Persona 3 Portable

This is great news just for having this game available on newer platforms and translated to more languages, although it still has some issues this remaster could have fixed.

Persona 3 Portable is probably the best game in the Persona series, even if it feels a little dated at times. A fantastic story told with restraint and great care, tackling some heavy themes and doing an incredible job. It’s compromised, sure, but it’s wonderful nonetheless.

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.

Persona 3 Portable remains the classic that reinvented the Persona franchise and with this remaster it looks better than ever. Its gameplay may not have aged very well, but its story and combat system are still outstanding. Plus, its translation into more languages such as Spanish makes it more accessible than ever to new players.

Persona 3 Portable on Nintendo Switch is an excellent conversion of one of Atlus' best PSP games. While it still has the flaws present in the original Persona 3 Portable release, I'm glad to see Atlus make this more accessible, and it is an easy recommendation thanks to the low asking price on Nintendo Switch. Hopefully Atlus does a physical release for Persona 3 Portable on Switch in the future.

P3P is still a terrific remake from a bygone era and a gold standard in handheld JRPGs on the Switch.

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.

The trimmed-down-for-PSP presentation of Persona 3 Portable was an overall detriment to the game in 2009/2010, and it hurts it even more in 2023. Some nasty upscaling works against the stylish UI and excellent character art, and I do at least wish the removed animated cut-scenes had been reinstated for this version. Even with all of that in mind, this is still a great JRPG. Challenging, compelling gameplay mechanics combined with a strong story and a fantastic soundtrack make this an easy pick-up for fans of the genre and series alike, even if one can’t help but wish for a less compromised version.

It's a shame that the "worst" version of Persona 3 got remastered, specially when this game has been longing for years for a definitive edition with all the contents of Persona 3 FES and P3P combined, but having such a great game on modern platforms and -for the first time- translated to Spanish is a little triumph.

With Persona 3 Portable, we get an experimental way of handling an entry in the Persona series. It is one that can be more inclusive in some ways, while also pulling back to offer a more minimalistic approach. It might not be as robust as Persona 3 FES, but it is an important part of the series’ history and its new ports are appreciated. Especially since Persona 3 Portable runs so well on the Switch. In some ways, it isn’t the most comprehensive version of Persona 3, but it is a fantastic take on the story.

When all is said and done, I really think the story, characters, and overall loop of Persona 3 Portable are vital for anyone that is on the fence about the series. 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. I genuinely believe it’s also going to be the reason I get back into Persona 5 and can truly come to appreciate what everyone else loves about the game so much.

Even though its sequels would largely improve on the formula, Persona 3 Portable remains an enjoyable but formidable challenge. It packs a healthy amount of content into its lengthy runtime, and if the combination of school life sim and dungeon crawler strikes you, there's little reason not to dive right in. It's worth considering that P3P does feel a fair bit darker in tone and theme, complete with characters needing to shoot themselves in the head to summon their personas. For those who first played the game on PSP or Vita, the visuals and performance have received a noticeable boost over the original version, in addition to now being able to quick save your progress at any time. The update doesn't reinvent the wheel, but added quality of life features definitely make this the ideal way to play Persona 3 Portable.

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 of characters, a remarkable storyline and an addictive combat system -- even though it hasn’t aged as well as we had hoped. Whether you’re a returning or Persona-curious gamer, this is a phenomenal value.

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 is kind of a missed opportunity: Atlus should have worked harder on this new edition of the most seminal game in the franchise.

Persona 3 Portable is an entertaining JRPG that is quirky and a little bit dark. The friendship and romance simulation gameplay is interspersed nicely with the battle elements and will keep many-a-gamer entertained for a multitude of hours.

Persona 3 Portable, as a game, is incredible and this revisit has made me realize how much it means to me. I get the disappointment, I do, but as a modern version, I think it holds up alright. This game deserves better, and I think if the backgrounds weren’t sticking out like a sore thumb this would be a glowing recommendation. As of now I can really just say that if you play this on Nintendo Switch you’re in for a good time.

I absolutely love the story and characters in Persona 3, but Portable isn’t the optimal way to experience them. I can recommend this version to visual novel fans and those looking to experience the game on a budget. If I were rating Persona 3 FES, you would see a much higher number.

The mitigated presentation and tone of Portable don’t paint an accurate picture of its identity. But it’s nice to see it around, and the gameplay here is the best of any of the releases. Persona 3 is my favorite franchise entry, yet its lack of a definitive version has always been frustrating, with this release now causing those emotions to resurge. Hopefully, it will receive that treatment one day. Yet, for now, it’s at least possible to officially play it on newer platforms.