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Persona 3 Portable is an enhanced port of Persona 3, released for the PSP. The game allows the player to choose the gender of the protagonist, which possibly opens up new routes and scenarios in the story. The theme of the game revolves around the "Butterfly effect", reflecting the changes that happen should the player pursue the path of one protagonist over the other, and the Latin phrase "Memento Mori" which translates as "Remember your mortality. Remember you must/will die", as shown in the opening sequences.

Release Date

  • Japan: November 1, 2009
  • South Korea: February 12, 2010
  • North America: July 6, 2010
  • Europe: April 29, 2011

Gameplay

The setting takes place during "The Journey" portion of Persona 3, which is known as "Episode Yourself" in the Japanese version. The storyline of the female protagonist features many differences from that of the male protagonist, such as new social interactions as well as Social Links. The Persona of the female protagonist is a more feminine Orpheus. In the female protagonist's path, players have the choice of selecting Elizabeth or a male-equivalent named Theo to be Igor's assistant in the Velvet Room.

"The Answer," known as "Episode Aegis" in the Japanese version, is a story exclusive to Persona 3 FES, and is not available in the P3P, due to limited storage space on the UMD. The Desert of Doors will still appear, however, in an extra feature known as the Vision Quest. In this mode, the party can fight stronger incarnations of the Full Moon shadow bosses — save for Arcana Magician — and partake in special battles that test the party's abilities. When all of the battles have been successfully met, a second optional boss can be fought: Margaret, Igor's assistant in Persona 4 and guardian of the Desert of Doors in P3P.

Another new addition is the ability to pick who the player spends the last moments of the game with. This feature is only accessible on a New Cycle, and the player can only select members of SEES with whom they have maxed social links and are romantically involved with. Both male and female protagonists have 4 choices to choose from; 1 is the default Aigis Ending, and 3 from the others.)

World

Navigation in P3P overworld is menu-based. Players cannot walk around as in the PlayStation 2 version, although interactions still retain the "visual novel" feel. Overworld characters are rendered in sprites.

There are now two overworld save points; Aside from the log book in the Iwatodai Dormitory, there is also one on the main character's desk at school.

The facilities in town where the player can increase the protagonist's social stats still function the same way, but some of them now offer part-time jobs on certain days, rewarding the player with money, which can increase if the player repeatedly works part-time at a specific store or restaurant. It also bestows higher boosts to the player's conditional stats, than if the player simply attended the store as a customer.

In Paulownia Mall, the Police Station is now the only place where the player can buy equipment and sell items. Aohige Pharmacy is now a buy-only store, and Be Blue V is just a part-time work site and hangout to improve the main character's condition.

Battle

Perhaps the most notable and well-known difference between this game and Persona 3 (FES) is the fact that you can now control your party member's in battle (like in Persona 4). This has received high praise and will make the game easier. Other features from Persona 4 have been introduced; such as the Guard (now called "Defense") command which will decrease the damage and any knockdown effects of the next attack the user suffers, and the game also will grant 1 More to a combatant who attacks multiple enemies not knocking all of them down (like in Persona 4; the original Persona 3 required all hit enemies to be knocked down for a 1 more).

A new feature of the game features five difficulty settings from easiest to hardest — Beginner, Easy, Normal, Hard, and Maniac. Easy and Normal were in the original P3, and Hard was included in P3Fes. The former and latter most options are exclusives.

  • Beginner: Enemy damage is significantly toned down, and the player is given 30 Plumes Of Dusk to continue in case of a game over.
  • Easy: Enemy damage is toned down, and the player is given 10 Plumes Of Dusk to continue in case of a game over.
  • Normal: Standard difficulty. Enemies deal average damage.
  • Hard: Enemies deal 1.5 times more damage than normal and can gain a higher chance of Enemy Advantage when not taken by surprise.
  • Maniac: Enemies deal 2 times more damage than normal, can gain a higher chance of Enemy Advantage when not taken by surprise, and certain weapon fusions cannot be performed. Moreover, when starting a New Cycle from any difficulty level to Maniac, no data from the prior game carries over to the new one (character level and social stats start at 1, the Persona Compendium will reset, and the doors for Vision Quest and Monad will not be present early in the game).

New battle costumes have been added: Butler Costumes for the male party members, and Santa Costumes for the female party members. However, there are no variations of the aforementioned costumes for either of the protagonists. Battles have now adopted the Persona 4 approach; the "Guard" command is added to the battle menu, and other party members now can be controlled by selecting the "Direct Command" in the Tactics option. Party members who have been knocked down no longer spend the turn by getting up and can act as soon as they stand. Upon landing a critical hit or striking an enemy's weakness, party members will follow up with a co-op attack. Additionally, Fusion Spells from the original Persona 3 have been removed. Instead, the player is able to acquire expendable items that perform various Fusion Spells.

