• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Persona 3 Portable |OT|: Mixing Things Up for Third Trimester

I NEED SCISSORS said:
Sorry, I meant that people have implied that the female character has more things to do, so that I won't get bored.

I might make a female save file, play a bit, then decide.
The Social Links are different, but that's about it.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
The FeMC has more options at night, so that breaks up some of the monotony a bit. But if you're going with a max-stats/s-links guide, it shouldn't matter.
 
firehawk12 said:
The FeMC has more options at night, so that breaks up some of the monotony a bit. But if you're going with a max-stats/s-links guide, it shouldn't matter.
They didn't bring the part-time jobs into the Male campaign? That makes no sense.

I have just revealed that I have not played past the eight or so hours I put into the game since it came out.
 
firehawk12 said:
The FeMC has more options at night, so that breaks up some of the monotony a bit. But if you're going with a max-stats/s-links guide, it shouldn't matter.

Yeah, this is what I wanted to know. If the female character is still fine for a first timer, i'll go with her then.
 

SlickVic

Member
Finally finished this up after about 55 hours of play time and just want to share some of my general thoughts about the game. For my first experience of playing the Persona series, I have to say it was a fantastic journey. I'm not a big fan of dungeon crawlers (or even JRPG's for that matter) and while I didn't mind the game's combat (actually quite enjoyed the Full Moon events), going through Tartarus did wear me down a bit as the game went on. However, I'd probably consider that my only real beef with the game.

The reason I decided to finally pick this series up after P3P launched is how intriguing the social links aspect sounded. And turns out that's exactly what made the game for me. It's true there isn't a whole lot of "gameplay" to these parts (occasionally picking a choice, giving a gift, etc), but I really felt the personalities and subplots to most of them were quite well developed. While the over arching plot was decent, it's really the social links that steal the show outside combat. P3P reaches a level of character development few games can even dream of achieving. The calendar set up of the game, exploring the town, the various trips, all of it is just so conducive to building up all the various character relationships. Really have to give props to Atlus for pulling this off so well.

As for the ending,
the only thing I didn't care for was the MC's alleged death. Just strikes me as a bit out of the blue (after all, the final battles happened well over a month ago at this point, seems odd the MC would die now all after surviving all the events that day). I think the MC death would've fit in better if it happened right with the Nyx battle after placing the seal, but I can also see why they chose to include a bit of an epilogue. It conveniently allows the MC to have some closure with all the people he/she met and see the impact he/she had on their lives.

Definitely looking forward to trying out P4 but I'm still hoping for a P4P announcement. It really seems like the pace of P3P just works so much better with the point-and-click interface and quick travel (can only guess how much extra time it would take to beat the game if you had to slowly walk everywhere). But if that doesn't happen in the near future, I'll be sure to dust off the old PS2 and play it.
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
Forgot about this thread.

I NEED SCISSORS said:
Yeah, this is what I wanted to know. If the female character is still fine for a first timer, i'll go with her then.
Yeah. I mean, some of the events play on the fact that you know what happened during the male playthrough, but it's nothing major.

Rahxephon91 said:
So probably been asked already, but I just picked up the game. Should I install or will I be able to make do with out it?

The game's pretty snappy, but it improves loading times between transitions.

SlickVic said:
As for the ending,
the only thing I didn't care for was the MC's alleged death. Just strikes me as a bit out of the blue (after all, the final battles happened well over a month ago at this point, seems odd the MC would die now all after surviving all the events that day). I think the MC death would've fit in better if it happened right with the Nyx battle after placing the seal, but I can also see why they chose to include a bit of an epilogue. It conveniently allows the MC to have some closure with all the people he/she met and see the impact he/she had on their lives.

Yeah, all of that is answered in "The Answer". I still felt like they could have found a way to at least include the cutscenes from The Answer in this version of the game just to give people some closure, but oh well.
 
SlickVic said:
As for the ending,
the only thing I didn't care for was the MC's alleged death. Just strikes me as a bit out of the blue (after all, the final battles happened well over a month ago at this point, seems odd the MC would die now all after surviving all the events that day). I think the MC death would've fit in better if it happened right with the Nyx battle after placing the seal, but I can also see why they chose to include a bit of an epilogue. It conveniently allows the MC to have some closure with all the people he/she met and see the impact he/she had on their lives.

The official explanation is that
he forced himself to hold on long enough to keep his promise of meeting every one on the school's roof on the last day.
 

SlickVic

Member
Cool, I'll probably check out the cutscenes for The Answer on youtube. I actually was liking the ending quite a bit
; getting closure on my social links and the moment where the SEES members break out of their amnesia. Just felt a bit random that the MC ups and dies right after that.
 

RS4-

Member
Finally got my PSP back after I loaned it out to a friend and P3P is the only game I wanted to play; sunk maybe 5 or so hours into the game in the past few days, I think I'm a few days before the first set of mid-terms.
 
So I started playing this on my psp and 25 hours later I'm still in love with this game. This is the first Persona game i've ever played and it just makes me wonder why I never touched it before.

How long on average is this game?
 

Curufinwe

Member
Jerk 2.0 said:
Yeah, his was pretty sweet.

