The official release of Persona 4 Revival is not far away.
As the most unique entry in the "New Testament" trilogy, the original Persona 4 holds undeniable significance for series fans. However, although its control scheme has been modernized relative to the original, elements clearly marked by their era—such as graphics and mechanics—may still deter many new fans of the series.
Therefore, the development status of Persona 4 Revival, a complete remake of the original, has become one of the most pressing concerns within the fan community recently. What will the game look like? What improvements does it offer over the original? These are questions everyone is eager to have answered.
With this in mind, at the recent RED LAND event, we interviewed Kazuhisa Wada, Producer of Persona 4 Revival, and Art Director Akane Karine. We gathered the latest information from them on several of the most intriguing aspects of Persona 4 Revival.
If you're also looking forward to Persona 4 Revival, take a look at this interview.
Persona 4 Revival Producer Kazuhisa Wada (left) and Art Director Akane Karine (right)
Q: The era-specific elements of Persona 4 are quite distant from today. How did the team decide which elements to preserve and which to adapt?
Kazuhisa Wada:Persona 4 is set in 2011—looking back from today, that's roughly fifteen years ago. Our core goal this time was to seriously redraw the era we wanted to depict but couldn't fully realize back then, presenting it in higher resolution. The original characters had lower head-to-body ratios and flatter graphics, leaving many aspects we wanted to draw but couldn't. By raising the characters to near-realistic proportions and increasing graphical resolution, I believe we have now successfully recreated the rural town we truly intended to portray.
Q: The original art style of Persona 4 holds an irreplaceable place in many fans' hearts—the hand-drawn feel of JRPGs from around 2010, the golden tones, and the atmosphere of the small town that balances warmth with confinement. As the Art Director for this title, what were the first visual principles you established when taking on this classic IP? Were there any scenes or characters that required many revisions before you found the right feel?
Akane Karine:Although both are called "originals," Persona 4 actually has two versions—the earliest original and the later Persona 4 Golden (P4G). Initially, we discussed which version to use as the baseline. Persona 4 Golden increased the overall liveliness, festival-like excitement, and flashy parameters to distinguish itself from the original. This time, we considered continuing to enhance along that direction... but honestly, that path has reached its ceiling, with little room for further improvement. Therefore, we ultimately decided to focus on tuning based on the original version.
Based on the original, we added a layer of "something new." For instance, we introduced a blue tone, allowing players to immediately recognize that it differs from both the original and Persona 4 Golden—blue is the visual symbol of Persona 4 Revival.
As for characters or scenes that were repeatedly reworked, there aren't any particular examples. There is a large map design (similar to the overhead world map seen in Persona 5) that may not have been revealed yet, so I'll speak vaguely about it: I believe this design concept is quite good. The large map, which offers an overhead view of the entire world and carries a slight meta-narrative element, fits very well with the rural town worldview of Persona 4.
Q: The original Persona 4 already had Persona 4 Golden, and now there's Persona 4 Revival. From the development team's perspective, which elements can be modernized, and which are absolutely untouchable, even if they seem dated today?
Kazuhisa Wada:In answering the first question, I mainly discussed the town's visuals and atmospheric era details. Looking at the game as a whole, what absolutely cannot be changed are the work's inherent themes, the messages it aims to convey, its originally excellent main storyline, and the personalities and identities of the characters. We believe these elements must remain untouched.
Elements that needed modernization were those that should be updated for a newly released title: game systems, controls, accessibility, plus enhancements to graphics and presentation to provide players with a stronger sense of presence and immersion. These are the areas where we made changes.
Q: Many Chinese players got into the series through Persona 5 and are experiencing Persona 4 for the first time. What feelings do you hope Persona 4 Revival will evoke in these new players?
Kazuhisa Wada:Players who have never played Persona 4 and are experiencing it for the first time through Persona 4 Revival are truly fortunate. Veteran players often say, "I wish I could erase my memory and play it again," which highlights just how outstanding Persona 4's story and characters are.
Furthermore, Persona 4 is quite unique within the series: the story takes place in a rural town, superficially centered around a seemingly dark murder mystery, but interspersed with the joyful daily lives of high school friends building bonds. This contrast between dark events and bright everyday life is the most distinctive and interesting aspect of this work, and we hope new players will fully appreciate it.
Q: The core stage of Persona 4 is the world inside the TV, a concept originally expressed through flat, silhouetted, studio-like sets. Demos of Persona 4 Revival show battle UI enhanced with a TV texture, and otherworldly scenes that feel more like stage installations. Could Ms. Karine elaborate on how you translated the abstract concept of the TV world into concrete visual language, moving from the original's 2D hand-drawn style to the current 3D realistic rendering? Additionally, how did you decide between fixed camera angles and 360-degree free view for the camera system?
