Persona 3 Portable Reviews
A PSP classic with systems that show age, but P3P's retelling remains a series best for its stylishly eerie world and intimate look at mortality.
Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden are two brilliant examples of the perfect port. Though the graphics and features might not be as shiny as newer titles, the stories they tell, gameplay they offer, and the wealth of content that can be explored ensure these games stay relevant and allow them to hold their own, even against modern contenders. Enough time has passed to merit a revisit for old fans, but the launch across all platforms makes these games even more accessible and allows a whole new generation of players to experience them for the first time.
At times shocking and always intense, Persona 3 and it's re-release, Persona 3 Portable, is not a game you are likely to forget.
Still, after getting fully sucked into Persona 5 in 2017, I had fully intended on playing Persona 3 after so many people had told me it was their favorite entry. While the systems don’t hold up when stacked against the newer titles, I found its bleaker tone more endearing and lovable. It takes work to get to the end, but the complicated, messy, weird story is worth it.
Persona 3 Portable was a gem when it came to the PlayStation Portable nearly thirteen years ago, but it was very much meant for the hardware of its time.
P3P remains an enjoyable JRPG, but we would say this is easily the most skippable of the mainline Persona games on Switch at present. An engrossing story and well-balanced gameplay loop easily justify a purchase, though things like Tartarus' repetitive floors, the visual novel presentation, and the lack of FES content hold this one back from the heights its successors reached. We'd give P3P a recommendation, though only after having played both P4G and P5R, and only if you still find yourself needing more Persona in your life. This is still a great installment for Persona fans and will be best appreciated by players who have that contextual series knowledge, but its rougher edges may put others off.
Persona 3 Portable has a script that's sharp as a tack, and one which makes you identify and fall in love with the quirky cast of characters that you interact with, as well as feeling very much in control of your protagonist.
Jung’s theory aside, Persona 3 is all about the time we have, how we choose to spend it and who we choose to spend it with. In this light, the game’s true mechanics shine. The relationships that we forge can—and this is probably true in life—affect our ultimate outcome. And time? Well, it’s hard to think of a better way to spend 50+ hours than getting points for scarfing down takoyaki and fighting bad guys.
It is a pity that the opportunity has not been taken to make a definitive version of Persona 3 with all the good things of Persona 3 FES and P3P, but to be able to play such a jewel on modern platforms and for the first time with Spanish translation is already a small triumph.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Persona 3 Portable stripped Persona 3 down to its bare essentials just to get the game running on the PSP. Playing that same game on a home console without any significant changes, even at a budget price, feels incredibly underwhelming, especially with Persona 4 Golden releasing alongside it. Yes, the skeleton of Persona 3 is still there. The problem is that there's hardly any meat on its bones. When you pair that with the fact that there still isn't a single definitive edition of Persona 3 on any platform 17 years after its release, it feels like Atlus is neglecting one of its most beloved games.
There is so much more I could say about both of these games. I got into the series with Golden and have been wanting it to expand to more consoles ever since. It is great to finally see it everywhere and I hope the series continues that trend going forward. It is by far one of the best RPGs available and should be played by anyone who has ever had a passing interest in the genre. Do not skip this collection, while Persona 3 is a little rough in this day and age it is still an amazing game and Persona 4 Golden is well, the gold standard. I cannot recommend this package enough.
Ultimately, both games remain fantastic additions to any JRPG fan's game library, with Persona 4 Golden by far the more refined and exciting experience. While re-releasing the same games on multiple platforms isn't necessarily the most enthralling action from a long-time Persona follower's perspective, it's nice to see classics continue to become more accessible to potential newcomers. The preservation of this series is important, and if in the process of that the best way to play them emerges - like the case of Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden on Switch - then that's just an added bonus.
Persona 3 Portable is an unconvincing conversion of a game that could have expressed more in 2009, constrained then by limitations that current platforms do not have. It remains an important chapter for the saga with a unique aesthetic that serves as a bridge to its origins, but it is a shame that the adaptation was made without the will to dare.
Review in Italian | Read full review
However, this is a double-edged blade. A game about depression, starring depressed characters, is an acquired taste compared to other titles in the series. At the same time, Persona 3 Portable has more bite than either of its successors. All in all, I would recommend Persona 3 Portable to anyone interested in an old and troubled classic. But Atlus, please add the animated cutscenes back for the next remake.
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.
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.
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.
This remaster is designed for all those who have not had the opportunity to know the old titles of the saga.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Mixing role-playing, combat and social simulation, Persona 3 Portable teaches us the importance of living in a world of stubborn, hopeless despair.
Review in Spanish | Read full review