4Gamer: Interview with Development Team on Remaking Persona 3 (Translated)
Announced at the Xbox Games Showcase on June 12, 2023 (JST), Persona 3 Reload acts as a full remake of Persona 3, and will release in early 2024 worldwide simultaneously for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X
S, Xbox One, Windows and Steam.
Persona 3 Reload will make its debut in 2024 as a reload of the "Persona 3" that shaped the course for the modern "Persona" series by introducing elements such as a system in which daily activities including the story progress on a calendar, and the Social Link system in which characters grow through interaction with friends and people in the area. We had the opportunity to sit down and speak with Kazuhisa Wada, Ryota Niitsuma, and Takuya Yamaguchi of the Persona Team (also known as the P-Studio) at Atlus, who worked on this remarkable remake, to find out more about their thoughts on Persona 3.
4Gamer:
Thank you very much for joining us today. First of all, please tell us more about what lead to “Persona 3 Reload" (hereinafter referred to as "P3R").
“Persona 3" (hereinafter referred to as "P3") has been very popular as the title that shaped the modern Persona series as it is now, and I think there were many requests for a remake. When did you start working on the remake of P3?
Kazuhisa Wada (Wada):
First and foremost, we of course were aware that many people had wanted a remake of P3. We received a wide variety of feedback, and in the annual surveys by Atlus, it had always ranked high amongst the titles requested to be remade.
Just as it is for many of you, this was also an important game for us on the development side of things. And because of that, it was not a game we could simply begin working on with a passive approach.
We’ve had the idea for this project for quite some time, but we didn’t actually start working on it until late 2019.
4Gamer:
In terms of the series, would that mean it was after the release of "Persona 5 Royal" (P5R) on PS4?
Wada:
Yes. Actually, a few of us started working on it towards the end of development on P5R. But after development of P5R had ended, almost all of those members became the P3R development team. It was like sliding from P5R into P3R.*
(*Clarification: Wada-san likely means that a few staff members from the P5R development team began working on P3R at end of development, and then moved over permanently to P3R after P5R. That is how it sounds to me)
This was the first time we are developing a game as the P-Studio with an entirely brand new engine, and it is also our first project of this scale to be released simultaneously worldwide.
Looking at it from this angle, it can be considered a remake of an integral title that made the Persona series what it has become today. And as a development team, it also acted as a brand new challenge for the future of the Persona series as a whole.
4Gamer:
Could you once again explain to us what kind of game P3R is meant to be?
Takuya Yamaguchi (Yamaguchi):
It is a full remake of the original P3 released on PS2 back in 2006.
We had decided on the direction of the game design and quality of life focuses after a thorough discussion so that the game could be enjoyed as a more modern Persona title without changing key elements such as the world concepts, storyline, and characters from the original game, and then reworked it from there.
Ryota Niitsuma (Niitsuma):
To put it simply, this is a remake of P3 that can be played as if it were P5.
The reason for this is that "Persona 5" (hereafter, P5) is now the standard-bearer for how Persona fans play games in the series today. As we have learned from past surveys, P5 is the game that has now expanded the general recognition of the Persona series on a worldwide scale, so P5 is not just the standard-bearer for fans in Japan, but also in other countries as well.
4Gamer:
So you would say that those who played the series for a long time up to this point are also more acclimated to the standards in the series as they are now.
So, when they find themselves wanting to play P3 for the first time in a long while, they find it difficult to play. I think that's why there are some people who want to see a remake of the game.
Niitsuma:
Yes, that's right. The original game is now 17 years old, and the series has had numbered releases from P3 to P5, with many derivative titles such as spin-offs, and with that, the gameplay systems and player friendly elements have continued to be refined. Of course, the same is also true for the fans who started with P5 as their entry point to the series.
There are many fans of the Persona series who have followed along with the series for a long time now, and of course, we must respect what they have experienced in the past. However, we felt we could protect their experiences by not changing the base concepts of the original P3 such as its unique world, story and characters.
