Critic & User Reviews
8
Very Good
same story as persona 3 with some extras
posted by dulun21 (CHANDLER, AZ) Apr 27, 2008
Member since Aug 2007
32 out of 33 gamers (97%) found this review helpful
-Several new popular persona
-new social links
-Hard difficulty
-Weapon Fusion- using persona-.. kind of like Devil summoner
-More requests added
-character customes
things i noticed..
-the character is faster now, so he can get around pretty quickly (you will see when you play the game)
-slightly better loading time
-and lastly, early access to the velvet room (i can't quite remember but i think.. they did have acess until you enter tartarus in person 3)
YES, you can use the saved file from persona 3 in this game.. things that will be transfer over are
-Registered persona (so be sure to register your personas)
-known fustion spells
-Academics, charm and courage rankings
-Items gained from Social Links that reached Max.
FES offered two paths
-the journey (the exact story just like persona 3 with upgrades if you have the saved file)
-the answer (the 15 hours or so gameplay time as mentioned before the game release.
it's practically the same game with some extras added that's all.. worth a rental.. but not a purchase.. unless you do not own Persona 3.. or if you have the money for it.
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10
Perfect
The perfect turn-based RPG
posted by magaloo (KISSIMMEE, FL) Sep 3, 2008
Member since Jul 2008
9 out of 9 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
For me, this is on my top 3 list of best RPGs for the Playstation2 console.
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9
Excellent
Best Persona yet.
posted by Seriatim (SOLON, ME) Sep 15, 2008
Member since Aug 2008
8 out of 8 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
First, the story line is fantastic, and keeps you wanting to play. Secondly, there are multiple paths you can pursue to try to strengthen your character. So many that you can't possibly do them all the first time through. Third, the animation is a huge jump over the previous two installment, with some nice anime segments thrown in as well.
A few minor complaints do knock off the 1 point from me giving this game a 10. First, the music gets quite irritating after a while. Very minor, but...ehh. Second, your fighting consists mainly of scaling an ever-changing tower, repeatedly. That gets a little old. The first 2 personas did a good job of switching locales. Only the fun fighting system prevents this from being more of a downer. Lastly, I miss not being able to throw in random objects when fusing personae. I liked this feature in prior Persona games, where you could only unlock certain persona by throwing in a certain item during creation. I think they streamlined the process in the third game.
All in all, if you liked previous persona games or if you like turn-based RPGs, or even if you are a fan of collection/fighting games like Poke`mon, you need to try this game. Just bear in mind it is "M" rated, so it isn't cute Poke`mon collecting, but collecting demons to stop people from getting their souls sucked out. Enjoy.
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10
Perfect
Oh My Gosh!
posted by Vidron (STATESBORO, GA) Aug 1, 2009
Member since Jun 2009
1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
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9
Excellent
Didn't hear about P3 before? You will now.
posted by Devkit (CENTREVILLE, VA) Dec 17, 2008
Member since Nov 2008
1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
When I heard that FES was coming out, I thought "Why not give it a shot? After all, I haven't tried the original before.". There were a few shortcomings, but FES quickly became one of the most enjoyable RPGs I've ever played.
Gameplay - 10/10
You start out by choosing a new game. If you've played the original P3, you can transfer save data and have most of what you managed to get(social links, compendium, academics, charm, muscle, etc.). There's now a new hard mode for those people looking for a challenge as well as easy and normal.
You'll eventually join a club dedicated to defeating Shadows called SEES. You'll be exploring a tower called Tartarus, trying to exterminate as many Shadows as possible and see what's at the top. You'll have boss fights with the 12 arcanas(Fool, Magician, Death, Justice, Hierophant, etc.) after you get into the game long enough. You have your standard turn based combat and personae which can help with spell resistances and certain attack resistances along with granting you attacks to defeat the Shadows.
While you're exploring Tartarus at night, you'll be building up social links(to buff up personae and be able to use personae with more power) and stats(to pass tests, be able to start new social links, etc.). This goes on basically until the end of the Journey.
New to FES, there's the Answer. The Answer explains all that happens after the end of the Journey. It's basically the same as the Journey except that you just go through different dungeons until the end.
