Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES

 PlayStation 2
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 862 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 649 out of 862
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 862
  3. Negative: 159 out of 862
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  1. Jc360x
    Nov 29, 2018
    10
    Whoever is review bombing needs to get a **** life. This game was at 8.8 a few weeks ago.
  2. JonT
    Oct 6, 2009
    10
    Epic Adventure! For those who have not played persona 3 this is a must get! For those of you who have, FES has a bunch of new features and a Loonnggg epiloge! Its a must play!
  3. Bombloco94
    Nov 23, 2019
    10
    This game and Persona 5 are easily one of my favorite games of all time,and for me, this is the second best of the franchise

    Sorry for the **** English, I'm Brazilian :/
  4. GentlemanHunter
    Jul 16, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Things I like:
    - The Music is Top Tier (as expected from a Megami Tensei game)
    - The Story is the best in the series (at least as far as modern persona games go)
    - The ending is one of the best in all of gaming IMO
    - The Characters are very memorable
    - The game introduced the gameplay loop between life sim and dungeon-crawling JRPG that has made the Persona series into what it is today. And for their first attempt, they nailed it very well

    Things I dislike:
    - No social links with the male party members
    - Romance is forced onto you if you reach a certain point in a girl's social link
    - This wouldn't be a problem if romanced girls didn't get jealous when you hang around other girls, causing the social link to break and you to waste precious time repairing those social links
    - The game doesn't do a good job of getting you invested in Shinjiro before he gets killed
    - The moment when Junpei settles the differences between you and him doesn't feel earned because of the aforementioned lack of social link
    - The story kind of loses
    - Tartarus can be annoying and tiring at times
    - You can't control your party members (although you can install a mod that allows you to control them if you have the know-how)
    - The party member's AI is meh and often doesn't do what you expect it to do