4Gamer:
What exactly did you change?
Yamaguchi:
First of all, the most apparent change is the physical ailment system. It is a part of the original P3, but it is an element that has since then disappeared from subsequent titles, and it doesn't blend together well with the calendar system that has become a standard of the Persona series in its current form.
4Gamer:
The physical ailment system is an element in which the player becomes fatigued or winded, and is restricted in his or her activities.
There was a core method of playing the game where you could potentially use this to your advantage, but the random elements of the system did often prevent you from playing the game the way you had wanted to play it.
Yamaguchi:
Yes. In the Persona series as it is now, one of the basic tenets of the game is to schedule what to do on a given day and at a given time, and the physical ailment system is often stressful for this style of gameplay element.
Because of its random nature, it is often difficult for players to manage their own health, and when they do not want to do so, they become fatigued or catch a cold and are unable to perform the actions they originally wanted to perform. In battles, for example, the random nature of this system also affects the enjoyment of being able to make choices, such as when your status ailments become negatively affected, or when another party member leaves on their own while in the middle of a quest while exploring Tartarus.
Wada:
The concept of dungeon exploration was much different back when P3 came out compared to today to begin with. At that time, the games were not played in the same way as they are currently, which is to do as much or go as far as you can within a single day. The fatigue system triggered players to have to suddenly return.
4Gamer:
I see. As the series has progressed, it now seems that one way to play the game is to make your through it in a few days time, and spend the rest of the time focused on Social Links. For example, you can aim to max out all of the Social Links on the first playthrough of the game.
Yamaguchi:
Maxing out every Social Link in one go will be no easy feat, but it’s not nearly as stringent as it was before. Similarly to P5, it’s achievable if you go about doing so in the right way.
Wada:
One of the things that has changed between the original game and now is the way the game itself is played. At that time, the original game was not designed with the intention that all of the Social Links could be maxed out in one go. But players worked tirelessly to make it possible. I remember being really surprised and thinking to myself “How? How is that even possible?” I was really surprised by that.
4Gamer:
Since it is based on the original P3, it would seem that there are no additional elements from "Persona 3 FES" (P3FES) or "Persona 3 Portable" (P3P) in this game, but are there any new scenarios added to the main story or the Social Links?
Yamaguchi:
The story and Social Link scenarios are basically the same as in the original P3. There are also brand new scenarios that delve deeper into the characters in the original game that did not have a Social Link, such as the male characters which later did have them in “P4” and “P5.”
Since the Social Links from the original game remain the same, we couldn't make them Social Links. But, we've prepared something that expresses their individual personalities and relationships with the main character in a different way. Unfortunately, I can't delve into any specifics right now, but please look forward to more information in the future.
Niitsuma:
I would also like people to pay close attention to the voices. The voice acting performed by the actors is one of the key aspects of the modern Persona series that fans are eagerly anticipating.
Yamaguchi:
For example, in past entries, voices were often only included in certain parts of the game. But in P3R, whenever the player ranks up, there is voiced dialogue for every single rank.
Even before development had begun, as a player, I had seen many Social Link scenarios unfold. But when voices are added alongside them, I can feel something that deeply resonates with me again. Even if you have played P3 before, I think you will be able to experience this in a new way than you had before.
4Gamer:
That would seem to imply that the volume of text and voices are considerably higher now.
Yamaguchi:
Yes. This title contains the largest volume of voiced dialogue in the series to date. This is a series that is already known for having a considerably long play time to begin with, but if you listen to the voices as you progress through the game, I think your experience will be all the more better for it.
4Gamer:
I would like to know more when it comes to exploring Tartarus and the battle elements.
Tartarus is a dungeon with more than 250 floors that are randomly generated each time you enter it, and it is directly related to the unique world and storyline. But, the scenery was often similar and it tended to be monotonous at times. How did you tackle this issue when creating this new game?
