Persona 3 Portable

The opinions of the critics regarding the story of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics praised the game's dark and intriguing narrative, with some describing it as gripping, deep, and thought-provoking. The story revolves around supernatural events occurring in the fictional locale of Tatsumi Port Island, and it effectively balances heavy plot points with day-to-day social aspects, such as part-time jobs, social links, and club activities. The game's moody atmosphere, sharp writing, and the gradual unraveling of the causes and conspiracies behind the Dark Hour were also highlighted as strengths. Critics like Push Square and CGMagazine commended the game for its broody and foreboding atmosphere, while Gaming Nexus appreciated its well-paced narrative and exploration of the secrets of the Dark Hour. In terms of negatives, some critics felt that Persona 3 Portable could have done more, considering it is a conversion of a game from 2009. However, they still acknowledged its importance as a chapter in the series and its unique aesthetic that bridges the gap with its origins. Additionally, while the majority of critics praised the story, a few mentioned that the pacing picks up in the second third of the game, suggesting that the initial pacing might be slower. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the story of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable is exceptional. It is considered one of the best in the medium, tackling heavy themes such as life, death, depression, and alienation. The game's somber and gothic tone, coupled with its emotionally involving moments, resonated with many reviewers. The narrative is often described as compelling, captivating, and thematically rich. Critics like Pure Xbox and RPG Fan appreciated how the game redefined what Persona was about, introducing social interactions and a daily life cycle that added depth to the storytelling. The positive reception from the majority of critics solidifies the notion that the story of Persona 3 Portable is a standout aspect of the game.

The opinions of the critics regarding the gameplay of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable are generally positive. Many critics praise the addictive nature of the gameplay loop, which combines social sim aspects with dungeon crawling. The day-to-day calendar system and decision-making between social links and dungeon crawling are highlighted as addictive and enjoyable by critics such as Push Square and Gaming Nexus. The gameplay is described as engaging and rewarding, with a satisfying combat system that includes the ability to capture and switch through different Personas mid-battle, as mentioned by Twinfinite and GLHF on Sports Illustrated. The fusion mechanics and the balance between dungeon crawling and navigating high school life are also commended by COGconnected and Vooks. The gameplay is said to offer a mix of traditional JRPG elements and high-school life-sim mechanics, providing a unique and immersive experience. However, there are some negative aspects mentioned by a few critics. The repetitive nature of the dungeon crawling is highlighted by The Games Machine and Hooked Gamers, who feel that the mechanics are outdated compared to later games in the series. The sections where players explore Tartarus are mentioned as potentially boring by Pocket Tactics. Additionally, NME states that the dungeon-crawling aspect of the gameplay feels like a step back compared to other games in the series. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the gameplay of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable is enjoyable and addictive. The combination of social sim elements and dungeon crawling provides a unique and immersive experience. The combat system, fusion mechanics, and balance between high school life and dungeon exploration are praised by multiple critics. While there are some criticisms regarding the repetitive nature of the dungeon crawling, the overall sentiment is positive, with critics commending the engaging gameplay loop and the improvements made in this version of the game.

The opinions of the critics regarding the Graphics and Visual Design of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable are quite varied. Some critics, such as WellPlayed and NME, praise the game's distinct visual style, sharp visuals, and vibrant anime trappings. They find the visuals to be appealing and visually appealing, especially on certain platforms like the Nintendo Switch OLED. RPG Fan also commends the preserved and improved visuals in the portable version, with crisp character models and Salvador Dali-inspired visuals. They highlight the smooth animations and high framerate as positive aspects of the game's visual design. On the other hand, several critics express concerns about the game's visuals. PC Invasion and The Games Machine criticize the visuals, stating that they look like a PSP game and lack the beautiful anime sequences and exploration present in the original game. They find the visuals to be disappointing and watered-down compared to the "true" Persona 3 experience. Critics like Twinfinite and Hooked Gamers also mention that the graphics are not very good-looking, with barren and lifeless areas, clunky upscaling, and limited emotionally compelling cutscenes. They find the visuals to be outdated and lacking compared to other versions of the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the Graphics and Visual Design of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable have both positive and negative aspects. While some critics appreciate the distinct visual style, sharp visuals, and vibrant anime trappings, others criticize the lack of beautiful anime sequences, limited exploration, and outdated graphics. The game's character models receive praise from some critics, while others find the visuals to be lacking and disappointing. Despite the mixed opinions, it is clear that the visuals play a significant role in shaping the overall experience of the game for the critics.

The opinions of the critics regarding the sound design and music of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable are overwhelmingly positive. Many critics praised the soundtrack, with Push Square describing it as "phenomenal and crucial to the series" and NintendoWorldReport mentioning a "hip-hop and jazz-infused soundtrack full of certified bangers." The jazzy beats and catchy tunes of the boss battles and overworld sections were particularly enjoyable, according to Hardcore Gamer. The voice acting was also highly regarded, with COGconnected stating that most of it was solid, contributing to the game's atmospheric experience. The extensive Japanese and English voice tracks, as well as the top-notch Japanese voice acting, were also mentioned as positives by WellPlayed and God is a Geek. However, there were a few criticisms raised by some critics. Nintendo Insider and NME mentioned that the English voices seemed to be slightly lower quality compared to the overall audio quality. NME also noted that some tracks in the soundtrack suffered from being repetitive. Additionally, Pocket Tactics mentioned that the female protagonist doesn't get to hear a fantastic song called "Mass Destruction," which could be seen as a missed opportunity. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the sound design and music of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable are very good. The majority of the critics found the soundtrack to be outstanding, versatile, and catchy, accentuating the gravity of situations in the game. The voice acting was praised for its quality, adding emotional depth to the characters. The atmospheric experience created by the music and sound design was highly appreciated. The positive opinions of critics such as Siliconera, RPG Fan, and CGMagazine further support the overall consensus of the sound design and music being a strong aspect of the game.

