What you need to know
- Persona 3 Reload, an upcoming remake of Atlus' Persona 3, has received a new trailer during Gamescom 2023.
- Persona 3 Reload is a turn-based JRPG following the adventures of high school students investigating a mysterious phenomenon known as the Dark Hour and protecting humanity from monsters called Shadows.
- The Gamescom trailer for Persona 3 Reload confirms that the game will be released on Feb 2, 2024 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, PS4, PS5, and PC via Windows and Steam.
At Gamescom 2023, a new trailer was unveiled for the upcoming Xbox JRPG, Persona 3 Reload, a remake of one of the most beloved entries in Atlus' Persona franchise, Persona 3. This trailer showcases Persona 3 Reload's improved graphics, several scenes, and cinematics remade from the original title, and the revamped combat system which has inherited a sliver of Persona 5's over-the-top presentation and style.
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The trailer also goes over the premise of Persona 3 Reload. A group of high school students and their teacher have formed a secret club called the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (S.E.E.S. for short) and their goal is to investigate a strange phenomenon called the Dark Hour.
By using the power of Personas, spiritual manifestations of a person's personality, the members of S.E.E.S. must explore an alternate reality called Tartarus and discover the origin of the Dark Hour. Along the way, they will also have to protect humanity from being preyed upon by horrifying creatures known as Shadows.
By the end of the trailer, it has confirmed a final, concrete release date for Persona 3 Reload which is Feb. 2, 2023. In addition, there will be several editions of the game, pre-order DLC that lets you listen to the soundtrack of Persona 4 Golden and tons of DLC that will net you extra costumes and Personas based on Persona 4 and 5.
| Persona 3 Reload editions | Content |
|---|---|
| Digital Standard Edition | Base game, P4G BGM Set (Pre-Order Bonus) |
| Digital Deluxe Edition | Base game, P4G BGM Set (Pre-Order Bonus), Digital Artbook, Digital Soundtrack, |
| Digital Premium Edition | Base game, P4G BGM Set (Pre-Order Bonus), Digital Artbook, Digital Soundtrack, Persona 3 Reload DLC Pack. |
Analysis: Persona 3 Reload may be more than a simple remake
From what we have seen so far from Persona 3 Reload's trailers, this upcoming Xbox title looks like a one-to-one recreation of Persona 3 but with modern graphics and polished gameplay. However, upon closer inspection, there are hints that Persona 3 may slightly deviate from the original game as there are a couple of new scenes not included in the original game. The biggest change is that the main cast is now wearing combat uniforms when they explore the dungeons of Tartarus, which they never had in Persona 3.
Could this mean that the remake will add more additional changes to Persona 3's plot or maybe even incorporate elements from Persona 3 FES and Persona 3 Portable into the story? We will have to wait and find out when Persona 3 launches on Feb 2, 2023, for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC (via Steam and Windows).
