Persona 3could soon be getting a remake, according to a supposed insider leak from Atlus, longtime developer of thePersonaseries. WithPersona 3 PortableandPersona 4 Goldennow available on modern platforms, fans of the series could get the chance to play an upgraded version ofPersona 3in-line with the series' latest mainline entry,Persona 5 Royal. A remake like this could be a great opportunity to refresh the game with quality-of-life improvements thatPersona 5 Royalbrought to the series, while keeping the core of what made the game so beloved in the first place.
When it first released for PlayStation 2 in 2006,Persona 3was a dramatic step up with the introduction of new mechanics like the Social Link system and the ability to fuse new Personas. While the game was a revolutionary entry at the time, sequels since then have improved upon the formula it established.Players jumping intoPersona 3 Portableafter having playedPersona 5 Royalwill definitely notice several aspects that could improve a remake of the former.
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Improved Combat Mechanics in Persona 5
One of the major elements of thePersona 3’s combat that makes it feels outdated is the inability to directly control specific party members outside the protagonist. Without having complete control over party members' actions, the player feels a lot less in control of combat in general, reducing their ability to strategize akin to otherturn-based RPGs.Persona 3 Portableremedied this issue by giving players control of party members during combat, so a remake of the originalPersona 3orPersona 3 FESwould need to include this updated combat mechanic.
Persona 5 Royalexpanded on the staple “One More” mechanic of the series, which allows players an additional attack if they down an enemy through a critical hit or by hitting its weakness. InPersona 5 Royal, players can useBaton Passon eligible party member to change who will make the follow-up attack after the One More mechanic is activated. This ability allowed for more team synergy that would further enhancePersona 3’s combat.
More Interactive World Elements in Persona 5
A charming aspect of thePersonaseries is the social activities that players can participate in during the daily life of the protagonist. Taking part in these activities can increase the player’s social stats and affect the characters they interact with. Things like going to the movies, the arcade, or even the school library are all part ofPersona 3’s social life simulation mechanics. However,Persona 5 Royal’s explorationand attention to detail takes this to the next level by including tons of activities hidden throughout Tokyo.
Playing mini-games like darts or billiards inPersona 5 Royal’s Kichijoji can help improve social standing with different characters, and increase some of their combat abilities like Baton Pass. One trick players can do to increase their bond with characters quickly is by sending them fake calling cards viaPersona 5 Royal’s postboxnear their home in Yogen-Jaya. These aspects make the world ofPersona 5 Royalfeel more alive than past entries in the series, and adding more activities with gameplay-enhancing benefits would go a long way toward improving the world ofPersona 3.
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Expanded Social Link Benefits in Persona 3
In addition to more ways to increaseSocial Links, the effects of increasing Social Links could also take inspiration fromPersona 5 Royal. The Social Link mechanic was first introduced inPersona 3and offered players the ability to gain higher levels of experience when fusing Personas based on the rank of the Social Link with the associated Arcana.Persona 3 Portableimproved this system by adding combat benefits for raising Social Links such as the ability of party members to perform follow-up attacks or survive a fatal blow once per battle.
Persona 5 Royalfurther developed the benefits of Social Links - called Confidants in this entry - by giving benefits for raising the Social Links of characters outside the main party. Perks gained from these Confidants include things like the ability to swap between reserve party member in battle by ranking upHifumi Togo’s Confidant, or purchasing SP-regenerating accessories from ranking up Tae Takemi’s Confidant. Adding similar benefits for the non-party member Social Links inPersona 3would be a great way to encourage players to work through their associated Social Link ranks.
Additional Story Content Should Come to Persona 3
A major draw over vanillaPersona 5was the added story content inPersona 5 Royal’s third semester, which includes a brand-new dungeon for players to make their way through after finishing the events of the original story. Unlocking this third semester and completing its associated dungeon also gives players access to the game’s true ending. This hefty chunk of additional content madePersona 5 Royalthe definitive way to play.
Persona 3 FESadded similar story content to the vanillaPersona 3experience, but it is not available inPersona 3 Portable. This epilogue to the game, titled “The Answer,” added another 30 hours of gameplay to the originalPersona 3where players take control of Aigis in a new dungeon that gives closure to the events of main game’s story. SincePersona 3lacks a definitive edition with content split betweenPersona 3 FESandPersona 3 Portable, a remake has the potential to incorporate all previous bonus content into one package to ensure it is the definitive way to playPersona 3.
Persona 3 Portableis available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
