Last weekend I decided to dust off my old PSP and update the CFW on it to run the newer games that have come out since the last time I actually used it. One game in particular that I had to play was Persona 3 Portable. I have always been a fan of the Shin Megami Tensei series and Persona 3 was an amazing addition back on the PS2. Persona 3 Portable is well..the portable version of Persona 3. They added some new content in which you can play as a female lead character with a different story progression.
You play the role of a boy or girl who has the ability to summon multiple persona's. These persona's are kind of like adult pokemon. They are each able to cast spells and give you the ability to fuse them with other Persona's to create...you guessed it..more persona's.
The reason why Persona's exist in the first place is a mystery. The best description that they give is that they are a reflection of who you are based upon the strengths of certain emotions. These emotions are strengthened by the relationships you make and strengthen with NPCs in the game along with doing normal tasks day by day. For example some Persona's' strengths are directly determined by your academics score which is increased by studying at your desk in your room or the library. Others are strengthened by bonds that you have with peers.
So why are Persona important? Well..every night at midnight (aka the Dark Hour) the school that you go to transforms into a labyrinth called Tarterus that is filled with enemies called shadows. These shadows have become more aggressive and are attacking people and infecting them with extreme lethargy. The catatonic states that the people are put into cannot be cured so it is up to you and the people that you meet to explore Tartarus and find out what the hell is going on and fix it.
Dark hour happens every night at midnight and it is an extra 60 minutes of existence that no one is aware of. Anyone who is not able to summon persona are transformed into standing caskets. It sounds really fucking weird, I know, but the game is absolutely amazing.
Anyways I hope everyone has a safe and happy weekend :)
~Sacif~
