Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (PS2)
Hello again. Today we'll be reviewing this disturbingly dark RPG, Persona 3. Yes, there's a longer title, but Persona 3 is what we'll call it.
Story: The story begins that you are a recently transferred student at a new high school. On your way to the dorm you see some disturbing things, but apparently the main character isn't that phased. IGN.com has a video of the intro movie. I highly recommend watching it if you want to see the tip of the iceburg on creepy. Anyway, a few days after you move into your dorm you discover something known as the dark hour. A space in time that only a select few are aware of. In this dark hour, creatures known as shadows come out and attack anyone who is aware. Joining a group known as SEES, you develop your persona to combat these shadows and discover the origins of the dark hour. The members of SEES use a tool known as an evoker (which looks like a gun) to summon their persona. Which means, you shoot yourself in the head to use your special abilities. There is no blood, and it isn't any sort of death, but it is dark. I just wanted to warn you. When you're not in the dark hour you are living life like a high school student: going to classes, joining clubs, making friends. These activities are all important for the growth of your personas. There is a lot going on in the story, but that is the general gist of it. It might not sound all that interesting, but trust me, it is. Like most of the Shin Megami Tensei games, the story more than anything will draw you in. 5/5
Audio: The characters have voice acting for important cutscenes as well as when they are summoning their personas in battle. All of the voice actors are well chosen and suit their character very well. The music goes with an interesting choice. Outside of the dark hour, it is more modern than almost anything I've heard in an RPG. In the dark hour it becomes more subdued and fills the atmosphere well. A lot of tracks will just be background, doing its job of setting the mood. One particular track, heard in the Velvet Room (where you fuse personas), is particularly haunting and beautiful. Audio is well done. 5/5
Graphics: It's hard to pinpoint how to describe the graphics. On one hand the in game visuals seem much less than the PS2 can do. On the other hand, you become so used to them so quickly that maybe less is more. Major cutscenes, usually when introducing characters, involve anime art styles. These are lovely to look at, but almost seem out of place for all that they are more beautiful than the actual style. Background graphics are well detailed. The Tartarus (huge tower of doom) is simply designed, but also the most memorable place. A creepy place outside of time and space. 4/5
Gameplay: There are two aspects to the game, climbing the Tartarus or going to school. You can only climb the Tartarus at night. There you will combat monsters (which you can see on screen before fighting which makes avoiding easier). Every few levels you will be faced with boss monster. Usually on the floors with a boss is also a device which links to the first floor allowing you to return to that floor. As you get further into the game the devices become more and more spread apart. If you've ever played a SMT game then you'll remember the importance of finding and enemies weakness. In this game if you hit the enemy with its weak point, it will be knocked down. Knocking all enemies down allows you to use an all out attack (massive damage to all enemies by all allies). This is the strategy you'll need for defeating most enemies, and bosses if they have a weakness. Your party members work on AI, though you can set them to different tactics as you see fit. As the main character you have the unique ability to switch out your persona. Everyone else is stuck with one. All persona have strengths and weaknesses that can help or hinder. Also, having a weakness exploited will allow for a second turn. After battles you will sometimes have a card shuffle where you can earn money, items, healings, extra experience, or a new persona. Outside of the Tartarus you live like a regular person, and you have three stats that you can build: charm, courage, and athletics. These are needed to help you make friends. During the day you attend school which is not so difficult in itself. Sometimes you will have pop quizzes (answering correctly gives you a boost in your charm stat) or you will be offered the chance to stay awake through a lecture which boosts academics. After school you can make friends with people which will create a social link. Each social link is associated with a major arcana in a tarot deck. By boosting these, you can give more experience to any persona you create in the Velvet Room. There is a balancing act in the game. You need to build your outside stats and social links while also making your way up the Tartarus. If you spend too much time in the Tartarus you'll become tired and then sick. That said, the gameplay is easy to master and fascinating to make use of. 5/5
Replay: There is no real reason for replay other than love of the game. You might change how you handle your days, but in the end it will all pretty much be the same. There is a plus game available after you defeat the game. 2/5
Overall: It's an amazing game. I highly recommend it; however, it is a very dark and disturbing game, which means...if you like want light and fluffy, do not touch. Also, on my own little note, knowing a bit about the tarot deck, I find myself fascinated with the social links and how they line up with the meanings of the cards. 5/5