Graphics - 7.5/10
The environment is kind of bland, honestly. You'll be seeing it 24/7 throughout the game. Kind of good at first, but quickly gets old. The animated cutscenes do look rather decent though.
Sound/Music - 9/10
All the good music is in the middle and end of the Journey and Answer.
Overall - 9.3/10
FES will easily last you 60+ hours. Buy it when you have $20-30.
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9
Excellent
Persona 3, top 3 RPG for the PS2
posted by RPGaddict (Chicago, IL) Oct 21, 2008
Member since Sep 2008
1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
This game has a real immersion factor to it that keep you playing for a very long time. The plot has some interesting twists as well as one of the most shocking endings I have ever seen. Most of the plots twists in RPGs are pretty predictable. This is one of the few that does surprise you in a very good way. This game has a very depressing mood to it and will actually resonate with you for awhile once you see how it ends.
The battle system is something new to me as this is the first Persona game I have played. I loved it. It keeps its challenge throughout most of the game(esp on hard mode, it is brutal) and not not a chore at all.
Graphics are not very important to me so I will not stress them but for a PS2 game they are fine. The character design has a good balance of seriousness and wacky looking characters.
The only thing I mark down on this is the fact the game can be TO depressing sometimes. However I love games that do something different in a world of shooter clones and happy storylines.
The soundtrack can get a bit repetitive but that is not a real issue. The main points of a RPG are very strong here, battle system and plot.
To sum things up
+ Amazing Storyline
+ Battle system as a whole is very enjoyable and doesn't get old
+ Immersion factor that I have not experienced since Xenogears.
+ Long play time(76 hours my playthrough) and it doesn't feel like it is dragging on. In fact you don't want it to end.
+ Very good character development throughout the story.
- Soundtrack a bit repetitive.
- Sometimes TO depressing but this is minor.
- Tartarus(the main area you will be exploring) can sometimes be a chore to explore.
If I could give it a 9.7 I could. 10 to me is perfect and while this game is not perfect it is close. It got me into Shin Negima Tensei games. I have Nocturne coming now. Can't wait for Persona 4.
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10
Perfect
amazing game
posted by j0shey (ATHENS, GA) Oct 12, 2008
Member since Sep 2008
1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
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10
Perfect
Ah back to the dark hour
posted by RedSkittle (WOODBRIDGE, VA) Aug 14, 2008
Member since Jul 2006
1 out of 1 gamers (100%) found this review helpful
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8
Very Good
Sequel is lacking, but combined, worthwhile
posted by yawmin (MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA) May 29, 2008
Member since Jul 2007
2 out of 3 gamers (67%) found this review helpful
I can't really say the same about The Answer, though. At least half of the entertainment value of the original Persona 3 was in the school life portion, and trying to grow your Social Links to level up your Personas. In The Answer, every time you fuse a Persona you only get them at their base level - which means you have to level each one up to get at their upper level skills. This just means that smart use of skill inheritance and Growth skills is key, but is still rather annoying. The Answer is pretty much a pure dungeon crawl with storyline. Compared to The Journey, it's like ordering a root beer float without ice cream. In my opinion, the storyline of The Answer isn't really a resolution, but more of a side story. I was fine with how Persona 3 ended the first time around, and the new plot seems a bit extraneous. The characters are also a lot more emo than in The Journey.
In short, if you enjoyed the battle system in Persona 3, go ahead and do some more in FES. If you thought of combat as something to get over with so you could do the school stuff more, give FES a pass.
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10
Perfect
BEST SMT GAME TO DATE!
posted by bac1551 (TEMECULA, CA) May 21, 2008
Member since Mar 2007
1 out of 2 gamers (50%) found this review helpful
and let me just say, nocturne has nothing on Persona 3! I'd have to say persona 3 is not only the best SMT game out, but one of the best Japanese RPG's ever made!
PROS: The story is magnificient! And thats saying alot, cuz ima huge critic when it comes to the plot of a game. Graphicwise its a whole lot cleaner than nocturne, although thats understandable since nocturne is an 04 game.
