tensei and we can see it in the people we will have at our disposal. Only our protagonist will have the possibility to alternate between these summons. And thanks to the Velvet Room, we can merge them to create another more powerful being with greater combat skills. Saving the distance, it has a Pokémon essence where we will have to choose our combat partner with the best possible magic. And that they complement those of the rest of the team, of course. Or to further refine the shot, Anyone who enjoyed Soul Hackers 2 will find very similar combat in Persona 3 Reload.

Recharge our Persona

Coming fully into the remake that concerns us today, I must say that It’s a title where the years are barely perceptible. The company went to the trouble of remaking the game from the ground up, sticking to the playable and narrative basics outlined beforehand, but improving everything else. And it is very visible that They took ideas from their latest proposals like Persona 5 both in terms of designs, interface and music. Even the final exam questions have changed, so you’ll have to work hard to pass…

The worst is borne by the most 200 repetitive floors of Tartarus Tower, but even here there are improvements too. It seems much more agile and versatile. Everything is going well and the clashes will be quite quick. There are new mechanics in the fight itself, such as the possibility of changing turns or attacking again with the same character if our Person has weakened an opponent. Small aspects that improve our quality of life and ultimately make our walk in this demonic tower not seem heavy.

Persona 3 Reload Conclusion

Atlus didn’t want to miss the opportunity to remember one of the episodes that catapulted the franchise and wants to go all out. It achieves this by remaking its game from the ground up, and while in substance (and story) we’re looking at the same title we saw in Persona 3 FES or Persona 3 Portable, there are many significant changes . To begin with, the graphics section is very successful, and we see an interface both in the fights and in the menus that recall gems like Persona 5. The music has also been refined, and we will have new missions and texts. By the way, the translation is in Spanish.

To highlight Persona 3 Reload, I’m sorry it came out a year later than Persona 3 Portable. Those who enjoyed the “lite” version a year ago may not want to relive an entire adventure that seems very long. Not only because we are facing the same story, but we are facing a Tower of Tartarus that becomes repetitive due to its simple and similar design. Of course, if you’re new to the saga, don’t hesitate to immerse yourself in one of the most adult and interesting stories Atlus has ever made. It’s showing up on day one on Xbox Game Pass, so there’s no excuse.