In Tartarus, returning to the main lobby no longer automatically restores the HP and SP of party members. Healing can be availed via the Save Point, and now costs money — the amount varies between the date and current status deficits. Also, when leaving a block via a one-time access point, the team can return to the last floor they escaped from by using the entrance. There is no longer a stamina limit for explorations, but exiting Tartarus after spending enough time will automatically inflict "Tired" status on all involved party members. An exception to this would be when the protagonist's condition is at Great (when leaving Tartarus after a short exploration, the protagonist's condition will only drop to "Good") or when leaving the night before a Full Moon Operation. When sending party members to explore floors on their own, they will now give any money they find to the protagonist.

Persona Development, New Skills and the Skill Card System

Some Personas from P4 have been added to the original P3 lineup with altered levels and arcana affinities. The system of fusion remains relatively the same, and Heart Items released by specific Persona are still intact. However, all Personas now have the ability to produce a Skill Card when raised to a specific level. Each card can be used on any Persona to teach them a skill (for example, the Agi Skill card will teach any Persona the skill "Agi," regardless of if that Persona is naturally able to learn or inherit Agi or not). Aside from Personas, Skill Cards can also be obtained by trading gems in Shinshoudo Antiques, purchasing them through mail-order in Jika Net Tanaka , completing Elizabeth/Theodore's requests, topping exams (rewarded by Mitsuru along with minor arcana stat-booster cards) and as rewards for finding certain people trapped in Tartarus (given by Officer Kurosawa).

In P3P, the protagonists only have access to one weapon type (instead of having access to all weapon types like in P3 and FES); the male protagonist wields one-handed swords, and the female protagonist wields naginatas. As a result, the Skills "Fist Master", "Bow Master", "1hdSwdMaster" and similar skills have all been combined into a single skill called "Weapons Master". Its skill card is called "Phys Boost", and all Personas which had learned a "master" ability (like Cybele with Bow Master) now learn "Weapons Master".

In addition to "Weapons Master," the new skill "Magic Skill Up" has been added in P3P. It can only be learned by Messiah, and strengthens any Magic skills used, including Almighty skills.

The Inari Sushi in Naganaki Shrine no longer grants random bonuses for item gaining and Tartarus explorations. Instead, it offers to duplicate Skill Cards, which will take 5 days to complete.

Almost all abilities can be learned through Skill Cards, with the following exceptions:

  • Sukunda
  • Masukunda
  • Ragnarok
  • Thunder Reign
  • Niflheim
  • Panta Rhei
  • Samsara
  • Die For Me!
  • Morning Star
  • Black Viper

Music

Main article: Persona 3 Portable Original Soundtrack

Music is written by Shōji Meguro, with lyrics by Reiko Tanaka, and Lotus Juice. Performed by Mayumi Fujita, Lotus Juice, and Shuhei Kita. The official soundtrack was released on November 25, 2009. New tracks have been composed for the female protagonist's path.

  1. Soul Phrase - New opening theme
  2. A Way of Life - Played during Port Island's overworld
  3. 放課後 (Hōkago, lit. After School) - Played during select Social Link events
  4. Time - Played during the First Semester
  5. Wiping All Out - New battle theme
  6. Sun - Played during the Second Semester
  7. Easy Feelings - Played during select Social Link events
  8. Danger Zone - Played during Tartarus boss battles
  9. Soul Phrase -long ver.-
  10. A Way of Life -Deep inside my mind Remix-

