Author: Game Infliction

Aigis in the Spotlight as Persona 3 Reload’s Epilogue Makes Its Way to Game Pass

Aigis in the Spotlight as Persona 3 Reload’s Epilogue Makes Its Way to Game Pass

Persona 3 Reload Epilogue Hero Image

Summary

  • The surviving S.E.E.S. gang faces a new challenge as they explore the mysterious abyss below Iwatodai Dorm.
  • Players will enjoy a familiar-yet-fresh experience, with new additions such as new ultimate attacks, animated cutscenes, and a new playable character.
  • Episode Aigis -The Answer- is part of Persona 3 Reload‘s Expansion Pass, available September 10 for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members as a Game Pass Perk.

This past February, Persona 3 Reload introduced a new generation of players to the first “modern” entry in the Persona series, going on to become the fastest selling game in Atlus’ nearly 40-year history. While P3R is a monster of an RPG (providing this writer over 90 hours of entertainment), what’s left for our heroes once they’ve vanquished Tartarus, ended the Dark Hour, and set things right at Gekkokuan High? 

Sadness, mostly.

As Episode Aigis -The Answer-, Reload‘s remake of the epilogue from 2007’s Persona 3 FES, kicks off, the mood is decidedly downbeat. Sure, cultish nemesis Strega is gone, and Apathy Syndrome is abating across Tatsumi Port Island. But with Persona 3 Reload‘s main character falling in the final battle, and Iwatodai Dorm closing its doors for good, the vibes feel anything but victorious. At least things are back to normal, right? Right?

Persona 3 Reload Epilogue Screenshot

As the surviving S.E.E.S. gang hangs out one last time in the dorm, midnight strikes, there’s an earthquake, in bursts another Aigis-like android named Metis, and a giant hole appears in the floor of the dorm’s lobby leading downward. Stuck in a time loop and unable to leave the dorm, the gang has no choice but to explore the mysterious abyss which has appeared beneath the dorm.

While Mitsuru, Junpei, and the gang aren’t exactly thrilled to be thrust back into the center of a supernatural mystery, I couldn’t be more excited to sample the first hour of Episode Aigis -The Answer-, jumping back into a game that I’ve frankly missed since completing it this spring.

Picking the controller back up for more Persona 3 Reload was as familiar and comfortable as settling into my favorite spot on the couch – with one wrinkle. With our main character dearly departed, Aigis visits the Velvet Room, well known as the place only the heroes of Persona games seem to be able to visit. This also means that Aigis can now swap out personas in battle, just like the hero of the full game.

Persona 3 Reload Epilogue Screenshot

Unlike the endless staircase of Tartarus, there are clear pathways to choose from in the Abyss of Time; appearing as doors in the middle of a desert. Once inside, the moment-to-moment action plays out as you may remember: exploring labyrinths, exploiting enemy weaknesses, and triggering All Out Attacks; more of what people love about Persona.

As for what else is new, the mysterious Metis does join the team, leading to some fun battle banter – she’s a bit of a weirdo! I noted some new music tracks, joining those already imprinted in my brain. The first hour also offers tantalizing hints that Persona 3 Reload‘s main character may not be completely gone from this world. Regardless of how it plays out, Aigis always had main character energy, and we’re in for a fun ride as she takes the wheel for what promises to be a 30-hour epilogue adventure.

Episode Aigis -The Answer- is part of Persona 3 Reload’s Expansion Pass – which Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members receive as a Game Pass Perk – redeem it now! Persona 3 Reload’s main game is also available now with Game Pass on cloud, console, and PC.


Persona 3 Reload
Xbox Live
Xbox Play Anywhere

Persona 3 Reload

SEGA

☆☆☆☆☆
371
★★★★★


$69.99

$45.49
Get it now
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass

Step into the shoes of a transfer student thrust into an unexpected fate when entering the hour “hidden” between one day and the next. Awaken an incredible power and chase the mysteries of the Dark Hour, fight for your friends, and leave a mark on their memories forever.

Persona 3 Reload is a captivating reimagining of the genre-defining RPG, reborn for the modern era.

Key Features:
– Experience the pivotal game of the Persona series faithfully remade with cutting-edge graphics, modernized quality-of-life features, and signature stylish UI.

-Fully immerse yourself in an emotional, gripping journey with new scenes, character interactions, and additional voiceover.

– Choose how to meaningfully spend each day through various activities from exploring the Port Island to forging genuine bonds with beloved characters.

– Build and command your optimal team to take down otherworldly Shadows and climb closer to the truth.

The post Aigis in the Spotlight as Persona 3 Reload’s Epilogue Makes Its Way to Game Pass appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Plucky Squire launches on PS5 September 17 as part of PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium 

Finally, the heroic tale of brave warrior Jot is ready to be told! We are thrilled to announce the release date of The Plucky Squire, which will be coming to PlayStation 5 on September 17. This means you’ll be venturing into the game’s colorful, adventure-filled storybook world – and beyond – in just a month. Woah! Here’s a shiny new launch trailer to tide you over until then.


