WithPersona 3 Reloadreleasing to generally positive reviews in 2024, it seems likely thatPersona 4could be next on the list for a remake. Developer Atlus has confirmed nothing officially, but rumors indicate that the game, which originally released in 2008 for the PlayStation 2, could see a remake announced in the near future. While aPersona 4remake could benefit from many of the changes featured inPersona 3 Reload,such as upgraded graphics, overhauled combat, and new stat-raising activities, it will also have the advantage of being able to addPersona 4 Goldencontent without having to eliminate any characters or paths.
In the original version ofPersona 3,the protagonist was male, and only female characters could be romanced. In addition, male members of the SEES team lacked Social Links, meaning the protagonist had fewer opportunities to bond with them.ThePersona 3 Portableeditionadded an alternative route featuring a female protagonist, male romance options, and redone Social Links including both new characters and the existing male SEES members. While previousPersonagames featured minor branching routes that determined which party members the player would acquire and which foes they faced, this was the most dramatic example of such branching in the series.
Persona 3 Reloadopted to include only the male protagonist’s route and Social Links, and ignoredPortable’sfemale route. It did, however, incorporate some additional content from another enhanced edition,Persona 3 FES,including the Aeon Social Link for robotic party member Aigis andthe post-game DLCEpisode Aigis, originally known as simplyThe Answer.Some fans were disappointed that the female protagonist was not included, especially as she has generally been less favored than the male; she was ignored in spin-offs like thePersona 4 Arenagames, although she did appear inPersona Q2.
A Persona 4Remake Could Likely Include Golden’sContent With Ease
LikePersona 3before it,Persona 4saw an Enhanced Edition in the form ofPersona 4 Golden,initially released for the PlayStation Vita in 2012. UnlikePersona 3 Portable, Goldendid not feature a split path, and maintained a single male protagonist. Instead, it added new events, a new dungeon to explore, and two new Social Links. One of the new Social Links, Marie, was a romanceable character and deeply tied to the game’s expanded plot. The expanded events ofGoldenwould later see an anime adaptation and be directly referenced inspin-off titles such asPersona 4 Arena Ultimax.
While it has not been confirmed whether a remake ofPersona 4would featureGolden’sadditional content, it seems highly likely. The character ofMarie, the additional dungeon, and the Social Link for Tohru Adachi could be included in a potential remake without having to sacrifice any of the content of the originalPersona 4,unlikePortable’s split routes and Social Links.
Atlus has also begun to embraceGoldenas the definitive version ofPersona 4;it wasGoldenthat received a port to Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation and Xbox consoles in 2023, which came after a 2020 port to PC through Steam. This makes it even more likely thatGoldenwill be the version of the game that will be remade, should the rumors of aPersona 4remake in fact be true. Atlus could blendGolden’s enhanced story withPersona 3 Reload’s updates to combat and stat-raising - particularly theTheurgy system, which gives each playable character access to unique and powerful skills - to create a new take on the fourth installment in thePersonaseries, perfect for the current generation of consoles.
