This article contains spoilers for Persona 3 Reload.
Ryoji Mochizuki’s Social Link didn’t make the jump to Persona 3 Reload, and its absence is definitely felt in a few key areas. The characters and their writing are a major part of the Persona series’ success, especially where the Social Links are concerned. Ryoji and his link are no exception to that. However, with Persona 3 Reload not featuring his Social Link, it underscores how important it was to his character’s impact as a whole. Of course, Ryoji himself is still in the game, but his role doesn’t have quite as much punch as it did previously.
Among the cast, Persona 3‘s Ryoji Mochizuki fulfills a rather unique role. He appears as a new student at Gekkoukan High fairly late in the game, but his true role is something far more complicated. Behind his casual, flirty demeanor, he is actually a human form of Nyx Avatar, the incarnation of Death and the final boss of the game. This puts him in the unusual role of being an acquaintance as well as a looming threat. He isn’t the only antagonistic force in the series to appear well before his battle, but Ryoji’s personality and story arc make his presence very memorable.
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Ryoji’s Returned to Persona 3 Reload Without His Biggest Asset
Ryoji Got His Own Social Link in Persona 3 Portable
Ryoji was one of the Social Links exclusive to Persona 3 Portable if the player chose the female protagonist. If the player chooses to pursue his Social Link, they will gradually uncover a more sentimental side of Ryoji. The two of them form a friendship, and potentially a romance, that can’t help but be tragic due to their circumstances. It makes the game’s final arc have much more impact if the protagonist has befriended Ryoji when they see him transform and admit his true role, especially if the player romanced him. Ryoji’s Social Link was a powerful addition to Persona 3 Portable.
Persona 3 Reload Left Out Portable’s Exclusive Social Links
Unfortunately, Ryoji’s Social Link was left out of the remake because Persona 3 Reload didn’t adapt the female protagonist or her route. As a result, players miss out on everything that came from Ryoji’s Social Link. He still appears as he did in the normal game, and also gets a few Linked Episodes to bond more with the protagonist. However, even with that additional content, it doesn’t have the same weight that Ryoji’s arc did in Portable‘s female route. While Persona 3 Portable improved on a wide variety of areas, Ryoji is one instance where a previous version of the game actually did it better.
Along with Takaya, Ryoji is one of only two characters outside of S.E.E.S. to get Linked Episodes in Persona 3 Reload.
Ryoji’s Arc Loses Impact Without His Social Link
Ryoji wasn’t the only character to lose his Social Link between remakes. In fact, Persona 3 Reload‘s Social Links leave out every male member of S.E.E.S., since they didn’t get Social Links until Portable. However, while their Social Links are also missed, most of them still get a lot of spotlight and time to grow on the player. Ryoji doesn’t get that same luxury. He isn’t present for most of the game’s story and only gets a short time to shine. It really shows how much Persona 3 Portable‘s Social Link helped Ryoji since its absence holds his new incarnation back so much.
Ryoji is an undoubtedly important character that Persona 3 Reload, unfortunately, doesn’t use to the fullest. Persona 3 Reload‘s Fortune Social Link in Keisuke is fine in his own right and has a solid story to tell. Unfortunately, Ryoji’s own story was really helped by his Social Link in Portable. Without it, he doesn’t have as much time to grow on the player. Ryoji’s role as Nyx Avatar is still the same in every version of Persona 3. Unfortunately, he doesn’t shine as much as Ryoji without his Social Link.
- Released
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February 2, 2024
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
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P-Studio