Plucky Squire launches on PS5 September 17 as part of PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium 

But wait, there’s more big news! We’re also very excited to reveal that The Plucky Squire will be available for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members as part of the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog at launch. So, if you have a membership, you’ll be able to dive right into the game when it releases. We’re looking forward to inviting PlayStation players to the land of Mojo to help Jot embark on his incredible multi-dimensional quest.

In The Plucky Squire, Jot can leap from the pages of his storybook world into a three-dimensional realm beyond. But wherever he travels, danger awaits—whether it’s a terrifyingly huge insect in the 3D world, or one of cruel wizard Humpgrump’s monstrous minions in the storybook. Luckily, a friendly shopkeeper named Martina is here to lend a helping hand.

As you explore The Plucky Squire’s twin realms, you’ll encounter inspiration in the form of lightbulbs. Whack trees, cut bushes, or slay enemies, and these illuminating collectibles will drop, which can then be traded for stuff at Martina’s many shops. You’ll want to gather as much inspiration as you can, as they’ll let you unlock a series of super cool, and super effective, combat moves for Jot.

One of these moves lets Jot throw his sword at distant enemies—and if you spend more bulbs to upgrade it, you can throw it even further. This lets you attack foes from a safe distance, and if you lose your sword or get it stuck in a wall, you can draw it back to you—like magic!

Another move lets Jot unleash a powerful spin attack. He’ll swing his sword in a circular flurry and, if used at the right time, damage multiple enemies at once. Use this power in the midst of a group of foes for maximum damage—and if you upgrade it, you can even add a second spin to the mix.

You can also buy a neat jump attack for Jot, which lets him leap majestically into the air and come crashing down with his blade to devastating effect. Not only that, but you can upgrade your regular sword attack to deal more damage as well. Humgrump’s lackeys won’t know what hit ‘em.

Inspiration can also be spent on art scrolls, which reveal more about how the land of Mojo was created—including concept art, early versions of levels, and other artistic nuggets. Art scrolls can be found hidden around the game world too, but the ones you buy are exclusive to Martina’s store.

This is just a taste of what awaits you on the pages of The Plucky Squire. You can experience this dimension-hopping adventure for yourself when the game launches on PlayStation 5 on September 17.

Will brave Jot be able to defeat the wicked Humgrump and restore peace to the land of Mojo? The fate of the realm is in your hands…

Homeworld 3’s latest free update and paid DLC probably won’t fix its Overwhelmingly Negative Steam reception

I was all set to plunge into Blackbird and Gearbox’s Homeworld 3 this spring when I received a slightly underwhelmed intergalactic transmission from Nic, praising the game’s atmosphere and story while ruminating over fussy controls and a want of tactical depth. Like a herd of frigates scenting a pride of destroyers lurking behind a nearby asteroid, I rerouted hastily and took up a holding position approximately one astronomical unit from the Buy button, hoping that the developers might iron out a few of the wrinkles.

Read more

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Delayed to February 2025

Warhorse Studios has delayed medieval open world role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 from 2024 to February 11, 2025, though will release 25 minutes of gameplay later in August.

No explicit reason for the delay was given, with Warhorse public relations manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling merely saying on X/Twitter that “we slipped to 2025.” A three minute video was shared to announce the delay, release date, and Warhorese’s plans for the coming months.

“We aimed for the end of the year and almost made it,” Stolz-Zwilling said. “Almost is not good enough though, so unfortunately we slipped to 2025.”

He then said a Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 trailer will be released during Gamescom 2024‘s Opening Night Live showcase on August 20, the 25 minute gameplay video will be released on August 21, and that a Collector’s Edition will also be revealed during the event. Those attending Gamescom in Cologne, Germany can play a demo too.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is promised to be a “behemoth” of a game featuring a map twice the size of the 2018 original, new weapons, a “much more epic” story,” reputation system, and more.

“What we are making now is what it was supposed to be in the beginning, but we weren’t able to do it because we didn’t have enough resources and experiences and all that stuff,” Warhorse creative director Daniel Vavra said in April. “We’ve proven the concept works, so now we can take it to another level, which is what we always wanted.”

In IGN’s 8/10 review of the original, we said: “Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an RPG that does the medieval era right with a refreshingly small-scale story and strong realistic combat.”

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

Persona 3 Reload Will ‘Likely Never’ Get the Female Protagonist, Producer Says

The Persona 3 Reload remake released in February 2024 will “likely never” get female protagonist Kotone Shiomi, who was introduced in a previous iteration of the game, its producer has said.