Gameplay is very fun and leaves room for discovery. Weapons and items are easy to find where ever you are. money is also easy to make in this game! Also, the difficulty can be changed unlike nocturne. The characters are so unique and real for a game its scary.
CONS: Advancing the game can be very repetetive.
Also, if you're one of those ppl who hates alot of dialogue, let me just clearify this is NOT the game for you! Also it would have been better if you had more of a choice to customize your character.
Other than that this game is a definite 10 in my book! An absolute RENT and possible BUY!
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10
Perfect
Amazing as usual
posted by kang568 (LAS VEGAS, NV) Apr 25, 2008
Member since Jun 2006
4 out of 10 gamers (40%) found this review helpful
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8
Very Good
ok
posted by greenman30 (CONYERS, GA) Sep 11, 2008
Member since Feb 2008
1 out of 3 gamers (33%) found this review helpful
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10
Perfect
a worthy sequel
posted by daniel30 (ROME, NY) Apr 23, 2008
Member since Mar 2005
1 out of 6 gamers (17%) found this review helpful
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1
Horrible
eh
posted by Azureth (GARLAND, TX) Jun 22, 2008
Member since Oct 2005
2 out of 20 gamers (10%) found this review helpful
What I didn't know was that it was pretty much a dating sim, and all you do is dating sim during the day and enter the same dungeon over and over while climbing its floors. Yeah... no. Just not my cup of tea.
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5
Fair
8.7?
posted by rob465 (SANTA FE, NM) Nov 3, 2008
Member since May 2006
1 out of 18 gamers (6%) found this review helpful
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1
Horrible
DONT GET THIS GAME
posted by GeoStigma (ACWORTH, GA) Jun 12, 2008
Member since Feb 2008
1 out of 21 gamers (5%) found this review helpful
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8
Very Good
Great if you have time
posted by Eveekitten (AVONDALE, AZ) Apr 1, 2013
Member since Mar 2013
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10
Perfect
Amazing.
posted by Oliviator (CLEVELAND, OH) Dec 11, 2011
Member since Nov 2011
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10
Perfect
My favorite
posted by KittyBangOuch (CORALVILLE, IA) Aug 7, 2011
Member since Aug 2011
Persona 3 is a third person RPG. You are the new kid at school and you are moved from your regular dorm assignment because the building is full. You end up in a dorm with lots of empty rooms and 3 other students. Mysterious things begin to happen and you soon discover they are part of an elite monster hunting team that all have the power to use personas, which you discover you have as well.
This game is great because it has so much to do and so many possibilities. In order to gain different personas, which help you to defeat monsters more easily, you have to build up corresponding social links in everyday life. This also makes for high replay value because there are over 170 combinations of personas that can be made, some which can only occur by accident or combining rare cards.
Very long game, also has great voice acting, hilarious music and a visual style that was well before its time and still looks beautiful on an hdtv. A must play.
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4
Weak
Only for people with obsessive disorders
posted by GamerTech (BRONX, NY) Aug 1, 2010
Member since Aug 2010
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8
Very Good
I'm going to buy it!
posted by NGversusA (STRONGSVILLE, OH) Jul 20, 2010
Member since Mar 2008
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9
Excellent
some problems
posted by JouteiHi (LA VERGNE, TN) Dec 2, 2009
Member since Nov 2008
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8
Very Good
A story done well
posted by DresdenK (BEND, OR) Nov 3, 2009
Member since Nov 2007
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9
Excellent
Loved It
posted by Kiokushoma (SEAFORD, DE) Nov 2, 2009
Member since Sep 2009
I haven't yet beaten the game, I just got the New Years, but it's a great game. I'm working on Persona 4, and I must say, I like 3 better.
The characters are cute, let's face it, the main character is hot, and you can even date the girls. I was kind of disappointed that the main character, a guy, couldn't 'date' other guys --I'm a Yaoi fan. But then again, no game has that.
If only a Persona game with a Girl main character would come out, that was be the best one yet.
The game is quick if you know what you're doing, though the Skills take a little longer to get up then I would like.
Overall, it's a great game, and I would play it multiple times without getting tired of it.
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10
Perfect
loved it!
posted by enrique (GRANT PARK, IL) Jul 27, 2009
Member since May 2008
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