The original Persona 3 was always a flawed masterpiece to me. It started very slow, it didn't look very good, even by PS2 standards, even by Shin Megami Tensei PS2 standards actually. Most of the early social links aren't really all that good and didn't make a very good case for the mechanic. The PS2 version didnt allow you to control party members, and I know what they were going for (you're a leader, not an omniscient god controlling everyone), it just didnt really work.
But if you stuck with it, you found out it was actually an extremly well written slow burn with a very solid RPG system. And it contained some very good tear jerkers in there too.
Persona 3 Reload is a surgical improvement of this flawed masterpiece to make it as good as it could possibly be.
The Graphics aren't just improved to be the standard on modern platforms, they are improved to bring make a more expressive world and get you invested faster. The improvements to combat make it flow as good as Persona 5 and makes you endear to the combat more and makes the slow early months of the game much more enjoyable.
The expanded material put into this is all more than welcome, giving a lot more personality to otherwise neglected aspects of the narrative.
And all and all, it's the best version of this absolute classic.
As far as I'm concerned, this is THE gold standard for video game remakes. If they ever remake Persona 2 or 4, the example set by this game should absolutely be followed.
But if you stuck with it, you found out it was actually an extremly well written slow burn with a very solid RPG system. And it contained some very good tear jerkers in there too.
Persona 3 Reload is a surgical improvement of this flawed masterpiece to make it as good as it could possibly be.
The Graphics aren't just improved to be the standard on modern platforms, they are improved to bring make a more expressive world and get you invested faster. The improvements to combat make it flow as good as Persona 5 and makes you endear to the combat more and makes the slow early months of the game much more enjoyable.
The expanded material put into this is all more than welcome, giving a lot more personality to otherwise neglected aspects of the narrative.
And all and all, it's the best version of this absolute classic.
As far as I'm concerned, this is THE gold standard for video game remakes. If they ever remake Persona 2 or 4, the example set by this game should absolutely be followed.