As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich narrative and strategic gameplay of the Persona series, I can confidently say that Episode Aigis: The Answer is shaping up to be an exceptional addition to the already stellar lineup offered by Persona 3 Reload.
Originally part of the expanded edition of Persona 3 FES in 2007, the DLC for the 2024 remake of the game, titled Persona 3 Reload, is now called Episode Aigis – The Answer. This story unfolds shortly after the events depicted in the ending of Persona 3 Reload and follows robotic companion Aigis as she assumes the lead role, along with her friends, to explore a mysterious dungeon that has appeared beneath their dormitory. The narrative primarily delves into profound philosophical themes, with the characters from SEES reflecting on the game’s events and eventually confronting their feelings about the protagonist’s choice.
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As a die-hard fan, I couldn’t contain my excitement when I learned about the revamped edition of “Episode Aigis”. This updated version offers freshly animated cutscenes, a captivating new opening sequence, and refined gameplay mechanics for both Aigis and the new character Metis. These adjustments are based on the Theurgy system from “Persona 3 Reload”. To match the aesthetic of “Reload”, this chapter has also undergone graphical and menu updates. The most notable change is Aigis’s striking, combat-ready new outfit, designed to make her even more formidable than ever before. Recently, Game Rant had the opportunity to sample a bit of “Episode Aigis – The Answer” to appreciate these improvements and more.
Updated Combat Feels Smooth and Natural
In the enhanced combat of “Reload, The Answer”, there’s a sleek, dynamic sensation, highlighting the coordinated efforts of your team. The Theurgy system from “Persona 3 Reload” is back, with Aigis now capable of utilizing multiple Theurgy abilities, symbolizing her new role as a Wild Card and her ability to merge Personas in the Velvet Room. Regrettably, characters begin the DLC with their Theurgy skills at basic levels, due to being out of practice with their Personas. However, this makes the dungeons feel genuinely tough.
Metis’ Theurgy, while offering significant power, is tricky to configure due to its stringent conditions compared to other Theurgies in the game. This aspect adds depth to the relationship between Metis and Aigis, but it may seem like an unnecessary restriction in Orgia Mode, especially since it was more accessible when it belonged to Aigis in the original version of the game.
Metis’ Theurgy Conditions
- Players must hit an enemy weakness as Aigis
- Then Shift to Metis, with her Theurgy bar taking several Shifts to charge
The ensuing content in this expansion pack is designed to be quite demanding even for those who have mastered Persona 3 Reload in its entirety. You’ll encounter formidable Shadow adversaries that will test your strategic prowess and demand careful utilization of the vulnerability-breaking and All-Out Attack system to overcome them. Unlike previous iterations, the DLC imposes certain party member combinations for specific story segments, promoting exploration rather than allowing players to rely on a fixed team composition when navigating dungeons. Additionally, access to shops in the overworld is restricted, compelling players to be inventive when managing their limited healing and buffing resources. Yet, Atlus has ensured that the difficulty level remains manageable: post-battle Shuffle Time rewards are doled out more frequently, and treasure chests contain restorative items more often.
The Answer’s New Graphics Match Reload’s
Similar to its predecessor, Persona 3 Reload, The Answer has undergone a graphical enhancement tailored for contemporary gaming consoles. The graphics, with their improved opening and reworked animated scenes, are nothing short of impressive, enhancing the game’s tense and dramatic moments, as well as the poignant flashbacks to the original game’s events. Notably, Metis’ Persona, Psyche, boasts an intricate design that complements the new, high-definition style perfectly. Aigis, who serves as the DLC’s main character, appears with a refined look that matches her role, appearing crisp and clear.
The dungeons in the Abyss of Time have also been reworked to appear less monotonous, similar to the floors of Tartarus in Reload. While this is generally a positive change, it does lead to one issue. Aigis, as a robot equipped with built-in guns, can use her ranged attacks to target Shadows from a distance, granting the player’s party an advantage at the beginning of battle (similar to a mechanic seen in Persona 5). However, because of the multi-leveled design of the dungeon floors (at least for the first dungeon Malebolge) and the presence of frequent obstacles, it can be hard to target Shadows effectively. This is worsened by the fact that the “lock-on” system is fairly finicky and will often require players to stand in odd positions and face Shadows at odd angles in order for the game to register that they are targeting them. This felt like The Answer’s weakest feature and is hopefully something Atlus can address in tuning up the DLC prior to final release.
The Story Focuses on Grief and Moving On
It seems highly probable that the narrative of “The Answer” won’t undergo substantial alterations. The original “The Answer” already told a compelling tale about grief, memory, and life post-traumatic events, making significant modifications unnecessary. However, the sneak peek of “Episode Aigis” emphasized dungeon exploration and combat, with few story sequences included. Consequently, whether or not any changes have been made is still uncertain. Nevertheless, the remake includes new banter between Metis and her party members during dungeon exploration, which primarily highlights the contrast between her robotic upbringing and that of a typical human. Since “The Answer” is Metis’ sole appearance and she has limited chances to interact with other characters, utilizing every opportunity for such interactions is a sensible decision given the circumstances.
In Episode Aigis: The Answer, which is included in the expansion pass for Persona 3 Reload, you can expect its release on September 10, 2024. Already out are Waves 1 and 2 of the DLC, offering fresh Velvet Room-themed costumes and music from both Persona 5 Royal and Persona 4 Royal. This upcoming episode offers a heartfelt narrative with tough new dungeons and stunning graphics that fans of Persona 3 Reload should appreciate.
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2024-08-15 16:03