Highlights

  • Players may want to experience Aigis' backstory with Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission before The Answer DLC.
  • Interested players will likely need to seek out translations of this Japan-exclusive prequel.
  • While optional, playing Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission will deepen players' understanding of Aigis' journey.

Persona 3 Reload players will get to experience The Answer epilogue originally included in Persona 3 FES when Episode Aigis - The Answer launches as DLC later this year. For players looking to gain additional context to Aigis' story before the Persona 3 Reload DLC releases, Atlus is bringing an obscure prequel titled Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission to Steam and Nintendo Switch this year as well. While this prequel game won't be available in English, players might be wondering if it is worth finding a translation or if the game is necessary to understand the plot of The Answer.

The lore surrounding the world of Persona 3 is fairly substantial and follows the common trend of numerous spin-offs that Atlus' Persona games tend to follow. While Persona fans might be familiar with spin-off titles like Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth and Persona 4 Arena Ultimax that further flesh out the characters of Persona 3, few are likely aware of the Japan-exclusive Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission. With the game set for release on modern platforms later this year, it may be worthwhile for interested fans to seek out a translated version of the game if they are interested in understanding Aigis' backstory before The Answer DLC releases.

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Related
Persona 3 Reload: The Answer DLC Wish List

Persona 3 Reload will be receiving The Answer DLC later this year, and this expansion needs to include several features to make it a complete package.

Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission Serves as a Prequel to Persona 3's Story

Originally released for mobile phones in Japan in 2007, Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission takes place in 1999 and follows the story of Aigis as she first develops her skills as an Anti-Shadow combat weapon. The game provides players with further context as to how Aigis became able to summon her Persona, Palladion, and the beginnings of her emotional development that players will see in Persona 3 Reload. As expected, players will primarily explore dungeons and fight Shadows throughout the game, though these mechanics are much more limited compared to the mainline Persona games.

Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission also gives other side characters from Persona 3 Reload more development, such as Yukari's father, Eiichiro Takeba, and Mitsuru's father, Takeharu Kirijo. In addition to these familiar characters, players will also meet new characters like Yuu Kimijima, Aigis' development chief, and Takashi Tomari, a young boy who develops a close relationship with Aigis. Persona 3 Reload players will also be familiar with the game's primary setting of Yakushima, where the SEES gang first meets Aigis.

Players Can Enjoy Persona 3 Reload The Answer Without Needing to Play Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission

Persona 3 Reload Episode Aigis-4

Despite the upcoming release on modern platforms, it might be difficult for players to access Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission since it won't receive an official English localization. However, the good news is that the game is entirely optional and not necessary to understand the plot of The Answer. Persona 3 Aigis: The Fist Mission helps give more context to some of the events described in Persona 3 Reload, such as Aigis' creation and the development of her human emotions, but the game doesn't have that much of an impact on the story of The Answer.

Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission is not necessary to understand Persona 3 Reload The Answer, but playing it will enhance the experience for those able to access the game.

Persona 3 Reload The Answer DLC will mainly follow up on the ending of the base game and explain what became of Nyx and the protagonist after its finale. While it will certainly enhance the experience for players who can access Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission, it's an entirely optional game that can be skipped. However, for those willing to put in the effort to find a fan translation of the game, Persona 3 Aigis: The First Mission is definitely worth checking out.