If there’s one thing that has become a tradition for the Persona series, it’s watching the fandom argue over which waifu is the best after each release. Persona 3 Reload is no different, so we’re going to rank all of the romance options from worst to best!
Compared to later entries of the series that place importance on romance options, Persona 3 Reload’s romance options are fairly limited in comparison. There are only six in the game and some of them are only accessible fairly late into the game. Still, when there are romance options, there are debates on who is the best, and after consulting several other staff writers who are deep into the Persona rabbit hole, we’ve determined which ones are the best.
When ranking them, we looked at a few elements, most notably the characters themselves. From their design, personality, and their Social Link, we compared all aspects of them to determine who was the best choice. Also, despite how close you can get with her, Elizabeth is technically not considered a romance option despite the various scenes you have with her outside of the Velvet Room, so don’t expect to see her here. With that being said, here are the best waifus romance options in Persona 3 Reload!
6. Chihiro Fushimi (Justice Arcana)
Chihiro is an incredibly shy young woman who rarely talks to men. Her shyness stems from her abusive father, and the entire Social Link has you trying to help her break out of her shell and be more confident. It’s a nice gesture, but given how you can almost entirely skip over her Social Link unless you talk to her several times unprompted, most people will completely overlook her. Plus, you can technically screw yourself out of romancing her in her Rank 5 Social Link depending on what you answer, or even reverse your relationship with her if you choose incorrectly. While she’s kind enough, she’s probably going to be the last person you’ll romance in Persona 3 Reload.
5) Fuuka Yamagishi (Preistress Arcana)
As the first party member you can technically romance (as long as you have maxed out Courage), Fuuka falls into some unfortunate tropes that keep her from being placed any higher. Most of her Social Link involves you trying her cooking, where you learn she’s a terrible cook and you start to help improve her abilities as a chef. Outside of that tired trope, while Fuuka is highly useful as a party member, her Social Link is dull as you spend most of your time boosting her confidence and have her find meaning in whatever she wants to do. It’s an upgrade from Chihiro, but not by much.
4) Aigis (Aeon Arcana)
There was fierce debate over where to put Aigis on this list, but everyone’s favorite robot found herself in the middle of the pack. While some people do love her character, she doesn’t really evolve and discover her humanity until the very end of the game. You can only romance her in January, and by that point, you’ll only have a few weeks to actually pull it off. The game seems almost to force the two of you together given how Aigis constantly states she always wants to be by your side, and her Social Link where she learns about the human experience has shades of the interactions you’ve had with Elizabeth throughout the game. She’s by far the hardest romance option in Persona 3 Reload and while some people may love her, there are better options.
3) Yuko Nishiwaki (Strength Arcana)
For most players, Yuko will be the first romance option they’ll unlock, and she’s a pretty fun character to romance. She’s energetic and very determined, and the subplot where you help her train some local kids flows pretty naturally into her arc about figuring out what she wants to do in the future. It’s an arc that feels appropriate for a high schooler and it makes Yuko pretty relatable. Also, it’s pretty obvious that she’s crushing on you and drops several hints throughout the Social Link that she’s into you. She’s like the prototype for Persona 4’s Chie, and I mean that as a high compliment.
2) Yukari Takeba (Lovers Arcana)
Yukari has a lot going on in her Social Link, but her interactions with you feel genuine. Yukari’s Social Link has you trying to help mend the relationship between her and her mom, which builds nicely on the moments surrounding her father in the main story. It’ll take a bit of time to actually start her Social Link, given how you need max Charisma, but when you do, you’ll see Yukari interact with you in ways that the series rarely does, like putting you in a no-win scenario where she’ll get pissed at you regardless of what you say (thankfully without reversing your Social Link). Given how much time you spend with her both in combat and in downtime, it’s not surprising why so many people call her the best romance option…
1) Mitsuru Kirijo (Empress Arcana)
… And yet, Mitsuru is the undeniable best romance option in Persona 3 Reload. She’s one of the last romance options in the game, and you’ll need to have maxed out Academics to start her Social Link, but by that point, that should be a non-issue. Mitsuru’s Social Link sees her come to terms with the personal side effects of some main story beats that’s a smart continuation of her character arc within the main story. It also puts into focus some of her rebellious tendencies and her strained relationship with the Kirijo Group. Plus, the way that she realizes she has feelings for you is absolutely precious. When you look at every element of her character and her Social Link, Mitsuru is, in our opinion, the best romance option in Persona 3 Reload.
Published: Sep 3, 2024 12:57 am