Recently, we were given early access to a preview build of Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis on PC. And if there's one thing that we've learned about the upcoming expansion, it's that, just like Reload itself, this will be another incredibly faithful remake. Those expecting any kind of deviation from the rather divisive original will likely be left very disappointed indeed.
We write 'divisive' because that's exactly what Persona 3 FES' epilogue continues to be, close to two decades after its initial PS2 release. Without spoiling anything specific, The Answer — as it was then called — dealt with the aftermath of Persona 3's main story. It further explored the Dark Hour and its impact on the core cast, while simultaneously spotlighting the party members that you had fought alongside throughout the game.
It's the epilogue's treatment of these largely beloved characters that can rub fans the wrong way. And again, we've been assured that Episode Aigis won't make any notable changes to the plot's overall flow. If The Answer pissed you off in the first place, you'll probably have a similar reaction to this reincarnation.
As its name implies, Episode Aigis has you play as Aigis, the humanoid, shadow-slaying weapon who grew so close to the protagonist during the base release. Essentially, some additional sh*t hits the fan, and the S.E.E.S. gang is pulled back into the fray, only this time, Aigis is leading the operation. She's handed the same persona-swapping powers as the protagonist, and you're quickly tasked with exploring an all-new dungeon with the help of a new, similarly mechanical ally named Metis.
Much like Tartarus, this dungeon has randomised elements and a procedural layout. It's also stuffed with shadows, and so combat is pushed to the forefront of the whole excursion. Generally speaking, Episode Aigis has the feel of an endgame escapade, but you won't be carrying over any progress from the base release. Instead, everyone's pushed back to level 30 or so, and you'll need to start identifying enemy weaknesses from scratch.
The expansion's asking a lot — especially if you've just spent 100-ish hours beating Reload — but structurally, it does stand apart from the main game. With no social links in sight, Episode Aigis is basically a dungeon crawler (another element that put a lot of people off the original), and it can be a demanding one at that. Even back on the PS2, The Answer could be cruel in a classic kind of Shin Megami Tensei sense, with enemies often taking full, brutal advantage of a missed attack.