Story: The story begins that you are a recently transferred student at a new high school. On your way to the dorm you see some disturbing things, but apparently the main character isn't that phased. IGN.com has a video of the intro movie. I highly recommend watching it if you want to see the tip of the iceburg on creepy. Anyway, a few days after you move into your dorm you discover something known as the dark hour. A space in time that only a select few are aware of. In this dark hour, creatures known as shadows come out and attack anyone who is aware. Joining a group known as SEES, you develop your persona to combat these shadows and discover the origins of the dark hour. The members of SEES use a tool known as an evoker (which looks like a gun) to summon their persona. Which means, you shoot yourself in the head to use your special abilities. There is no blood, and it isn't any sort of death, but it is dark. I just wanted to warn you. When you're not in the dark hour you are living life like a high school student: going to classes, joining clubs, making friends. These activities are all important for the growth of your personas. There is a lot going on in the story, but that is the general gist of it. It might not sound all that interesting, but trust me, it is. Like most of the Shin Megami Tensei games, the story more than anything will draw you in. 5/5
Audio: The characters have voice acting for important cutscenes as well as when they are summoning their personas in battle. All of the voice actors are well chosen and suit their character very well. The music goes with an interesting choice. Outside of the dark hour, it is more modern than almost anything I've heard in an RPG. In the dark hour it becomes more subdued and fills the atmosphere well. A lot of tracks will just be background, doing its job of setting the mood. One particular track, heard in the Velvet Room (where you fuse personas), is particularly haunting and beautiful. Audio is well done. 5/5
Graphics: It's hard to pinpoint how to describe the graphics. On one hand the in game visuals seem much less than the PS2 can do. On the other hand, you become so used to them so quickly that maybe less is more. Major cutscenes, usually when introducing characters, involve anime art styles. These are lovely to look at, but almost seem out of place for all that they are more beautiful than the actual style. Background graphics are well detailed. The Tartarus (huge tower of doom) is simply designed, but also the most memorable place. A creepy place outside of time and space. 4/5
Gameplay: There are two aspects to the game, climbing the Tartarus or going to school. You can only climb the Tartarus at night. There you will combat monsters (which you can see on screen before fighting which makes avoiding easier). Every few levels you will be faced with boss monster. Usually on the floors with a boss is also a device which links to the first floor allowing you to return to that floor. As you get further into the game the devices become more and more spread apart. If you've ever played a SMT game then you'll remember the importance of finding and enemies weakness. In this game if you hit the enemy with its weak point, it will be knocked down. Knocking all enemies down allows you to use an all out attack (massive damage to all enemies by all allies). This is the strategy you'll need for defeating most enemies, and bosses if they have a weakness. Your party members work on AI, though you can set them to different tactics as you see fit. As the main character you have the unique ability to switch out your persona. Everyone else is stuck with one. All persona have strengths and weaknesses that can help or hinder. Also, having a weakness exploited will allow for a second turn. After battles you will sometimes have a card shuffle where you can earn money, items, healings, extra experience, or a new persona. Outside of the Tartarus you live like a regular person, and you have three stats that you can build: charm, courage, and athletics. These are needed to help you make friends. During the day you attend school which is not so difficult in itself. Sometimes you will have pop quizzes (answering correctly gives you a boost in your charm stat) or you will be offered the chance to stay awake through a lecture which boosts academics. After school you can make friends with people which will create a social link. Each social link is associated with a major arcana in a tarot deck. By boosting these, you can give more experience to any persona you create in the Velvet Room. There is a balancing act in the game. You need to build your outside stats and social links while also making your way up the Tartarus. If you spend too much time in the Tartarus you'll become tired and then sick. That said, the gameplay is easy to master and fascinating to make use of. 5/5
Replay: There is no real reason for replay other than love of the game. You might change how you handle your days, but in the end it will all pretty much be the same. There is a plus game available after you defeat the game. 2/5
Overall: It's an amazing game. I highly recommend it; however, it is a very dark and disturbing game, which means...if you like want light and fluffy, do not touch. Also, on my own little note, knowing a bit about the tarot deck, I find myself fascinated with the social links and how they line up with the meanings of the cards. 5/5
posted by Kit @ 5:57 PM
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