When it comes to PAX East or PAX West, you typically expect that a majority of the games will be indie titles; however, at PAX West 2023 there was a surprising amount of AAA titles available for guests to check out. In one hall, guests could check out Bauldur’s Gate 3 and Tekken 8. In the other hall, guests could check out the Pokemon Trading Card Game, Final Fantasy XVI, Foamstars, and the Sega booth. At the Sega Booth, guests could check out Persona 5 Tactica, Persona 3 Reload, Sonic Superstars, Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, and Samba de Amigo: Party Central. Due to a tight schedule at PAX West 2023, we had a limited amount of time to check out the Sega booth.
Two Demos
While at the Sega booth, we only had enough time to check out Persona 3 Reload. At the P3:R demo, guests could choose between playing a section of the story or playing through a dungeon. The Persona 3 Reload demo at PAX West was listed as New Moon and Full Moon. New Moon was more tuned for beginners as it focused on early-game dungeon exploration. Meanwhile, the Full Moon demo fast-forwarded players to the Dark Hour on May 9th, when the showdown with the first Full Moon boss on the monorail against the Arcana Priestess takes place.
Sadly, due to time constraints, we only had the chance to go through a few of the casual battles. Each monster battle was fairly simple. As someone who has never played Persona 3, it was a bit shocking that the characters shot themselves to use their persona’s abilities. Even though Persona 3‘s battle mechanics feel similar to Persona 5, there is still a bit of a different feel. The game itself felt smoother than when trying to play Portable, but it could just be based on how long it has been.
Release
Honestly, we are considering waiting until Persona 3 Reload releases early next year rather than playing Persona 3 Portable. Persona 3 Reload is set to release on February 2, 2024. The game is slated to release on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Below, you can see the New Moon demo down below.
Steam Game Description
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.
Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.
Key Features:
- Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI.
- Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover.
- Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities, from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters.
- Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
https://youtu.be/lBB3b41–u0?si=IjLeazHNwydb25I8
https://youtu.be/oSQb8AT84Co?si=-2qa2G3QCeC4rWWg
