Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable (PSP)
common sense media says
A deep and amazing RPG with some mature themes.
parents & educators say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable is a role-playing game with a deep and engrossing storyline that is very mature in its content. The dark, spooky monsters are only the start of it. The heroes can evoke "persona" creatures from their brains to help them fight; these creatures are based on elements of the characters' subconscious minds, meaning they may be violent, sexual, or both. This makes the story more intriguing and interesting, but again, it does so on a very mature level. Also, even though it's only used as a device to call forth the persona creatures, seeing the good guys put a gun-like instrument to their heads and pull the trigger is kind of creepy and disturbing.
Educational value:
Not applicable.
Positive role models:
The characters are a mixed bag -- some good, some definitely not. But both of the two protagonists you can control seem to be relatively good people and loyal to friends.
Ease of play:
There's a lot going on here to keep track of, so simply following all the details of the story and the gameplay may be the biggest obstacle for some players. But if you're accustomed to role-playing games, it shouldn't be too difficult to catch on here.
Violence:
The battles are displayed RPG-style, meaning damage is depicted with numbers (hit points being depleted). There is a great deal of turn-based fighting, though, and some of the attack moves look pretty fierce. Blood is not seen during the fights, but you'll see it on walls and floors in the scenery. Sometimes a hero character will use a gun-like device to blast himself in the head in order to call forth his "persona" beast. When he does so, it looks like broken glass is flying from his head.
Sex:
Dialogue includes talk about characters making "sexual advances" toward one another. Some of the female "persona" creatures are depicted topless, while some of the male ones have heads with a decidedly phallic shape.
Language:
Profanity such as "s--t," "bitch," and "damn" appears in the dialogue.
Consumerism:
Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Not applicable.
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Most useful reviews by all members
Anarchy.A
teen, 18 years old
teen, 18 years old
careful with younger kids
Parents im telling you this....(Im seventeen).. I started playing this gamme for the ps2 when it came out 2 or 3 three years ago and i loved it my dad even played it and loved it too. However, i have a 11 year old brother at the time and he play this and it gave him nightmares.. so i couldnt play it at home so my parents got me the psp version. So what i am saying if you have an older son or daughter get them the psp version so they can play in privacy and it doesnt scared the younger ones nut if you child is under the age of 14 i dont reccommend them playing it... sorry kids im just being honest... Best game ever though
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xxHolly
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
Thoughtful, Deep Game
This game is deeply immersive and fun, though it'll take you a good 70+ hours to complete. The game has two main gameplay aspects: fighting your ways through monsters in a giant tower, and dating-sim-like social interactions. It switches between the two constantly, so neither gets particularly boring. The real treat in this game is the story, and how character interactions make you feel like you're a part of it. The story is well written (it could practically stand alone as an anime series), and I looked forward to advancing it as much as I look forward to watching my favorite TV shows. Additionally, there are roughly twenty "social links" in the game, which you level up from one to ten by getting to know and becoming friends with the person that the social link represents, which is done by picking choices for your character to respond with at various intervals. Each of these characters has a specific personality and often a tragic past, and it's a delight to play through each social link. (You can even choose a romantic interest from some of the characters.) The game's urban setting mixes well with its dark story into something that's entirely unique. The fighting is also fun, with each different character in your party and each of your own personae (which are... kind of like Pokemon, with the way you level them up) having different skills. Most of the game is left up to your choice, as you only have to fight and advance social links when you want to. Praise aside, the story can also quite disturbing and depressing, and some elements of the game definitely aren't intended for kids to see. To use magic, which you will do in every fight, the characters (including an elementary school student) raise guns to their heads and shoot themselves. Several important characters die throughout the story in very emotionally affecting ways, and an overall sense of darkness and unease hangs over the game's world. Overall, it's a real pleasure to fans of RPGs, anime, and thoughtful (albeit, dark) storytelling, but it might not be enjoyable for everyone.
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angelabovedemo ...
teen, 16 years old
teen, 16 years old
Amazing Game
This is an amazing game with a deep plot. It's better for mature teens who aren't disturbed by some frightening images (although many of these scenes have been removed from this version). The characters are fairly well developed for a video game which is very nice for a change. There are some dark topics such as the end of the world, but they also talk about developing close friendships and doing things for those you care about.
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Awesome_O
teen, 15 years old
teen, 15 years old
What the hell?
This game was rated M? Seriously? It's like a kawaii E-rated game that's still fun!
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misamane isawesome
teen, 14 years old
teen, 14 years old
Amazing! it is a better remake of sin megami tensei persona 3 for the ps2. You can make social links which help you un battle . social links are connections made with a good friend. bad things are one of the characters shinjoro uses drugs and (spoiler alert) dies.;(
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ItouchKids
parent of 2 year old
parent of 2 year old
Good
This game is awesome and actually there is a way you can make your characters have sex (:
OH YEAH BABY!!
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nathan26
kid, 11 years old
kid, 11 years old
persona 3 :)
some people say..."oh this game is for 17 and up." But i think it is wrong. some people also say, " this is not for 11 year-old children and below or your child might have nightmares." actually they r not! i'm 11 but i dont hv nightmares after i play persona 3/ persona 3 portable.(well...at the start of the game, a little.) so actually, it could be for everyone if that person can build up courage. and if there r some words or scenes that r not appropriate for me, i would just skip. it also has a good moral. for example... it tells us that we must be loyal to friends and not let them down when they are. it is a pretty good game, but dont get obsessed w/ it.
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