One of the biggest complaints surrounding Persona 3 Reload was that Atlus’ remake of the beloved PS2 RPG didn’t have all the add-ons from previous updated editions of the game. This included the playable epilogue called The Answer from Persona 3 FES, and Persona 3 Portable’s female protagonist route that lets you play as Kotone Shiomi, a female version of the main character with different storylines, dialogue, and even music than the original male version. While The Answer may be coming as DLC in the future, it doesn’t sound like Atlus is going to be adding a “FeMC” route. Thankfully fans are stepping up, with a team already working diligently to add the option through mods, and it looks like it’s coming together pretty well.
The mod is being developed by a group that calls themselves the “FeMC Reloaded Team,” and it updates not only the character model, but also color swaps Reload’s blue UI for pink, just like Persona 3 Portable did for the female route on the PSP. According to the group’s Github page for the mod, the goal is to retool as much of the game with Kotone’s color scheme and likeness as possible, as well as make alterations to scenes to reflect her, as opposed to the male protagonist Makoto Yuki.
“Our quests span across realms - from 3D modeling to UI design, from rewriting texts to reanimating cutscenes,” the team writes on the Github page. “We did, what Atlusn’t.”
The group’s long-term goals include:
- Document your 3D modeling escapades, breathing life into Kotone’s character.
- Paint the UI with Kotone’s essence, making every pixel count.
- Rewrite dialogues, bestowing Kotone with a voice that echoes and differentiates her from Makoto.
- Craft cutscenes that captivate, placing Kotone at the heart of the narrative.
- Weave animations with finesse, bringing fluidity to Kotone’s every move.
Here’s a video showcasing some of the school life sections, as well as some turn-based battles.
Kotone’s place in the Persona canon has been complicated over the years. Most games that followed Persona 3 have acknowledged Makoto as the hero of the game, but Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth features the character prominently, as she joins the rest of the casts from the three “modern” Persona games and questions the nature of her existence. Her omission in Persona 3 Reload has been a sore spot for a lot of fans, so it’s great to see some dedicated fans bringing her back into the fold.
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