Persona 3 Reloadis set to take the classic JRPG and bring it into the modern era with some much-needed updates to its visuals as well as gameplay. While it’s clear Atlus is taking inspiration from the wildly successfulPersona 5with the art and gameplay direction forPersona 3 Reload, the developer has also stated the game will still be a faithful remake of the original. To that extent, there are still questions surrounding what exactly this game will borrow from modernPersonatitles in the gameplay department, such asPersona 5’s Baton Pass mechanic.
One of the main reasonsPersona 3is in such a desperate need of a remake is the archaic combat system of the original title that prevented players from directly controlling their other party members during battle. While thisissue was solved inPersona 3 Portable, that game also stripped away other aspects present in the original title. WithPersona 3 Reloadmaking changes to the original to improve its annoying combat system and further fleshing out mechanics like the Social Link system, it begs the question of how far Atlus is willing to go to updatePersona 3 Reloadwhile still keeping it faithful to the original, and if the Baton Pass mechanic fits into that philosophy.
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TheBaton Pass mechanic was introduced inPersona 5as an extension of the series' One More mechanic that allowed players gain an additional chance to attack when downing enemies by hitting their weakness. Players who have unlocked the Baton Pass mechanic for an ally by reaching their appropriate Confidant rank can pass their follow-up One More attack to them and have them attack instead. This created a natural progression for the classicPersonacombat loop by allowing players to strategically pass follow-up attacks to allies who could target the enemy’s weakness for optimal damage output.
With how seamlessly the Baton Pass mechanic meshes withPersona’s gameplay, it would be a shame forPersona 3 Reloadto revert to a less engaging gameplay loop after Baton Pass has been present inPersona 5and its spin-offs, as well asPersona Q2. Instead,Persona 3 Reloadshould set the precedent for Baton Pass to become a staple mechanic of the mainline series going forward. The game is already updating the combat of the original to be more in line with its sequels, so including a system like Baton Pass wouldn’t be too much of a stretch for a game comitted to being a faithful remake.
WhilePersona 5’s Baton Pass system is an interesting new twist on the series' combat, there is something to be said about the challenge created by the more traditional battle style of prior entries. Without the Baton Pass ability,Persona 3combatis much more challenging as players will need to carefully choose their attacks without relying on their allies to back them up. This also makes party composition a much bigger factor as players will want a range of damage types available to hit any enemy weakness they encounter as they make their way through Tartarus.
The philosophy of a remake that is faithful to the originalPersona 3has already been demonstrated inPersona 3 Reload’s lack of contentfrom future editions of the game likePersona 3 FESandPersona 3 Portable. Fans of the classic title who want to embrace the challenging combat it offered should be able to do so ifPersona 3 Reloadis truly comitted to being a faithful remake. In order to maintain this philosophy, the game should rework combat as little as possible while still bringing it up to modern standards and improving in other areas such as the game’s presentation.
Persona 3 Reloadwill release in 2024 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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