Common Sense Media Review
By Christopher Healy
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
A deep and amazing RPG with some mature themes.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
Based on 16 kid reviews
Kids say the game offers a mix of opinions, with some praising it for its deep themes and moral lessons suitable for older teens, while others criticize it for being inappropriate and disturbing for younger players. Overall, many agree that it's best suited for mature audiences who can handle its darker subjects, such as death, while others insist that younger children should avoid it due to potential nightmares and heavy themes.
- mature audiences
- dark themes
- age recommendations
- mixed reviews
- moral lessons
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's It About?
In SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI: PERSONA 3 PORTABLE you play as a new student at a boarding school. During the daytime hours, the game plays like a high school sim, with you attending classes (and doing work in them) and chatting up other students to forge new social relationships. At night, though, most everybody turns into a monster and a mysterious dark tower sprouts up. You and the few other unaffected teens form a force to investigate the tower and fight off the monsters within, using creatures called \"personas\" that you can call forth from your subconscious. You can choose to play as either a male or female protagonist, and the story will change based on your selection.
Is It Any Good?
When most people play a role-playing game, they're looking for a solid storyline to interact with. In that department, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable will not disappoint. The daytime levels are entirely about story -- a story you can craft, depending on who you choose to talk to and what you choose to say. The nighttime parts are full of good old-fashioned turn-based fighting action -- with an ultra-creepy atmosphere and some profound psychological symbolism layered over the whole experience. This is definitely a game for mature players, but for teens who can handle it, it's bound to bring up all sorts of interesting topics for discussion. The game is so frought with symbolism that, in many ways, a lot of it is open to interpretation. This is the kind of game you will enjoy while playing and spend lots of time pondering when you're done.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the relationships between characters in the game. Who you choose to hang out with and how you choose to behave with them is mostly up to you. Plus, your social relationships affect your stats and abilities in the game. How does this reflect real life?
In the game you can play as a male or female protagonist. Would you ever choose to play as the opposite gender? If so, why?
What do you think of the sexual imagery used in the game? Does it serve a purpose, or does it seem gratuitous?
Game Details
- Platform : PSP
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Atlus
- Release date : July 6, 2010
- Genre : Role-Playing
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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