In 2006, Atlus released a small JRPG on the PlayStation 2 called Persona 3. It was a strange title where you had to balance life as a high school student, building friendships while protecting humanity from disturbing monsters during a hidden hour of the day known as the Dark Hour.

Through the fusion system, which allows your main character to wield different personas Pokemon style, you can unlock a bunch of unique Theurgy attacks, and some of them are as destructive as they are hilarious. Those who've played Persona 5 will recognize the Shift mechanic, too, which works just like the Baton Pass; when you hit an enemy weakness, you can pass the extra turn to a different party member who can keep the pain train rolling or hit remaining foes even harder.

Create and customize your character and their progression using a unique eastern combat system inspired by Wuxia (Martial Arts & Chivalry tales originating in China) with multiple familiar and exotic weapons and skills to unlock and upgrade.

To say that this remake’s presentation is an improvement over the original game would be the understatement of the century. Persona 3’s graphics have gone from looking like a PlayStation One game to a polished, next-gen HD anime visual fiesta in Persona 3 Reload.

That often has to be balanced with managing a slew of devastating status ailments and hard-hitting attacks, so things can spiral out of control if you don't play it smart. The best examples of this come from Monad doors, which are all-new rooms within the Tartarus floors – specifically, the boss gauntlets found at progress checkpoints. These fights throw somewhat unconventional combat scenarios at you that bring out the best of these satisfying turn-based battles whether you line up a sequence of attacks perfectly or barely make it by the skin of your teeth.

My investment in the plot is further enhanced thanks to its characters, especially your party members. Nearly everyone in the cast is a likable yet flawed individual who goes through captivating character arcs that will have you rooting for them to overcome their internal struggles and help them find the reason for the Dark Hour.

Finally, we have the inclusion of the brand-new Theurgy mechanic. Theurgies are special super-moves that characters can activate after filling up a gauge by attacking an enemy or fulfilling special conditions.

In my playthrough that ran more than an hour, though, I didn't feel at all like Reload was covering the same ground, even if it basically persona 3 reload gameplay is. The added gameplay elements, updated graphics, tweaked areas and social links compel me to sink another handful of months into getting to the bottom of Apathy Syndrome with the S.E.E.S. crew.

Yamaguchi spoke on elements of the game shown in the game's second trailer, confirming that party members Koromaru and Shinjiro Aragaki would have dedicated side-stories outside the main narrative in Reload, with the former's side-story focusing on expanding Koromaru's backstory, while Shinjiro's content would highlight his charm amongst the party members. The developers also confirmed that the "Aeon" social link with Aigis from Persona 3 FES would be retained in the game. By this time, Persona 3 Reload had entered its final stages of development.[15] Presentation[edit]

Reading books with Mitsuru, Aigis, or Fuuka also serves to reward you with both stats and charming little interactions, and even the precious dog Koromaru gets his own adorable side-arc to round him out as a more complete character.

A more exhilarating battle system and new graphics and gimmicks make Tartarus easier to explore. Dormitory life and community have also legitimately evolved!

Its social life mechanics were the new unique hook, providing a palette-cleanser from its relentless turn-based RPG fights and procedurally generated dungeons.

While players have subsequently been introduced to new iterations of Persona 3, including Persona 3 FES and P3 Portable, Persona 3 Reload is solely a remake of the original title, meaning some elements, such as the choice of a female protagonist, won't be present.

As the calendar year progresses, you’ll also fight against tough bosses on set days, progressing the story and potentially unlocking new party members.