Summary
Persona 3 Reloadmarks the first time thePersonafranchise has seen a true remake.Persona 3 Reloadseems to be taking full advantage of the opportunity with a new voice cast and totally redesigned UI and graphics. The franchise has changed a lot since the originalPersona 3,and while this remake will update the game, its approach to All-Out Attacks shows that it is still faithful to the original vision.
Persona 5’s gentleman thief themeinformed its over-the-top approach to character design and presentation, and its All-Out and Showtime attacks exemplify this. When the player does an All-Out Attack inPersona 5, they are shown portraits of the participating members and the group zooming around the screen. Previous entries in the series simply showed a white cloud around the enemies during these attacks and had little in the way of extra flair.Persona 5has set the bar for new fans in terms of presentation, so going back to the simpler approach could prove jarring for those unfamiliar with olderPersonatitles.
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All-Out Attacks inPersona 3 Reloadneeded to find a happy medium between adopting the approach ofPersona 5and retaining the original’s presentation.P3R’s second trailer showcased an All-Out Attack, and it seems the developers have done just that. In the trailer, the characters attack and are surrounded by a white cloud, but upon the attack’s completion, the characters have a unique animation. It also showedMakoto Yuki’s win screen, which added some flair while still being much smoother and less bombastic than the splash screens ofPersona 5.Persona 3 Reload’s All-Out Attacks show that Atlus has found a way to makePersona 3as stylish asP5while remaining faithful to the original title.
While this homage to the original All-Out Attacks is just one element of the game, it shows that Atlus is aware ofPersona 3’s tone.Persona 5presented its characters as vigilantes bordering on superhero status, which was a big departure for the series.Persona 3is much darker and more grounded, and its characters are presented largely as regular people thrust into an abnormal situation. WhileP5’s over-the-top presentation is beloved by fans, Atlus has smartly deduced that it would not work forPersona 3and other older titles and has tried to achieve a similar sense of style in other ways.Persona 1and2remakeswould require a similar approach.
Persona 3 Reload’s All-Out Attacks align with many of the other design choices that trailers have revealed.Persona 3featured a simple but functional menu system, whereasReloadhas opted for a more visually engaging one similar to that ofPersona 5.In spite of its changes, it retains the mellow blue color of the original, and while it is more animated, it is refined rather than over the top.
The combat interface is a similar case. The functionality has been brought closer toPersona 5,and its presentation is more stylish, but it retains the subdued and utilitarian feeling of the original. SomePersona 5featureshave been carried over as well but have been adjusted to fitP3.
Persona 3 Reload’s All-Out Attacks are not only a fun homage to the original, but they are emblematic of the developer’s approach to the remake in general and should help to inspire confidence in the game. While Atlus is bringingPersona 3up to date with modern mechanics and presentation, its approach to All-Out Attacks shows that they are not interested in changing the game’s core identity to appeal to newer fans of the franchise.Persona 3 Reload’s release dateis only a few months away, so it won’t be long before fans can jump into this seemingly faithful remake.
Persona 3 Reloadis scheduled to release on August 03, 2025, on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