Gallery

 
Persona 3
North American Cover
 
P3PBox
Japan Boxart
 
Persona 3 Portable artwork
Boxart Artwork
The Male and Female Protagonists
 
Persona 3 portable fanbook
Fanbook Cover
 
Persona 3 Minako & Yukari Yukatas
Drama CD Vol 1 Cover

External links

Characters
Playable Male protagonist - Female protagonist - Yukari Takeba - Junpei Iori - Akihiko Sanada - Mitsuru Kirijo - Fuuka Yamagishi - Aigis - Koromaru - Ken Amada - Shinjiro Aragaki - Metis
Social Link Kenji Tomochika - Hidetoshi Odagiri - Bunkichi and Mitsuko - Kazushi Miyamoto - Chihiro Fushimi - Isako Toriumi - Keisuke Hiraga - Yuko Nishiwaki - Maiko Oohashi - Pharos - Bebe - President Tanaka - Mutatsu - Mamoru Hayase - Nozomi Suemitsu - Akinari Kamiki - Rio Iwasaki - Saori Hasegawa - Ryoji Mochizuki
Major Igor - Elizabeth - Theodore - Shuji Ikutsuki - Officer Kurosawa - Takaya Sakaki - Jin Shirato - Chidori Yoshino - Takeharu Kirijo - Kouetsu Kirijo - Eiichiro Takeba - Natsuki Moriyama - Nyx - Erebus - Margaret
Minor Maki - Kiyoshi Sakuma - Mr. Edogawa - Mr. Ekoda - Ms. Miyahara - Ms. Ounishi - Mrs. Terauchi - Kikuno Saikawa - Yuu Kimijima - Souta Aizawa - Kyouka Sayama
Cameo Yukiko Amagi - Noriko Kashiwagi - Man Drinking Alone
Location
Port Island Gekkoukan High School - Paulownia Mall - Iwatodai Station - Port Island Station - Naganaki Shrine - Dorm - Moonlight Bridge - Velvet Room
Tartarus Blocks: Thebel - Arqa - Yabbashah - Tziah - Harabah - Adamah - Monad Depths
Abyss of Time Malebolge - Cocytus - Caina - Antenora - Ptolomea - Judecca - Empyrean
Other Kyoto - Great Seal
Music
Albums Original Soundtrack (JP / US / FES / Portable) - Bonus CD - Burn My Dread -Reincarnation- - Spring of Birth OST - Midsummer Knight's Dream OST - Falling Down OST - Winter Of Rebirth OST - Persona 20th Anniversary All Time Best Album
Songs "Burn My Dread" - "Aria of the Soul" - "Want To Be Close" - "When the Moon Reaches for the Stars" - "Iwatodai Dorm" - "Mass Destruction" - "Color Your Night" - "Deep Breath Deep Breath" - "The Meaning of Armbands" - "Deep Mentality" - "It's Going Down Now" - "Changing Seasons" - "Current Net Price Tanaka" - "Battle Hymn of the Soul" - "Kimi no Kioku" - "P3 FES" - "Mass Destruction -P3fes version-" - "Heartful Cry" - "Brand New Days" - "Soul Phrase" - "A Way of Life" - "Time" - "Wiping All Out" - "More Than One Heart" - "Fate is In Our Hands" - "One Single Word" - "One Hand, One Heartbeat" - "One Determination" - "Sound of the Beast" - "Storm for a Butterfly" - "Light in Starless Sky" - "My Testimony" - "Self Redemption"
Archives
Terminology Persona (Initial / Prime / Ultimate) - Persona user - Shadow - Wild Card - Evoker - Attack Properties - Tactics - All-out Attack - Shuffle Time - Dark Hour - Moon Phase System - Full Moon Operations - SEES - Kirijo Group - Nanjo Group - Strega - Artificial Persona user - Suppressants - Apathy Syndrome - The Fall - Death - Who's Who - Phoenix Ranger Featherman R - Plume of Dusk
P3RE: Shift - Theurgy - Combat Characteristics
Lists Arcana - Personas (P3 - FES - P - R) - Shadows - Bosses (P3 - FES) - Skills - Items (Heart Items / Vending Machines) - Status Effects - Elizabeth's Requests - Activities - Calendar - Trophies (Portable / Reload) - Steam Profile Items - Patches and Updates
School Life Daily Life - Seasons - Social Link - Social Stats - Yen - Class - Studying - Movie Theater - Bed - Part-time Jobs - Shrine - Tanaka's Amazing Commodities - Crane Machine - Chagall Café - School Club - Linked Episode - Computer - Refrigerator - Gardening / Books / DVDs / Cooking - Studying - Fortune Telling
Other Media
Games FES - Portable - Reload - Dancing in Moonlight
Productions The Movie - The Movie: Escape from the Dark Hour - the Weird Masquerade: -Ao no Kakusei- / -Gunjou no Meikyuu- / -Souen no Kesshou- / -Ai no Seiyaku- / -Hekikuu no Kanata e- - Persona Stalker Club - 「PERSORA AWARDS」 - PERSORA AWARDS 2 - PERSORA AWARDS 3 - Persora -The Golden Best-
Drama CDs A Certain Day of Summer - Daylight / Moonlight - Character Drama CD Vol. 1 / Vol. 2 / Vol. 3 / Vol. 4 / Vol. 5 - New Moon / Full Moon - Portable Vol. 1 / Vol. 2
Publications Manga - Shadow Cry - Memento Mori - Owari no Kakera - Alternative Heart - Velvet Blue - Persona Magazine - Dear Girls Comic Anthology - Dengeki Comic Anthology - Tartarus Theater - Persona VS
Mobile Games The Night Before - Persona Ain Soph - Social - Escape - Illust Puzzle - Broken Shadow - Aegis: The First Mission - Qix - Chaining Soul - Em
