All these exciting combat encounters, Tartarus floors to blitz through, and heartfelt moments tucked away in the social aspects of Persona 3 Reload provide a rich context for what this game is really about: finding purpose. For as goofy and irreverent as Persona 3 may be, its greatest strength is its emotional sincerity.

(A warning: Personas are summoned when a teen hero puts what looks like a pistol to their head and fires. Suicide is a theme throughout, and this happens in every fight.)

Reload also includes fully voiced Social Link scenes for the first time, and that works wonders in terms of giving them more weight and value. All romances are optional as well, which wasn't the case in previous versions of Persona 3 (except when playing as the Persona 3 Portable-exclusive female protagonist), and it's pretty wild to think back and realize you used to be forced to have a relationship with every female classmate you got to max rank.

Atlus revisits the past, but it does so in the shadow of the series’ most approachable game — Persona 5 looms over its predecessors still, and Reload makes that more apparent than ever.

An injury sustained during combat with a Shadow holds him back for a little while, but ever eager to get back into the ring, he soon recovers and returns to his place on the front lines.

Your browser isn’t supported anymore. Update it to get the best YouTube experience and our latest features. Learn more

A member of Strega, a group of three that uses the Dark Hour as a means to carry out requests for revenge.

She utilizes her skills from the archery club to draw her bow in battle. Her unique Persona is Io, specializing in wind and healing skills.

Going out with friends or completing quests for them strengthens your Social Links, which in turn strengthen associated persona types. There are dozens of ways to achieve the same goals, and each day is different.

Ainda de que agradeça a maior margem de manobra, igualmente sinto que se perdeu um pouco do peso esmagador do game original, do terror existencial do de que algo terrível estava para vir e que este tempo escasseava, ameaçando introduzir um ponto final precoce nas relações qual tinha utilizando os fantásticos personagens do game.

Reload even makes a concerted effort to address the fact that non-e of the male party members previously had Social Link routes. While they're not traditionally structured, distinct opportunities to spend time with them now pop up throughout the story and eventually lead to revelatory moments for those characters. Since these are freshly written for Reload, there's a noticeable contrast in quality compared to the original social sim conversations, making me wish the old dialogue had been punched up to match the heights of these new interactions.

A member of Strega, a group of three that uses the Dark Hour as a means to carry out requests for revenge.

Persona 3 Reload has made a few minor nods to contemporary sensibilities. A warning screen at the start of the game lets you know that you'll be seeing scenes of violence, bullying and self-harm.

But the variety of their activities, and the slow and reasonably realistic nature of their dialog and dramas, Persona 3 made Social Links one of the best parts of the game, with the reward for seeing each one through more power for my personas in combat. It gives me real choices with real consequences, and I love it.