Persona 3 Portable
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Persona 3 Portable Trailers
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.
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
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.
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 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 games.
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.