Yamaguchi:
This was one of the first major points of improvements to add in the remake, and we had many discussions regarding it. Of course, we were also acutely aware of what fans thought.
However, as you had mentioned, Tartarus is closely tied to the unique world and storyline of P3, so we could not veer from the general structure of the dungeon.
4Gamer:
Yes, that's right. It tends to be monotonous, but the sense of emptiness that you feel as you continue to ascend Tartarus in the gloomy Dark Hour periods was one of the more striking elements of P3, so it must have been difficult to reconstruct the game while retaining this unique atmosphere.
Yamaguchi:
We couldn’t reduce the amount of levels to climb and create fixed dungeons akin to P5, so we had to follow the guidelines of the original and create a dungeon with an array of small elements that move around and could be interacted with so that players wouldn’t get bored.
One example being the conversations between your allies. Regularly, there will be particular conversations that can only be heard while in Tartarus. There are also breakable objects and movements in the background. We really only focused on adding small things to make it seem more interesting.
Wada:
Tartarus was designed impressively using the expressive capabilities of Unreal Engine. We were able to create a complete, three-dimensional and wide-angled recreation of Tartarus, which is both impressively designed and varied in a way that also resembles the original game.
It’s a tad difficult to convey it in still images, but I think it doesn’t feel dull in any way, especially with the additions of light sources such as light shining through the tower.
4Gamer:
The character models and their movements have changed a fair bit from the original game.
Yamaguchi:
The changes in head-to-body ratios has brought with it changes in both expression and movements. When compared to the original P3, the balance between the stylish and comical styles now leans more towards the former.
As for the change from the deformed models that were utilized in the original P3, it’s a bit more difficult to express or convey things such as a character falling on their butt during battle, but P3 has always been about the more comical side of cool design elements, so we kept that aspect intact.
4Gamer:
I'm as interested in the battles as I am in Tartarus. First of all, when it comes to the party members, the players can give them direct commands, right?
In this day and age, is there even an ability to make the AI smarter? In all honesty, I was curious about that.
Yamaguchi:
That's a now familiar feature that originated in P4 and onward, where the player can give direct commands (laughs). There is also a system in which the player can set a certain direction for the party members to go in, and have them fight automatically, so I hope you can think of it as the way battles in Persona are played now.
4Gamer:
Another thing I would like to ask you about is the repertoire of skills used in battle. Will there be additional skills with “damage effects” in addition to those that instant kill, such as the "Bless" and "Curse" skills in P5, for the "Light" and "Dark" attributes?
Yamaguchi:
I can’t delve deeper into the specifics just yet, but with Reload, we are making adjustments to the main cast, including their skills so that they can all be equally as effective in battle. The battle elements, which are a focal point of the game, will be tailored in accordance to each cast members’ unique characteristics, so please look forward to more information later on in the future.
4Gamer:
I've asked a lot of questions as I thought of them, but how did you go about making these changes from the original game?
Yamaguchi:
First, we looked through gameplay elements of the original game to see if there were any aspects that were missing compared to the modern Persona series, or elements that didn't fit in with the more modern era of the series. Then, we intensively discussed said reviewed elements with members of the development team and asked them about the aspects that had bothered them when they were players.
4Gamer:
I'm very interested in the "things that used to bother me when I was a player" part of that statement.
Wada:
Yamaguchi is one of them. More than half of the members of the P3R development team were not game developers at the time the original game had come out, but had experienced P3 as players. So we were able to see the positive and negative elements of P3 from a different perspective than those who were involved in the development of the game at the time.
4Gamer:
I see. That's encouraging, but I guess it must have been difficult to reconcile the many opinions of the fans, since they all have their own ideal image of what Persona is to them.
Yamaguchi:
Yes, it certainly was. The members of the development team who were players at the time had a strong passion for the game, just like everyone else (laughs).
As director, I tried to find a general direction for the remake while maintaining a consistent balance, but each individual person had a different point of view. “If we eliminated that part, it wouldn't be P3 at all!” "No, we can make this part less convoluted, but it will still have the P3 feel!” “No, it doesn't!” We would often argue over each other’s differing opinions.