    Verdict: Although some of the game's aspects haven't aged well (if they were even considered good to begin with), that doesn't change the fact that this game is a masterpiece to me and has one of my favorite stories of all time.    … Expand
  5. AndresXgame
    Sep 16, 2021
    10
    Obra maestra que mezcla el combate de SMT con opciones sociales que enriquecen la historia. Un imprescindible para todo amante de los JRPG y es atemporal.
  6. VioIrdsGX
    Apr 18, 2023
    9
    (This game was played from PlayStation 3). Great Persona 3 game, I started playing this in 2021 and it's good, this was the first game in the Persona series to have the first soundtracks composed and sung by Yumi Kawamura and Lotus Juice, this game is different than the first original and the portable version because it has a secondary story called "The Answer" starring Aegis in the game,(This game was played from PlayStation 3). Great Persona 3 game, I started playing this in 2021 and it's good, this was the first game in the Persona series to have the first soundtracks composed and sung by Yumi Kawamura and Lotus Juice, this game is different than the first original and the portable version because it has a secondary story called "The Answer" starring Aegis in the game, but still this game has a problem and it's one that I hate or I don't know if people hate it too, and it's that they still the companions are controlled automatically, seriously this had never happened with Revelations Persona and the sequel to Persona 2 that they do have manual control, so if you want to defeat the bosses then survive because your companions seem to want self-suicide.… Expand
  7. Poccigoni
    May 25, 2023
    9
    Take a good story and ambience, mix it with some natural and well-written characters, top it off with an amazing art style and music and you've got Persona 3 FES. A game about what happens when you are aware of your end. Can't give it a 10 because the main dungeon can get repetitive after the first 20 hours, and the epilogue "The Answer", while being good story-wise and working as a goodTake a good story and ambience, mix it with some natural and well-written characters, top it off with an amazing art style and music and you've got Persona 3 FES. A game about what happens when you are aware of your end. Can't give it a 10 because the main dungeon can get repetitive after the first 20 hours, and the epilogue "The Answer", while being good story-wise and working as a good end to the main plotline, is incredibly linear gameplay wise. The battle can also be a bit clunky for someone coming from P4/P5, due to the lack of controllable party members and how unbalanced some Personas and moves are (I'm looking at you, Thunder Reign).… Expand
  8. Laurier
    May 10, 2008
    10
    Persona 3 was an incredible RPG, with a unique vibe, great blending of two apparently different gameplay styles, and FES only adds to this greatness. No need to list all the additions here (especially since some would be rather spoiler-ish), but for 30$, you get more content than in the original game, more things to do, and even a separate new game to go with it, for a fraction of the Persona 3 was an incredible RPG, with a unique vibe, great blending of two apparently different gameplay styles, and FES only adds to this greatness. No need to list all the additions here (especially since some would be rather spoiler-ish), but for 30$, you get more content than in the original game, more things to do, and even a separate new game to go with it, for a fraction of the price. Definitely worth buying, whether you have the original or not.… Expand
  9. MarvinR.
    May 5, 2008
    10
    Persona 3 Fes is a blast...To those who haven't played a shin megami tensei game before..this is now the time to start experiencing one. The story and gameplay is very profound and addicting that you will find yourself playing this one through days without sleep. To those fans who played the original you will surely be overwhelmed with joy from all the new material...from new Persona 3 Fes is a blast...To those who haven't played a shin megami tensei game before..this is now the time to start experiencing one. The story and gameplay is very profound and addicting that you will find yourself playing this one through days without sleep. To those fans who played the original you will surely be overwhelmed with joy from all the new material...from new equipments made by fusion, enhanced social links with great never before seen cutscenes, a more enjoyable character status buildup system, to new kickass personas and a faster loading screen. Even the costumes of the characters in battle changes now according to what is equipped on them. Of course lets not forget "the answer" which is a brand new action packed game all in all and is a must play to those who want to know what happen after the ending of the journey. Overall Persona 3 Fes is the best RPG I have enjoyed in the ps2 console because of its original gameplay and well developed characters that you will surely love. If the original persona 3 has flaws this version is pure perfection.… Expand
  10. KevinR
    Apr 29, 2008
    10
    One of the lengthiest and most enjoyable games I've ever played. With well over 100 hours of content (great content), it shines as what may be the true swan song of the PS2.
  11. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    9
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: GREAT.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: GREAT.
    Music/Sound: GREAT.
    Dialogue: GREAT.
  12. Allyptic
    Oct 23, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game with a huge focus on story, characters, and world-building. I don't remember the last time when the story absorbed me so much. Yes, there are few bugs here are there, but nothing game-breaking. Usually minor visual glitches.… Expand
  13. jelikey
    Feb 17, 2023
    9
    One of the lengthiest and most enjoyable games I've ever played. With well over 100 hours of content (great content), it shines as what may be the true swan song of the PS2.
  14. nyxo100
    Jul 21, 2022
    8
    this game is amazing the soundtrack slaps the character development is on point and the final boss battle is leggit a one of the best fights in RPG
  15. Kluco
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Persona 3 is my favorite game in the series, the story is phenomenal and there are so many characters you will adore.
  16. Zokti
    Jul 11, 2020
    10
    My favourite game ever. Good story, soundtrack and characters. I’m only writing this review to try and get the user review score higher than Persona 5’s because that game sucks
  17. Jekile
    Jul 20, 2020
    8
    Persona 3 ambitiously creates a new formula for JRPGs by splitting the game into two distinct halves: the standard dungeon crawly turn-based RPG, and a Visual Novel. Despite this being the first attempt of this melding of modes, Persona 3 pulls it off suprisingly well. First, let's look at look the writing side of the coin.

    This game is decisively character-focused; the game's value lives    Persona 3 ambitiously creates a new formula for JRPGs by splitting the game into two distinct halves: the standard dungeon crawly turn-based RPG, and a Visual Novel. Despite this being the first attempt of this melding of modes, Persona 3 pulls it off suprisingly well. First, let's look at look the writing side of the coin.

    This game is decisively character-focused; the game's value lives or dies based on the quality of the character writing. And for the most part Persona 3 the cast of characters are very memorable. Unlike Persona 4, I don't get this warm feeling where everyone in the main cast are all the great friends. In this game the relationships are a bit more messy. But by the end it's easy to get attached to them. With all that being said, many of the Social Links with side characters in this game are rather forgettable, and would mostly improve in the later games.

