Persona 3 Portable

The portable version lacks some things included in the FES version that are clearly noticeable, but the gameplay is still good, the OST is simply majestic and the characters are just so charming that make up for any bad thing about the game. This is definitely one of the best stories ever told in a JRPG.

Persona 3 Portable remains the definitive version of Persona 3, albeit a relic of Persona‘s past. Compared to the star quality of the entire Persona 5 series, I can see a world where a newer Persona player may be confused about the lack of animated cutscenes, a battle system that is focused around solely controlling the main character by default, a point-and-click-esque navigation system outside of dungeon-crawling, and a forgiving-but-still-simple Social Link system. I can also see a world where veterans may be expecting a remaster that incorporates the media from Persona 3 into the skeleton of Persona 3 Portable, breathing new life and character into a classic RPG. Looking past these quibbles, Persona 3 Portable remains a stellar JRPG, and it looks, sounds, and plays better than I remembered.

As it’s procedurally generated, some may chafe against the formidable grind, but each floor is bite-size, and you can command your team to do most of the exploring for you. Interspersed with dialogue-driven hangouts in the daytime, this is an incredible quick fix of weak point-targeting battling with RPG character building. It’s just a shame this couldn’t be more definitive. [Issue#24, p.82]

It ultimately feels like a missed opportunity that Atlus didn’t combine the features of both FES and Portable to create an official definitive version of Persona 3. Nonetheless, bringing Persona 3 Portable onto pretty much all modern platforms is appreciated, as the game maintains its charm despite its age. However, it’s a little hard recommending this specific title to newer fans of the series especially with 5 Royal and 4 Golden already out there, as Portable suffers from some outdated design choices and cut corners. The soundtrack still slaps though.

A blast from the past, Persona 3 Portable returns to the scene after thirteen years. With a few outdated quirks directly imported from the PSP rerelease, it's still a very fun game, although it might not be up to the standards of players that had Persona 5 Royal as their first foray into the series.

Persona 3 Portable is a classic that all RPG fans should play. Its features aren’t as polished as they are in the latest entries of the series, but it has a peculiar charm that makes it unique and irreplaceable. With an amazing story, great characters to bond with, and an extraordinary turn-based battle system, Persona 3 not only created fertile ground for the subsequent releases, but is back to captivate newcomers.

With its watered down presentation, Persona 3 Portable almost feels like an abridged version of the PS2 classic, but it's still well worth playing. A foreboding, ominous atmosphere sells the experience, while the gameplay loop remains as addictive as ever. If you're fairly new to Persona, or perhaps you started with Persona 5, you'll have to persist through some slightly dated design, but don't let that put you off. Persona 3 still stands as a brilliantly broody JRPG.

Persona 3 Portable is a simple but livelier version of the original PS2 game. It has enough additions to immerse us in its twisted world of shadows. Highlights the choice of the female protagonist as a playable character offers a different point of view. She may be more to the point, but she's still Persona.

A remastered version for current consoles for the fans who haven't played Persona 3 yet. While the simple transplant without noticeable improvements disappointed majority of fans who have long awaited, its unique gameplay still has the charm even after all those years.

My take is that neither Portable nor FES should have gotten a re-release. Instead, Atlus should have, using FES as a base, made one final, definitive, ultimate version of Persona 3 combining FES's presentation with Portable's balance changes and Kotone's route. It would have been more work, but everyone would be happy. But they didn't do that, and that's a massive disappointment. Persona 3 Portable is forced to carry forward onto modern platforms a compromised design made for a console that's nearly two decades old instead of blossoming into the masterpiece it has the potential to be.

Whether you are a JRPG veteran or a Persona newcomer, Persona 3 Portable is a high-quality example of one of the best eras of the genre. The game is handicapped by a few shortcomings and could have done with some rebalancing and graphical updates, but still Persona 3 Portable reminds us where the series kicked things into high gear, while also showing how far JRPGs have come. An engaging, moody, and confronting experience that has plenty to offer to even the pickiest of players, Persona 3 Portable is a standout roleplaying adventure.

Persona 3 Portable on PS4 doesn’t do much at all to enhance what was already there to begin with, looking like a sharpened version of its former self. Regardless, there’s a strong entry here, exploring some darker concepts than the modern mainline games. It may not have the same style as the newer entries, but it sure delivers on concepts.