While Persona 5 was many people’s introduction to the franchise, there’s obviously a great history that came before it.

With the remake of Persona 3 following P3P going to more formats, and with the incoming remake of Persona 4 heading our way next year, more people than ever have a chance to revel in that history.

And just recently, the remake of 3 found its way onto Nintendo Switch 2 following its launch over a year ago and so it seems to be the absolutely perfect time and, theoretically, perfect place to get deeper into the franchise if you hadn’t already.

With Switch 2, not only does the game get the authentic sense of portability that accompanied the original release when it hit PSP, but when docked, it boasts full HDR and looks like a vibrant dream.

The same stunning remake has ported wonderfully across, from the energetic cutscenes, to the elegantly crafted UI, the game’s traversal system and range of activities that immediately bring it to the levels people know and love from the adventures of Joker and the Phantom Thieves.

The problem, however, is the frame rate is incredibly jarring and really off. It’s so confusing to see when games like Star Wars Outlaws and Cyberpunk 2077 have run so elegantly on Switch 2, much more intensive titles in many respects, yet it’s Persona 3 that has caused the biggest problems so far.

Normally, I’m not someone who particularly cares all that much about frame rate and am quite happy and comfortable to play something at 30 or even deal with a few dips here and there. But even I really struggled with Persona 3 Reload on Switch 2.

Now the good news is, Atlus and SEGA are looking into this and are aiming to fix in a patch in the near future, so it’s at least on their radar and it means the game will hopefully – should be – up to the levels of stability it deserves to be. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not unplayable by any means.

But essentially whenever you pan the camera upwards or the camera moves as you run, or in transitions between battles and basically anytime you free-roam around the game’s environments, you’ll notice shakes, hiccups, distortions and some blurring from that.

There is a demo, at least, that gives a pretty good idea of what we mean and is worth checking out to see whether or not this is something you can deal with in the short term. As mentioned, it’s something Atlus are looking into and we’ll definitely be updating our review once they do.

The other pain point, of course, is the game is over a year old now and it’s really high price point if you want all of the DLC – £85 for the full set – so that’s a pretty big pill to swallow but such is the case Switch users have accepted and been used to with glorified ‘Switch tax’ over the years.

But aside from the above, this is a great port as SEGA continue to be one of the biggest allies and supporters of Nintendo’s latest hardware, with Two Point Museum and Sonic Racing Crossworlds, as well as two more Yakuza titles still to come this year on Switch 2.

And for those who haven’t played Persona 3 Reload, it is an absolutely brilliant reimagining of what was already an excellent and beloved game. As a new transfer student heading to his new dorm one night, you start to see unimaginable, indescribable things like coffins stood upright and a full moon, as well as ooze seeping from people.

As it turns out, there is an hour hidden into every day called ‘The Dark Hour’ and it’s in this hour that nightmares really and truly do happen, with normal, every day people, affected by this deep-rooted change. Fortunately, you will find some allies over the course of the game and discover that you are the last beacon of hope to help humanity overcome this horrific nightmare and will enter ‘Tartarus’.

For those who played Persona 5 before, you’ll find this a little familiar and liken it to the Mind Palaces, except this is one very long labryrinth that you’ll work your way through each day, fighting mid-bosses, uncovering secrets, and unlocking more of the story, all while gaining more power, amassing new Personas and deepening connections to your friends.

That’s something Persona 3 Reload also does a great job with, as you have numerous activities to do outside of Tartarus, like ripping it up on a karaoke machine or playing in the arcades, answering questions correctly in class and even studying for finals. You can go on dates and buy new equipment as you take on increasingly difficult challenges, and all of it needs to be done within the year.

Persona 3 Reload is just the perfect way to rekindle the love you had of Persona 5 but take on an entirely new mystery and adventure and players will feel right at home if they’ve been desperately looking for another fix and compelling story. The options aren’t as vast and possibilities not quite so endless and detailed but you very much still have a compelling adventure, an intriguing cast and most importantly vibrant visuals and a stunning soundtrack.

And Switch 2, performance aside, is a fantastic place to experience it all with the option for getting the best of both worlds with the portability and the docked quality that matches the game’s look on more powerful hardware. And once that performance patch is in – and the rest of the DLC becomes a little bit more affordable – Persona 3 Reload will be an essential fit on Switch 2 and likely the absolute best place to play this awesome reimagining.

Verdict

Persona 3 Reload is a magnificent game in its own right, offering stunning visual upgrades from the original, as well as excellent, much-needed quality of life improvements that compliment the compelling story and exciting moment to moment action we expect from the series. On Switch 2, this should be the perfect home for the game and in many regards it is, offering the benefit of portability with the big screen quality visuals that the game has enjoyed on other platforms, but the Switch 2 frame rate performance really holds it back and makes for an occassionally jarring, somewhat frustrating experience. 

NOTE – SEGA and Atlus are working on a patch to help improve the above and once they do, we will update this review with a new assessment.

Persona 3 Reload is out now on PC, Xbox, PS, and Switch 2

Played on Nintendo Switch 2

Code kindly provided by SEGA for review purposes