Review: Persona 3 Reload (Switch 2)

If you haven’t yet experienced any iteration of Persona 3, its more somber themes and content might come as a surprise.

The introductory scene depicts the supporting character Yukari Takeba alone, with a firearm aimed at her own head, trying to summon the courage to pull the trigger. Even when considering the various paths that later sequels take in their narratives, it’s an audacious opening move that establishes the mood for the remainder of the game.

Of course, revisiting the original now (or even the FES and Portable versions) may be challenging if you’re accustomed to the polished presentation and gameplay offered in Persona 5 Royal – hence the introduction of Persona 3 Reload.

Recently ported to Switch 2 after its debut on other platforms in February 2024, this is a comprehensive remake of the 2006 PS2 title, featuring overhauled visuals, enhanced gameplay, and numerous quality-of-life enhancements. While the absence of content from FES and Portable holds it back from being absolutely definitive, it still represents the optimal approach to experiencing the central narrative.

In Reload, you transfer to Gekkoukan High School on Tatsumi Port Island, but your arrival uncovers that everything is not as it appears. A concealed time slice known as the ‘Dark Hour’ unfolds each night when the moon shines green, citizens become trapped in coffins, and terrifying ‘Shadow’ beings roam a vast tower named Tartarus.

Thankfully, those capable of summoning Personas can remain awake during this period, and soon, the ‘Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad’ (S.E.E.S.) enlists the protagonist for its mission. Utilizing the classic ‘Chosen One’ trope, it’s revealed that not only can you summon a Persona, but you can gather several at once, switching between them dynamically based on the situation. “I’ve never observed this before!” exclaims the squad leader.

Thus commences Persona 3 Reload’s familiar yet refined cycle, where you spend the daytime forming social connections and enhancing your Personas, while exploring Tartarus and testing your abilities at night.

Time advances with each selected activity, with significant story moments occurring once each month during the full moon. Occasionally, your progression through Tartarus may be hindered until you undergo these so-called ‘Full Moon Operations’, at which point you will need to dedicate your time elsewhere until you can continue.

Daytime activities are divided into morning, afternoon (or after school), and evening. Unless it’s a Sunday, when you’re free from school, the afternoon and evening sections are typically the optimal times to strategize your activities, though don’t stress excessively about how to use your time. Reload offers ample opportunities to pursue what you enjoy, be it simply hanging out with friends, engaging in an online game, or working part-time at the local cafe.

Most activities enhance your core attributes, so you might initially feel a bit overwhelmed figuring out how to effectively utilize your time. Again, there’s no need to fret too much; one way Reload improves on the original is by directly informing you of available activities through your flip phone, so you don’t have to spend every day tracking what you can and can’t do – it’s mainly laid out for you.

During the day, you also gain a better understanding of your supporting cast. Much like Persona 4 and 5, Reload boasts an exceptionally likable group of characters who feel significantly more developed compared to the PS2 original – I cherish Junpei’s playful demeanor alongside Mitsuru’s more serious, no-nonsense attitude.

It also helps that both the English and Japanese voice acting is remarkably excellent. I spent the majority of the game with the Japanese cast, primarily because it imparts a sense of authenticity to the overall atmosphere, but if you prefer English, you’ll be well accommodated.

Dungeon exploration at night holds onto some of the original limitations, yet key enhancements make everything far more enjoyable. Each level of Tartarus is procedurally generated, with corridors and rooms filled with Shadows to combat and items to collect. There is undoubtedly a sense of repetitiveness as you navigate through – many floors exhibit the same visual theme – but the regularity of item appearances keeps things engaging, alongside the light-hearted banter between characters.

Encounters can be initiated by either colliding with a Shadow or striking them with ‘Y’ to hit them. If you succeed with the latter, you’ll gain a slight edge at the onset of the battle, but if a Shadow happens to collide with you, the advantage will flip. Encounters will feel quite familiar if you’ve experienced Persona 5 Royal, and they remain just as delightful and exhilarating as ever.

As you would anticipate, victory frequently depends on your capability to leverage your foe’s vulnerabilities, whether it be fire, ice, wind, etc. Achieving this grants you an additional turn, and you can extend it further by immediately switching play to a teammate, potentially continuing a string of powerful strikes. Capitalizing on weaknesses also knocks adversaries to the ground, ultimately resulting in an ‘all-out attack’ in which your entire team rushes in to batter opponents in a flurry of chaos.

As you advance, your understanding of battle strategies deepens, and you’ll experiment with varying tactics depending on the scenario. An all-out attack may deal a considerable amount of damage, but also causes your enemy to quickly recover from their knockdown, so it might be more strategic to continue hitting them with elemental attacks to keep them down.

Be it during combat or relaxing in your dorm room, Reload’s presentation remains outstanding throughout. Once again drawing some inspiration from Royal, this game is simply oozing with style.

Delving into the in-game menu reveals a sleek animation that resembles being submerged in water, while attack movements during battles are consistently striking, whether you’re summoning a Persona or wielding your katana. None of it feels

rather as vibrant as Royal, but the simplified nature of the presentation aligns much better with the somber tone of Reload’s narrative.

In a similar vein, the somewhat altered soundtrack is still just as unforgettable now as it was back in the past. Certain melodies play depending on your location within the game, and they’re simply magnificent. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve found myself humming the school theme while getting into the car or preparing a meal – it’s just so catchy and alluring. This soundtrack might just be my favorite of the whole series.

In transferring the game to Switch 2, Atlus has executed a fairly excellent job. Visually, it’s breathtaking whether you’re playing in docked mode or handheld, and loading times are kept to an absolute minimum throughout.

The main drawback, however, is the 30fps performance. I want to emphasize that the gameplay here isn’t compromised; turn-based JRPGs rarely depend on ultra-smooth gameplay, but it’s the principle, you know? Reload doesn’t seem to be pushing the Switch 2 very hard, so I have to question why Atlus couldn’t attain a higher frame rate. Perhaps this could be rectified in a future update.

Lastly, as previously mentioned, it’s important to note that Reload lacks the extra content found in Persona 3 FES, nor can you choose a female protagonist as in Persona 3 Portable. It’s true that this is certainly the best way to engage with the main game, but I wouldn’t claim that Reload is the ultimate version of this installment.

Conclusion

Persona 3 Reload is a comprehensive and considerate remake of the original and undeniably the best way to immerse yourself in this modern RPG classic. Alternating between daytime and nighttime activities is exhilarating, and the streamlined gameplay and polished presentation render even the simplest actions satisfying.

Minor annoyances persist, chiefly the repetitive nature of Tartarus, while the absence of FES and Portable content stops Reload from being the ultimate version of Persona 3. If this doesn’t concern you, then consider it a must-experience on the Switch 2.