Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 - PS2

Having lost your parents as a child, you lived in the suburbs with your relatives, until they decided to send you to a high school located on an island near the port city Iwatodai. But as you attempt to enter your new dormitory, you are attacked by a mysterious creature. As a result, you discover within yourself the gift to call upon a higher being, Persona, that grants you immense power. Your new ability makes you decide to investigate the strange world of shadows that has been plaguing the city every midnight, and to find out who or what is behind it.

This sequel in the Persona series, which is part of the Megami Tensei franchise, is not directly connected to its predecessors story-wise. The gameplay has also underwent significant changes, throwing an element of "school simulation" into the Megaten RPG formula. You get to live the life of a normal high-school student: you attend classes, talk to your friends, get homework, wait for the summer vacation, and so on. The game is divided into school days with their own schedule.

However, at midnight the real world freezes, and only you and your friends with the unique Persona abilities can feel the time flowing as they battle the shadows. The battles follow the classic Megaten model of demon-summoning. You can either attack with your weapons, or call a mighty Persona from within yourself. After the battle is won, you receive Persona cards, which can be fused to get more powerful Personae. Inspired by the system used in SMT Nocturne , you are able to hit enemies' weakpoints with your magic spells. Taking advantage of these weakpoints means that you can perform devastating combo attacks while the enemy is weakened.

Gameplay Highlights

• Turn-Based Combat (AI Party) – Unlike later games, you only directly control the protagonist. You must issue Tactics to your AI-controlled teammates, who act on their own based on your commands.
• Social Link System – Spend your after-school time building bonds with classmates and citizens. These relationships directly power up the Personas you fuse in the Velvet Room.
• The Dark Hour & Tartarus – Explore a randomly generated 264-floor tower during the hidden 25th hour of the day. You must manage your party's Fatigue, as characters can become "Tired" or "Sick," lowering their effectiveness.
• Daily Life Simulation – Balance your schedule between studying, working part-time, and hanging out to raise your Social Stats: Academics, Charm, and Courage.
• Evoker Summoning – Summon your inner "second soul" (Persona) by using a gun-like tool called an Evoker, a signature and controversial mechanic of the game's dark themes. 

What The Original P3 Offers

• The "Journey" Only – This version contains the complete main story (The Journey) but does not include the "The Answer" epilogue found in FES.
• Collector's Edition Extras – In North America, the original release was famously bundled in a large box with a 52-page art book and a mini-soundtrack CD.
• Original Balancing – Some fans prefer the original's social link requirements and certain "exploits" that were patched out in the later FES and Portable versions

Creative Team Notes

• Director/Producer: Katsura Hashino
• Character Design: Shigenori Soejima
• Music: Shoji Meguro
• Legacy: This game's success led to the FES and Portable re-releases, as well as the 2024 ground-up remake, Persona 3 Reload.

Product Details

• Platform: PlayStation 2
• Genre: JRPG / Social Simulation
• Players: 1 Player
• Language: English Voice / English Subtitles (North America)
• Developer: Atlus
• Publisher: Atlus USA (NA) / Koei (EU)
• Release Year: 2006 (JP) / 2007 (NA) / 2008 (EU)
• ESRB Rating: M for Mature — Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence