Persona 3 was the game that really changed it all. Or so they say. As someone who was introduced to the series with Persona 4, and delved into Persona 5, Persona 3 had never even been on my radar. Now that it has been completely remade, a whole new array of gamers are getting to experience the title that is touted as the one that changed everything.

Persona 3 Reload is a remake of Persona 3 (and all its various remasters and different versions), and the fourth main instalment in the Persona series. If that sounds strange, it is because of the mostly well-known fact that the Persona series exists purely as a result of being a spin-off of the Shin Megami Tensei series. With the first two Persona titles, not actually being attributed as Persona games. Regardless, Persona 3 is perhaps the most ported, remastered, and remade game in the series, with an influence that is still built and worked up in every main Persona title since.

It’s important to remember that I am playing Persona 3 Reload with no experience with previous versions. Beyond having known that it also used the calendar cycle style of gameplay and kept the iconic demons (or Personas in the case of Persona). So for me, I was looking at Persona 3 Reload through completely fresh eyes. With a bias of what the series would become in the original release of Persona 5, and not what it was in the case of the original Persona 3. What is incredibly impressive with Persona 3 Reload is how despite the characters in each mainline Persona game feeling almost the same, with day-to-day interactions that feel almost identical to other titles, that it somehow carves a niche in making itself feel wholly unique.

The characters in Persona 3 Reload are nuanced, well-developed and deeper than they appear on the surface. Over the sixty or so hours you’ll spend getting to know not only your core team of player characters, but also the supporting cast of social link side characters that add a world of different storylines and additions to the game. Interestingly, almost all of the social link storylines attach themselves to a bigger overall idea of dealing with loss, death, and inevitable change. The aspects of life that people don’t always have a say in. Which is the overall story and tale of Persona 3. A game about the inevitability of life, death, and acceptance of things you cannot stop or change. The characters are teens who are simply thrust into a mysterious world and place, in a time that exists between Midnight.

There is a nice spread of characters to enjoy and learn about, and for the most part they are well-written. Even the less likable characters like Junpei (who may be the only unlikable character), at least have moments of redemption. But Junpei in particular falls apart as a result of him just being an angry, self-centred and sort of one note character. Other characters like Yukari, Mitsuru and Aigis have a depth to them. There is a personality that exists beyond just what is shown in their direct interactions. This extends to even some of the stranger player characters like Koromaru, who is in fact a shadow fighting dog.

The good cast of characters is blended into a powerful story. Persona 3 Reload may actually have the most eloquently explored and deepest narrative of the Persona series. Whereas other titles explore far more literal and human aspects of life, Persona 3 takes a far more philosophical approach to its narrative. The Shadows are unknowable, acting in ways that you can’t quite understand. There are behaviours that reflect the youth of the characters interacting with this dangerous and unknown world, whilst still attempting to navigate day-to-day life. The day-to-day life part of Persona 3 Reload probably being some of the strongest parts of the game in not only this game, but in the series as a whole. Up until the very last month of the game, it feels like there is always something to be doing in your free time. There’s always someone to develop your relationship with, a storyline to see the next stage of, or develop your stats to get better rewards and interactions with the world.

On top of this, the Persona collecting system is actually somewhat simplified compared to previous titles. There is still the fusing of Personas to create higher ranked ones, with social links playing a factor in allowing you to create higher level Personas from fusions, you’ll also collect different Persona’s from shuffle timecards that you will get after most battles. I’m unsure if there was a factor resulting in more Shuffle Time rewards occurring after every battle, but I found that it would occur in about eight out of ten battles, pretty consistently. This would lead to get Persona cards for free Personas, additional experience, or yen rewards. The game in this way rewards you for engaging in more battles and grinding a little bit harder than you may feel instinctively natural.

Frustratingly, there are some choices that are made in Persona 3 Reload when it comes to combat, that really should be done away with. Story-wise it makes sense that, as your character is the leader, they’d be unable to give commands if they were to be knocked out/killed in combat. However, there is nothing more infuriating than getting hit with an ability that you are weak to, then a follow-up critical simply wiping out your character and causing a game over state. Particularly with the ability to save restricted to only being on safe floors, and typically the lobby of Tartarus, a tower that you’ll spend most of your time in. Death to non-boss enemies will send you back to your last save, which can mean that multiple hours of progress are lost to a rather unfair behaviour of the game. There is no need to have scenarios completely tied to a single character and is something that they game probably shouldn’t have kept this less than stellar combat mechanic.

Other than, the combat is your typical SMT/Persona loop. Search for a weakness, hit the weakness of the enemies, do an all-out attack. Rinse and repeat. Most boss enemies will have a gimmick attached to them, to make you play a little more strategically, but for the most part is just sort of a bash your head against the wall for a little while until the boss falls apart. Persona 3 may have set the stage for future titles, but Persona 3 Reload doesn’t really do anything to expand upon the basic combat concepts that had been in place. The Theurgy system that gets introduced twenty odd hours in is somewhat interesting but acts more as a tool to speed up over long encounters, more than anything else.

The spread of the role of characters is somewhat boring as well. As much fun as it is switching out and trying out different members, you’ll find little reason to once you’ve hit your core group. SP depletion is maybe the main reason, but considering how irregularly you’ll actively be out of SP recovery items even that is somewhat lacking. Yukari is the only player character that really is designed as a healer type, so you’re unlikely to ever switch her out of the party. Sanada ends up being your only consistent strike type character, so he also typically will always take a party spot. The final fourth spot is one to switch out, but even then, I found myself just sticking with either Koromaru or Mitsuru. Small note here, the names that characters are referred to as throughout the game, typically doesn’t match up with the name that it shows to you when changing out your party members. It took me a while to remember who was who, but it would’ve been nice to have some more consistency in this area.

Persona 3 Reload is a sixty odd hour experience, with a deep cast of characters and one of the best story beats in the entire Persona, and by extension, Shin Megami Tensei universe. There are clear ideas that have been set down in Persona 3 that lead to influencing all future entries, and with Persona 3 Reload there is a whole new array of people who will get to experience this story for the first time. A somewhat lacking combat experience, that does little make itself stand out compared to any other title, with some outdated concepts that really should be done away with, Persona 3 Reload still manages to stay a game that will keep you locked in and playing for the upwards of sixty hours that you’ll be playing it. A beautiful, must-play for anyone who enjoys the Persona formula.