Without question, Atlus has delivered another fantastic title with a huge range of things to do, and one that might well be the last great PlayStation 2 RPG. It’s just unfortunate that this is Europe’s first taste of the Persona range, with previous entries being extremely successful in Japan.
Any release with the Shin Megami Tensei prefix means the existence of demons and a unique game world. Persona 3 puts you in the role of a new school student with a special ability. Whereas in previous entries in the series this would have meant kicking demon ass day and night, Persona 3 brings a more personal and interactive experience to the fore. The school element is brought into the mix, rather than being a catalyst for the storyline, soon becomes a worthwhile addition.
Following the school year should be a fundamental bore, however here it allows you to boost your academic ability, form social links and see another side to the main characters apart from that on show on the battlefield. The map features several locations where you can also ‘hang out’ and engage in various social activities with friends. You could argue that there is an obvious Buffy influence on show here, with a social group living normal lives during the day, but at night it all changes.
At midnight unbeknown to almost everyone is a period of time called the Dark Hour. The majority of humans will retreat into the sanctuary of their coffins (yes, this is an Atlus RPG after all) and as they sleep, the demons (here called Shadows) strike out. A few humans do not fall asleep during this period, instead forming a specialist organisation to fight the Shadows and investigate their origins.
The battle system is robust without ever being original, instead content to cover all the bases and allow the action to flow, as your team rampages across the environments. The most startling aspect is the routine each character follows to call upon their Persona during battle. Every time you select the special skill option, a gun is placed against your head and the trigger pulled! Luckily the combat system emphasises the importance of these spirits, rather than actual swordplay, which also exists. The social aspect enhances the Persona abilities in addition to experience points, and you can collect spirit cards to acquire new options.
Merely having such spirits on call is not enough and you can visit what must be a David Lynch influenced Velvet Room. Here you can merge spirits together to form new creations and experiment with the possibilities, or accept errands from your unusual hosts. It’s just another activity to somehow squeeze into your busy social calender, yet as with most elements in Persona 3, it’s there to pursue only if you really want to.
Persona 3 kicks off with a startling introduction, before setting out the range of activities you can engage in. This takes a few hours before you are able to strike out into the storyline and make your own decisions and discoveries. While you must follow the timetable of school events, you can amongst other things actively chase girls, make new friends or study like Einstein. At night you can go demon hunting if you wish, which at times becomes a levelling up chore in the what seems endless Tartarus Tower. With so many extra curricular activities in Persona 3 the normal grind of increasing your strengths is diluted and therefore one you can live with. It is no surprise that on many occasions you and your co-horts will seek sleep to prevent tiredness.
Visually this is not the slickest Playstation 2 RPG by any stretch of the imagination, but the key components are so strong that you’ll never question the lack of detail or visual flair on offer. The main environments are well presented and look even better if you’re playing on a PS2, as opposed to scaling up on the PS3. The voice acting overall is of a decent standard and is backed with an effective soundtrack and the usual excellent character designs.
So there you have it, Persona 3 soon warms up to be a memorable experience after a slow burning introduction. For those still hanging onto their PS2 before jumping into the next generation, it’s an essential acquisition for genre fans. Playstation 3 owners waiting for a decent RPG should take heed and pick this up pronto, as it’s worth experiencing whatever Sony console is under your television.
If you enjoyed the article above, check out the following reviews.
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Persona 3 FES review for the Sony PlayStation 2
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Rock Band review for the Sony PlayStation 2
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