Is Persona 3 Reload a remake or remaster?
Wondering if Persona 3 Reload is a remake or remaster of the original P3? You can find the answer right here, revealing just sort of version of the game is.
Wondering if Persona 3 Reload is either a remake or a remaster is a question on the mind of many players since the distinction between the two seems to have become more blurred over the years. With the topic of this P3 re-release especially, there are more questions about what constitutes a remake than ever.
Is Persona 3 Reload a remake?
Yes, Persona 3 Reload is a remake of the original P3 and not a remaster - doing everything once again from the ground-up to be "faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI"; that's alongside "new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover" as mentioned on the game's official website.
Whilst Atlus has been promoting the game since the remake's announcement, members of the Atlus team have been further clarifying everything that's gone into it as well.
In a June 2023 IGN interview with producer Ryota Niitsuma and chief director Kazuhisa Wada for example, we not only got to hear why Persona 3 Reload doesn't have a female protagonist, but more about the remake itself.
"...We have remade basically everything from scratch as for Persona 3 the original version," explains Niitsuma. "So we have newly recorded voices, we have new scenes and events. We also have both new and arranged music."
Further along, Wada adds how part of the idea around the Persona 3 remake was to bring it in line with the modern style set by Persona 5.
"So the basic concept of recreating the Persona story was that we wanted to keep everything from the original version, but update everything to the modern day," Wada clarifies. "So at the same level of Persona 5, basically. So we have the newest graphics, we have updated the system to the newest usability… We have the voice lines in [both Japanese and English.] We also have the text available in 13 languages. So you should be able to have similar experiences to that of Persona 5."
In comparison to other re-releases of past Persona titles like the Persona 4 Golden remaster or the enhanced P5, Persona 5 Royal, P3 Reload is a remake through and through.
In fact, as I mentioned in my Persona 3 Reload review, it's a substantial remake; including visuals, voiceover, music, and gameplay; to the point that you'd think it was simply a new mainline Persona story if it weren't for the number three in the title.
For even more from the JRPG, check out the Persona 3 Reload trophies & achievements list or if the game is coming to Nintendo Switch. Alternatively, dive into our Persona 3 Reload guides and news homepage for the latest tips and updates right here at GGRecon.
About The Author
Ben Williams
Ben is a Senior Guides Writer at GGRecon. Alongside his BA (Hons) in Business Management is a wealth of gaming and entertainment writing experience, having previously occupied roles as a Copywriter in e-commerce at Overclockers and Guides & SEO Writer at GameByte and FragHero. When not whipping up guides and reviews, Ben’ll be off playing the latest Pokemon games, Overwatch 2, Spider-Man, The Witcher, and Final Fantasy - all before reading manga and listening to Ice Nine Kills.
