The following article contains spoilers for Persona 3.Strega from Persona 3 Reload is a threatening, antagonistic group that players should have the chance to get to know better in the upcoming remake. Although their presence isn't as widely seen as the Shadows, they're still highly dangerous, as shown by their actions throughout the game. Persona 3 Reload has already teased a closer look at the trio, potentially setting the stage for them to gain an even greater role in the remake. There's a chance that this could also elevate one existing side plot in the process. Whatever the case, players will need to be familiar with Strega.
Even though Persona 3 Reload isn't remaking The Answer, it seems that most of the plot will be present in the remake, and potentially expanded upon. As Persona 3 began many of the trends that later games in the series, that makes it an important benchmark for the series. Even taking that into account, Persona 3 still has some elements that are uniquely its own, such as Tartarus being one massive dungeon, and the Full Moon shadows that act as the game's bosses. Among these unique features is Strega, who managed to be a kind of threat that wasn't replicated in later games.
Strega's Past is Tragic in Persona 3 Reload, But They're Serious Opponents
Strega can be seen as a dark reflection of Persona 3's party members, being a group of antagonistic Persona users. They consist of the elegantly dressed artist Chidori, intense strategist Jin, and their leader, the eerily charismatic Takaya. Over the course of the game, they oppose the protagonists several times, although a conflicted Chidori eventually splits off from the group. Not to be perturbed, Takaya and Jin continue on, with Takaya essentially becoming the face of a cult intended to spread his nihilistic worldview. While never becoming the main threat, Strega are a major obstacle that the S.E.E.S. team had to overcome.
Because of their backstory, Strega have a surprisingly significant role in the lore of Persona 3. As children, Takaya, Chidori, and Jin were three subjects of an experiment by the Kirijo Group, run by Kouetsu Kirijo, grandfather of S.E.E.S. member Mitsuru. The experiment involved awakening the childrens' personas through various experiments, rather than natural means, and the results were catastrophic. By the end, only the three that would eventually become Strega survived the process, and due to the nature of their Personas, their lifespans were drastically shortened. This unfair fate made them bitter and hedonistic, eventually molding them into the Persona-wielding assassins that would fight against S.E.E.S.
Despite their interesting backstory, Strega didn't get enough scenes to fully show their characters. Thankfully, Persona 3 Reload hints at more Strega content in its latest trailer, with the trio getting a significant amount of focus. A couple of extra scenes could delve further into the personalities of Strega's members, and how they adopted their current worldview. In addition, it could also have repercussions for one of the most prominent storylines involving Strega, that being Chidori's relationship with Junpei and possible death. In the original, this plotline's payoff if Chidori survived was small, and Persona 3 Reload could seek to rectify that in its story.
As far as human antagonists go, Persona 3's Strega were solid foes whose main issue was not getting enough screentime. With the new additions to Persona 3 Reload, Strega's storyline could do justice to the faction. Not only are they a good rival concept, but the incident that caused their creation was notably horrific, especially since it was caused by a member of one of the main characters' families. That gives them an interesting angle that could be explored further. In Persona 3 Reload, Strega may get the chance to look more formidable than before.
Persona 3 Reload will be released on February 2, 2024, for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.