    While their character work is solid, the narrative is even more impressive. In the first half of the game the narrative is somewhat formulaic and unsurprising. But, eventually the stakes increase and culminate into a fantastic ending. And unlike later games in the series, the stakes feel much more real and actually dangerous. Leading to a more dark game relative to others in the series.

    When you aren't talking to friends or studying in your room, you will be exploring the dungeon of Tartarus. This dungeon is randomly generated and relatively, well boring. The lack of interesting dungeon mechanics or artistic differences between floors really can make this at times an exhausting task. However, what does help keep things interesting is the combat system. The combat is the first in the series to employ the One More system, meaning to effectively combat enemies you must exploit enemy weaknesses to knock down enemies and pull off an all-out attack. This system is very satisfying, making each battle almost like a puzzle. What holds it back is the lack of controllable party members. While the game is balanced around this, it can be frustrating to see your teammates playing unoptimally.

    There are many rough edges to the game that were not mentioned, but despite all these minor issues, the game overall is very good. If you love the other Persona games definitely check this game out. Or if you are just interested the series this is a great starting point.    … Expand
  18. WellEvil
    Jan 6, 2022
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Great game with a huge focus on story, characters, and world-building. I don't remember the last time when the story absorbed me so much. Yes, there are a few bugs here are there, but nothing game-breaking. Usually minor visual glitches.… Expand
  19. epicgamereal
    Dec 16, 2022
    9
    My favorite game of all time. This game does not feature control of party members, unlike the other persona games, and I found this to be a fun challenge. The story is the best of any persona game. The soundtrack does not disappoint. The only thing I do not like about this game is that it is missing some QOL fixes that can be found in Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal. Besides the gamesMy favorite game of all time. This game does not feature control of party members, unlike the other persona games, and I found this to be a fun challenge. The story is the best of any persona game. The soundtrack does not disappoint. The only thing I do not like about this game is that it is missing some QOL fixes that can be found in Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal. Besides the games age, I believe this is as good as the persona franchise gets. Unfortunately, this version didn't come to to steam, and instead, ATLUS chose the inferior PSP port instead. Oh well.… Expand
  20. avis_davus
    Sep 20, 2022
    10
    Easily the greatest jrpg of all time, blows any other persona game out the water by a long shot.
  21. ayoobro
    Jan 8, 2023
    10
    literally perfect. Easily the best persona game out of all of them. better than p5
  22. WindlessNight
    Jan 31, 2023
    9
    A beautiful game for its time. The main story is great with fantastic animated cutscenes and one of the few things to ever have hit me emotionally. Combat is fun but sometimes can feel like you’re not only fighting the enemies, but your teammates too as you’re not able to control outside of a list of strategies. Gameplay is frustrating but so rewarding to win. The Answer tells anA beautiful game for its time. The main story is great with fantastic animated cutscenes and one of the few things to ever have hit me emotionally. Combat is fun but sometimes can feel like you’re not only fighting the enemies, but your teammates too as you’re not able to control outside of a list of strategies. Gameplay is frustrating but so rewarding to win. The Answer tells an absolutely beautiful story that I can still remember scenes from. The work done with the 3D models and cinematography was lovely. I’d absolutely recommend the Answer if you have played the regular or Portable.… Expand
  23. TheQweast
    Mar 3, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is the best out of the main persona trilogy (3,4,5) in terms of story you will find yourself being very immersed in the world and worried about the stakes. The world does feel more real as well because this game has people that just don't care about you. Love the true ending with Makoto dying, it's so emotionally gripping and persona 4 and 5 can never reach that level of story telling. Tartarus is inherently annoying however with the constant grind needed to progress.… Expand
  24. Naked_Snakee
    Apr 7, 2023
    9
    Just text (crutch) to save the game to the list. Such things. Maybe I'll do a review later.
  25. 77kbk77
    Feb 19, 2014
    9
    While the dungeon crawling and social sim combination may not be for everyone, any person who calls themselves an RPG fan would be doing themselves a disservice by not at least trying this title. P3FES builds upon the original P3, fixing many of the gripes people had with original while adding a new social link, multiple mechanics regarding combat and stat building, and an all new epilogueWhile the dungeon crawling and social sim combination may not be for everyone, any person who calls themselves an RPG fan would be doing themselves a disservice by not at least trying this title. P3FES builds upon the original P3, fixing many of the gripes people had with original while adding a new social link, multiple mechanics regarding combat and stat building, and an all new epilogue which explains the closing hours. With a large cast of likeable characters, a solid (albeit at times annoying) combat system reminiscent of Pokemon, and intriguing story and supporting elements, P3FES has all the great makings of a perfect RPG, but falls just short of the mark due to a few complaints.

