Summary
Persona 3 Reloadhas done well to remind fans ofP3’s stellar story and fun battle system. It feels like a mash-up of the original 2006 JRPG that launched on the PlayStation 2, and themodern presentation ofPersona 5, with Atlus blending them together to make one of the best games of 2024 so far. Atlus has been showing that it can stand alongside giants like Squre Enix in the JRPG space for some time now, and more games of similar quality may be the best way to show gamers thatPersonastill has a lot more to give.
The recent success ofPersona 3 Reloadhas provoked many to ask ifPersona 4 Goldenwill receive the same treatment. It’s a title that found success on hardware that struggled to find its footing, and while recent rereleases have gone a long way to remind people that ports are a viable option, it might be a home run to take the philosophy ofPersona 3 Reloadand replicate it.
Persona 4 Golden’s Switch Rerelease Has Given it New Life
The release ofPersona 4 Goldenon Nintendo Switchand Xbox Game Pass reminded existing fans of its quality, and for new people visiting the rural town of Inaba, it was a wonderful introduction to its characters, presentation, and gripping story. The title works best on a handheld system as the structure of the story lends itself well to short bursts of gameplay, so with the Nintendo Switch being a hybrid of both portable and home console gaming,Persona 4 Goldenfits like a glove on the system.
Persona 4 Goldenreleased as a PlayStation Vita exclusive in 2012, but in June 2020 received a PC port and in January 2023 came to modern hardware.
While remaking the game would make it prettier and more complete than ever, asPersona 3 Reloadhas proven for its predecessor, if history is anything to go by,Persona 4 Golden’s remake likely wouldn’t appear on the switch, which would be a shame since it is so suited to portability. A game is only as good as the platform it’s released on, and whilePersona 3 Reloadlooks beautiful, the lack of any substantial portability is noticeable, making the experience of playing it feel more limited than its PS Vita counterpart.
Persona 6is Atlus' Main Event
With thefuture release ofPersona 6on the horizon, it wouldn’t make much sense to givePersona 4 Goldenthe same treatment as the third game, as it would run the risk of feeling somewhat outdated as soon as the sixth mainline game potentially raises the bar for the JRPG genre. Atlus may be wise to wait to remakePersona 4 Goldenuntil after the launch ofPersona 6so that it can build on the fundamentals of something newer.
Additionally, the upcoming release of the sixth game, as well asPersona 3 Reloadand the spin-offs likePersona 5 StrikersandPersona 5 Tactica, beg the question if there can be too much of a good thing. Atlus' crowning series is bigger than ever in the west, and though it may make sense to take advantage of this with new games on the regular, over-saturating the franchise could make each release feel less impactful. AReload-style release forPersona 4 Goldendeserves to be more than just fodder for an ever-expanding IP.
Persona’s Remakes Are a Welcome Luxury That It Doesn’t Need
It can be argued thatPersona 3didn’t necessarily need to be remade as it was inPersona 3 Reload,as theFESversion is already fantastic and the portable version re-released on modern systems remains a good way to experience the story of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. WhileReloadis great, it isn’t really necessary, as it simply feels like a means to make the game visually and mechanically similar to the more popularPersona 5. Still,Persona 4 Goldenis deserving of more love and respect, so while a full-scale makeover is not needed, it would surely be a very welcome announcement among fans. It just might be worth waiting until afterPersona 6has been released to make it a reality.
Persona 3 Reload
WHERE TO PLAY
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI. Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover. Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters. Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
