Persona 3 Reload Reviews
Persona 3 Reload is a highly-polished remake of the 2006 classic. A few elements don't age well.
With a stellar visual overhaul and countless small but impactful changes, Persona 3 Reload tells a timeless story of tragedy and hope with sharp emotional sincerity.
Reload adds welcome modernisations to the wonderfully deadly coming-of-age story that captured hearts in 2006, though visual tweaks undermine the thematic coherence.
A solid, if strangely incomplete, remake which matches Persona 5 for presentation and has some of the most interesting and varied social link options of the whole series.
Even after nearly 100 hours, I was sad to part ways with my team, feeling as though I had formed bonds with them that transcend any kind of in-game Social Link metric. Even with some outdated and repetitive elements inherited through the 18-year-old structure of the original, Persona 3 Reload is one of the best entries in one of the most acclaimed modern role-playing franchises in video games.
Persona 3 Reload succeeds in elevating an unforgettable story with smart combat changes and drastically improved visuals.
It’s odd to say, but I felt sad playing Reload. Not for anything occurring within it. Rather, it reminded me that I had fallen out of love with Atlus. If anything, it’s fitting that Persona 3 Reload helped me realize that. Much of it is about learning to move on, and I’m going to do just that.
Even among other Persona 3 remasters, Persona 3 Reload is the new definitive version of the original game. Though I replayed Persona 3 a few years ago, I was still surprised by the sheer number of improvements and additions in Reload. For the sake of completion, Atlus should consider adding DLC that adds an option to play as the female protagonist from Persona 3 Portable. That would make me reload the game all over again.
Although it lacks two key pieces to be the "definitive version", Persona 3 Reload modernizes a classic to the level of today's great RPGs and includes enough new features to tempt those who already knew it once again. The best of both worlds, as they say.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Persona 3 Reload is a dream come true for Persona fans. With far more than just a visual uplift, this is very much the best possible edition of the game, even if it can't quite be called 'definitive'.
Persona 3 Reload is a treat for not only fans of the 2000s classic, but newcomers as well. ATLUS does an excellent job at preserving everything that made the original game special while modernizing it for those that may be experiencing it for the first time. It’s JRPG excellence at every turn, and one I’ll be sinking many hours into between now and the release of the next mainline Persona game.
At a certain point you have to step back and judge a game for what it is rather than what it isn’t. After all, if you want the female protagonist there’s Portable, and if you want the epilogue there’s FES. But as a stand-alone thing – as a convenient, modern, and attractive way to experience a truly great RPG classic – Persona 3 Reload is a wonderful offering.
Persona 3 needed a facelift, and Atlus has delivered. This adaptation respects the source material, and brings an iconic title that now has the opportunity to reach many more people into the modern age.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Persona 3 Reload is a pleasure to play. Throughout the adventure you switch between fighting and school activities with great fluidity, and it is safe to say that the 2000s JRPG that defined the entire genre is back in better shape than ever.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Persona 3 Reload is a remake done right. Everything you love about the original game is improved upon, leading to a new experience that feels fresh and brand new while not forgetting its source material. Visual enhancements, inclusions of addicting combat mechanics, more enjoyable social links -- this game has it all. This is the definitive way to play the beloved JRPG, and once you get your hands on it, you won't ever want to return to the original.
Persona 3 Reload improves the original version of the game in so many ways, and is absolutely essential for all RPG fans.
P3R’s poignant tale of acceptance is bolstered by smart combat refinements, deeper friendships, and a soundtrack you already love.
A repetitive journey through a year of quirky yet cheesy high school relationships, interspersed with tedious turn-based combat.
Overall, Persona 3 Reload is a fantastic package that offers enough new content to satisfy fans of the original, while remaining faithful to what made that entry so special. It's also an incredibly approachable entry for newcomers thanks to the myriad of enhancements to the Persona series' combat and social mechanics. It's clear that Persona 3 Reload isn't just a remake of an outdated game, it's an entry that is entirely its own and signals a bright future for the franchise in the post-Persona 5 era.