I just looked up the Justice Rank 10 S.Link event for the MShe on youtube, and it's the creepiest thing I've ever seen in a videogame.

I just hope the lawyers for the state of California don't know about it. :lol
 
Yaweee said:
What was your final playtime?

And how about everybody else that finished it? I don't recall seeing how long many people took, but I suspect that the game would take most new people about 20~30 hours less than the original versions would have taken them.
My playthrough of P3P actually wasn't that much shorter. About 63 hours compared to maybe something like 73 hours in the orginal P3.
 
I bought the PSN version after giving up on P3FES and holy shit, this a million times better.

Every aspect of P3 felt like a chore, I hated the auto-battling so much. The UI improvements combined with the improved dungeon crawling makes this game so much more enjoyable.

I can't put this game down.
 

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
So apparently being 90% pre-rendered art and all, apparently this game scales up pretty damn nicely with that remotejoy lite PSP plugin thing, astonishingly well infact.
 
I fucking love this game. I had to quit FES a while back cause the kids were always around. I'm enjoying this much more the second time through. BRING ON P4P!!!
 

jergrah

Member
Quick question/advice --

My son (13) is very much into JRPGs -- he has played and beat all of the Kingdom Hearts games, FFXIII and World Ends With You. Based on that, would P3P be something that kind of fits with those? Also, how bad is the "M" rating? I'm somewhat strict I suppose in that in general I dont let him or his twin brother play "M" rated shooters or online (except for the Wii since it lacks voice chat) -- but I also think my sons are pretty mature and Im open on games/movies if they arent too over the top.

Any feedback or thoughts would be much appreciated - thanks in advance!
 

Curufinwe

Member
P3P is a mature game without being explicit, but its suitability for a 13 year old really depends on the 13 year old. Sex, violence, death and suicide are all topics that get covered in a fair amount of depth. There's no use of the f-word in case that's something specific you're worried about.

I suggest watching clips on youtube to a get a better idea of the specifics. Even watching the anime clips that are only in the PS2 versions will be educational since the same basic content is in P3P.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Curufinwe said:
P3P is a mature game without being explicit, but its suitability for a 13 year old really depends on the 13 year old. Sex, violence, death and suicide are all topics that get covered in a fair amount of depth. There's no use of the f-word in case that's something specific you're worried about.

But there is my homeboy, a penis riding a chariot, included in the Persona's. (Unless he's been taken out since FES)
 
jergrah said:
Quick question/advice --

My son (13) is very much into JRPGs -- he has played and beat all of the Kingdom Hearts games, FFXIII and World Ends With You. Based on that, would P3P be something that kind of fits with those? Also, how bad is the "M" rating? I'm somewhat strict I suppose in that in general I dont let him or his twin brother play "M" rated shooters or online (except for the Wii since it lacks voice chat) -- but I also think my sons are pretty mature and Im open on games/movies if they arent too over the top.

Any feedback or thoughts would be much appreciated - thanks in advance!


There is nothing vulgar or plain disturbing there, it's mostly the theme of death, end of the world, magic, sacrifice that got the game M rating. Also, characters point a special pistol and "shoot" themselves in the head to invoke a Persona, although I guess it's no problem explaining to 13-year old.

Can't believe I'm saying that, but ESRB description should be helpful:

Rating: Mature

Content descriptors: Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence

Rating summary:

This is a role-playing game in which players control either a male or female student who teams up with other high-school students to unravel the mystery behind a tower called Tartarus. Players interact with classmates, teachers, and various town characters on their way to solving the mystery. Players can summon "Personas," which are creatures that can perform special offensive and defensive moves to aid during battles against monsters. Combat is turn-based with numeric values and light effects indicating damage. Some sequences depict characters summoning Personas by shooting themselves in the head with a gun-like device (an Evoker); however, glass shards materialize through the exit wound. Bloodstains are sometimes depicted on walls, the ground, and on the sides of Tartarus. Female creatures (female Personas) occasionally are depicted topless or with revealing costumes; male creatures have phallic-shaped heads and torsos. Story elements contain references to "Rampant Sexuality" and characters that make "sexual advances." The words "sh*t," "a*s," and "b*tch" appear in the dialogue.
 

Pein

Banned
Bought this game on psn and I'm totally in love with it. The characters the style just about everything. Even though I own the original copy and fes this is my first real playthrough.

After playing P3P its rekindled my love for the psp, Just this week I went out and bought valkyria, god of war and KH:bbs.

When I'm finished with P3P I think I'll start FES, I hope the transition isn't too hard. You guys think they would port FES on the psp as a separate game? I wouldn't mind buying that. I also gotta buy Persona 4.
 

Sipowicz

Banned
alright i'm going to start playing this again after my save got corrupted. i have two questions

1. how do you upgrade your part member's personae? do you just update its associated s-link?
2. what's the best way to max charm?
 

FredFish

Member
Sipowicz said:
alright i'm going to start playing this again after my save got corrupted. i have two questions

1. how do you upgrade your part member's personae? do you just update its associated s-link?
2. what's the best way to max charm?

