As the Summer Game Fest presentation drew to an end, some were disappointed by the lack of aPersonareveal among the showcase’s many announcements. Fans could rejoice hours later, however, when an unanticipated and unintentional reveal from Atlus dropped on the company’s western Instagram account. The two newPersonagames, titledPersona 5 TacticaandPersona 3 Reload, seem set to officially unveil during the upcoming Xbox Showcase, though footage of their trailers was captured during the brief time the now-deleted posts were available.
Nothing could stop the two game announcements from circulating across social media, ruining a major surprise for the Xbox Games Showcase but simultaneously building a lot of hype for it too.Persona 3 Reloadin particular is seeing much traction from fans, cementing the truth in the rumors surrounding its existence. While the first glimpse ofReloaddoesn’t reveal too much in the way of its gameplay, it does suggest a few things in regard to its adaptation of the original. For starters, the video spotlights Makoto Yuki as the male protagonist, including him in the game’s stylish menu screen as well as his Velvet Room attendant, Elizabeth, in the brief look at the title’s Persona Fusion. Secondly, it features a scene with Kenji, who played the role as Makoto’s first social link, falling under The Magician Arcana.
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Though it remains to be seen whetherPersona 3 Reloadwill split its game between male and female protagonists, the insinuation of Kenji’s social link suggests that he will take the mantle of The Magician Arcana once again, leaving Junpei out of the role. This could imply thatPersona 3 Reloadwill continue its constrained view of social links for the male protagonist;Persona 3, as well as itsFESandPortablecounterparts, restricted Makoto’s social links within SEES to female party members only (with Aigis being a later addition inFESandPortable). IfReloadchooses to adapt the male protagonist’s perspective in a way that mirrors the past, then it could be a missed opportunity for him to build bonds with the entirety of the main team, a feature that was available acrossPersona 4and5’s parties.
Social links throughoutPersonagames have the power to help shape the stories of supporting characters beyond the titles' primary conflicts, bringing more nuance to the backstories of the main cast and other NPCs. Some of the most compelling narrative beats have been demonstrated through this method, like Makoto’s encounters with Akinari, The Sun Arcana, who works to come to terms with his sickness and impending death through writing, tying into the game’s overall themes. In this way, it’s clear that social links between Makoto and the other male SEES members could be used as a way to emphasize friendship and understanding of the characters, especially when considering the plights that each member must go through duringPersona 3’s heavy story.
Of course, many fans have also been hoping for queer representation through the mechanic, thoughPersona 3’s cast would be limited to just Akihiko and Shinji in this regard, if the character were to survive as he can in the female route. With that said, platonic social links could be viable among the entirety of the male crew, making it so that the protagonist can better empathize and listen to their struggles. With the heavy emphasis on friendship apparent throughout the series,social links between Makoto Yukiand the entire SEES crew could make the final chapter of the game hit even harder than before, helping to build upon the story’s resonance.
While it is still early to see concrete evidence of whether the system will shift or stay the same for the male protagonist, the inclusion of social links among the male members of theSEES teamcould serve as a way to amplify the strengths of its cast, helping to build upon their backstories. The newer additions to the game, like the trailer’s feature of a kitchen, could be the perfect conduit for such events, allowing Makoto to strengthen his friendship with characters like Shinji over food. With a release date anticipated for early next year, fans will soon see howPersona 3 Reloaddecides to structure its approach.
Persona 3 Reloadis slated to release in early 2024 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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