Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Excellent RPG with dark themes and imagery.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this role-playing game (RPG) is rated M for good reasons. Mature themes permeate the game, with much talk about life and death, and there's some disturbing imagery, especially when characters seemingly aim weapons at their own heads and shoot to perform special attacks. However, the fighting (with a variety of guns, swords, and daggers) is with fantastical creatures and looks fairly cartoonish. Parents should also be aware that this game isn't an entirely new game, but a repackaging of Persona 3 with additional features and a new standalone story that can be viewed as a continuation of the game.

  • Teens discuss deep topics about life and death. Some characters aren't human, but are not treated differently because of their obvious differences.
  • To invoke a special move, characters use a device which looks like a revolver and shoot themselves in the head with it. There are many bloodless battles with fantastical creatures that are mostly cartoonish in nature, using a variety of guns, swords, and daggers. When characters die they seem to faint and simply vanish.
  • Some sexual innuendo, plus scantily clad female forms. One minor demon character resembles a penis. Teens discuss touching vital robot parts in a sexual way.

What's it about?

PERSONA 3: FES features not one but two complete games. Persona 3 in its entirety is present but enhanced with new quests, difficulty levels, and Personas. The main story follows an untitled boy who takes on the Shadows during a moment of time known as the Dark Hour. The Dark Hour comes but once a day, so during the other times your character must endure the daily ritual of a high school student, including down time where social interaction with fellow characters is not only encouraged, but rewarded with stronger attacks. The additional story takes place after the first is completed, but can be played at any time. In this adventure you assume the role of a character from the first who gains the ability to wield multiple Personas. This time around however, the game is almost purely a dungeon exploration game and much less emphasis is put on character interactions.

Even though the game features a party-based combat system, you only have control over the main character in each game, and the artificial intelligence takes over for the other party members. Different styles of play can be set for the party to offer support or all-out attacks. Enemy encounters are not random -- you can see each potential battle on the map before engaging the enemy, giving your character a strategic advantage and the opportunity to strike first. As with most RPGs, fighting increases your level, which leads to better weaponry and Personas to control.


Is it any good?

 

The sheer depth of Persona 3 is more than enough to satisfy rabid RPG players, and the enhancements made for this FES version make the title that much more appealing to those who missed the game on the first run. Yes, the addition of the entirely new game is an excellent bonus, but it's the outstanding storytelling and inter-personal interactions which make Persona 3 such a great title.


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What families can talk about

Families can talk about average kids who discover extraordinary powers or links to fantasy worlds. How often does this theme appear in your favorite games? Books? Movies? What would you change about the fantasy world this character enters? There's much talk about life and death here. Do you think these kinds of deep discussions belong in games? Why or why not?


This review was written by Jeff Paramchuk
Adult
April 9, 2008
 
Good Game
even though there maybe girls in towels, it is not like it is so bad. The suicidal-looking shooting isnt all that bad, I reccomend this.

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Teen, 18 years old
July 10, 2009
 
A great game!
It's a great game. I've played it several times. I'd say it's perfect for anyone over the age of 13 because they're mature enough to get that them shooting themselves with Revokers isn't real. There's some mild cursing from one character, but it's nothing beyond "D***" or "a**"

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Parent of 15 year old
February 9, 2011
 
Shin Megami Tensei is by far the greatest game i have ever played. It cannot be described but experienced. The game which has been claimed to be the best RPG ever is the best. The game was so popular they remade it on the psp just so you could play it again in a different way. The game is a blend of 'The Sims and Final Fantasy'. All of the Shin Megami games are turn based RPG's were you control demons. This particular one lands you as a highschool student in japan. You live in a mysterious dorm with many eccentric characters. One night you are awaken at night too find a demon has attacked. You are given an 'evokor' a gun that summons your 'Persona' or inner guardian and protector. Soon you have extrodianry powers of summoning demons. Now to get to the important part of what offensive content is in this game. First off you are summoning demons which might sound bad but you always use your demons for the good of the cause. Many of the demons have phallic shaped heads noses etc. but graphic. A handful of feminine demons have expossed breast but no nipples are visible. The violence is very tame with blood somties on walls and in a few cutscences. The main reason this game got rated m is because when you summon your persona you stick your evokoe pistol to your head and fire it simulating suicide but no blood comes out. If you tween is mature with the adult themes and scariness of the game i would highly recommend it. The game has many positive themes and is good vs evil.

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Adult
June 30, 2009
 

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Teen, 13 years old
May 6, 2012
 
Not for kids scared easily
Persona 3 is not a bad game for kids at all. It does have some violence and in the tower there are blood stains on the walls and floors but thats all. And there is some language but swearing is in like every movie nowadays and its not all the time.Of course for kids who are easily scared not by like zombies and ghosts but by the dark.The main enemies in the game are made of shadows and for some kids hey may think that a shadow monster will jump out of they're closet while they are sleeping. Also the suicidal summoning of the personae are a bit suggestive but nothing to bad. all it is is a gun like object held up to the useres head. But all in all this game is an amazing RPG.\ and I think it would be great for any teen up for it.

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This review was written by Jeff Paramchuk
Platforms:PlayStation 2
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Role Playing
Developer:Atlus
Release date:April 22, 2008
Price:$29.99
ESRB rating:M for mature

This review was written by Jeff Paramchuk

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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