Niitsuma:
I would look at them and say, "It's okay to fight about this or that, but you have to get it together by next week.”
Yamaguchi:
(Laughter)
Niitsuma:
I had said this jokingly, but I think this type of discussion led to the creation of a really good remake. Each and every one of us had our respect for the original game, and through the lens of a developer, we could express our opinions and work on the production of the game while respecting the feelings we had when we were merely players.
4Gamer:
I was hoping that P3 would be better to play if based around the standards introduced through P5, but at the same time I was selfishly hoping that the overall atmosphere of the game would retain its aggressive and edgier aspects, but from what I've heard from the development team so far, it seems that there is nothing to worry about in that regard.
Niitsuma:
After I became a developer myself, I once again felt that the rougher edges of P3 are what initially attracted me to the game. Some of the rougher elements of the game must be polished in order to make a game that is fun for people to play today.
However, on the other hand, there are those rougher, edgier aspects of the game that I feel bring out the essence of what the title is, which should not be squared off or discarded. I think I was able to approach this remake with this type of mindset.
4Gamer:
Before we end this interview, there is actually one thing I forgot to ask: What was the idea behind the title "Reload" for P3R, and when did you decide on the name?
Wada:
I originally wanted to add the letter "R," mainly because P5R was the definitive version of P5, and I had that level of enthusiasm for this title as well. It was also meant to be a remake, but it would seem uninteresting if a title for a game in the Persona series was simply "Persona 3 Remake.” I felt it would be out of character for the series.
4Gamer:
As a fan of the series, I feel they want to be surprised when it comes to the title. Or, more specifically, they want it to be turned on its head a bit rather than be too straightforward.
Niitsuma:
Yes, that's right. Recently, “RE” is often used in the title of games, but when you look at it from the perspective of Persona, it's different. The summoning device is in the shape of a gun, so I thought "Reload" would be a better fit.
If I were to use it as a title, grammatically speaking, “Reloaded” would have been more fitting, but I thought it would have conveyed more of a “gun action” type of image, so I decided to opt for the title "Reload" instead. It took a little bit of time before we officially decided on the name, but the development team immediately said “that’s it!” and agreed on it.
4Gamer:
The scenes where the main character and his friends reload the Evokers and shoot at themselves to invoke their Persona is what comes to mind. So, once again, could you give a message to the readers and fans of the Persona series who are paying close attention to P3R?
Yamaguchi:
First of all, I would like to say thank you for all for your patience.
This was a remake that we held special feelings for, but it was only possible because everyone had been eagerly waiting for it, so I would like to thank all of the fans who have continued to voice their opinions and support.
We will continue to provide information as we inch closer to the release of the game, so I hope that players of the original will be able to see what has and has not been changed, and that those who did not know of or experience P3 will be able to follow the game from the beginning as if it were a completely new game.
Niitsuma:
With this announcement, I think we were able to present it through the lens of “if the current P-Studio made P3 today, this is what it would look like.” Whether you are aware of the original game or not, I want to convey the idea that this is a work that can be played as an authentic Japanese-style RPG today.
It is a remake that was made with a unique respect and care for the original game. It will not be released for a bit longer, but please keep your eyes out for more information on it.
Wada:
Whenever we develop a game, we always find ourselves feeling uneasy when we wrap up development on it, such as, "Could we have done a little better on it?” We often greet the release of a game with such a feeling, but with P3R, unusually enough, all the staff members felt that we had made a good product as we approached the final stages of development. I think that is why we are so confident that we have succeeded in creating a title that we can deliver to you.
We would like to deliver this experience to you as soon as possible, but we will have to wait just a little longer. As a worldwide title, we are eagerly looking forward to the day when we can share that excitement with fans not only in Japan, but across the world as well.
4Gamer:
We look forward to hearing about future developments as we head towards the release of the game. Thank you very much for your time.