Team members Persona upgrade automatically when they hit certain xp levels. You have to have them in your party for them to get xp though (Fuuka is always considered a party member regardless of who else you choose)

IIRC the best Charm upgrade is the Photo booth thing available at the arcade in the mall on certain days. Next best is pheromone coffee which is always available at the cafe in Paulownia mall
 

Hazmat

Member
Pein said:
Bought this game on psn and I'm totally in love with it. The characters the style just about everything. Even though I own the original copy and fes this is my first real playthrough.

After playing P3P its rekindled my love for the psp, Just this week I went out and bought valkyria, god of war and KH:bbs.

When I'm finished with P3P I think I'll start FES, I hope the transition isn't too hard. You guys think they would port FES on the psp as a separate game? I wouldn't mind buying that. I also gotta buy Persona 4.

About playing FES after P3P, the only thing that FES has that P3P doesn't is The Answer (a lengthy epilogue to the main game). I haven't played it, but the general consensus is that it isn't worth bothering with unless you absolutely LOVE P3. And seeing as you haven't played P4, I'd do that first.
 

deim0s

Member
Just picked this one up - since it's recommended as one of the best games for the PSP.

Not much familiar with the Persona universe, played bits and pieces for a few minutes - checking it out, but never finished one. Should I play the first one or each game is pretty much a standalone story.
 
deim0s said:
Not much familiar with the Persona universe, played bits and pieces for a few minutes - checking it out, but never finished one. Should I play the first one or each game is pretty much a standalone story.

They are standalone stories. P3 added the whole social link aspect so it's quite unlike the first two. I'd suggest playing 3 then 4 for more of the same (I prefer 4) then go back and check out 1 if you're curious.
 

Kazzy

Member
Bar a few hiccups right at the beginning of the game when I hadn't unlocked the useful team commands, I have found P3:FES completely manageable.

I do have P3 Portable though and I think with the control other the entire party the game will be a walkover, I thought Persona 4 got very easy after the first real dungeon. I was absolutely steam rolling enemies.

That said I still need to make my way through FES, about 60+ hours and I'm approaching December!
 

deim0s

Member
I missed one or two requests by Elizabeth in the Velvet Room.

Since the game runs by day/night cycles, that I won't get a chance ever to complete missed opportunities (or other events with the character) the 2nd time around and is the game is time limited/will end on a certain date?

I get a feeling that I should plan my in-game movements/activities with a daily planner. :p

(Dunno if this is considered cheating/spoiler atm) Is there a chart somewhere listing personas, fusion recommendations/useful skills to go with them?
 

MechaX

Member
Okay, I think I'm going to go through this. Coming from some one who is pretty used to MegaTen difficulty and in regards to P3, I cleared FES on Hard, vanilla on normal, and cleared the Answer, will Maniac Mode completely break my sanity?
 

Salsa

Member
Bought this.

Need to start it, but i still have my 50+ hours save on the PS2 version. Man i wish i could transfer it :lol
 

Jerk

Banned
MechaX said:
Okay, I think I'm going to go through this. Coming from some one who is pretty used to MegaTen difficulty and in regards to P3, I cleared FES on Hard, vanilla on normal, and cleared the Answer, will Maniac Mode completely break my sanity?

No.

I played this on the hardest difficulty my first time through and I breezed through it.

I literally soloed the entirety of the second half of the game up until the final boss (Which I could have tried to solo but I did not bother).
 

Kikujiro

Member
deim0s said:
One more question, every persona I use in the battle gains exp or the one that I end the battle with gains the exp?

Only the one you ended the battle with. The exception is personas with the Growth skill.
 

MoogPaul

Member
I must say despite all my love for the game, the fact that I can delete stuff off my memory card through the game is an option and there not being an option to change the audio mix baffles me. The audio mix is in complete an utter disarray. The sound effects are way to loud and it bothers the hell out of me.

/rant
 

deim0s

Member
Backread the thread a bit and discovered you could use the stairs to go back to the last level you're on! doh!

OT: is the anime any good?
 

deim0s

Member
Its June and am using a male character. It seems I missed the dude in home economics room and am missing the Lovers S. Link. Anyone? Am thinking os starting over, tho.
 

MoogPaul

Member
deim0s said:
Its June and am using a male character. It seems I missed the dude in home economics room and am missing the Lovers S. Link. Anyone? Am thinking os starting over, tho.

Lovers is Yukari if memory serves correctly. Home Ec I think you can do at any point, just goto the home ec room on the right days.
 

Pein

Banned
deim0s said:
Its June and am using a male character. It seems I missed the dude in home economics room and am missing the Lovers S. Link. Anyone? Am thinking os starting over, tho.
I think you can't start lovers until the end of summer break. so you still have plenty of time to start it.
 

heringer

Member
Played this for about 3 hours and I'm not feeling it.

Basically your generic japanese sim with boring dungeons that look samey. The PS2 version is probably cooler since you at least can run around freely in daytime. The way they present this part in the portable version feels kinda lazy.

Don't see what the big deal is, probably because it's still early. We'll see.
 

Curufinwe

Member
The World Balance on floor
236
is kicking my ass. The MC is only level 63, and I might have to actually grind for the first time in P3P.
 
Top Bottom