Akane Karine:The world inside the TV is an abstract realm that doesn't exist in reality, but the dungeons are ultimately projections of the characters' inner states. Therefore, our first step in production was to have the design team thoroughly understand each character's background, origins, and humanity. We didn't simply aim for visually appealing graphics; instead, we carefully considered why certain objects were placed where they were and arranged in specific ways. The staff responsible for backgrounds would first delve deeply into the Shadow's emotional state at that moment, then meticulously check for any contradictions with the script before proceeding with production. Because of this process, I believe the current presentation of the dungeons is convincing and capable of moving players.
Regarding the camera system, the decision mainly came down to budget. Unlike Persona 5, Persona 4 takes place in a fairly compact small town rather than a vast setting. If budget had allowed, we would have preferred a free-view camera, but what you see now is the final result.
Q: If sales and development costs were completely ignored, what is the one thing Mr. Wada personally wanted to add to Persona 4 Revival but ultimately couldn't?
Kazuhisa Wada:This is a difficult question to answer (laughs). First, my position inherently prevents me from making games without considering sales and costs. Moreover, the planning for Persona 4 Revival was built sincerely with the basis of remaking Persona 4 as the latest entry in the series. Making unrealistic requests would gradually deviate from the direction of remaking Persona 4. Therefore, I believe the current work solidly incorporates Everythinggj we originally intended to create.
Akane Karine:We just mentioned having no budget... (laughs)
Q: Persona 4 is a story about summer and is known for its strong seasonal atmosphere within the Persona series. Both the original and Persona 4 Golden were released in months close to summer, but Persona 4 Revival will be released in winter. Was there any special consideration behind this timing?
Kazuhisa Wada:Actually, there wasn't any special consideration (laughs). Interestingly, the impression that Persona 4 evokes summer was somewhat unexpected even for us developers. Regarding the release date, our idea was to get the game into players' hands as early as possible—we originally planned to release it about half a year earlier, which might have coincided with summer, but we ultimately couldn't make that deadline.
Q: The biggest addition to Persona 4 Revival's battle system is "Prime Time"—after filling the gauge, you can act consecutively, use skills without cost, ignore resistances, freely swap partners, and finish with a special move. This system feels like a fusion of Persona 5's All-Out Attack and Showtime. The original Persona 4 had a more steady, strategic battle pace. Were you concerned that adding such high-energy combo sequences might make veteran players feel it no longer resembles Persona 4?
Kazuhisa Wada:We weren't particularly worried that veteran players would feel it no longer resembled Persona 4. Turn-based combat has evolved significantly since then, and our team has been refining turn-based systems for years. Persona 4 Revival is the latest product of this accumulation. Therefore, I don't think veteran players will feel any dissonance—in fact, it will be more satisfying and better paced, allowing players to enjoy the game more.
Additionally, battles feature extensive content involving acting together and cooperating with partners, which I believe enhances the authentic flavor of Persona 4.
Q: For veteran players who already know the culprit and the entire plot, how do you ensure they still feel the same sense of discovery when returning to Inaba for a second time?
Kazuhisa Wada:Since we've stated that the main storyline remains unchanged, veteran players naturally know who the culprit is. However, the graphics have been upgraded to full-body proportions, offering expressive power comparable to Persona 3 Reload. Reconstructing Persona 4 with these visuals creates an impact even greater than I initially anticipated—I was genuinely shocked during my own testing.
Additionally, while the main storyline and direction remain unchanged, there are many alterations in presentation and narrative techniques. For example, Marie's introduction and her interactions with other characters differ from those in Persona 4 Golden, so veteran players should also find freshness in these changes.
Moreover, precisely because players know the plot, they may find it easier to invest emotionally, empathize with the characters, and even be moved to tears. I believe this experience is possible.
Q: Finally, please share a message with Chinese players.
Kazuhisa Wada:Persona 4 Revival marks the first time in the Persona series that Chinese voice acting is included at launch. Persona 4 is truly a masterpiece, and I believe anyone who hasn't experienced it is missing out. I hope more Chinese players can enjoy it. Those who haven't played it should definitely give it a try, and for veterans who have played before, we are confident we can deliver a fresh surprise. Being able to interact closely with Chinese fans at RED LAND gave me tremendous energy.
Akane Karine:I'm truly grateful that so many friends have picked up a game from another country to play, despite our cultural differences. This work was created to recreate the emotions we felt back then, and we hope both veteran players and newcomers can experience it. Veterans might enjoy comparing the differences with the original, while we hope new players will immerse themselves in the atmosphere of Japan around 2011 as they play.