Boxart of the PS2 game
Persona 3 FES
I’ll be reviewing this as a standalone rather than a comparison to the original Persona 3 game since I didn’t have the chance (and was too cheap) to purchase it the first time around; besides, I imagine that it’s practically the same.
WARNING: I don’t outright mention any spoilers, but I heavily imply something in the story category. It’s easy to figure out if you’ve heard things. Just avoid the *** section if you don’t want to be spoiled.
Synopsis: In “The Journey,” you play as a male high school student who has recently transferred into Gekkoukan High for reasons unknown. Like an ordinary teenager, you go to school in the morning, hang out with your friends in the afternoon, and kick ass during the Dark Hour as leader of SEES–the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad–with your special ability: Persona. As the name suggests, Personas reflect their user’s personality. Yet somehow, the silent protagonist is able to use several and can even switch between them during battle. It is for this reason that you’ve been chosen to be leader. As SEES climbs the demonic tower Tartarus in an attempt to simultaneously end the Dark Hour and save the world, what will they learn?
In “The Answer,” the player takes control of returning character Aigis, an android with the ability to wield a Persona. “The Answer” is the direct sequel to Persona 3, taking place shortly after “The Journey.” The characters return to an ordinary life and are preparing to move out of the dorms. Unfortunately, things don’t go the way they want. The chime that signals midnight reveals that it’s STILL March 31st. (Cruel April Fools joke? …if it still counts as one.) Along with new character Metis, Aigis and the crew discover a desert underneath the dorms: The Desert of Doors. What’s in store for our heroes after “Happily Ever After”?
Story: Teenagers saving the world? Not exactly original, but it’s still fun to watch the story unfold. Though some characters are akin to stereotypes or archetypes in the beginning, they gradually become more than what they seem. I find it easy to relate to some of them on some level, and they are varied enough to be interesting. It’s pretty impressive in a game with such a large cast. Then again, how can they not have the time to do that? It’s a pretty long game. 
***I like “The Journey” a lot more than “The Answer” since the ‘answer’ can actually be figured out (maybe 80% anyway) if you pay attention to the hints in “The Journey.” When I think about it though, it’s less of a revelation to the player and more to the characters. We know how we feel at the end of “The Journey” (happy if you didn’t suspect it, somewhat sad if you did), but what about the characters? “The Answer” is about dealing with the aftermath; it’s a chapter centered on healing, acceptance, and friendship.
Graphics, Music, and Voice Acting: Compared to other games, Persona 3 isn’t that impressive in the graphics department. And some people don’t like anime style all that much. I rather like P3F’s graphics; they get the job done. I’m not too impressed by the FMV’s though. Luckily “The Answer” is a little better in that department. Music-wise…P3 is unlike anything I’ve ever heard of before. You don’t often hear “baby baby baby” echoing during a battle. It’s not the kind of music I’m into, but it fits really well with Persona 3’s atmosphere and sets the mood. (Though there was one instance when I got paranoid during a scene that was supposed to be somewhat uplifting…) Among those “hip” songs are also some slower pieces that are maybe even moving. As the game neared its finale, I found myself immersed in the background music, which emanated hope and despair.
For the most part, voice acting was excellent. Chidori and Fuuka’s voices were a little awkward (as was Natsuki’s, but she’s a minor character), but I couldn’t think of a proper voice for any of them. A higher pitch would’ve given the wrong impression about their character if not used properly. Chidori is, after all, far from a cheerful character. And an improper balance would’ve made Fuuka sound less gentle. I’m not sure what to think about Ken…he’s pretty different from the traditional kid in both real life and games. The main character has few lines and no real personality, so I can’t judge.
Stephanie Sheh makes a pretty good Metis. I’m a little mixed on how I feel about Karen Strassman’s Aigis (interestingly, I feel the same way about her roles as Chidori and Natsuki; still, she has a good range since I couldn’t tell they were all done by the same person). I wonder if a less robotic voice would be better suited, despite her being an android. I guess that a machine would probably voice and process words one by one, so that can’t be helped. I found some of her battle cries kind of odd, especially after a certain point in the game. A little too high pitched for my liking, as if Karen was voicing a different character. Nevertheless, I admire how she was able to show the change in Aigis’s character without making her sound like a completely different person, unlike in her portrayal during battle.
My favorite has to be Vic Mignogna’s rendition of Junpei. The way he delivers his lines is very natural. Michelle Ruff’s Yukari, Tara Platt’s Mitsuru (her Elizabeth’s good too), and Liam O’Brien’s Akihiko are also very impressive. Grant George did a great job with three characters; I really couldn’t tell that the same guy who voiced Shinjiro and Kurosawa also voiced Jin. Though now that I think about it, there’s a quality in his voice that makes him a little recognizable… I would’ve liked to hear more emotion in his role as Shinjiro, but that has little to do with his actual performance and more with how he was written in the game. I also liked Derek Stephen Prince’s Takaya; he sounds cultured despite looking like a (sorry in advance) Jesus reject.
