Persona 3 (PS2) - Part 124

Channel:

Louis B

Subscribers:

2,460

Published on July 27, 2021 11:00:15 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBD1SticWc0

Game:

Persona 3 (2006)

Category:

Let's Play

Duration: 59:04

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Well, here it is, in time for the tenth anniversary of the end of the world, and with midnight just around the corner, here is Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3.

Persona 3 (or P3) means so much to those who experienced it during the late sixth generation: Not only did it introduce many westerners to an Atlus turn-based RPG, and Shin Megami Tensei at large, but it helped popularise many of the localisation tropes still used in Japanese translations to this day. For example, places and characters all use their original Japanese names, honourifics like -kun, -chan and -senpai are also regularly used in conversation. It is not perfect by any means, with some occasional spelling errors and odd mistranslations here or there (e.g. Aigis rather than Aegis) but overall it is impressive how it flows, how the performances play-out in dialogue, even the way in which puns are altered to work more appropriately in the English language (Junpei is often called Stupei). For 2007, it is all very impressive to see.

Persona’s gimmick is as peculiar as it is unique, seamlessly blending social-sim elements, including the mundane classes of Gekkoukan High, with a randomly generated dungeon system in the Nega version of the school during midnight, Tartarus. How these two marry up depends entirely on your choices with the various elements of school-life, and the numerous distractions featured throughout your home in Tatsumi Port Island. The brunt of the experience is spent fostering relationships with those you encounter during play, with the personalities met becoming the enabler needed to create stronger summons, or personas, to use during combat in the dungeons mentioned earlier.

The reason it all meshes so well however has less to do with P3’s interactivity and more to with its strict adherence to the grind of everyday life. It is almost a meta-level joke. Everything in Persona 3 is about time-management. Even from the beginning, the introduction to your lunar calendar suggests what days are best to hang-out with your friends, what days are best for studying, all before readying yourself for a “Full Moon” and what encounter awaits during it. Knowing how long to spend fighting in Tartarus before your party becomes too tired or how often to study before an upcoming exam are key. It can be difficult, but Persona 3 rewards those who smartly mix 'n' match their styles of play between the slice of life, day-to-day activities in and around school as well as the nerve-wracking confrontations that take place during the "Dark Hour" within Tartarus.

It does help too that many of the characters, whether supporting or primary, are likeable in of themselves, they are written as such that they all have their own corresponding identities, and attention to detail is definitely noticeable in their mannerisms of speech. Again, it is a testament to Persona 3’s localisation because it all gell so well despite being in a different language. Even in the first ten hours of play, the likes of Kenji and Kazushi leave immediate lasting impressions. But moreso, this game is long, and at upwards of one hundred hours gametime Persona 3 is able to build a far-reaching story that goes from having our characters battle it-out in a simple good & evil plot-line to unveiling a supposed conspiracy, deception and eventual redemption. It plays multiple, complex, themes relating to nihilism, depression, order versus chaos. Summarising such things here would not even do it justice.


Forever have I wanted to pick-up the courage and experience an Atlus RPG properly. These last couple of years have been tough for me in real life, and have made me regret so many decisions made… Completing Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 however has not been one of them. I cannot recommend playing this game enough.

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Some Necessary Pointers:
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-There are a few sequences where notable combing artefacts pop-up, fortunately, these are infrequent.

-I did not complete all the social links in this playthrough, nor did I ever truly intend to, that was never the point.

-Given the nature of this game, there is ALOT of time spent level-grinding and making customisations to my characters and personas. It is completely understandable if you wish to skip segments where I am doing largely that.

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A LEGAL NOTICE:
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Any copyrighted footage I use is covered under fair use laws, or more specifically those listed under Section 30(1) of the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1989 and under section 107 of US Copyright Act 1976. This video exists purely for the purpose of research and criticism. I do not make a profit from any uploaded content, nor do I intend to. Thank you for watching.

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