Events Music Live 2008 - Music Live 2009 - Music Tour 2010 - Music Live 2012 - Music Fes 2013 - Music Box 2014 - Super Live 2015 - Livehouse Tour 2015 - Super Live 2017 - Super Live 2019- 25th Anniversary Symphonic Concert
20th Anniversary Festival - 25th Anniversary - 25th FES
Miscellaneous Merchandise
Megami Tensei Megami Tensei (Telenet) - Megami Tensei (Atlus) - II - Kyūyaku
Shin Megami Tensei Shin Megami Tensei - II / Gaiden: Ma To Houkai - if... / Hazama's Chapter - J - NINE -
III: Nocturne / Maniax / Chronicle Edition / HD Remaster / Pachislot - 20XX / Devil's Colosseum - IMAGINE - Tokyo Requiem - Strange Journey (Redux) - Devil Hunter Zero - IV / Apocalypse - Devil Collection - Synchronicity Prologue - Liberation Dx2 - V / Vengeance
Last Bible Last Bible - II - Another Bible - III - Special -
New Testament / II: Hajimari no Fukuin / III: Mugen no Eiyuu
Majin Tensei Majin Tensei - II: Spiral Nemesis - Ronde - Blind Thinker / II
Devil Summoner Devil Summoner / Pinball: Judgment - Soul Hackers / Intruder / Soul Hackers New Generation - Soul Hackers 2
Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army - Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon
Persona Megami Ibunroku Persona (PSP Remake) / Ikū no Tō Hen -
2: Innocent Sin / Eternal Punishment / Lost Memories / Infinity Mask -
3 (FES* / Portable* / Reload) / Dancing in Moonlight
4 (Golden*) / Arena / Ultimax / Dancing All Night
5 (Royal*) / Dancing in Starlight / Strikers / Tactica
Q: Shadow of the Labryinth - Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
Devil Children Black Book / Red Book - White Book - DemiKids Light / Dark - Fire Book / Ice Book -
Messiah Riser - Puzzle de Call! - Appli de Call! - Devil Children Mobile
Digital Devil Saga Avatar Tuner - 2 - A's TEST Server
Devil Survivor Devil Survivor (Overclocked) - 2 (Record Breaker) / The Extra World
Jack Series Jack Bros. - Demonic Help Party
Other games Giten Megami Tensei: Tokyo Mokushiroku - Card Summoner - Tokyo Mirage Sessions ♯FE - Maken X - Catherine / Full Body - Metaphor: ReFantazio
Digital Devil Story (Novels) Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei - 2: Warrior of the Demon City - 3: Demise of the Reincarnation
New Digital Devil Story New Digital Devil Story: Goddess of Enchainment - 2: Queen of the Ice Fields - 3: Planet of the Devil - 4: Wrath of the Young Emperor - 5: Eternal Goddess - 6: Bonds of Reincarnation
Other Novels Devil Summoner: Kuzunoha Raidou tai Shibito Ekishi - Giten Megami Tensei: Distant Flow ~EXILE~ - Megami Ibunroku Persona: Shadow Maze - Persona 3: Shadow Cry / Owari no Kakera / Alternative Heart / Velvet Blue - Persona x Detective Naoto - Quantum Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner - Devil Survivor 2 The Animation: Cetus's Prequel
Anime Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei - Tokyo Revelation - Persona -trinity soul- - Persona 3 The Movie - Persona 4 The Animation / -The Factor of Hope- / The Golden Animation - Persona 5 The Animation The Day Breakers - Persona 5 The Animation - DeviChil - D-Children: Light & Dark - Devil Survivor 2 The Animation
Manga Shin Megami Tensei: Tokyo Revelation - if... / Kahn - IV: DEMONIC GENE / -Prayers- - Gaiten: Hato no Senki - EDEN - CG Senki: Dante no Mon - Majin Tensei - Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Lone Marebito - Megami Ibunroku Persona - Persona: Tsumi to Batsu - Persona 3 / Portable Dengeki Comic Anthology / Portable Dear Girls Comic Anthology - Persona 4 / The Magician - Arena / Arena Ultimax / Dancing All Night - PQ: -Roundabout- / Side:P3 / Side:P4 - Tartarus Theater - Persona 5 / Dengeki Comic Anthology / Comic à La Carte / Comic Anthology (DNA Media Comics) / the Animation Dengeki Comic Anthology / Mementos Mission - Q2: Persona Q2: Roundabout Special - Devil Children / Light & Dark - Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner: Shinen no Matou - Devil Survivor - 2: -Show Your Free Will- / The Animation Manga
Mobile Apps The Night Before - QIX - Chaining Soul - Aegis: The First Mission - Em - Illust Puzzle - Escape - Social - Ain Soph - Mobile Online - The Card Battle - Colors - Persona O.A. - Persona 5: The Phantom X - Mobile Phone Demon Collection - Atlus Casino - Devil Summoning Program - Digital Novel
Other The Amala Multiverse - Earth - Expanse - Great Will
Protagonists - Mascots - Navigators - Birthdays
Patches and Updates - In popular culture - Jungian psychology - Arcana
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