Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis: The Answer Launches September 10 – Hands-On Report

You’ve spent dozens of hours in Tartarus, you’ve maxed out your countless social links, and you’ve finally conquered all the challenges Persona 3 Reload has to offer – or so you think. In the upcoming DLC ​​Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis, which is coming to PS5 and PS4 on September 10, you’ll meet a new companion, face a host of new threats, and resolve many of the story’s loose ends. At the center of it all is Aigis, a cyborg who has learned human emotions and the pain of loss.

A damaged package

At the end of your challenging and emotional journey in Persona 3 Reload, you have put the embodiment of death to rest and ended a memorable school year – at a very high price. It is now March 31st, a few weeks after graduation, and all the former SEES members are preparing to pack their bags and leave the dorms for good. At a simple but somber farewell party, the android Aigis reveals that she will be returning to the lab that created her.

But as soon as the clock struck midnight, a new day began. It was discovered that no one could leave the dormitory. And then, a strange attacker suddenly attacked the remaining SEES team…

A disastrous family reunion

The strange attacker turned out to be another android named Metis, and she seemed to resemble Aigis. So much so, in fact, that she claimed to be Aigis’s sister. She also made it clear that she was very bonded and protective of her “brother”—in fact, that’s why she attacked the dorm: to protect Aigis.

This is news to Aigis, who has been experiencing her own strange events of late, ending with a trip to the infamous Velvet Room after repelling Metis’ initial attack. When she wakes up back in her dorm, she has new armor, a new Persona, and a major problem in the form of a combined time loop, an external barrier, and a large mysterious door on the dorm floor.

These ominous doors lead into the Abyss of Time, the source of all these strange happenings. The first stop is the Desert of Doors, a place that looks exactly like its name. And who is the strange figure seen entering one of these doors? There is only one way to find out: form a group and give chase.

A Door to Mystery

Episode Aigis’ focus is on the hero robot. She easily takes on the role of leader, taking center stage on the title and status screens, and easily taking on the Persona-changing powers of the Wild Card. Being stuck in the dorms means she won’t be able to go out and do activities or create Social Links, but there’s still plenty of story and character development to explore over the DLC’s roughly 30-hour runtime as Aigis and the SEES members deal with the emotional baggage left behind by their original adventure.

After playing Persona 3 Reload, you’re probably familiar with the flow and feel of the game’s dungeons, and Episode Aigis continues to build on that foundation. Unlike the original protagonist, Aigis uses firepower as a weapon, which makes her method of attacking enemies different: she’ll try to snipe them from a distance before they even notice her presence. Unfortunately, her gunfire is quite loud, so if there are a lot of enemies in a small area, her bullets may alert them to the group’s presence.

As the new Wild Card bearer, Aigis can assemble and switch Personas freely (in combat, you’re still limited to one swap per turn) as well as use Persona Theurgies that have synergies. Since the rest of SEES haven’t been in combat recently, they’re a bit weak, so their levels and stats don’t quite match where they are at the end of P3R’s story.

Metis takes on some of the roles in the party that Aigis once had, including using a special Orgia mode that gives her combat benefits at the cost of being stunned when the boost ends. Metis’s persona, Psyche, uses ice and physical skills, making her a powerful offensive companion.

We only got to play one of the DLC dungeons during our session, about eight floors deep, and fight the sinister shadow that lurks below. But when Aigis and her friends reemerge in the Door Desert, it’s clear that there are still plenty of challenges for the group to overcome – and some very big mysteries to solve. Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis will be available to play on September 10 on PS5 and PS4. That day isn’t far off, so be patient – all your questions will be answered right when you seek them out.