5/5 ★ – Niebeer's review of Persona 3 Reload.

Persona 3 is one of my favorite PS2 games of all time. I loved its cast, its modern setting, addictive combat and exploration loop, and its unusual soundtrack, a mix of pop, hip hop, and rock. All of these aspects would be further refined in the later entries, culminating in one of my favorite JRPGs of all time, Persona 5. So when Atlus announced that they were remaking it, after it being leaked and teased for years, I was excited. How would P3 fare if it has modern production quality? Pretty excellent, it turns out. Most of the core of the main game has been lovingly brought to modern times. It looks absolutely fantastic, it's character design still fantastic, with some slight changes that bring out even more of the personality of each character. The UI is just as sleek as it was in P5, the music has been rearranged along with some new tracks which are bangers. Main party members that did not have social links now have new events which further flesh them out and are a great addition. Modern quality of life features that were in P5 make exploring Tartarus an extremely addictive experience, where you keep climbing higher, fusing new personas, and leveling up your party. At this point it's hard to say which entry in this series is my favorite. Both P3R and P5R are masterpieces. P3 established the formula that the series would take, has probably the darkest story in the franchise when it comes to its themes, and this version, P3R, is such a polished and probably the fastest paced entry when it comes to the modern Persona trilogy. P5 on the other hand, has both a comfy/chill vibe and a compelling super hero story. It has the most spectacle in the series, with its elaborate dungeon design and number of unique scenarios which keep the story exciting throughout its epic length. So I'll have to keep thinking about which one is my favorite now, maybe I'll have an answer once a certain rumored DLC is added to P3R. But yea, this game is a JRPG masterpiece. Fans of the original are probably already playing it. If you've only played P4 or P5, liked those games, then you absolutely gotta pick this one up. See how the modern Persona series started, without all the old school sensibilities the original PS2 version, and instead has modern polish to its presentation and mechanics. Now let's wait and see what P6 brings to the table.