Episode Aigis proves that Persona 3 Reload could’ve been bigger

Persona 3 Reload's final DLC is here, with Episode Aigis bringing players back for another trip to Tatsumi Port Island – only this time, we're controlling the eponymous android Aigis instead of the stylish remake's silent protagonist. Set after the events of the main game – which I won't spoil here – this expansion offers new ornate dungeons to explore, challenging bosses, and extra insight into its cast. Sadly, the new offerings feel less like they should be part of their own separate entity, and more like an epilogue that’s stretched out over too many battles. 

In a year full to bursting point with huge RPGs like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Atlus’ remake of the PS2’s original Persona 3 holds its own against these heavyweights thanks to its heartfelt story, captivating characters and thrilling turn-based combat. However, it’s not without its flaws.

Faithful to a fault

For the uninitiated, Persona 3 already had the rework treatment on two occasions. There’s Persona 3 FES, an expanded edition released on the same console. Years later we got Persona 3 Portable, which embraces visual novel elements that strip it back in a sense, but the inclusion of a female protagonist as an alternate option to the traditional male lead added a new dimension to the experience (along with some banging new soundtrack additions). 

So when Atlus announced Persona 3 Reload back in 2023, fans were eager to know which iteration the remake would most closely resemble. When it was revealed the game would be faithful to the initial version, it was hard to hide the disappointment. I mean, why not include content from the later versions?

That’s not to say Reload doesn’t add new things. The visuals have been overhauled, the voice actors replaced and the soundtrack rerecorded, so it is very much a remake. There’s also new combat elements, like the theurgy attacks (basically super moves), and you control all characters whereas your supporting party members kind of did their own thing back in the OG title. So, why stop there?

Reload adds these quality of life changes, but doesn’t include the other main character. In fact it takes a bit of a step backwards in a sense, with some social elements limited. For instance, you used to be able to choose between swim, kendo or track clubs. In the remake, you can only join the latter. This may seem like nit-picking, but such cutting of corners adds context to the decision to take ‘The Answer’, the epilogue of Persona 3 FES, and remake it as the paid Episode Aigis DLC. 

Atlus has a history of releasing extended editions of games and charging the same amount as for a full new release. As well as the Persona 3 entries, Persona 4 was followed by Persona 4 Golden, while Persona 5 gave way to Persona 5 Royal. Even Shin Megami Tensei 5 has been outdone by this year’s release of Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance. All of these later versions add something new to make fans like me invest time, money, and so on. However, with Persona 3 Reload the content seems less worth the cost of admission, and this is even more obvious with Episode Aigis.

Into the Abyss

Being a huge fan of the robotic warrior, it’s great to see Aigis back in the starring role. The problem is that this expansion is essentially just battles. Set in the Abyss of Time, which feels all but identical to Tartarus from the base game, Aigis and her teammates spend almost all of the game battling shadows, the basic enemy type of the Persona games. 

While this is a core feature of base Persona 3 Reload, as well as the majority of other mainline titles in the franchise, it’s balanced out by plenty of social and life sim sections. You can hang out with friends, go on dates, get coffee, sing karaoke, play a UFO catcher, work part-time jobs, study (nerd), and more. In Episode Aigis, not so much. 

Aigis is restricted to the students’ dorm and the aforementioned dungeon, and later on a lesser version of Paulownia Mall, where the cafe, karaoke bar and other such locations are out of reach. Luckily, you can find items in the dungeon that unlock social situations with your friends, but most of the dialogue lacks voice acting, making them less immersive.

This lack of content – outside of the near endless battling, including a new, optional boss who aged me more than my first encounter with the Reaper – makes Episode Aigis feel like a relatively weak expansion, even if you enjoy the turn-based combat as much as I do. It also brings into focus how little the base game offers compared to 2020’s Persona 5 Royal. 

Sure you could say this is acceptable given it's a remake of a game which originally had less to do by modern standards due to being older, but when we’re having some features reworked, why not expand them? Why not add more sports clubs instead of taking them away? Why not add more socialising options for the late game? Why not give Aigis more to do than fight?

Persona 3 Reload is an excellent game, but it could’ve been so much more. Episode Aigis is a very good DLC, but it’s not one I’ll play again soon, if at all. Atlus was so focused on being faithful, supposedly, that the developer forgot to make something truly incredible as we’ve come to expect.

This means that compared to the other incredible RPGs that 2024 has delivered, Persona 3 Reload loses its footing in the final third by holding back too much. Still, it’s a strong title with a lot to love about it. As for Episode Aigis, it falls short of adding enough to stand out as a top-tier expansion, and doesn’t do enough to substantially elevate the base game experience. 

It took 86 hours for me to realize that I love Persona 3 Reload (and probably JRPGs in general)