The opinions of the critics regarding the voice acting in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable are quite varied. Several critics, such as WellPlayed and TheXboxHub, praise the voice acting in the game, describing it as well done and top-notch. They appreciate the effort put into giving each character a unique voice and personality, which enhances the immersive experience. RPG Fan also commends the voice acting, stating that it provides emotional depth to the characters. These positive opinions highlight the skill and dedication of the voice actors in bringing the game's characters to life. However, there are also critics who express some negative views on the voice acting. NME specifically mentions that the English dub is considered poor, indicating that it may not meet the expectations of some players. This criticism suggests that the English voice acting may not be as well-received as the Japanese voice acting, which is mentioned by Comicbook.com and God is a Geek as being top-notch and original to the game. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that the voice acting in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable is generally solid, with most reviewers appreciating the effort and quality put into it. The positive opinions from WellPlayed, TheXboxHub, and RPG Fan emphasize the strengths of the voice acting, highlighting its contribution to the immersive experience and emotional depth of the characters. However, the negative opinion from NME regarding the English dub suggests that it may not meet everyone's expectations. The inclusion of the original Japanese voice acting, as mentioned by Nintendo Insider and Comicbook.com, provides players with the option to experience the game in its intended language, which is seen as a positive aspect by some critics. Overall, while there may be some criticisms, the majority of the critics acknowledge the overall quality of the voice acting in Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable.

In terms of the technical performance, Persona 3 Portable received positive feedback from reviewers across multiple gaming platforms. Starting with the positives, the Nintendo Switch version was praised by critics such as NintendoWorldReport and WellPlayed for its improved visuals and smooth performance. The game was reported to run well and smoothly on the Switch, both in docked and undocked modes, offering a seamless experience. Additionally, the PlayStation 4 version, according to Checkpoint Gaming and Gaming Nexus, played well with barely any loading times and stable frame rates. The Xbox Series X version, as highlighted by Pure Xbox and CGMagazine, boasted high-resolution graphics locked at 60fps, providing a slick and visually appealing experience. The PC version, as noted by The Mako Reactor and Tech-Gaming, ran flawlessly with smooth animations and no performance issues, offering a smooth gaming experience. On the other hand, there were some limitations and negatives mentioned by critics regarding the technical performance of Persona 3 Portable on certain platforms. Hardcore Gamer and The Games Machine pointed out that the visuals on the Nintendo Switch version had limitations due to the game's original hardware, suggesting that the visual quality may not match up to more powerful platforms. WellPlayed also mentioned the absence of vibration support on the Nintendo Switch, which could be seen as a drawback for players who enjoy haptic feedback. Furthermore, Pocket Tactics stated that they did not notice any significant difference between the Switch and PS Vita versions, indicating that the technical performance may not have been significantly improved on the Switch compared to its handheld counterpart. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Persona 3 Portable generally performed well across different gaming platforms. The game was praised for its smooth performance, stable frame rates, and improved visuals on platforms like the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox Series X. The PC version was also commended for its flawless performance and smooth experience. While there were some limitations and minor drawbacks mentioned, such as visual limitations on the Nintendo Switch and the absence of vibration support, these did not significantly impact the overall positive reception of the game's technical performance.

In analyzing the opinions of multiple reviewers regarding the replay value of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable, it is evident that there are several positive aspects highlighted by the critics. PC Invasion and NintendoWorldReport both mention the ability to customize the difficulty and retry from the last floor, which adds replay value. COGconnected and RPG Fan emphasize the multiple story paths and choices to explore, while Twinfinite and NME highlight the replay value through multiple storylines and character interactions. WellPlayed and God is a Geek mention the addition of an exclusive additional protagonist, offering a second playthrough and potential relationships to be explored. Switch Player and Nintenderos also praise the well-balanced gameplay experience and substantial amount of gameplay offered by Persona 3 Portable. However, there are also some negative aspects mentioned by the critics. Checkpoint Gaming points out that there are no same-sex options available, which is seen as an outdated relic of the time the game originally released. Comicbook.com mentions that Persona 3 Portable lacks the added content from Persona 3 FES, while Gaming Nexus echoes this sentiment, stating that the game lacks the added content from Persona 3 FES, despite offering different social links and romance options for male and female protagonists. WellPlayed also mentions that the late game can become repetitive and lack variety. Overall, the consensus among the critics is that Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable offers significant replay value. The ability to customize difficulty, retry from the last floor, and explore multiple story paths and choices are praised by multiple critics. The addition of an exclusive additional protagonist and the potential for different relationships and social links also contribute to the game's replayability. However, the lack of same-sex options and the absence of added content from Persona 3 FES are seen as drawbacks. Despite these criticisms, the overall sentiment is that Persona 3 Portable offers a well-balanced gameplay experience with a variety of options for different gamer palates and is worth revisiting or exploring for both newcomers and longtime fans of the series.