Shadow Killing Class- SMT: Persona 3 Portable Review

When assessing the quality of role-playing ports on the PSP, the results are decidedly mixed.  For every enhanced redesign such as Lunar: Silver Star Harmony or the Star Ocean series, players have been  subjected to the bloated load times and inelegance of quick conversions like Ys: Ark of Napishtim or Mana Khemia: Student Alliance. One publisher which has consistently pushed to elevate the quality of portable ports is Atlus USA, whose adaptation of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona included a number of thoughtful alterations.

Recent release Shin Megami Tensi: Persona 3 Portable preserves that trend, taking the intriguing gameplay of the original PS2 title and adding a number of additions from  FES and Persona 4. Although hardcore purists may bemoan the modifications, rational role-players will appreciate the fastidious care that went into this edition, which offers content even for players who’ve already explored every nook of Gekkoukan High.

At first glance, a Japanese high school seems like an improbable setting to maintain the interest of an Western adult. Yet, within a few hours players will discover Persona 3‘s venue offers a compelling reprieve from the typical fantasy backdrops found in most RPGs. Gamers control a new transfer student who gets drawn into a escalating struggle occurring during the ‘dark hour’, a ethereal period when shadow monsters encroach into our realm. During this 25th hour, the town’s high school is transformed into the Tartarus, a tower which offers an idyllic monster-slaying environment which skillfully complements the title’s daytime high school curriculum.  P3P‘s most notable addition is the incorporation of a female protagonist, who offers a fresh perspective, as romantic partners of the male campaign become invaluable allies.

Regardless of the player’s choice for a main character, social interactions are one of the game’s critical strategic elements. During the day, conversions, extra-curricular activities, and dating other characters build ‘social links’, which have a immediate effect on your Persona, a battle-ready manifestation of the protagonist’s inner-self. Thanks to the game’s solid writing, these activities are consistently entertaining, and offer a decent amount of deviation on multiple play-throughs. Undoubtedly, Persona 3‘s range of daytime diversions feels tremendous, requiring gamers to manage their time wisely.

Of course, P3P‘s academic activities would feel aimless without the support of a solid combat component to exercise your growing abilities. Fortunately, exploring Tartarus is consistently enjoyable thanks to a randomized floor layout and a handy auto-mapping feature. Following the trend of most contemporary RPGs, Persona 3 forgoes random enemy encounters, even allowing players to sneak up on unsuspecting foes for a tactical advantage. Unlike the PS2 iteration of the game, P3P allows players to control each member of their adventuring party, allowing gamers to better control the trajectory of each skirmish. While the this also makes the game a bit easier, Persona 3 veterans can select one of the title’s more challenging difficulty settings.

Visually, P3P forgoes most of the three-dimensional environments of its PS2 predecessor, wisely offering navigation via overhead 2D maps. Not only does this modification reduce load times but it allows the title’s environments to be as detailed as the game’s stunning character portraits. While the game’s shadow-hunting jaunts still retain a 3D perspective, the battles are animated  exceptionally well.

Shin Megami Tensi Persona 3 Portable is the regretfully uncommon adaptation which outshines its predecessor. By carefully scrutinizing the PSP’s strengths and weakness, Atlus has created an exemplary title which deserves a place in every role-playing aficionado’s library. Other publishers should take vigilant notice of P3P– this is exactly how every ports need to be handled.