Persona 3 Reload Nintendo Switch 2 Review

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When I first played Persona 3 Reload last year, I was really impressed with Atlus’s updated version of the original game, though I was disappointed it didn’t include content from Persona 3 Portable. I wasn’t too bothered by the missing content from Persona 3 FES, but Atlus has since added some of it back in with Episode Aigis, which is part of an expansion pass. I initially played Persona 3 Reload on PlayStation 5 and Steam Deck, but I experienced Episode Aigis on Xbox Series X. While I’m still not a big fan of the FES storyline, Episode Aigis did make it more enjoyable. I was hoping Atlus would release Persona 3 Reload on Switch or Switch 2, as it would have given me a reason to play it again. And now, that’s finally happening! However, the Switch 2 version has a few issues that make it hard to fully recommend right now.

In my review of Persona 3 Reload for the Switch 2, I’ll be looking at it from two angles: what it’s like for people new to the game, and what it’s like for those who have played it before. It’s important to consider returning players because many of us, myself included, bought games multiple times during the Switch generation just to have them on a handheld console. When Atlus brought Persona 5 Royal to Switch, it included all the downloadable content and was the first time you could play it portably, making it a great reason to replay. The ability to customize the game with different cosmetic options and music, along with all the extra content, allowed me to experience Persona 5 Royal in a fresh way, even trying out Personas I hadn’t used in my original playthrough on the PlayStation 4.

If Atlus had bundled extra content like Episode Aigis or even just cosmetic items and music with the Switch 2 release of Persona 3 Reload, the $59.99 price tag would have been more reasonable, considering the port is launching almost two years after the original. However, all downloadable content is sold separately, making it a costly purchase, just like when the game first came out with all the extras.

Putting that aside, how does this version of the game play for those who waited for a potential release on Nintendo consoles? The answer is a bit complicated. Simply put, the demo is a pretty accurate preview of the final game, which unfortunately isn’t ideal. Currently, playing Persona 3 Reload on the go isn’t a great experience. While the game aims for 30 frames per second whether docked or played handheld – and looks decent docked on my 1440p monitor, even very good handheld – I was hoping the 30fps limit would be handled more effectively.

As a big Persona fan, I was so excited to finally play Persona 3 Reload on the Switch 2! While the game looks fantastic in handheld mode – seriously, the screen looks great – I’ve been running into some frustrating issues with how smoothly it runs. It feels like the game stutters or ‘hitches’ a lot, and it’s noticeably worse than even the PS4 Pro version I briefly played last year. I spent about ten hours playing exclusively in handheld mode, and I kept noticing it, especially when I had full control of the camera, like walking around school or exploring Tartarus. It’s really jarring when you’re trying to move and turn the camera while running, and sometimes the input feels laggy and doesn’t register right away. It wasn’t constant, but it happened enough to be really distracting. Hopefully, they can patch this because the visual quality in handheld is genuinely impressive, but the performance issues are holding it back.

I’ve spent almost 25 hours playing Persona 3 Reload on the Switch 2, both docked and in handheld mode. I found myself preferring the docked experience because the game’s performance felt smoother that way. It’s surprising the developers didn’t include features like VRR to improve performance on the Switch 2’s screen. While the image quality in Persona 5 Royal on Switch was a bit blurry, Persona 3 Reload looks sharp, but doesn’t feel as smooth as it could, even with its target of 30 frames per second. For comparison, the game runs at 4K and 60fps on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, and has better reflections. I also played it on the Steam Deck at a solid 60fps in handheld mode – though I had to turn off reflections, just like on the PlayStation 4 and Switch 2 versions – and it ran perfectly, even in the later parts of the game like Tartarus.

Currently, the Switch 2 version doesn’t include ray-traced reflections, and it struggles to consistently reach a smooth 30 frames per second, even on a 1440p monitor – it’s far from displaying the game at its native resolution. I also noticed slower loading times on the Switch 2 (using the internal storage) compared to playing Persona 3 Reload on my PS4 Pro, Steam Deck, ROG Ally, PS5, and Xbox Series X. Even simple actions, like transitioning between areas such as the classroom, take longer. While each individual load might not seem significant, they add up over time.

Atlus has assured me they’re working on performance improvements for Persona 3 Reload through updates after launch, but they haven’t given me a timeline for when those updates will arrive. Right now, the Switch 2 version of the game doesn’t run as well as it does on any other platform I’ve tested. Surprisingly, I even got a smoother frame rate playing on a docked Steam Deck at 1080p than on the Switch 2, which makes me question why Atlus was so cautious with this release. I’m hoping the patches come quickly and fix these issues. I plan to compare all versions of Persona 3 Reload in a detailed feature soon.






Playing Persona 3 Reload again after a year has helped me enjoy things like the music and the extra story details even more. However, I still wish the game included the option to play as a female protagonist, like in Persona 3 Portable. I also hoped for more features to make the game easier to replay, such as faster animations or the ability to skip them. Despite that, I still think exploring Tartarus and the dungeons feels better in this version than in previous Persona 3 games.

Compared to other Persona games on the Switch, Persona 3 Reload feels noticeably less smooth when played in handheld mode, especially considering the Switch’s capabilities. I’ve even completed Shin Megami Tensei V on Switch several times before its release without experiencing the same performance issues – the stuttering and overall feel of Persona 3 Reload are more distracting. I recommend trying the demo to see if the camera and character movement feel good to you, particularly when exploring the school and Tartarus, before purchasing for the Switch 2. The good news is that any progress you make in the demo will transfer to the full game, so you won’t lose any time.

Okay, I’ll admit I was a little worried about how this would play on the Switch, especially handheld. But honestly, Persona 3 Reload is totally worth checking out if you’re planning to play it on your TV or in docked mode on the Switch 2, especially considering the price. It’s not exactly the remake I dreamed of, but they really smoothed out some of the frustrating parts of the original game. Plus, they added some new stuff that actually made me like certain characters even more! And the new music? Seriously amazing, almost every single track. I’m really enjoying it.

Persona 3 Reload on the Switch 2 had the potential to be a huge success, but it falls short in a few important ways. If you’re new to the game or plan to play it mostly on a TV, it’s a solid, if somewhat standard, port and still worth playing. However, the biggest selling point of this version – playing on the go – isn’t as enjoyable as it could be. It would have been great if Atlus had included all downloadable content, giving players a reason to replay with extra costumes and music, or allowing those who already own the game to experience the ‘Episode Aigis’ story while traveling.

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We tested Persona 3 Reload on Nintendo Switch 2. It’s also playable on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox, and PC.

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2025-10-21 15:57