    Combat can be a drag as the amount of control you have over your teammates is very small, Tartarus is the only dungeon in the game and it's literally the same floor repeated over and over again, the inventory system is clunky and confusing at most times, the art style and music is an "either you love it or you hate it" deal, the story slows down considerably near the end, and at times the game feels more like a social/waifu simulator with the rare dungeon dive.

    The Persona series gets a lot of scrutiny due to the lack of depth outside of the Social Links , but this much is certain: P3 FES is a greatly improved version of the original, and definitely warrants a try.    … Expand
  26. sinker
    Aug 15, 2021
    7
    it is a good game, the story, characters, music and social simulator aspect are great, but the pacing of the story is a bit boring at times, and the message is **** beautiful
    the worst part of the game is the dungeon that it is just SO **** BORING AND JUST PLAIN BAD, IT IS JUST SO **** REPETITIVE, IT HAS MORE THAN 200 FLOORS, AND IT IS JUST BAD
  27. Samotslayer
    Jan 26, 2013
    10
    This game is truly a masterpiece, with It's brilliantly crafted story to It's perfect combat system this is one of best games made in the last ten years. If you haven't played it yet I would not only recommend doing so. I will guarantee you will have a great time.
  28. palladiondsw2
    Oct 2, 2013
    10
    Hands down my favourite JRPG. I know people love the 4th and stuff however this game i dont know it holds a place in my heart because its just so good. With this game you will be doing one of two things Grinding in tartarus or spending your days in school with some pretty amazing characters from a french exchange student to a drunk monk who hangs out at the night club.Some are alittle lessHands down my favourite JRPG. I know people love the 4th and stuff however this game i dont know it holds a place in my heart because its just so good. With this game you will be doing one of two things Grinding in tartarus or spending your days in school with some pretty amazing characters from a french exchange student to a drunk monk who hangs out at the night club.Some are alittle less interesting while others are badass.The only problem i had was grinding...it does get on your nerves sometimes but I'm not gonna fault this game for that...this amazing game you can get on psn,psp and ps2 and it is well worth your money.… Expand
  29. Kyle34
    Dec 29, 2013
    10
    Excellent music and great characters make this game truly satisfying from beginning to end. The game can be extremely unforgiving if someone wants to get 100% completion on their first play through but, do not let that deter you. The boss battles are very challenging and the combat is fluid and makes leveling up less of a grind.10/10.
  30. DanHazy
    Mar 2, 2016
    9
    So you will know what type of gamer is writing this review, I"ll list three of my favorite games.  

    Danganronpa  Atelier Totori  Fire Emblem    THE GOOD:  STORY: Great storyline that has one ofthe best endings I've seen in RPG's.   VOICE ACTING: Voice acting is top notch and there's quiet a bit of it.   GRAPHICS: The graphics are good for a PS2 game.   MUSIC: Music is    So you will know what type of gamer is writing this review, I"ll list three of my favorite games.  

    Danganronpa 
    Atelier Totori 
    Fire Emblem 
     

    THE GOOD: 

    STORY: Great storyline that has one ofthe best endings I've seen in RPG's.
     
    VOICE ACTING: Voice acting is top notch and there's quiet a bit of it.
     
