In a surprise announcement from the Xbox Partner Preview on March 6th, Atlus announced the upcoming Persona 3 Reload (2024) expansion pass, along with the highly requested Episode Aigis!
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What is Persona 3 Reload & The Answer?
Considered the biggest switch to what the Persona series is today, Persona 3 (2006) established a new world for both the Shin Megami Tensei franchise and their spinoff Persona franchise. Persona 3 would eventually get remade into Persona 3 FES (2007) and Persona 3 Portable (2009), with different gameplay additions and upgrades, but each missing some things that the other didn’t have.
It became apparent that there was no concrete way to enjoy the entire story. Considering the confusion, fans began to demand a remaster after seeing how far the name went with Persona 5 (2017). And to their wishes, Persona 3 Reload provides a scratch to that itch. For a while, that is.
Persona 3 FES introduced a new epilogue chapter titled both Episode Aigis and The Answer depending on the regional version of the game. This would prove to take place almost directly after the conclusion of the main game. To avoid spoilers, it was a new dungeon that introduced a new character continuing off of the ending, and helping close the book on a fan favorite character’s story. Dedicated fans infatuated with Persona 3 Reload were a little sad to see it go.
Eventually the conversation reached the developers of the game, who wholeheartedly agreed, and decided to take it on in this new, definitive version. And in the most recent Xbox Partner Preview, fans can finally appreciate the effort put into making Reload the best version of the story possible. Even the team behind it seems excited, dropping the trailer as early as possible in exclusively Japanese. Not to its detriment, as it has begun conversations worldwide already.
Persona 3 Reload Expansion Pass
Though Episode Aigis is the headliner, this $35.99 package is not alone. Along with the expanded story, new theurgy attacks, and dungeon, comes the progressive inclusion of new cosmetics throughout the year.
The first of these is the Persona 5 Royal (2019) and Persona 4 Golden (2012) Exploration Background Music sets, allowing players the opportunity to navigate Tartarus to familiar tunes from the future of the franchise. It’s a nice touch to start out the release of the Expansion Pass, available March 12th.
The second is the fan favorite velvet room costume and background music set, featuring Daisuke Asakura’s remix of Battle Hymn of the Soul. A nice little throwback to the remix made for Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight (2018), the rhythm game spinoff, will be dropping May 2024.
Episode Aigis - The Answer - Release Date & Details
Episode Aigis takes a new turn, making Aigis, a former party member, into a protagonist as she delves into the Abyss of time to find the answer to life. After being raided and called by the mysterious Metis, S.E.E.S. decides to delve into this new dungeon, which becomes eerily similar to Tartarus. To solve the puzzle of a strange pause in time, similar to the Dark Hour past, Aigis and her friends must find what is hiding in both the team’s memories, and this strange time-warped basement in order to find their conclusion.
Episode Aigis – The Answer – is the most crucial part of the expansion pass, being the highly demanded expansion many fans held dear. Giving a conclusion to characters who may have been left a bit unanswered at the end of the main game, this new chapter is sure to excite fans new and old alike. Episode Aigis – The Answer – is slated to release in September 2024.
Where to Find Persona 3 Reload
Persona 3 Reload, one of the best RPGs of this year so far, is available now for Xbox One, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Steam. Look out for the Expansion Pass coming on March 12th, and the eventual DLC: Episode Aigis releasing this September!
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