Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth

The game finds by far the best use of the first-person mechanic, and, thanks to its lively and familiar cast of characters, ensures that there's never a dull moment in these dungeons.

Persona Q is a fantastic game that does so many things right.

A must for Persona and Etrian Odyssey fans alike.

Videogames simply do not come better than this, and I give Persona Q: Shadows of the Labyrinth my highest possible recommendation.

If you’re on the look out for a slightly different JRPG experience, a challenge or an entry point to games like Etrian Odyssey and Shin Megami Tensei, then Persona Q is a great choice.

One of the best RPGs available on 3DS. If you like Persona and Etrian Odyssey, go ahead and play it.

While Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth takes numerous gameplay cues from Atlus’ Etrian Odyssey franchise, this is an engrossing, expansive, and entertaining adventure that truly feels like a proper new chapter of the Persona series—one that masterfully blends together elements from both its past and its present.

3DS owners looking for a new RPG to dig into will find a fantastic one here.

An amazing first person dungeon crawler for fans of Persona 3 and 4, but not a gateway into the Persona series.

Having never played a Persona RPG, I enjoyed Persona Q: Shadow of the Layrinth. The fact that it resembles the Etrian Odyssey series in terms of gameplay is a plus and as a person new to the Persona series, I feel that this is another solid RPG from Atlus.

Though it occasionally feels grindy, each new area is a refreshing challenge, and the ease with which you can mix up your party prevents your trips through the dungeons from ever getting stale.

Persona Q represents a bit of a risk, bringing together two RPG series that, despite their common parentage, focus on entirely different facets of the genre. But it works, with the Persona elements livening up the dungeon-crawling and the Etrian Odyssey components bringing some merciless old-school discipline to the unruly Persona sub-universe.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth defies the idea that a game can be either indulgent or intelligent. It's tailored for lovers of Persona and even Etrian Odyssey, without a doubt. But to call Persona Q nothing more than an appeasement of fans' wants is to diminish one of the richest, most robust dungeon crawlers either franchise has seen in years.

Persona Q is easily one of my favorite games this year. It delivers in both quality gameplay and wonderful characters, but what stands out is the extra effort that went into every area, always raising the bar.

Persona Q has something for everyone. If you’re a Persona fan, you’ll get a huge kick out of seeing your old Gekkoukan and Yasogami classmates in an all-new adventure, and Etrian Odyssey fans open to a change will love it — this is the story-driven experiment of Etrian Odyssey Untold taken to the next level, with a stylistic overhaul to match.

Even if it is a spinoff of the main series, it stands out on it’s own. The new battle system adds challenge and offers a different perspective of what we were used to.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is an ambitious amalgamation of disparate stories, ideas, and styles. Persona 3 and Persona 4's character driven narratives may seem like unlikely bedfellows alongside Etrian Odyssey's obsession with dungeon crawling, but with a careful and crafty application of their respective strengths, Persona Q is a strangely melodious composition.

Etrian Odyssey meets Persona in a not-quite-the-sum-of-its-parts game.

A remarkable RPG that nay be a good starting point for Persona newbies. You'll enjoy it even more if you are a Persona 3 and 4 master.

A game tailored to the fans of the Persona series that finally makes its debut on the Nintendo console. A very robust dungeon crawler that will appease beginners as well as hardcore players.

Persona Q is an excellent mixture of the strongest points of Persona and Etrian Odyssey: characterization and dungeon design respectively. However it feels like fan service most of the time and if you don't know what the hell Persona is about, you might miss the entire point of the game.

Persona Q is a great mix between Persona and Etrian Odyssey. The gameplay mechanics from both franchises are complementing each other and offers us a great dungeon-crawler. The interaction between characters is great for people that played other games in these series, but newcomers will find it difficult to really get this game.

It's hard not to fall in love with Persona Q, with its charming cast of characters and addictive combat system. Clearly, this is a labour of love form the crew that brought us the Persona games, but it's mainly directed to the ones who already played the original games.

It's a great Persona chapter and one that fans shouldn't miss.

Persona Q is an RPG deeper than you thought assuming its status as spin-off: fun, attractive, and challenging. It lacks a plot up to the quality of the main series, with a profound theme, but it manages to dazzle you with the crossover of its beloved characters.

A classic Dungeon Crawler with the two best rosters in Persona Franchise. Challenging dungeons, great dialogues and deep combat system.

