The Complex World of Gaming Remakes
Hey there, fellow gamers! When it comes to remakes in the gaming world, things can get pretty complicated. It’s not as straightforward as remakes in the movie industry. Just think about the different approaches taken with games like Resident Evil 4, Final Fantasy 7, GoldenEye, and Mario RPG – it’s enough to give you a headache!
But today, I want to talk to you about Persona 3 Reload, a game that challenges our understanding of what a remake can be. It’s not as lavish as the Resident Evil remakes or as self-referential as Final Fantasy 7, but it’s a ground-up effort that delivers an experience almost as polished as a brand-new Persona game. Well, almost. You see, its PS2 origins still shine through, making it a bit complicated.
A Complicated History
Persona 3 Reload is not a straightforward representation of any of the previous versions of Persona 3. You see, there’s Persona 3, ‘The Journey’ included in Persona 3 FES, and Persona 3 Portable – each with its own slight differences. Reload takes bits and pieces from each version, adding some quality-of-life changes from FES and reverting back to the original male protagonist from Portable.
A Slick and Modern Remaster
While Persona 3 Reload may not be the definitive version of the game, it’s undoubtedly the slickest and coolest way to experience this RPG classic. The game’s menus and presentation have been beautifully recreated, and the character models have been re-sculpted with high-polygon models. The soundtrack has been re-recorded, although some may argue that the original score should remain untouched. But overall, the beautification job is truly impressive.
New Mechanics and Considerations
In Reload, you’ll find mechanics and considerations borrowed from Persona 5, such as the ‘Baton Pass’ battle mechanic and the ability to develop Social Links with all members of your crew. The game has been rebalanced to create a patchwork quilt of old and new gameplay elements. And let’s not forget about the improved voice acting, with the majority of scenes now featuring full voice recording.
A Persona 3 for Modern Gamers
Persona 3 Reload is primarily aimed at gamers who discovered the series through Persona 5 but didn’t want to go back to the PS2 or play the