It's hard to "review" a game like Persona 3 Reload. I could judge it on many different aspects. I could judge it on its gameplay, or its merits as a remake. The reason why this is hard is that despite its list of problems, this game was such a memorable experience that it still hasn't left my mind all these months later. It was such a memorable experience that I don't think I could accurately say everything I think about this game in a short review like this one.

Out of all of the Persona games, I think Persona 3 has the best story. Its themes and execution rarely disappoint or feel like they could have been expanded on more. I say rarely, because this isn't always the case (STREGA). The game's theme is always present, and instead of regulating character development to just a short portion/ the social links, every character's development is spread evenly throughout the story in a way that feels natural. Some might say this makes the social links feel boring, as most of them end up being pretty mundane compared to Persona 4 or 5, but I believe this was intentional. The social links in this game, are filled with much smaller and intimate moments compared to future entries. Spending an afternoon watching a movie with a dormmate seems like something that's pointless when you can go play at the arcade, but this serves to appreciate the little moments you get to have with people, as they may not always be there. The game is filled with many "little moments" like these, and trying to see them all only highlights how limited your time is, and makes you remember each moment more.

It goes without saying that the gameplay in this game is pretty poor, but I think enough people have talked about that. I could honestly talk about this game forever, and maybe another day I'll add more to this review. But I can say I've never quite played anything like Persona 3. It's conclusion is perhaps the most perfect way I've ever seen something end, and it hasn't left my mind since I played it.

10/10

It's hard to "review" a game like Persona 3 Reload. I could judge it on many different aspects. I could judge it on its gameplay, or its merits as a remake. The reason why this is hard is that despite its list of problems, this game was such a memorable experience that it still hasn't left my mind all these months later. It was such a memorable experience that I don't think I could accurately say everything I think about this game in a short review like this one. Out of all of the Persona games, I think Persona 3 has the best story. Its themes and execution rarely disappoint or feel like they could have been expanded on more. I say rarely, because this isn't always the case (STREGA). The game's theme is always present, and instead of regulating character development to just a short portion/ the social links, every character's development is spread evenly throughout the story in a way that feels natural. Some might say this makes the social links feel boring, as most of them end up being pretty mundane compared to Persona 4 or 5, but I believe this was intentional. The social links in this game, are filled with much smaller and intimate moments compared to future entries. Spending an afternoon watching a movie with a dormmate seems like something that's pointless when you can go play at the arcade, but this serves to appreciate the little moments you get to have with people, as they may not always be there. The game is filled with many "little moments" like these, and trying to see them all only highlights how limited your time is, and makes you remember each moment more. It goes without saying that the gameplay in this game is pretty poor, but I think enough people have talked about that. I could honestly talk about this game forever, and maybe another day I'll add more to this review. But I can say I've never quite played anything like Persona 3. It's conclusion is perhaps the most perfect way I've ever seen something end, and it hasn't left my mind since I played it. 10/10