Summary
Social simulation elements have become an important part of thePersonaseries alongside the core JRPG gameplay, andPersona 3 Reloadexpands upon these mechanics in some clever and unique ways. While the classic Social Link system returns inPersona 3 Reload, players are given other opportunities to deepen their bonds with allies and get to know them in different ways. One of the new ways players can interact with characters inPersona 3 Reloadis through dorm hangouts, which seem to run in the opposite direction to Social Links.
While some fans were wary ofPersona 3 Reloaddue to it missing content from other releases of the game, such as thefemale protagonist and her exclusive Social Links fromPersona 3 Portable,Persona 3 Reloadmakes up for this missing content by adding new ways to get to know certain characters through activities like dorm hangouts and Link Episodes. These activities are separate from Social Links and mostly involve spending time with fellow SEES members during the player’s free time. However, participating in these activities can be just as rewarding as Social Links, as they grant new skills to party members.
Social Links in thePersonaseries have always been about watching the protagonist grow as they build bonds and develop relationships with acquaintances they meet throughout the game. These bonds tend to directly benefit the protagonist from both a lore perspective and a gameplay one since leveling up Social Links allows the player tofuse more powerful Personas. InPersona 5, Confidants even grant players new skills in battle, like the ability to Baton Pass to teammates they’ve reached a high enough rank with.
However, Social Links and Confidants have historically only granted new abilities to the player, despite their relationships with these characters going both ways.Persona 3 Reloadturns that idea on its head and extends the benefits to characters other than the protagonist with dorm hangouts, as participating in these activities grants new abilities to the SEES member the player is spending time with. Not only does this add diversity to the build potential ofPersona 3 Reload’s party setups, but it elevates the series' social mechanics to a new level that deserves to see a return in future titles likePersona 6.
It can be tough to manage time effectively inPersona 3 Reloadgiven all the new activities available to players in their free time, but spending time with fellowSEES members during dorm hangoutscan be well worth the player’s time. Players can choose from several dorm hangout activities to take part in during their free time, including watching TV, reading a book, cooking, or tending the rooftop garden. Participating in these activities when they’re available allows the character the player spends time with to unlock new abilities that can help make exploring Tartarus much easier, meaning it’s worthwhile to hang out with dormmates when possible.
It usually takes a few dorm hangout sessions with a particular character before they unlock their new skills. However, the game makes up for this time spent by granting the protagonist bonus points to theirSocial Stats, Charm, Courage, or Academics, depending on the activity. The time invested to unlock these skills can make a huge difference in battle, since a character like Junpei can potentially learn Critical Boost and Critical Amp, making his impressive Critical Hit damage even more deadly, or Yukari, who can learn Healing Master and Healing Apex which both drastically reduce the cost of her healing skills.
