I always thought that the game's story was almost like a love letter to a person struggling with suicidal thoughts. It comes across almost like it was written/created to show the player through the game itself why life is beautiful and worth living, and finding hope through despair, almost in spite of death. Apathy syndrome, the way the personas are summoned, etc seem to all allude to a sort of existential nihilism and desire for death. Some characters even treat Death almost like a religious entity to embrace fervently, but the game very carefully does not frame them as having the best view. Characters constantly beat in that Death is inevitable and hopeless. The thing that makes the game so beautiful to me is even in the moment of absolute despair and hopelessness, the thing that pushes you through are the actual bonds you develop, and how they instill hope to confront despair and develop an appreciation for the life you have.

For all of Persona 3's seemingly pacing issues and gameplay shortcomings, I just can't help but feel that it's ending is one of the most impactful and well written ones i have ever seen in any form of media before. The way the theme of grief and 'The End' hangs over the entire game, not as some sort of depressing tone we we should fight against to avoid, but something we need to accept, and instead of jeopardizing your future by wailing in the memories of the past, there's always the present that you should be focused on.

When you mentioned Pokémon Nuzlocke Challenge Runs, I was expecting you to also mention Fire Emblem, since that series has a Perma-Death system. Sure, there’s Casual Mode, and you can reload (no pun intended) a save file when a unit dies in Classic Mode. However, there are players who let the deaths of their units stick. And quite a few Fire Emblem stories tackle the loss of loved ones through the types of battle you and your army can succumb to.

Persona 3's story is so unique and well done, along with all the characters. I've been enjoying the Persona 3 Reload with friends. It's been fun and wild. Got my one friend to try it and he's been enjoying his first Persona game with us. Thank you for the essay Video Game Story Time.

Sobbed so loud at the end I couldn't even enjoy the new recording of Kimi no Kioku.

This is a wonderful exploration of why Persona 3 stands distinctly from its videogame peers, even within the circle of all Persona games. Rarely is such a meaningful exploration of the concept of loss and its shades portrayed so beautifully (and importantly in a game: so engagingly). You put into words the exact feelings I had when I first played through and finished the game a dozen years ago. Amazing work!

Beat P3R days ago and going back in for maxing all S Links. The changes to Tartarus makes it so much better and not same-y on every floor.

It’s nice seeing new people experience Persona 3 for the first time, me included.

This game blew me away and nothing has ever compared. I dont think a game will ever impact me this much. I recommend it to absolutely everyone.

KZfaq just pushed me to the next persona video but I had to come back and find this one to say you did a great job with this video. 👏 Well done!

Amazing video! thank you

8:41 Just use the Armageddon theurgy and you can kill the reaper in 1 turn and keep doing it over and over. No skill required.

I actually feel like the pacing issue is not an issue but intentional. I like the game a lot the way it is, even when i feel lonely playing it. It feels like my life, and its heartwarming to see Makoto starts to open up around others

Thanks for the vid

Persona 3 Reload is an amazing game and I really couldn't have said it better myself! :) thank you for making this video!

Fantastic video!

I've seen many reviews and story summaries of persona 3 because I've always wanted to play the game but never got really into the gameplay loop of the original, fes or portable. One thing that a lot of people mencioned was the atmosphere in the last month of the game, I won't spoil it, but nothing could prepare me for that moment of the game, it's so jarring and really shows what you're up against, it's a very memorable moment of the game

I'm actually not very impressed with P3 when it was originally released, my first time with silent protagonist and visual novel hybrids anw. But this remake won me over, everything is so much better than i remember. Every change did enhance the impacts of story and theme, it's been so long since i feel something when playing a RPG game.

The game does a good job of leading *up* to the ending, the soft pianos and triangle dings in the remixed songs as you spend the last month of your life doing what you've always done; hang out with your friends, upgrade your social stats, and play arcade games. However, if I may offer a counter to this video, I think the bad ending does it better. It shows that life can be fulfilling even to the very last 60th of a second, like how it's implied that on the very last frame of the end cutscene, while you're all having a wonderful time hanging out and singing karaoke, Nyx just instantly consumes the world. Yukari even goes on a bit of a tangent, sort of consoling the player for choosing the ""wrong"" option. It's okay to live in the moment just as it's okay to look to the future; these are two different ways of living but both bring fulfillment. Except that in the bad ending, you all die together instead of your group just baaarely missing you in the true ending. I don't know, maybe I'm just coping. But I think that Persona 3's entire point is to offer that contrast: you can fight and try to escape death by literally killing it back to protect your friends, or you can all huddle together and enjoy each other's company while you wait for it to happen.

With how they humanize actual death with Ryoji, I actually could accept the famous strategy of going into Mementos during the flu season in Persona 5 to make death depressed and make death itself commit game end.

I love persona, i just finished p3r, im just mad at the ending. Why dont we get to see the reaction of his friend dying?

Although they go out their way to make the game significantly easier even on merciless. Death is meaningless within combat and tartarus

*"Death in games is more often than not, a simple slap on a wrist"* Fire Emblem: Am i a joke to you?

Love these games but the persona people have some of the scumiest business practices out their. They are the only company that sells you the true ending in every instalment since 3. People yelled at Azuras Wrath for doing that but we are just letting them slide with every persona game.