Persona 3 Reload may be in the position to set a precedent for future remakes in the series as recent leaks suggest Atlus is interested in remaking Persona 1 and 2 as well. With Persona 3 Reload looking to be a faithful remake of the original game, there is some question as to how much this remake will pull from newer entries in the series. Although Persona 3 feels a bit dated compared to Persona 5 Royal, Atlus will have to make an even tougher decision with Persona 1 and Persona 2 remakes due to their major differences from modern Persona titles.
Persona 3 is typically considered the start of the series' modern identity, establishing iconic recurring features like the calendar system and Social Links. If the recent leaks about Persona 1 and 2 remakes are to be believed, Atlus may have to step back in time and ditch some of these modern mechanics for the sake of remaining faithful to the original games. While there are pros and cons to this approach, it's likely the success of Persona 3 Reload will dictate the direction Atlus takes when remaking the first two entries in the series.
Atlus Would Have to Make a Tough Decision About Persona 1 and 2’s Gameplay
Given that the Persona series is originally a spin-off of the larger Shin Megami Tensei franchise, the original games feel much closer to their classic parent series than the modern entries. These first two entries feel a lot more stripped down in terms of features when compared to their modern counterparts, missing elements like a calendar system and Social Links. Instead, the games take a more bare-bones approach to gameplay with staple Shin Megami Tensei mechanics like demon fusion and multiple rows of enemies in combat, the latter being a feature not present from Persona 3 onward.
Although these games feature series tropes like high school students unlocking the ability to summon Personas from within their subconscious, they have an overall feel that is a far cry from what newer fans of the series might be used to. This puts Atlus in the difficult decision of whether to remain wholly faithful to the original games and risk turning off newer Persona fans with more archaic gameplay, or completely overhauling the games to include modern features and risk alienating fans of the original style of gameplay. Both of these options present potentially controversial scenarios, meaning Atlus has a difficult choice ahead of them if they move forward with these remakes.
The design philosophy for Persona 3 Reload seems to be remaining faithful to the original games as much as possible, but reworking areas that need improvement. Updated combat mechanics, improved Social Links, and new voice actors are all changes between the original game and Persona 3 Reload, with potentially more yet to be revealed. However, Atlus has a much easier time translating modern mechanics to Persona 3 Reload without removing the feel of the original since it's already a very similar game to its sequels and established many of the common features the series would go on to be known for.
On the other hand, it would be a lot of work to completely overhaul the first two Persona games to fit more in line with the post-Persona 3 titles. Simply keeping the gameplay the same but updating the graphics is certainly an option, but Atlus has already released updated versions of the original Persona games on the PSP in the past. However, even these remastered versions are rapidly aging, showing just how much Persona 1 and 2 are in need of remakes, regardless of if they remain faithful to the originals or take on a more modernized look and feel.
Persona 3 Reload will release in 2024 for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
