Persona 3 Reload Reviews
Persona 3 Reload risked feeling like a Persona 5 mod with some of the proposed changes in its promotional material, however, ATLUS rose to the occasion and succeeded in bringing the series' seminal moment into the modern light.
Persona 3 Reload hits the remake sweet spot, honoring its roots with a stunning visual upgrade and fun new content, making it a must-play for veterans and newcomers alike.
For JRPG fans, Persona 3 Reload is a great way to start the year. It has more independent episodes in the story than the original and uses more cinematic scenes with lots of CGs. The new daily activities on the artificial island and other improvements make the 70-80 hours of school life more enjoyable and well thought out. Although the Tartarus dungeon is much better than before, it is still too close to the original game, which means that its repetitive nature remains.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
We disagree with the people at Atlus and their decision to leave Tartarus as it was, but nonetheless this is one of the best JRPGs of the modern era, and this remake makes it shine like it deserves. The one for this review was our fifth run in eighteen years and we still didn't feel any fatigue playing it. Let's just hope the devs will include Persona 3 FES and Portable content later down the road.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Even with the issues you can pick at in this remake, though, there’s no denying that Persona 3 Reload is one hell of game. Its story is as engaging as ever, and now its gameplay has been notably improved, giving you more options in combat and out. Along with the new visuals and soundtrack, Persona 3 has never looked, sounded or played as good. It’s just silly that it’s arrived so close to the remaster of Persona 3 Portable: if you’ve played that recently, it might not grab your attention throughout due to its authenticity. For those who are yet to jump in or are keen to relive the classic yet again, however, simply play and enjoy.
Persona 3 Reload is a cynically made cash grab that has no wow factor. It’s peak remake culture where a lot of the edge gets sanded off to be in line with “modern audience expectations”. It may look great (in parts), but it lacks the vision to realize the full potential of what a modern Persona 3 could be. Even if it didn’t cut content, it is still a grossly overpriced remake that still feels like a PlayStation 2 game. Go play Persona 3 FES instead.
Persona 3 Reload does much to bring it up to modern sensibilities with a well optimized PC port in most cases, but more could have be done to shake off more of the baggage from the original release. The new menu systems and battle features carried over from more recent titles elevates the game the most and the new voice cast does an admirable job with largely the same script. The pacing still feels held back by the original story design and the main concept of Tartarus, but as a remake of what many consider a PlayStation 2 classic, it is a recommendation for JRPG fans.
Persona 3 Reload is surprisingly addictive and the story itself very intriguing. Sadly, it is not possible to play as the female protagonist or enjoy the expanded story from F.E.S, but updated graphics, battle mechanics and sound all help to still bring this title to greatness. Anyone who enjoyed the original will enjoy this remake, and new players picking it up will surely be drawn in quickly, as well.
Persona 3 Reload is a complete reimagining of the original. It feels just as modern as Persona 5, although it is less complex it does not feel rushed or less engaging. The developers managed to combine the best elements of the third and fifth episode into a remake that feels completely fresh. Beyond the grindy nature of Tartarus there are no real negative aspects to mention. Persona 3 Reload looks better, works better and plays better than the original, making it a must play for the fans of the series.
Persona 3 Reload is a beautiful-looking game with a great story and interesting characters. There is so much going on here, but it all works together in an immensely satisfying way.
Persona 3 is the best way to experience Persona 3's world and masterpiece of a story for the modern consoles, but it is not the package we anticipated due to the lack of FES content and toned down difficulty
Review in Arabic | Read full review
I can easily say that Persona 3 Reload is the ultimate Persona 3 experience, despite missing The Answer and FeMC. If you have never played Persona or Persona 3 before, Persona 3 Reload is definitely a game you should experience.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Persona 3 Reload is one of the best Persona games to date and delivers an amazing experience from start to finish. It provides the perfect opportunity for people who have not been able to play the original title to experience this masterpiece.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Persona 3 Reload is a fantastic - if safe - remake of an excellent game. The updates to the mechanics and visuals do a lot to bring it in line with Persona 5, and many of the game's rough edges are smoothed out. At the end of the day, it's still Persona 3, with all of its strengths and weaknesses, and it does a great job of recapturing the feel of a 2009 game in 2024. Fans will find a lot to like in Reload, and newcomers to the franchise will find a fantastic start to their journey.
Persona 3 Reload is a fantastic remake that treats with extreme care a JRPG masterpiece to deliver a modern version that respects its original version. ATLUS understood perfectly what adjustments had to be made for Persona 3 to reach the standards that came to the franchise thanks to Persona 5, but without making the mistake of leaning too much towards what the 2016 game delivered.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
While I personally prefer the more textured narrative of Persona 4, the unrelenting focus and intensity of Persona 3 means that it still stands out as one of the greatest and most intelligent video game narratives. The developers haven’t done too much to mess with that (the decision to leave out a “post-game” chapter that was both technically unnecessary but yet well-regarded notwithstanding), and have otherwise focused on modernising both the look and flow of the game to make it the most enjoyable and “clean” version of Persona 3 yet. Persona has a habit of attracting purists, and I foresee the discourse around this remake being particularly volatile. However, personally, I’ll be over there looking forward to the inevitable announcement that Persona 4 will get this treatment too.
Persona 3 Reload is an imperfect remake in which, although the lack of content from previous expanded versions bothers it, its novelties and the necessary (and very well executed) combat rework make this the best way to play the best narrative the series has ever had in a package with a great localization in PT-BR.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you're a fan of Persona or RPGs in general, you'll definitely have some fun with Persona 3 Reload but don't expect it to reach the heights of the latest game in the series. 🏫
Persona 3 Reload is a must for all fans of the series and a good entry point into the franchise. With its philosophical themes and touching, reflective messages, the title has become one of my favorite games of recent years.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review