Highlights

  • Persona 3 Reload's DLC may lead to a Persona 2 remake, as both share a linear dungeon crawl foundation.
  • Episode Aigis: The Answer will lack social links, focusing on character development through a straightforward dungeon crawl.
  • Persona 2, which also lacks social simulation elements, shares the series' thematic roots and could be more appealing with the success of Persona 3 Reload's DLC.

Persona 3 Reload was released earlier this year to wide critical acclaim. Though Persona has adventured into ports and plenty of upgraded re-releases, Persona 3 Reload was the series' first foray into tackling a remake of its scale. Persona 3 FES' epilogue, The Answer, was notably missing from Reload, but the remake will receive its own version of The Answer as DLC, which may be good news for fans of Persona 2.

Episode Aigis: The Answer will follow in the footsteps of the original by providing closure to the characters of Persona 3 Reload. Episode Aigis will follow more than just the original's narrative purpose, as it is also poised to reflect the linear gameplay of The Answer. Though modern Persona games are heavily associated with their social sim elements and calendar-based progression, this wasn't always the case. The old-school format of Episode Aigis: The Answer could set up future remakes of past Persona games.

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Persona 3 Reload DLC Could Lead to Persona 2 Remake

Persona is a Balance of Dungeon Crawling and Social Simulation

Persona is heavily renowned for its distinct balance of dungeon crawling and social simulation. While the series has had dungeons from the very beginning, Persona 3 introduced Social Links, the most important among many other features Persona 3 is responsible for creating. When players aren't delving through dungeons and slaying enemies, they can kick back with friends and go out on dates.

The purpose of Episode Aigis: The Answer is to serve as an epilogue to the main story of Persona 3 Reload. The format this is done may prove significant, as The Answer is completely lacking many of the social sim elements that many now consider synonymous with the series.

Because of this, Episode Aigis presumably won't feature Social Links of any kind. Instead, the character development that is so vital to the epilogue will all be done the old-fashioned way. The Answer features a straightforward dungeon crawl, during which characters process the ending of Persona 3. This is the key element that may put a Persona 2 remake in consideration.

Persona 2 is Very Different from Modern Persona Games

Persona 2 came well before Persona 3's innovations in blending life simulation into the series. For this reason, Persona 2 is much more similar to classic RPGs, since it's less dependent on a calendar and completely lacks Social Links. However, even though those elements hadn't been introduced, the themes of the series were still very present.

Though Persona 2 lacks some of the features that emphasize the themes of later games, it still shares the same thematic roots. The player may not be progressing Social Links, but the protagonist still spends time investing in the bonds they share with the people close to them. The series has always been, in some part, about the very literal power of friendship. This remains as true for Persona 2 as it does for later entries like Persona 5, and Persona 3 Reload's DLC makes a good case for remaking Persona 2.

Persona 2 and Persona 3 DLC Share Some Key Elements

Persona 2 is more of a linear dungeon crawl than Persona 3 and its other successors. However, this means it shares a foundation of design with Episode Aigis: The Answer. Though fans may be used to the calendar format now, Episode Aigis: The Answer will serve as a departure from the social simulation elements originally introduced by Persona 3.

Persona 3 Reload's DLC could therefore prime players for a gameplay experience that is much more similar to Persona 2 than later titles. Persona 2 features a focus on story through straightforward dungeon crawling, and lacks social simulation elements that have lengthened the experience of later games. As an epilogue to Persona 3 Reload, Episode Aigis: The Answer shares much of the same DNA.

Atlus exploring a dungeon crawl like The Answer may leave the door open for it to remake Persona 2. Likewise, if players find themselves liking The Answer, they may wind up more prepared to tackle a straightforward experience like Persona 2. Either way, Persona 3 Reload's DLC paves the way for a Persona 2 remake, and shows it may already be on the radar of players and developers alike.