Summary
Persona 3 Reloadwas released earlier this year to wide critical acclaim. ThoughPersonahas adventured into ports and plenty of upgraded re-releases,Persona 3 Reloadwas the series' first foray into tackling a remake of its scale.Persona 3 FES' epilogue, The Answer, was notably missing fromReload, but the remake will receive its own version of The Answer as DLC, which may be good news for fans ofPersona 2.
Episode Aigis: The Answer will follow in the footsteps of the original by providing closure to the characters ofPersona 3 Reload. Episode Aigis will follow more than just the original’s narrative purpose, as it is also poised to reflect the linear gameplay of The Answer. Though modernPersonagames are heavily associated with their social sim elements and calendar-based progression, this wasn’t always the case. The old-school format of Episode Aigis: The Answer could set upfuture remakes of pastPersonagames.
Persona is a Balance of Dungeon Crawling and Social Simulation
Personais heavily renowned for its distinct balance of dungeon crawling and social simulation. While the series has had dungeons from the very beginning,Persona 3introduced Social Links, the most important among many other featuresPersona 3is responsible for creating. When players aren’t delving through dungeons and slaying enemies, they can kick back with friends and go out on dates.
The purpose of Episode Aigis: The Answeris to serve as an epilogue to the main story ofPersona 3 Reload. The format this is done may prove significant, as The Answer is completely lacking many of the social sim elements that many now consider synonymous with the series.
Because of this, Episode Aigis presumably won’t feature Social Links of any kind. Instead, the character development that is so vital to the epilogue will all be done the old-fashioned way. The Answer features a straightforward dungeon crawl, during which characters process the ending ofPersona 3. This is the key element that may put aPersona 2remake in consideration.
Persona 2 is Very Different from Modern Persona Games
Persona 2came well beforePersona 3’s innovations in blending life simulation into the series. For this reason,Persona 2is much more similar to classic RPGs, since it’s less dependent on a calendar and completely lacks Social Links. However, even though those elements hadn’t been introduced, the themes of the series were still very present.
ThoughPersona 2lacks some of the features that emphasize the themes of later games, it still shares the same thematic roots. The player may not be progressing Social Links, but the protagonist still spends time investing in the bonds they share with the people close to them. The series has always been, in some part, about the very literal power of friendship. This remains as true forPersona 2as it does for later entries likePersona 5, andPersona 3Reload’s DLC makes a good case for remakingPersona 2.
Persona 2 and Persona 3 DLC Share Some Key Elements
Persona 2is more of a linear dungeon crawl thanPersona 3and its other successors. However, this means it shares a foundation of design with Episode Aigis: The Answer. Though fans may be used to the calendar format now, Episode Aigis: The Answer will serve as a departure from the social simulation elements originally introduced byPersona 3.
Persona 3 Reload’s DLCcould therefore prime players for a gameplay experience that is much more similar toPersona 2than later titles.Persona 2features a focus on story through straightforward dungeon crawling, and lacks social simulation elements that have lengthened the experience of later games. As an epilogue toPersona 3 Reload, Episode Aigis: The Answer shares much of the same DNA.
Atlus exploring a dungeon crawl like The Answer may leave the door open for it to remakePersona 2. Likewise, if players find themselves liking The Answer, they may wind up more prepared to tackle a straightforward experience likePersona 2. Either way,Persona 3 Reload’s DLC paves the way for aPersona 2remake, and shows it may already be on the radar of players and developers alike.
Persona 3 Reload
WHERE TO PLAY
Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI. Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover. Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters. Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.
