Persona 3 Portable

Here's another take on Persona 3 Portable. Does it still hold the appeal of the original when draped in feminine clothing?

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.

Persona 3 Portable creeps along, but it's still top-class.

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. The remaster has no doubt been touched up, the vast majority for the better, but with that said, this does feel like a portable game from nearly twenty years ago. The PlayStation 2 versions may have been a better pick for remastering, despite losing out on some content. Regardless, Persona 3 Portable is still a fantastic entry, kicking off the subseries that ended up surpassing the mainline Shin Megami Tensei titles. It features a solid cast ...

Persona 3 Portable is a remaster of a fantastic entry into the series and runs wonderfully on the Steam Deck so far!

The story, characters, and overall loop of Persona 3 Portable are vital for anyone that is on the fence about the series as a whole. And despite showing its age a bit in sections, the combat is still rewarding and satisfying, solidifying the game's place as one of the premier RPG titles in all of gaming.

Experience the iconic, critically acclaimed RPG that reinvented the Persona series, Persona 3 Portable, now newly remastered for modern platforms.

But all that doesn’t make this a bad game. Persona 3 Portable is still a good way to experience what made that PlayStation 2 game so special. This port adds some new features, too. Namely custom difficulty options that can be changed on the fly, new language options, and a quick save feature (not needed for Series owners). Dual dubbing between English and Japanese, too. PC controls are fine, but the UI is a bit cumbersome to browse. Play Anywhere works great, per usual, and I loved how I could jump between my console and laptop when I was out and about.

Persona 3 Portable on Switch is a dream come true for me. I have been fantasizing about this title coming to home console for years. However, Persona 3 is a PlayStation 2-era game and Persona 3 Portable started as a PSP-era remake. A remake for a handheld console at that. This game was always going to look old, and it definitely does. The question is whether one of the best games for the PS2 is still worth playing on Nintendo Switch.

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.

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 ga...

Persona 3 Portable creates a compelling story and interweaves global danger with the importance of building up friendships around you. Portable brings with it some good enhancements even if it's not the 'perfect' way to play it. The Tartarus mega-dungeon however wears out its welcome quickly as you tediously climb.