As reported by PC Gamer, Persona series producer Kazuhisa Wada told Game Informer Magazine that he was “really sorry” but fan pleas for Shiomi’s inclusion will probably never be answered.

“The more we discussed it, the more unlikely it became,” Wada said. “The development time and costs would not have been manageable.

I’m really sorry to all of the fans who were holding out hope.

“Persona 3 Reload has just released, and there is currently a lot of player interest, so if we are to do an additional release, it has to be now. But since it is not possible for us to release Persona 3 Reload with the female protagonist in this window, we just can’t do it. I’m really sorry to all of the fans who were holding out hope, but it is likely never going to happen.”

Persona 3 Reload is the fourth iteration of Persona 3 (or the fifth if the port to modern consoles is included). The base game launched in 2006, followed by an enhanced edition called Persona 3 FES in 2007, and a PlayStation Portable version aptly called Persona 3 Portable in 2009.

It was in this latter version the female protagonist was released, so when Atlus announced a full remake promised to be a “complete experience,” many fans were disappointed to learn it wasn’t planning to include FES or Portable content.

The release model of Atlus, particularly of the Shin Megami Tensei (of which Persona originated) and Persona franchises, is starting to frustrate some fans. It’s common practice for the developer to release the base game and then, a year or two later, released essentially a better version with extra content at full cost. Persona 4 received Persona 4 Golden, and Persona 5 received Persona 5 Royal.

Fans therefore took issue with Persona 3 Reload releasing without this content, not just because it was missing, but because they expected Atlus to release an enhanced edition soon after that would include it.

Looking to quell those concerns, Wada promised fans in March 2024 that Persona 3 Reload was a “complete experience,” but just one month later Atlus announced an expansion pass. This would add a handful of cosmetics alongside Episode Aegis — a 30 hour epilogue added to Persona 3 FES — but no female protagonist.

Further frustration came as Atlus confirmed Episode Aegis wouldn’t be available as a standalone but only as part of the $34.99 expansion pass. The “complete experience” promise therefore fell through, with fans actually having to pay a total of $104.98 to play every part of Persona 3 Reload. This still won’t include all the Persona 3 content ever released, of course, and seemingly never will, as the female protagonist and other additional content remains locked in Persona 3 Portable.

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.

Shapez 2 early access review: splendid abstract factory-building with room for a few more surprises

Over 2000 hours spent in various factory games makes me a bit of a purist, I suppose. In theory, I should then be the ideal reviewer to enjoy Shapez 2. But I’m also the ideal reviewer to tear it apart over the most minor hiccups and defects. I’m the Anton Ego of factory games. I don’t like food, I love it. If I don’t love it, I don’t swallow.

Ah, you needn’t worry. This is by far the most fun I’ve had reviewing a game, and Shapez 2 has, in my mind at least, turned the holy trinity of factory games (Factorio, Satisfactory, Dyson Sphere Program) into a holy quartet. Its pared back, everything-is-free-forever approach is quite liberating, and I’ve never had so much fun placing conveyor belts in my life. But 40 hours into my save file, I’ve often found myself yearning for a bit more creativity in the challenges, a few more curveballs sent in my direction.

Read more

Random: Donkey Kong Country 3 Fan Creates Incredible Epoxy Resin Statue

Yes, we want one.

There have been some truly gorgeous video game statues in our time, from the likes of the First 4 Figures Samus Gravity Suit statue from Metroid to the ludicrous Ghosts ‘n Goblins statue from Dream Figures.

We love one-off designs though; statues that likely won’t be made available to the general public, but nevertheless showcase a level of originality that simply can’t be replicated elsewhere. And yes, we’re a little bit jealous that we can’t get our hands on them, too.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Oops… the release date for Dragon Age: The Veilguard leaks a few hours early

The release date for Dragon Age: The Veilguard has been revealed in a last-minute leak thanks to a naughty video advertisement. Electronic Arts had planned to share the game’s debut-day in about… *checks watchless wrist* … 7 hours, as part of a special release date trailer. But the internet will ever internet, and thanks to some slip-up or other, we have the knowledge just a smidge early. Will I tell you what the actual release date is? Sure. I guess so.

Read more

Steam’s latest update to user reviews doesn’t find your “jokes, memes, ascii art and other content” as funny as you do

Steam’s seeing a good few sweeping changes of late. They’ve recently added a ‘Trending Free’ tab to separate the no money down and no, money down playables. And, as of September, they’re cracking down on links to other websites in store pages. Now, horror of horrors, they’re coming for your ascii gigachads and “nobody is going to read this review so I’ll just say I’m gay” bangers. The changes are part of their ‘New Helpfulness System’, outlined here.

The new system, which will be enabled by default but can be toggled off, aims to “help potential players make informed decisions about the games they are considering purchasing by understanding the attributes of the game that other players like or don’t like.” Ah, so a sort of ‘review’, if you will. I like it!

Read more