Each Persona game has a distinct style and gameplay that fans could easily recognize. Persona 3 had 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 of Persona 3 was a hit in its time, but it's far from perfect, and many fans hope that Atlus will address any issues in Persona 3 Reload.
When Persona 3 Reload was revealed 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 adopted Persona 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 for Persona 3 Reload, there's one specific element from Persona 5 that could make it even more enticing to play.
Persona 3 Reload Could Adopt Persona 5's All-Out Attacks
Persona 5's art style and aesthetic is 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 original Persona 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 in Persona 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 However, it also feels a bit outdated now, especially after Persona 3 Portable was ported to current-gen consoles, and players got to see the generic All-Out Attack animation in higher graphic settings.
Persona 3 Reload seemed to have adopted a similar art style to Persona 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. The Protagonist and the rest of SEES may 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 about Persona 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 from Persona 5. Diehard fans stated that it sort of missed the mark because of how present guns were in Persona 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 as Persona 3 Reload not having a female protagonist and other FES content. Despite the resistance that some Persona fans have shown, it's also clear that a lot of people look forward to the Persona 3 remake. Only time will tell if All-Out Attacks become one of the remake's top selling points.
Persona 3 Reload will come out early 2024 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.