Started out fun but became too grindy, repetitive and clunky with later story characters just feeling like they were whining sadly :<

Later café sections doesn't feel optimised for so many customers (so many leave angry 90 percent of the time) and the space is so TIGHT that EVERYONE will push your character around!! (The most annoying part of this game tbh). Want to take that customer's order? NOPE. YOU CAN'T. As one of the staff pushes you OUT OF THEIR WAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE CAFÉ! Then you wasted time accumulatively that many customers have left angry :]

Needless grind late stage with ingredients, no real incentive NOT to skip days (it is actually more encouraged), no incentive to make new or improved meals, CLUNKY CONTROLS (input doesn't always register and... THOSE DAMN LOADING SCREENS!! The game re-introduced me to a hell I wish I didn't see again 😭

OVERALL, it started off really fun, sad to see what it came to near the end though, with more Polish it could've been a real blast 🫶

Nuzlocke'd the game

Sorry BUT, gen 4 is one of my least favourites STILL...

THO I LOVE PIPLUP AND THE ANIME SO :>

P. S. Why event exclusives only AGAIN?! 😭

I was really looking forward to this game because persona 5 ost PLUS a rythmn game just sounds... PERFECT

And dont get me wrong, I did have SOME FUN, for a few hours.. Then you just realise they reuse the same song (just as mixes) over and over with their being only around 6-8 unique songs out of the MASSIVE catalogue they had to work with.

Im honestly happy I got this game through like a 90 percent off sale, that makes me feel it was okay for what I paid.

I also enjoyed some of the social events more than others, some came off as if different writers were given stereotypes of said characters like 'Futaba is the nerdy one who is an otaku who lost her mother' and that is just her character throughout the game. It makes them come across as 2 dimensional ignoring the base games confidaant ranks imo, SADLY!!! 😭😭

Definitely feels MORE polished than the OG! I could feel the developers of this game really loved Persona 3 from all the little things that were added - I loved the edition of linked episodes the most I ACTUALLY FELT invested in the main male cast this time 😌

Some QUICK NOTES:
- Tartarus is still a grind (better than the original) BUT STILL A GRIND FEST (I would've loved more story inbetween segments tbh)

- Some social links were A LITTLE TOO BASIC/Similar tho I believe this is just down to P3 being older^ (not to take away from all the confidants tho! i loved a lot of them still like Mitsuru, Suemitsu, Akinari etc.)

- Would've also loved more mainline story events like in P4 and P5 - P3 seemed to like this for the most part imo. The most notable one for me was Careers day! (Beach and Hotsprings also exist but were only okay 😭)

- But that leads onto a good point! I love the inclusion more of side social links, like Kenji, Kazushi, Yuko etc.. It just makes the SL ACTUALLY feel real and connected to the MC, which I really liked. (KENJI WAS THE ULTIMATE GOAT OFC).

BUT, to wrap it up my verdict is simple, I think Persona 3 excels at character drama between the main cast - as well as a technically more grounded story (that covers darker themes like death and parting).

This is how I would reccomend each Persona games:

P5R: Prolly the best all around game with the best divide of combat and story and the most polished (go to rec).

P3R: Would rec first if someone is more focused on wanting good character development/drama over story (and doesn't mind darker themes!).

P4G: I DO LOVE P4 STILL! And I would say it is a game I would reccomend if you want some of the more intricate SLs - like I feel like a lot of those ones stick with you, it was the highlight of the game for me! (Kanji and Naoto being two of my favourites). P4 to me is about Challenging the beliefs of society as well as yourself, and accepting yourself for who you are! P3 to me is about coming to terms with parting with someone and accepting your own mortality; seeing the beauty in it all. P5 to me is an expression of the freedom you do have to express yourself (e.g. all the confidants are usually super talented in certain areas: artist, gymnast, maid, studying, gaming, manager, journalist etc.). PLUS AN EXPRESSION OF CREARIVITY!

LONG FORM OVER 😌

The best part of this game was the music, loved the two main battle themes (OVERDOSE and Contact Material especially).

Character designs were mix (some good some indistinguishable) and the weird 'rain' scenes and shower scenes felt OTT for fanservice (SHIORI especially weirded me out for this).

Overall the story was pretty lackluster, with more time it may have done better but the overall message fell flat when u spend less than 10 minutes per character with NOT MUCH extra development coming after that. OH and Hinako connecting every girl's struggles to Ballet felt a little far stretched sometimes.

The Battle system was interesting but easily broken and felt far too easy even on the most difficult mode sadly...

Will I play the second game? If I wanted to be in pain, maybe... AND THAT PLAT WAS... Painfully slow to get 🤐