    GRAPHICS: The graphics are good for a PS2 game.
     
    MUSIC: Music is some of the best you will hear in an RPG. From jazz to rock to slow piano solos.

    GAMEPLAY: Gameplay involves quiet a bit of strategy. Fusing your favorite personas and exploiting enemies weaknesses (if any) is quiet fun. I'll delve more into gameplay further down in the IN DEPTH REVIEW section.

    GAME LENGTH:Rather a long game, 60 to 70 hours for Persona 3, then about 30 hours in the expansion. A great deal for the price. 

    IN DEPTH REVIEW:

    You can have a party of up to four characters in this game, but you only have direct control over the protagonist in battles. This creates quiet a few issues. You can assign tactics to the other three in your party such as, full assault, heal and support, and others; but this doesn't come in as handy as you may think. Such as a party member using a healing item that heals one member only a little, when you really needed them to cast a spell to heal the whole party. Also, a party member might try to put a status effect on an enemy when they could have just attacked and finished them off. They will also try to use status effects in boss fights, when the bosses cannot be effected by any ailments. This causes much frustration of course, and may lead you to a game over screen. 

    Also, the enemies have instant kill moves. Imagine that you have been grinding for about an hour and then you get wiped out by an enemy who kills with an instant kill spell and thus, come to the beloved game over screen that you will undoubtedly see many times throughout the game. This isn't uncommon either as the enemies have just of good of a chance of instantly killing you as you do them. There is something you can aquire throughout the game called homucolous that will prevent the protagonist from dying from an instant kill move but only them. The rest of the party can still go down in a heartbeat and leave you all alone for a beating. There is also an accessory you can obtain for the other party members that nullifies an instant kill move but these are quiet rare and I believe they can only be obtained late in the game. These things can be quiet the headache and will cause you to waste many hours in the game but, somehow it is still worth it. 

    You should know that The Answer expansion is a down scaled version of the original Persona 3. No social links, no compendium to register personas, none of the advanced fusions, only two or three personas can be fused together at the time. No request from the velvet room. 
    Still, the expansion is still worth playing as it tells the events after Persona 3. Still enjoyable to play also but it is quiet the grind fest as its difficulty is higher than Persona 3. It actually states this before you begin playing. 

    Also, the final boss in Persona 3 could make you jump the ship on this game. It's about an hour to an hour and half long boss fight, and at the very end, the boss can charm one of your party members and then that party member can heal the boss completly. So back to square one you go and you already used all your healing items, so what now? That is if the boss doesn't completly annihilate you to begin with. I died four times on this boss fight and each time it was toward the end of the boss fight because that's when the bosses difficulty rises. So I would say I spent about 5 to 6 hours on this boss fight. You also have to fight this boss before a certain day, so that means you can't grind for level ups if you wait untill the last day and then save over your save file before the boss fight.

    Overall, a fantastic RPG with a few headaches but still quiet a gem. 
    You may consider Persona 4 over this because if memory serves right, the enemies wasn't as likely to instantly kill you in Persona 4. Also I liked Persona 4's characters and the games tone more than Persona 3. Persona 3 has a dark tone and Persona 4 has a charming eerie tone.I would of course recommend both. If you don't already know, Persona 4 has released a new and improved version of Persona 4 for the PS Vita. Also Persona 3 did also but I believe it may have been for PSP. 

    That wraps this review up, hope it helps.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Best PS2 Game of 2008
2
#2 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2008
5
#5 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. GameZone
    80
    Persona 3: FES will increase your appreciation of its storyline. The characters are great, the dialogue is believable (how’s THAT for an RPG!?), and if you enjoyed the gameplay last year, there are several new reasons to play through the original quest all over again.
    Read full review
  2. G4 TV
    80
    The three interwoven role-play threads in Persona 3 FES are so deftly sewn that it's easy to tune out the rest of the noise.
    Read full review
  3. Game Informer
    83
    With a mere $30 price tag, it's the perfect way for fans and newcomers to experience this exceptional RPG. [May 2008, p.94]
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »