Things Persona 3 Reload Does Better Than Persona 5

Highlights

Persona 3 Reload simplifies the Social Stats feature, offering a breath of fresh air compared to the more complex stat system in Persona 5.
The lack of constant guidance from a companion like Morgana in Persona 5 makes Persona 3 Reload feel more free and less overwhelming.
Persona 3 Reload's one continuous dungeon, Tartarus, eliminates the need for puzzles and allows for a streamlined gameplay experience compared to Persona 5's multiple themed dungeons.

Persona 3 Reload is the latest entry in Atlus' series, although it is a remake of a game that originally launched in 2006 in Japan. It got two different versions after this release. The PS2 upgrade, Persona 3 FES, added an epilogue while the PSP port, Persona 3 Portable, added a female hero as an optional protagonist among other changes.

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6 Beginner Tips For Persona 3 Reload

Looking to start Persona 3 Reloaded for the first time? Here are a few key things to keep in mind.

Persona 3 Reload changes even more, bringing the series to new horizons beyond Persona 5, which is the latest numbered sequel. That game received a lot of great reviews, but how does it compare to Persona 3 Reload? Is this remake even better than Persona 5?

Less To Worry About In Persona 3 Reload

Leveling social stats in Persona 3 Reload

In the original Persona 3 and its remake, players could level up their Academics, Courage, and Charm Social Stats. In the sequels, there were five Social Stats to worry about. After playing through Persona 4 and Persona 5, going back to only three options in this remake felt like a breath of fresh air.

It’s a lot less stressful considering the game has so much and so little going on at the same time. Some players may find too many choices crippling, especially in Persona 5. It’s great that game offers so much value for players and a reason to replay it, but the simpler approach to Social Stats is better from a managerial standpoint in Persona 3 Reload.

More Freedom

No Cat Telling You What To Do

Persona 5 was the first game to introduce a constant companion at the player’s side like Navi in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Morgana was a taking cat that the protagonist found in a dungeon. Morgana constantly chided players, again like Navi to Link, on what they should and shouldn’t do, whether they were at school, at home, or in a dungeon.

Makoto and Climbing Tartarus in Persona 3 Reload

Persona 3 Reload: 6 Beginner Mistakes To Avoid When Exploring Tartarus

Players who are new to Persona 3 Reload often face these common stumbling blocks when venturing into Tartarus. Here's what not to do.

Persona 3 Reload has almost no one telling players what to do and there isn’t a constant string of long-winded updates about the plot. The only ticking clock for players is the next phase of the Full Moon, but it never feels daunting unlike Persona 5 with Morgana being a constant nag.

Koromaru Vs Morgana

Who Is The Cuter Pet?

Speaking of Morgana, Persona 3 was the first game to introduce animals as major party members. Persona 3 had a wolf-like Shiba Inu dog named Koromaru. Persona 4 had Teddie, a cartoon bear that was secretly hiding a teen boy inside. Then there was Persona 5’s Morgana, the cat found in that aforementioned dungeon.

While it appears as a normal cute cat in the real world, it has a goofy alternative version in dungeons that is off-putting. The constant nagging is also a detractor for Morgana, which makes him less snuggly. Koromaru doesn’t speak at all and is just a good boy. Teddie, for what it’s worth, is dead last in this comparison.

One Continuous Dungeon

No Puzzles To Get In The Way

Persona 3 had one major dungeon in it called Tartarus. Floors were randomized like in a roguelike, and there wasn’t much to do on floors besides fight enemies and loot treasure chests. The same was true for Persona 4, although there were multiple dungeons, and they were at least themed better like Kanji's infamous spa dungeon.

Persona 5 admittedly leveled up the dungeon game with its unique Palaces that added puzzles and platforming to the turn-based RPG gameplay. It was unique and fun to play, but like the reduction in Social Stats, it was also nice to go back to one dungeon in Persona 3 Reload. Plus, the remake did step up Tartarus’ design between major sections of the tower.

The Battle Upgrades

From Shifting To Theurgies

Mitsuru activating her Theurgy in Persona 3 Reload

Persona 5 introduced a new mechanic to the series called a Baton Pass. Once an enemy was weakened by an attack, players could choose to continue attacking as that character or they could switch to someone else. The better the relationship players had with their teammates, the better Baton Pass would be.

This mechanic returns in Persona 3 Reload under the new name of Shift. It works the same except that Shift’s ability to succeed isn’t tied to Social Links as the party members aren’t connected to this mechanic, which is a small win for this remake. The better addition to Persona 3 Reload’s battle system is its Theurgies, which act like Limit Breaks from the Final Fantasy series.

Summoning Persona

The Evoker Is Edgy

Makoto summoning a persona in Persona 3 Reload

The Evoker got a lot of press at the time in the West when Persona 3 launched in the West. The vision of teens shooting themselves in the head to summon demons was cool and edgy to some and a bit controversial to others. Years later, it seems silly since there are no graphic depictions of blood as no bullets are involved.

Persona 3 Reload: All Class Answers

If you want to ace the exams in Persona 3 Reload, you will need to make sure to answer the questions correctly and keep up with your studies.

Still, of the many ways Personas are activated in this series, Persona 3 is the winner. Persona 4 used eyeglasses, and Persona 5 copied that idea with domino masks, which do look cool but aren’t as special. Hopefully, Persona 6 will be just as edgy with its summoning practices.

The Monster Designs

Unique Villains With Masks

Fighting Trance Twins in Persona 3 Reload

Persona 5 was a big shift for the series as it incorporated more of the baseline Shin Megami Tensei practices. In those games, players could sign contracts with demons to have them fight by their side as party members. To get them, players had to answer questions after battle.

This questionnaire method was implemented in Persona 5 too. Besides that, players faced the Personas that they now summoned person, which was a bit confusing since they are supposed to exist in the mind. In Persona 3 and the remake, players face unique monsters and then get Personas after battle which were trapped in cards. Two varieties of monsters made more sense in the game, and this is how Persona 4 was framed too.