Persona 3 Portable
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Critic Reviews for Persona 3 Portable
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.
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