Gameplay/Mechanics: For some reason, this game’s system reminds me of Chrono Cross. I have no idea why. Tangent aside, the game mixes RPG and simulation elements. You can think of it as Sims 2 + RPG or Harvest Moon + RPG, but that wouldn’t be quite correct since there’s less work on your part to accomplish tasks. It’s fun nonetheless. In the morning, you either answer a question when a teacher chooses to pick on you, which increases your charm/popularity rating, or sleep during/pay attention to the lecture, improving your mood and intelligence respectively. Afterward, you can roam around the city or participate in club activities. Sadly, you’re limited to one activity, though there are many things you can do. The purpose of this ties in with the RPG aspect of the game, so it’s not completely pointless if you prefer hack and slash. Your personas gain experience during the fusion process (I won’t go into this since this review is getting long enough) if your social links have achieved high levels (take characters’ arcana into account) and unlock stronger personas. Besides making friends, you can also pursue girls. SEES girls are a little harder to get close to than your schoolmates.
Okay, let’s talk about Tartarus and the battle system. As I’ve said before, Tartarus is a tower. It’s composed of many floors and isn’t optional, though it certainly feels like it. Also, floors are randomly generated, so there’s no way to get directions in a walkthrough. It’s more or less just a way to level up before an event occurs. Much like Lufia 2 and Chrono Cross (oh, that’s why I’m reminded of it), Persona 3 FES is free from encounters, so you can choose your battles…unless shadows notice the party and chase you. Or if you stay on a floor too long. Otherwise, say hello to The Reaper. (He makes treasure hunting kind of scary. What are we supposed to do, Mr. Reaper? Weapons and armor are expensive in Persona 3.)
Every 10 levels or so, you encounter a boss, which has nothing to do with the storyline. Two bosses later–don’t quote me on this–you’ll run into the entrance to another block, which you’re barred from until the Velvet Room’s Elizabeth contacts you shortly after a Full Moon event. As you can see, the game prevents you from leveling up constantly and fighting stronger enemies. However, Elizabeth’s quests make it a little more fun to go shadow hunting, so it’s not too bad. My recommendation is to go to Tartarus two or three days before a Full Moon event.
If you don’t like the simulation aspect of “The Journey,” “The Answer” is completely null of it. It’s pretty much dungeon crawling with the occasional cut scene or two. As such, fighting battles doesn’t feel as rewarding to me, but those feelings will vary from person to person.
As for the battle system, it’s completely turn based. Still, it’s pretty different from what I’m used to, in that you can attack more than once per turn if you know what you’re doing. The key is to know the enemy’s weakness and exploit it. “Knock down” and “analyze” are words you’ll be familiar with before the game is over. Knocking down all enemies gives you the option to deliver an All-Out Attack or to leave them lying on the ground. While an All-Out Attack allows you to pummel the enemy with your party members, leaving the enemy alone is pretty beneficial, especially if they are tough. Why? It renders them immobile for a turn! It’s pretty useful since you can spend this time switching personas or heal party members. Sometimes this ability is crucial and makes a huge difference between life or death since you can’t control party members directly, though you can issue commands to give them an idea about how to behave. If you reach 0 HP, game over. Thankfully, the AI isn’t all that bad. (Psst, get Spirit Bracers.)
In terms of difficulty, I’d have to say it depends on whether you get the first hit. It’s a good idea to surprise enemies because they can annihilate you if you aren’t careful. It’s frustrating to climb up 9 levels and then be killed by shadows. Save points are only around on ground level in “The Journey,” which are made available when you reach a teleporter or access point. Access points are convenient when you’re only grinding, but teleporters are where it’s at, unless you’d rather climb all those stairs again…
If you were irritated by save points in “The Journey,” “The Answer”’s a little nicer in that department. Unfortunately, they do away with teleporters and have fewer items. So if you picked the wrong party member or are running low on items, tough luck. Use an access point and climb down the stairs again! Its difficulty is supposedly on par with “The Journey”’s hard mode. I wouldn’t know since I’ve never played “The Journey” on hard mode, but I feel it’s about the same as normal/medium (then again, I found a Sorcerer’s Mark early in the game, so that might be why…that and stocked on 99 cielo mists), though the lack of SP recovery items forces you to rely more on physical attacks.
Overall: If you don’t trust me, look at other reputable sites such as Gamespot, Gamespy, and Gametrailers (triple Game?). High scores aside, it all comes down to taste in the end. It’s repetitive and isn’t high in the action department (despite the many hours I spent in Tartarus dying), but it’s well worth the price. Persona 3 FES has earned a 4.5 in my book.
Experience Persona 3 (Music):
- Memories of the City
- Want to Be Close
- The Battle for Everyone’s Souls
I think I’ll get the soundtrack when I have more money…
