Shin Megami Tensei: Persona

 PSP
  • Publisher: Atlus
  • Release Date: Sep 22, 2009
User Score
4.5

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 262 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 92 out of 262
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 262
  3. Negative: 145 out of 262

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  1. tenacious_K
    Oct 24, 2019
    4
    I want to like this game, I really do, but after a few hours I had to put the PSP down and ask myself "how is this the first installment of one of my favorite gaming franchises?" I love the newer entries of the Persona franchise (and especially like that the company has the confidence to now just call it Persona in the west), and this just isn't what I was expecting. To put things intoI want to like this game, I really do, but after a few hours I had to put the PSP down and ask myself "how is this the first installment of one of my favorite gaming franchises?" I love the newer entries of the Persona franchise (and especially like that the company has the confidence to now just call it Persona in the west), and this just isn't what I was expecting. To put things into perspective, I got introduced to Persona with the third installment, and played through the fourth installment right before picking this up. To my surprise there was little to no connection between this and the later entries I've played (save for the usage of "personas" by the characters) making me immediately adjust my expectations. I don't want to compare this too much to the later entries of the series and that would be unfair, and this is a review of just this game and not the franchise so I'll try my hardest not to do so from here out. That being said the first thing one my notice about this game is its age. When this was originally released in 1996 the first person view was probably a novel idea at the time, however today it feels uninspired and at times confusing because everything in the hallways look the same. Further more the battle system just feels dated, now I can play a game with a slow moving text based battle system any day (I frequently play Dragon Quest 3 on my phone when bored) but this one just doesn't feel fun, as a matter of fact that best describes this game, it's not fun. The characters just don't interest me and I play the game to progress the story but when the story kicks in I want to go back to playing the game because it's at least a little less boring. I know some consider this a classic but I just don't get it, maybe it's me but I can't bring myself to even give this a 5 as some may see it as a light recommend, try this game and go through the same life draining wast of time I did.… Expand
  2. Bombloco94
    Dec 1, 2019
    2
    This game is just awful,the random enemy encounter is just stupid and bad, the Story is hot garbage, Persona 1 is my least favorite game in the series,it only get 2 because of the Soundtrack and the cast
    (Sorry for the bad English, I'm Brazilian :/)
  3. Igor
    Jan 21, 2010
    2
    This game really sucks. I like every game in the series except this and Devil Survivor. The dungeons you go through lack any detail what so ever, as well as the battle screens do, so the graphical presentation is probably the worst I've ever seen. Also the combat is no fun. You get so much variety in moves, but in a bad way so it can feel redundant at times. Also, just because there This game really sucks. I like every game in the series except this and Devil Survivor. The dungeons you go through lack any detail what so ever, as well as the battle screens do, so the graphical presentation is probably the worst I've ever seen. Also the combat is no fun. You get so much variety in moves, but in a bad way so it can feel redundant at times. Also, just because there are more options in negotiations than in other SMT games does not make it better. You just find one that makes the enemy tick and use it over and over untill they get bored and you try a different option. Going back on this game's uglyness, everyone who is not a school friend is so weird looking. Also, going on friends, I should probably mention that there is no social link system this time, all though I all ready knew that when I bought it. The music can be cool at times, but it isnt anything to die for, but it certainly was nice of them to pack in a HUGE OST CD. The random battles are a huge problem. Remember Digital Devil Saga? Remember how you'd run into enemies every two steps? Well, this is nothing like that!! Every inch you move across the screen is another set of the same enemies over and over again, and the character development is as slow as Devil Survivor. This game is also one of those "where am i supposed to go now" kinds of games. According to some reviews I've read, the origional Persona for the Playstation was full of mistranslations. I've never played the Playstation version, but everything looks normal to me on this, so I guess they get a pat on the back for proofreading in this remake. It just makes me wish that they fixed everything else, too. Again, the Shin Megami Tensei series is my favorite franchise in video games, and this game does not reflect on the masterpieces on the Playstation 2. Even though it's a pile of garbage, I am at least glad this game was made so I could get a chance to see what the games were like when they were just starting without spending a hundred dollars for the origional Playstation version on ebay.… Expand
  4. 4zero4
    Jun 28, 2020
    4
    A really well made game in my opinion but bogged down my some clumsy design choices and some samey dungeon design. A great start to an amazing series that would only get better from here on out.
  5. psvitaboy1782
    Nov 24, 2022
    0
    A poorly aged mess that seriously feels like a chore to play. Boring and bland dungeon design and gameplay, horrifically common random encounters, mediocre soundtrack, boring premise and characters all add up to make this one of the worst JRPGs of all time, and by far the worst game in its series.

Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Best PSP Game of 2009
9
#9 Most Discussed PSP Game of 2009
6
#6 Most Shared PSP Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 30
  3. Negative: 1 out of 30
  1. Gamervision
    85
    It may be unfair to compare the first game in a series to titles that came much later, but in a post-Persona 4 world such comparisons are inevitable. That being said, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is a great game in its own right, and worthy of being in the collection of any RPG fan.
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  2. Destructoid
    85
    For both new and old series fans, it's really fun to see how one of the most popular role-playing game series started out.
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  3. RPG Fan
    91
    Persona for the PSP was a killer trip down memory lane with a pair of high-definition rose-colored glasses. The new upgrades made the experience smoother without sacrificing the game's integrity.
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