Game of the Year: #10 - Persona 3 Reload

Image: Push Square

High quality remakes of classic games have become quite commonplace over recent years, and for our money, Persona 3 Reload is one of the best around.

This revival of the iconic 2006 PS2 RPG is, in a word, immaculate. From the refined art direction and visuals to the many mechanical improvements under the hood, Reload is both a reminder of how great the original release is, and a near perfect remix of its gameplay formula.

The remake does stick rather rigidly to the overall flow of Persona 3, and so it doesn't sport the same kind of system-level depth and overlap as the outstanding Persona 5 Royal — but there's something to be said for the more streamlined structure that Reload thrives upon.

Reload adds to the existing body of Persona 3 as well. It expands upon party member interactions, giving a greater degree of nuance to its already intriguing cast of characters. It revamps the turn-based combat, pinching various quirks from the aforementioned Persona 5 Royal to create a more involved and tactical system. There are welcome improvements across the board.