EachPersonagame has a distinct style and gameplay that fans could easily recognize.Persona 3had a relatively darker theme as players had to grind through Tartarus. The game also introduced Social Links, where conversations with other characters involved a variety of heavy themes. The overall design ofPersona 3was a hit in its time, but it’s far from perfect, and many fans hope thatAtlus will address any issuesinPersona 3 Reload.
WhenPersona 3 Reloadwasrevealed during this year’s Xbox Games Showcase, the trailer showed a completely different-looking game. The graphics look like a big improvement over the older versions, with many noting that the remake adoptedPersona 5’s distinct art style. There were still a lot of details that weren’t shown to fans yet, but if Atlus did indeed do a full revamp forPersona 3 Reload, there’s one specific element fromPersona 5that could make it even more enticing to play.
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Persona 5’s art style and aestheticis pretty iconic at this point. From the Phantom Thieves' unique outfits to the highly accurate depiction of Shibuya, it was hard for players to keep their eyes away from their screens. Even battles with Shadows were exciting because of the attack animations and the overall UI design. What gave these battles even more personality were the All-Out Attack finisher screens, which showed the Phantom Thieves lunge and beat up downed enemies. It was a significant improvement from previous games' All-Out Attack animations, which looked generic.
In the originalPersona 3’s All-Out Attack, the characters would only run up to the vulnerable enemies and fight them in a cloud of smoke. Players would see this same animation inPersona 4. The old All-Out Attack animation was an amusing sight because it was reminiscent of cartoon brawls that players grew up watching on TV. However, it also feels a bit outdated now, especially afterPersona 3 Portablewas ported to current-gen consoles, and players got to see the generic All-Out Attack animation in higher graphic settings.
Persona 3 Reloadseemed to have adopted a similar art style toPersona 5, while still keeping its signature blue-heavy aesthetic with a watery twist. This also opens an opportunity for Atlus to change up the All-Out Attacks in the remake, giving the mechanic more personality compared to its previous iteration. TheProtagonist and the rest of SEESmay not have flashy looks like the Phantom Thieves, which could explain the simple All-Out execution, but this could also build a stronger case for an upgrade. If the characters were only wearing their school uniforms in a fight, then it only made sense that the All-Out Attack animation should make them look more daring.
It might take a while before fans could get more details aboutPersona 3 Reload. The game doesn’t release until next year, so fans may be left waiting to see how All-Out Attacks have changed, although Atlus is clearly redesigning some aspects of the game’s aesthetic. For instance, Atlus switched the revolver-inspired command UI during battle to the standard four-option UI fromPersona 5. Diehard fans stated that it sort of missed the mark because of how present guns were inPersona 3’s story. Meanwhile, others didn’t mind the shift, claiming that it looked cleaner and less confusing.
The remake has to impress fans due to controversial changes like these, as well asPersona 3 Reloadnot having a female protagonistand other FES content. Despite the resistance that somePersonafans have shown, it’s also clear that a lot of people look forward to thePersona 3remake. Only time will tell if All-Out Attacks become one of the remake’s top selling points.
Persona 3 Reloadwill come out early 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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