![]() The Social Links in P3P essentially just offer experience boosts for your Fusions of that arcana alongside learning more about that character and their life. While the characters themselves are likable, the evolution of their Social Links feels unrefined and borderline unrewarding. The Social Link system made its grand debut in Persona 3, and its appearance here is a large part of what makes the franchise feel so fresh and unique. No new regions open up, though new characters do appear to add some much-needed dimension to each locale. What’s here is serviceable, but you immediately gain access to several areas around the city and then that’s just kind of it. It would be easy to forgive the lackluster navigation system if the world itself was all that interesting, but the city of Iwatodai doesn’t do much to alleviate this problem. It’s not the most offensive means of game interaction, but it does wear out its welcome after just a few hours. Because of this, the majority of world navigation takes place as a cursor over static environments. Because of its underpowered nature, however, P3P was scaled back in certain regards to making the most of the console’s processing capabilities. P3P was originally developed for the PlayStation Portable, an underrated console that gave us some of the best installments in more than a few franchises. What was considered ground-breaking and novel in 2010 now pales in comparison to its more modern successors. That’s not to say it’s a bad game by any means, but the systems that makeup P3P are dated in a way that often grinds progression and enjoyment to a jarring halt. Person 3 Portable is an RPG designed for mid-2000s gamers. This brings me to Persona 3 Portable’s gameplay. While that might be a fair criticism for most Persona games, but it’s especially egregious when dealing with 13-year-old mechanics and design choices. I enjoyed P3P’s story overall, but it simply goes on for just a bit too long. It doesn’t help that a crucial twist is fairly predictable within the game’s opening hours. This mystery does link most of the characters to one another in very cool ways, but it takes a little too long to get there. While there is a core mystery at the heart of P3P, it’s a nebulous concept that doesn’t fully develop until you’ve clocked in about 30 hours of game time. Some of your core party are unavailable to you as Social Links until much later in the game, locked behind strict stat checks or simply time-gated for no discernible reason. Part of this stems from the visual novel approach to navigation in P3P, as well as a distinct lack of depth to many of the Social Links when compared to later titles. ![]() While P3P’s story is compelling overall, it does feel a little pale compared to the plot of both Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royale. It’s a noticeable difference from later games, where we actually get to see them awaken to the power of Persona. While each character has their own interesting backstory and personal connection to the overarching plot, they’re all introduced without much fanfare by the adult supervisor of SEES, Shuji Ikutsuki. ![]() The core group is made up of the protagonist, Junpei Iori, Yukari Takeba, and Mitsuru Kirijo, but the roster expands as the game progresses. SEES is made up of a colorful group of youths ranging in age from around 10 all the way to 17 years old. ![]() And as with most Persona titles, this narrative is carried squarely on the backs of its cast. P3P’s story begins at a near-breakneck pace and rarely slows down over its 40+ plot. Most people aren’t aware of the Dark Hour, but those who are aware must contend with Shadows, dangerous monsters that attack anyone not safely tucked away in their coffins. The main character is thrust into this world immediately after setting foot in the city of Iwatodai, as they arrive during the mysterious Dark Hour that occurs at midnight. SEES is a group of high school students who have awakened to the power of Persona, a mystical ability that grants extraordinary powers associated with different legendary figures. Persona 3 Portable (P3P) chronicles the adventures of SEES: Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad. ![]()
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