Persona 3 Portable

 Switch
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 41 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 41
  3. Negative: 11 out of 41

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  1. dharma
    Jan 24, 2023
    7
    I played the Persona series essentially in reverse; starting from 5 and the progressing to 4 and 3. You can see the breakthrough that Atlus has achieved in this installment. The negative point is more because of Tartarus itself, which was quite repetitive in today's standard. But the storyline and combat was first class. This is THE installment that need a big makeover to be on parI played the Persona series essentially in reverse; starting from 5 and the progressing to 4 and 3. You can see the breakthrough that Atlus has achieved in this installment. The negative point is more because of Tartarus itself, which was quite repetitive in today's standard. But the storyline and combat was first class. This is THE installment that need a big makeover to be on par with today's standards.… Expand
  2. rrafemi
    Jan 26, 2023
    7
    No deja de ser un Persona. Buena historia con muy buenos combates. Pero lo veo todo demasiado desangelado y hasta repetitivo. Todo se resume en recorrer el mismo pasillo aleatorio, solo que va cambiando de color. No hay sensación de progresión.
  3. giannis2001
    Jul 23, 2023
    7
    Persona 3 is a good game on its own, but if you're going in because you loved Persona 4 or 5, you will be dissapointed. Before you play, notice that it is an old school RPG that lacks many things on contrary with it's sequels.

    The combat is great, and even has more types of attacks, but there are many problems in whole. I know I can't compare it to 4 or 5 because it came way before them,    Persona 3 is a good game on its own, but if you're going in because you loved Persona 4 or 5, you will be dissapointed. Before you play, notice that it is an old school RPG that lacks many things on contrary with it's sequels.

    The combat is great, and even has more types of attacks, but there are many problems in whole. I know I can't compare it to 4 or 5 because it came way before them, and the other games improved upon it, but now that all Persona 4 and 3 got remasters I can compare them in a sense, and you can see the difference in quality.

    First problem for me it's Tartarus. A huge tower with an insane number of floors (like those on Persona 4 dungeons - a bit smaller) that you just grind, collecting chests and killing mini bosses. All that until the end of the game. It's and interesting idea and if you love dungeon crawling-like games then this won't be a problem- perhaps even better for you - but I personally found it incredibly repetitive and after some point it just drags.

    Second problem is the story part. I found Persona's 4 and 5 stories superior than this one. This one felt kind of rushed and not that fleshed out. Although it has it's moments and a likeable main cast, it didn't make me feel that interested even in crucial moments that were happening in the story. All that because of the insanely fast pace. Also, the Social Links for the Arcanas are just super easy and fast to max out, in a way that you don't care that much for the characters you meet. Some times I even skipped dialogue because I didn't care. However, I have to admit that the messages it tries to convey are great and the ending is very heartbreaking. I give one point extra for this ending. I can't believe how heartbreaking it was. Don't get me wrong, this game was a masterpiece for 2006 which was it's first release, but it's not anymore. The remaster adds some quality of life changes like the difficulty settings and the "HD upgrade" but it's still the same game.

    It's really a great thing that the game gets a remake because it has huge potential and I hope they change many things. Do I recommend the game? I guess if you are huge fan of the series go for it.. but don't expect anything special like the other 2 Personas. I would personally wait for the remake.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best Switch Game of 2023
32
#32 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. GameCritics
    Apr 14, 2023
    85
    Though I’m a bit disappointed that Atlus didn’t create a truly definitive edition of Persona 3 for modern audiences, this game remains one of the best RPGs I’ve ever played. With its masterful use of storytelling and grandiose themes, the adventure fully immerses the player in both its life sim and dungeon crawling mechanics. In fact, not only did this game create the template that its successors still follow today, but it also might just be the most memorable and thought-provoking Persona overall. Despite the shortcomings of the slightly outdated portable version here, it is undoubtedly a must-play for any RPG fan who hasn’t tried it yet.
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  2. GLHF on Sports Illustrated
    Mar 9, 2023
    90
    I still think Persona 3 is the best Persona game, and Portable is the best way to play it. It may not have all the shiny, flashy, high-end graphics and animations of Royal, but it offers a touching story, bombastic boss fights, and one of gaming’s best-ever soundtracks.
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  3. ComicBook
    Feb 15, 2023
    80
    Persona 3 is the game that made Persona the marquee series it is today, growing into a standalone series outside of the Shin Megami Tensei series that birthed it. Persona 3 Portable is a more awkward fit for modern hardware than Persona 4 Golden due to its initial release on an older handheld console. As the first in this new breed of Persona game, it also, in some way, feels like a proof of concept for an idea of what Persona could become, which would be more fully realized by its sequels. But as long as players can deal with a few gameplay quirks -- some kinks not yet ironed out, some systems not fully developed -- they'll find Persona 3 Portable has the series' signature aesthetic excellence -- including Meguro's killer soundtrack, blending rock, pop, and hip-hop influences -- an enthralling story, and that familiar Persona gameplay rhythm that makes it hard to put down.
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