Persona Q can be grind. It can be frustrating, and, at times, made me want to fling my 3DS across the room. It's also a heartwarming love letter to Persona fans, and an engrossing role-playing game, among the best the 3DS has to offer. Let go and enjoy the ride.

Though there were points when its puzzles completely stumped me, and the combat’s steep difficulty, made me want to launch my 3DS into orbit a few times, the enjoyable battle system, deep exploration, and generous dollops of fanservice made it worth the effort.

While Persona Q’s story may be meaningless on its own, the dungeon crawling and strategic battle system are great challenges with an excellent cast to keep you company.

If key elements from the Persona series had been included, this very well may have been a perfect game, but for old and new fans alike, Persona Q is still guaranteed to stand out as a unique and exciting game.

Persona Q is a testament of how good Etrian Odyssey and Persona 3/4 were, and mixed together then seem to work almost better.

It’s not quite Persona 5, but it’s still a meaty (down, Chie) role-playing experience.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is the perfect recipe for a lovely game, developed mixing up Persona and Etrian Odyssey.

One of the best RPG games for 3DS. [03/2014, p.77]

Persona Q takes the characters you know and love from the Persona series, puts them into a shady labyrinth and sends them into the fray of a tight, dungeon crawling package.

While not all dimensions of the two series could be fully preserved and some of the characters miss out compared with the original games, Persona Q is highly recommended for fans of both, not leaving out new players who will feel more enticed to explore them.

Persona Q doesn’t quite hit the peaks that Persona and Etrian Odyssey do on their own. It does, however, take some of the best elements of each game, blending them together into an immensely satisfying and lengthy RPG. Persona Q is proof that this series has the power to delight, surprise, and engage, no matter the form it takes.

Persona Q is an interesting fusion of two of Atlus' larger franchises. The dungeons are fun to explore, the battles are fun to fight, and it certainly feels like it carries the strengths of both games.

If you’re looking for an entry point into the franchise, this isn’t the best place to start; even so, I really enjoyed myself with Q, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the absurd standards I’ve come to expect from this series.

While Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is very much aimed at a core audience and may alienate potential newcomers, the fans are going to adore it.

Persona Q is a worthy introduction to the series on the Nintendo 3DS. The game is addictingly tough, and the music is unbelievably catchy.

Bear puns aside, you will feel like you need to dance between the darker, more serious cast of Persona 3 and the lighter cast of Persona 4 as there are so many lovable archetypes at play. It’s to the P Studio development team’s credit that everyone gets at least a little time in the spotlight here.

A surprisingly welcoming treat of a JRPG, and a successful blend of two worlds.

It's a generous game, broad and long and, while it's principally aimed at the series' fans, the mesh of interlocking systems ensures that its appeal runs deeper than cash-grab fan service.

A fantastic crossover that despite a few necessary simplifications manages to do some things better than either of its parent games, especially in terms of accessibility.

Although Persona Q doesn't satisfy those willing to play a complete Persona or Etrian Odyssey, the title is good enough to be a unique experience which can please those who like a good story and characters and those who like to explore and battle.

Weak continuity and weaker dungeon crawling gameplay make this hard to recommend to anyone who enjoys the series for its depth. If you’re not bothered by a bit of stupidity, give it a play.

While not the best title in the 3DS RPG library, it's nevertheless quite good.

The first seconds of acquaintance with a maze game makes it clear that we are facing an improved and expanded version of Etrian Odyssey – a niche game of good quality from the same Atlus, the Japanese anime relative of Wizardry and Might & Magic. [Issue #195, p.74]

Without the scads of small talk, Persona Q feels lost in the shadow of its parent series.

Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth is a pleasing amalgam of first-person dungeon exploration and role-playing elements that injects just enough humor to keep things fresh.

While it offers much of the Persona experience fans will enjoy, such as the deep and challenging combat system, ability to fuse Personas, and unpredictable story, there are still some things fans of the series will certainly miss. The inability to randomly explore your surroundings or to take one of your friends out for a bowl of ramen in order to improve your bond with them is one I missed greatly while playing Persona Q.

The game retains the Scooby-Doo vibe that was so charming about the original.

The best advice I can give is to not come into Persona Q looking for another handheld version of the previous two games. The changes made to the formula may seem minor but they have a huge impact on the experience.