Persona 3 introduced us to a vastly different setting and gameplay compared to its predecessors, offering a fresh perspective and setting the stage for the series' future evolution. Like many others, over a decade ago, I was enthralled by this JRPG which immersed players in the daily lives of Japanese high school students while allowing them to collect diverse mythological figures and monsters. However, with the release of new mainline titles and spin-offs, whether in terms of controls, content, or visual presentation, Persona 5 Royal stands out as the most polished entry in the series thus far.

While Royal offers undeniable enjoyment, numerous fans of the series have eagerly awaited a remake of Persona 3 built upon the framework of "Royal," and this dream has finally come true this year. At last year's Tokyo Game Show 2023, I had the privilege of briefly experiencing the combat of Persona 3 Reload, and I was profoundly touched because I never imagined that a title from so many years ago could be remade as if it’s a brand-new release. Now, after playing for nearly 40 hours, I still believe that this game is one of the most sincere remakes I have played in recent years, and I think it is currently the best way for both new and old players to experience Persona 3.

Persona 3 Reload centers on a group of high school students, led by you, the protagonist, who wield the power to summon Personas. Together, you form Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), an organization disguised as an extracurricular after school club at Gekkoukan High School dedicated to battling Shadows, sinister beings that emerge during the mysterious "Dark Hour" that serves as the 25th hour hidden between consecutive days. During this hidden hour, you will venture into a hidden realm called "Tartarus", where you will ascend its floors to uncover the truth behind the phenomenon. As you progress, the group learns of formidable Shadows that will appear during full moons, and believes that their defeat could eventually bring an end to the Dark Hour. However, as deeper secrets gradually come to light, the group finds themselves confronting even more perilous threats.

The most stunning aspect of Reload is undoubtedly its visual remastering and enhancement. From the smallest details of various game interfaces to the presentation of characters and environments, every aspect maintains the distinct visual style of the Persona series while imbuing a more modern feel. The game’s visual overhaul largely follows the pattern set by Royal, with features like characters and environments with more realistic proportions, stylish and smooth battle entrance and victory animations, as well as many reworked cutscenes accompanied by new story elements, evoking both nostalgia and a refreshing feeling for returning players. Personally, one of the most satisfying aspects is the comprehensive transformation of Tartarus, which, combined with the re-arranged original soundtrack, accentuates the eerie and nerve-wracking atmosphere of this mysterious structure. Overall, visually, Reload feels like an entirely new entry in the series, with improvements evident throughout.

Persona 3 is the first installment in the series to introduce time management and social gameplay. However, due to its fidelity to the original framework, the social gameplay in Reload remains as rudimentary as in the original, making it somewhat less refined compared to Persona 5. Firstly, Reload utilizes the most basic social link system in the series, where advancing social links does not provide us with advantages beyond fusion EXP and unlocking new Personas, unlike in Persona 5 where additional bonuses like extra battle actions would be gradually unlocked. Also, for completionists, there is still little room for error in the order of social link progression in this game, as most social links are only available during school periods, with new ones open up only during and after summer. Therefore, several specific social links must be completed before summer comes.

Moreover, the game only features three social stats to develop (Courage, Charm, Academics), which is two fewer than in Persona 5. While this simplifies scheduling, certain social links still require us to max out specific social stats to unlock. Consequently, there’s still an issue which is not addressed in the remake: where players have to focus on maxing out social stats in the early game, and then have nothing much to do in the mid and late game. Fortunately, Reload includes new social activities, such as cooking, watching dramas, and caring for plants with dorm mates, which are fully voiced like the new social link stories. These activities have arguably enhanced the immersion of the social gameplay in Reload compared to the original.

In terms of combat, Reload also follows in the footsteps of Persona 5 by introducing the "Shift" (Baton Pass) feature, allowing characters to pass their turn to other party members after knocking down an enemy. Undoubtedly, the introduction of this feature immediately became one of the most crucial combat mechanics in the series, enabling us to seize control of the their turns and facilitating the execution of a devastating All-out Attack, making weaknesses and knockdowns a more meaningful gameplay system. As a fan of the original, seeing this feature being introduced in Reload is certainly a cause for celebration, as it makes battles slightly easier and saves a considerable amount of time.

Meanwhile, the addition of "Theurgy", while similar to ultimate moves in other RPG games, brings additional layers to tactical planning with its unique charging conditions. For example, Yukari can accelerate charging by healing allies, while Mitsuru relies on inflicting status ailments on enemies to unleash more Theurgy skills. The original's Fusion Spells are also presented in the remake as Theugy skills, but we no longer have to bring specific Persona masks onto the battlefield. Instead, we only need to fuse a designated mask once to unlock the corresponding Theurgy. While this new combat mechanic is relatively straightforward, the stylish animations during skill activation, coupled with significant damage and various buffs and debuffs, not only make battles more enjoyable but also make combat under higher difficulty settings more approachable.

As one of my favorite features in the game, Reload not only introduces visual upgrades to Tartarus but also brings in many new features, with the most notable being the “Great Clock”. When unlocking new locked chests in Tartarus, there's a chance a Great Clock will spawn on that floor. Interacting with it allows us to choose up to two party members to instantly level up to match the protagonist's current level, reducing the hassle of spending extra time grinding. Speaking of grinding, if you feel you haven't earned enough money or EXP for the night, you can always return to previously explored floors to continue grinding, as the floor layout will only reset the next day, significantly lowering the risk of accidental death during the process. Interestingly, similar to Persona 5, this game also introduces various destructible objects for us to collect more consumable or sellable items, demanding us to be even more attentive during exploration to not miss out on these small perks.

Fuuka, a character cherished by all, has also seen significant gameplay enhancements in this iteration. Previously, Fuuka typically assumed a passive role during exploration and combat, with many of her specialized support skills, such as High-Analyze and Third Eye, activating passively. However, in Reload, Fuuka, like other party members, now possesses an SP gauge, requiring active triggering of skills like High-Analyze during combat. Moreover, players can now utilize Fuuka's array of new skills during exploration, including the ability to remain undetected by Shadows and provide party-wide buffs at the outset of battles. The inclusion of the SP gauge necessitates careful timing when activating these skills. Fuuka's enhanced role as a Navigator in the remake not only offers players more tactical options during gameplay but also elevates her presence within the team.

Overall, I am convinced that Persona 3 Reload is a remake crafted with passion and love, presenting the world of Persona 3 in its most perfect form to date while integrating the strengths in gameplay from subsequent releases. Despite lacking the extra content from Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable, I believe fans will admire the faithful recreation of the original, alongside new gameplay mechanics and modernized visuals and controls. Of course I still hope that the developers will consider adding the expanded storyline from FES and the female protagonist option from Portable, but this, to me, embodies the essence of how a true remake should be.

Persona 3 Reload is now available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam).