Persona 3 Reload Fleshes Out Tartarus Dialogue & Adds Breakable Objects

Japanese outlet 4Gamer recently interviewed Persona 3 Reload general producer Kazuhisa Wada, director Takuya Yamaguchi, and producer Ryota Niitsuma. One of the questions and responses regards how the team crafted Tartarus in this iteration of the title.

Players can anticipate more fleshed-out dialogue interactions when exploring Tartarus. Further, there will now be breakable objects in the dungeon.

The following exchange was translated by our team’s Ryuji:

Interviewer: I would like to know about Tartarus and battles. First of all, what is Tartarus like? [In the original Persona 3], it is a dungeon with more than 250 floors randomly generated each time you enter, and it plays a huge part in the story. Still, [as a dungeon], Tartarus tended to be monotonous, with barely changing scenery. How did you tackle this issue when creating Reload?

Yamaguchi: This was actually one of the first points that came up as a potential improvement for [Reload], and we had a lot of discussions about it. Of course, we were also aware of what fans think of Tartarus. However, as you said, Tartarus itself is closely tied to the worldview and storyline, so we couldn’t just simply change the structure of the dungeon.

Interviewer: Yes, that’s right. It tended to be monotonous, but the sense of emptiness you feel as you ascend Tartarus in the gloomy-looking Dark Hour was one of the real pleasures of Persona 3, so it must have been difficult to remake that part of the game while retaining the atmosphere.

Yamaguchi: Indeed. For example, we couldn’t reduce the number of floors and create a dungeon that had a fixed amount of gimmicks like there were in Persona 5, so we had to follow the original game and create a dungeon that could be enjoyed without getting tired of it as ascend the floors.

One example of such is the conversations between your allies. Conversations that can only be heard inside [Tartarus] occur at regular intervals. Furthermore, there are breakable objects and an entirely animated background. In a sense, we only added a few little things that could be done and did some much-needed visual changes. I personally think it made [Tartarus] less boring to explore.

Wada: Thanks to the power of the Unreal Engine, we were able to create a beautifully designed version of Tartarus that is varied in a way that still follows the original. It is difficult to convey this in a [screenshot], but I think the expressions are so well done that you will never get tired of it, such as the light sources that shine through it.

Persona 3 Reload is a remake of Persona 3 made in Unreal Engine. The game is confirmed to release for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Steam, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows in early 2024. It will also be playable for Game Pass subscribers on launch.

In case you missed it, check out our announcement coverage of Persona 3 Reload, comprising a trailer, screenshots, English voice actor information, and more.

Atlus also confirmed that Persona 3 Reload will receive special teasers on “each official full moon.”

• The producer clarified that the game will feature added main story content from Persona 3 FES but lack The Answer epilogue and the female protagonist from Persona 3 Portable.
• Staff confirmed that Tartatus will feature new elements, such as a dash function, to make exploration more enjoyable.
• Will feature new events to focus on characters who did not receive as much focus in the original game.
• Development Began in Late 2019
• Development for Reload is in its Final Stages; Will be a Deeper Dive, Not an Evolution
• New Commercial
• Implied Fatigue System Removal
• Every Social Link Rank Up Scene Voiced; Highest Amount of Voiced Lines in the Series
• Maxing All Social Links is Easier

Persona 3 was initially a PlayStation 2 title that birthed the concept of Social Links that would follow in Persona 4 and Persona 5. Then, a director’s cut version named FES launched later, featuring a new playable epilogue called The Answer and added enhanced gameplay features.

Years later, Persona 3 Portable was released for the PSP, which removed The Answer and the ability to walk around town but added the option to play as a female protagonist and new post-game challenges.