Persona 3 Reload review: an infernal teen epic
30.1.2024
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Persona 3, first released in 2006, has been given a new look. The formula mix of everyday simulator and heroic epic still works 18 years later. Even for a newcomer like me.
A group of suicidal teenagers with split personalities save a small Japanese town from monsters that come out at midnight. In the middle of it all, there’s the protagonist. A new student at the local high school. I’ve barely arrived at the station and already witness the haunting. On one of my first nights, the monsters target the dormitory. In this seemingly hopeless situation, I put a pistol to my head, pull the trigger and…
Source: Simon Balissat
… but instead of my final resting place, I find my split personality, and boy is it powerful. She makes short work of the enemies with two quick blows. From that moment on, my life consists of school, a part-time job and monster hunting with the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (S.E.E.S.).
The story of Persona 3 Reload is a wild ride through the protagonist’s teenage years. There’s a mysterious company up to no good, a contagious depression that slowly consumes students and a hellish tower I climb floor by floor at night. It’s just as crazy as it sounds, and for me as a Persona newbie, it was initially confusing and difficult to digest.
Coming of Age meets The Divine Comedy
The action takes place on two levels. During the day, I go to school in the small town of Tatsumi Port, meet friends, go about in my hobbies and earn money as a barista and at the box office. Sinister things loom at night. Like Dante descending the Nine Hells in the Divine Comedy, I climb a tower that’s inhabited by shadows and manifests itself at midnight in place of my school. The tower’s aptly named Tartarus, inspired by the hell of Greek mythology, the place where Zeus imprisoned the Titans and other foes. There, they awaited judgment in terrible agony. Fortunately, I’m able to free myself and my buddies from the torture chamber using a teleporter. Doing this allows me to go back to school the next day as if nothing had happened.
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The two levels – everyday life and Tartarus – aren’t only linked by teleporters. Remedies I buy from the pharmacy during the day are useful in the infernal tower. A friendly policeman sells me weapons, although he doesn’t really know what I’m getting up to with my friends when night falls. The friendships cultivated during the day strengthen our multiple personalities – the eponymous Personas that my friends and I conjure up at night.
Source: Simon Balissat
In a complicated system, I collect character cards, fuse them into new, more powerful helpers and assign them special attacks and other skills. The cards are organised according to Tarot Arcana such as Death or Lovers. This doubles the game’s esoteric flair as well as my confusion.
The daily grind
The days, weeks and months in Tatsumi Port are always the same. During the day, I can strengthen my character traits Academics, Courage and Charm by studying or working. This enables me to make new friends. I then cultivate these friendships in simple conversation. For example, with a cheeky girl whose parents are going through a divorce. Or with a French exchange student who likes designing clothes. Or with the very insecure student council treasurer, who can hardly believe that a popular student like me is interested in her.
Source: Simon Balissat
All these interactions take time, and mine is limited. My mornings are permanently taken up by school. Except on Sundays, when the afternoon and evening are mine to fill. Every interaction makes time pass. As a result, it’s always important to prioritise what’s most important to me. Do I need to make money at work? Or do I level up my Moon Arcana by spending time with the gluttonous Gourmet King?
Finally, in the evening, I can enter Tartarus and fight my way upwards step by step until I can’t go any further. In addition to enemies, other surprises such as treasure chests, await me there. The next level unlocks every thirty days or so (at full moon). This is how Persona 3 ensures I don’t progress too quickly. But it also means I spend the first few days of the month mowing my way through Tartarus, then spend the rest of the month going about my daily life as a student. Still, sometimes certain special tasks lure me back into the tower.
Rock, paper, scissors
As is typical for Japanese role-playing games, battles are turn-based and use an elements system. Enemies have strengths and weaknesses that are hidden to me at first. I only find out whether Fire, Ice or Wind attacks are most effective over time and after some trial and error. Later on, I unlock the ability to uncover strengths and weaknesses directly, significantly easing the headache.
Source: Simon Balissat
Variety is offered by the different Personas, who all have their own attack combos and who I can swap in or out as the protagonist. Finally, there are also powerful special attacks, complete with fancy animations.
Source: Simon Balissat
Sisyphus in Tartarus
Persona 3 Reload requires a lot of patience, the story takes a long time to get rolling. It takes a good 20 hours before the most important characters are established and all game mechanics are unlocked. I’d love a slightly faster pace here. At least travelling between the school, dormitory and shopping centre during the day is quick, thanks to a clever fast travel option. In Tartarus, the floors sprawl out over time and become more extensive the higher you climb. This is a plus, as earlier levels are too short for my taste and the ratio between combat and everyday life isn’t balanced.
I should add that I haven’t finished the game yet, I simply didn’t have the time. After almost 30 hours, I’m not even halfway through the virtual school year… The original was 80 hours long, which should also be the case with Persona 3 Reload.
Source: Screenshot: Simon Balissat
The soundtrack with its groovy funk melodies is a highlight.. I can’t get enough of it! The most important conversations are voiced either in English or Japanese. But I can warmly recommend the Japanese original.
Graphically, Persona 3: Reload won’t win any beauty contests. The animations often seem stiff, the character models stand around the school lifelessly. There are washed-out textures at every turn. Not a surprise, seeing that the game was originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2006. However, this doesn’t detract from the fun gameplay.
My verdict
In the Divine Comedy, Dante achieves enlightenment at the end. This didn’t happen for me with Persona 3 Reload. But I did like the variety it offers. There’s something calming about those trivial everyday pursuits when I’m hanging out with my friends. A perfect preparation for nighttime, when I have to think tactically and beat up monsters. Switching between a perfect world and Dante’s Inferno never gets boring, even after virtual months, there are always new personalities and ever-stronger enemies to discover. However, the beginning of this teen saga is tougher than the chewing gum stuck under school desks. It takes a good 20 hours for the story to pick up speed. Points off for the partially washed-out graphics, bonus points for the soundtrack. This game is a good re-release of a classic and definitely a must for fans of the series. If you have the time and patience, you can happily go for it without hesitation.
Persona 3 Reload will be available from 2 February 2024 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC and on Gamepass. I received a test version from the manufacturer for my review.
Simon Balissat
Teamleader Editorial
Simon.Balissat@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I flew the family nest over 15 years ago, I suddenly had to cook for myself. But it wasn’t long until this necessity became a virtue. Today, rattling those pots and pans is a fundamental part of my life. I’m a true foodie and devour everything from junk food to star-awarded cuisine. Literally. I eat way too fast.