It’s A Shame Persona 3 Reload Ditched Its Female Protagonist

As a gamer with a special affinity for Persona 3 Portable, the Persona 3 Reload announcement left me with a mix of excitement and disappointment. The remake offered the perfect opportunity to experience the game from a modern perspective, yet Atlus’ decision not to include the female protagonist felt like a missed opportunity for inclusivity, especially given her presence in the original Persona 3 Portable.

The anticipation for Persona 3 Reload was immense for fans, with the game’s official announcement at the Xbox Games Showcase displaying captivating visuals and beloved characters. However, the absence of the crucial character Minako Arisato, often referred to as FeMC, was conspicuous and left a sense of incompleteness.

A Character Who Left A Legacy

Minako first made her appearance in Persona 3 Portable back in 2009, becoming the second female protagonist in the Persona franchise, following Maya Amano from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment. Many fans, including myself, resonated with Minako’s character, as she allowed us to experience the enthralling story of Persona 3 from the perspective of a female character.

When rumors of a Persona 3 remake began to circulate, it was a moment filled with possibilities. I had hoped Atlus would embrace this opportunity to integrate Minako into the game’s storyline, giving her the same attention and animation as her male counterpart. Unfortunately, my hopes were dashed when Atlus confirmed that Persona 3 Reload would not include a playable female protagonist.

This frustration was reignited with Persona 3 Portable being released in the past year on modern consoles. I played it on the Switch for a bit, and the nostalgic hit was there. I was taken back to the time when I first played it on the public city bus while commuting to the university I went to. The rides were around 30 minutes long, and it was the perfect way to keep myself closed off from the other commuters. (At times, there were questionable people who hopped on, and I seemed to be a magnet for conversation with them.)

But most importantly, it reminded me of my ex-boyfriend, who had bought me the UMD disc for my PSP not too long after we broke up. We tried being friends, but I wasn’t really in the proper headspace to be with anyone at the time. I had been working through some PTSD, considering myself too broken and damaged for a healthy romance. Minako’s story and her eventual romance with Akihiko was a bright spot for me at the time. I clung to it desperately, having it act as a reminder there’s always the chance that one day, when things were looking up, I’d be able to find someone to love.

That Old Familiar Tune

Those moments in the past came washing up like shells on a shore when I heard the all too familiar introductory song Soul Phrase that acted as Minako’s theme song. I was laying under the covers, which made playing the game on Switch that much more cozy. But thinking about all those memories also made me very irritated, and for a month or two, I had sworn to myself that I wouldn’t bother getting the new game. Eventually, as I started to see the different pieces of footage of the new game, I started to feel a little less animosity towards Atlus.

Apparently, there will be some more interactions between the male teammates and the male main character—they just won’t have full-on social links like they did in Minako’s story. The developers say instead, there will be some moments during the story that they will interact with him, and we’ll see their characters and relationships develop.

This isn’t very comforting to me. It sounds like they’re going to be small moments added in to apparently appease those of us who wanted something deeper with Akihiko, but I doubt the same depth will be placed with him and the other male characters as they will be with fan faves like Mitsuru. And I doubt the developers will add same sex romances, as they’ve been continuously apprehensive in adding them to other Persona games—namely Persona 5.

There’s Still A Chance, Though

There remains a window of opportunity for Atlus to introduce a female protagonist through DLC or a re-release. The Persona franchise is renowned for expanding its storylines, as seen in Persona 5 Royal and Persona 4 Golden.

If Persona 3 Reload enjoys strong sales following its release in early 2024, Atlus might consider a future release with additional content. Such content could encompass not only a playable female character but also the long-awaited “Answer” epilogue, FES Social Links that didn’t make it to the remake, and potentially new storylines. A creative approach would be to introduce a narrative revolving around Minako and the rest of the SEES team, akin to Persona 5 Strikers, where the Phantom Thieves embarked on a summer adventure to investigate mysterious occurrences.

This wouldn’t be a wholly satisfying solution for me, as I’m frustrated by the way Atlus approaches to its games. It devalues the original purchase, especially when there’s no added benefit for existing owners, considering the new version. While I did like Persona 5, I was unwilling to pay the full price for the updated editions.

Persona 3 Reload is set to launch in February 2024. For now, I’ll continue to decide if purchasing Reload will be worth it or not without Minako.