The Ultimate Encounter: How Persona 5's Shadow Transcends Persona 3 Reload

Highlights

Persona 3 Reload draws heavily from the success of Persona 5, with visual and mechanical changes that reflect the fifth entry's influence.

The Persona 3 Reload DLC pack includes various elements from Persona 5, including costumes and Personas, which has ignited discussions among fans regarding its price and exclusiveness.

While Persona 5 has achieved immense popularity and is now considered a benchmark for the series, there are some fans who believe that the company might be excessively leveraging its triumph.

Persona 3 Reload has sparked extensive discussions among fans of the Persona series, both new and old, who are eagerly anticipating its adaptation. From the glimpses we have seen so far, including preview footage and gameplay trailers, it is clear that Persona 5's success has greatly influenced the remake. The visual and mechanical changes implemented in bringing Persona 3 to a modern audience are particularly noteworthy.

One of the most noticeable impacts of Persona 5 is its visual identity, which has been adopted by the SEES Team and their surroundings in Persona 3 Reload. Character models, battle transitions, and the user interface have all received stylistic updates. For example, the All-Out Attack screens have been reimagined in a way that reflects the aesthetic of Persona 5. Additionally, other changes have been made to the combat HUD and menu screens. Expanding on these cosmetic references, Persona 3 Reload includes a DLC pack that has generated mixed opinions among potential buyers. This additional content comes at an extra cost and has become a divisive characteristic of Atlus games.

Persona 3 Reload's DLC Continues in Its Pattern of Persona 5 Influences

Atlus' Persona games have a long-standing tradition of referencing their previous entries, and in recent years, they have embraced this tradition with DLC homages. Persona 5 and its Royal counterpart exemplify this trend, featuring outfits and music tracks from past Persona and Shin Megami Tensei titles, as well as other games like Catherine. Following this pattern, Persona 3 Reload's DLC draws heavily from Persona 5, offering a Shujin Academy set, the Phantom Thieves' costume set, and even the party's Personas as add-on content for its Digital Premium Edition and Aigis Edition.

According to information from Xbox's game store, the add-on content for Persona will include both the initial and Awakened Personas of the Phantom Thieves, extending to the entire cast, including Kasumi and Akechi. However, it appears that only Yasogami High outfits and the Personas of Yu, Adachi, and Marie from Persona 4 will be available, which is a significant difference compared to the offerings from Persona 5. There is no mention of DLC related to Persona 1 or Persona 2's Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment, but it is hoped that music such as Maya's theme from FES will be included in Persona 3 Reload's base game.

This treatment demonstrates how prominent Persona 5 has become in Atlus' approach to the IP, which has received mixed reactions from fans. While it is evident that Persona 3 Reload preserves the unique aspects of its original depiction, the influence from Persona 5 seems to establish it as the standard for future entries in the series. Given the immense popularity and global interest generated by Persona 5, it makes sense to keep it relevant in newer games, although some have expressed concerns that the company may be overly capitalizing on its success.

The Persona 3 Reload DLC Pack currently requires the Digital Premium and Aigis Editions for access, priced at $99.99 and $199.99 respectively. Surprisingly, the Digital Deluxe edition and standard version of the game do not include the DLC pack, with prices of $79.99 and $69.99 respectively. It remains uncertain if the DLC Pack will be available for separate purchase in the future, but it is clear that acquiring the Persona 5 material in Persona 3 Reload will come at a high cost. Persona 3 Reload is scheduled to release on February 2nd, 2024, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.