This is a very good game under certain conditions. You have to like JRPGs first of all because if you already don't, this game wont convert you. Secondly, you have to appreciate old-school games in general, this is a first-person dungeon crawler with parts being in an isometric view, ISOMETRIC(does it get any more oldschool?). The last point was you have to appreciate old video game music, but they update the soundtrack, and it rocks. If you can get past the first two points, this is a gem of a game. The game play is simple, but not overly so. There are aspects of the game that are very addictive you may forget what you were doing in the first place and find yourself power leveling just to get better abilities. I wont really go into the technical aspects of the game since there are dozens of gameplay videos out there they you can view instead. The story is a little weak, even for the year it was created, but the tone and ambiance do compensate, and you wont get bored with it, it's just that they could have vastly improved the story and didn't. That is laterally the only complaint I have though, and this game is a must have in my book.

Persona is a fantastic game, a jrpg classic. If you like rpgs or are just looking for a good game get it but be warned it's a complex game.

This is a classic If-You-Like-The-Genre game. If you like Japanese-style Role-Playing Games (JRPG), then you will absolutely love this game. The Persona series is without a doubt the strongest JRPG series out right now. Sadly, Persona and Persona 2 (in it's complete form) never made it to America. So it is fantastic to see this product being released, even if I would rather play it on a console instead of the portable PSP.
If you do not like the JRPG genre...you will find this game to be very difficult, and likely extremely confusing. More a source of frustration, then enjoyment. Still, it's a fantastic game.

Over a decade ago, at the tender age of 13, I purchased "Revelations: Persona" for the Playstation. The game received very good review scores, and the Playstation console was somewhat starved for Japanese RPGs in America at the time, so as a fan of the genre, I figured I couldn't go wrong.

What I didn't expect was just HOW different Persona would be from the standard JRPG, such as the Final Fantasy games. With a good localization and a user-friendly interface, the game could have helped me to overcome the initial culture shock that I experienced and enjoy a deep and unique role-playing experience.

Unfortunately, the translation/localization was beyond shoddy, and at times even offensive (one of the characters' ethnicity was changed to African-American for the US release - a change that was not handled with much tact), and the already intimidating interface was hampered by convoluted menus. Needless to say, the game didn't click with me at the time, and it wasn't long before I banished it to the back of my closet.

Fast forward over a decade, when after playing through Persona 2 and Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (both EXCELLENT games), I decided to give the original Persona another shot. Although I was much more open-minded going in this time - and dedicated to finishing the game no matter what - the game's faults still stood out and made for a very frustrating experience. I got much further than I did when I first purchased the game, but I was still turned off by the horrible interfaces and clumsy translation. I put the game away, and turned my attention to the soon-to-be released Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4.

It's late 2009 now, and Atlus has released the definitive version of Persona for the PSP, promising a vastly improved localization and more user-friendly gameplay, along with a handful of other improvements. Is this version good enough to allow me to finally enjoy this game? In a word: YES!

First of all, the presentation is phenomenal. The game opens with a beautiful and imaginative intro that perfectly sets the tone for game. The actual in-game graphics haven't changed much, if even at all, and they are easily the weakest aspect of the game. The music (created by the composer of the music in Persona 3 and 4), on the other hand, is entirely new, and much more fitting, helping the game to establish its unique identity early on. The translation, as promised, is brand new, and exceptional overall.

The menu interface has been streamlined, making inventory management much less frustrating than it was in the original version of the game. Character customization now requires very little effort, and battles can be completed much more quickly. The process of creating Personas (a vital part of the game) has also been streamlined, allowing you to instantly view all the possible Personas that you can create.

As a huge fan of the Persona series, I'm thrilled to finally see a respectable version of the original game in English. To have the gameplay improved on top of the localization only adds to the already immense value of the game, making Persona one of the absolute "must buy" games for the PSP. I can proudly place this version of the game alongside its sequels on my shelves, while the original release will remain in the back of my closet, gathering dust.

I am a big fan of the persona series and I was never able to play the first two persona games, so I am very happy about this release. Now, all Atlus needs to do is make persona 2 available for the PSP!!