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Ways to Play Persona 3 and 4?

Shawn The Wonder

Shawn The Wonder

Member
Sep 7, 2018
2,521
After playing Persona 5 twice this year I'm really eager to play 3 and 4. I had FES back in 09, but my PS2 died. I said I was going to get another PS2 someday and I still might, but I don't think I'll do it soon, but I really want to play 3 and 4. Is there a way I still can? I currently have a PS4, Wii U, and a garbage PC.
 
vestan

vestan

#REFANTAZIO SWEEP
Member
Dec 28, 2017
24,612
If you have a Vita or a PSTV, you can play Persona 3 Portable and Persona 4 Golden on it

The PSTV especially goes for like £50 over here so you can probs get a second hand one for cheaper to play 'em.
 

Deleted member 4262

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,633
You can get Persona 3 on PS3 as ps2 classic.

EDIT: I guess you don't have one so nvm. PC emulator then.

As for the Vita, I'm really not a fan of P3 Portable so I'd still go with FES.
 

Deleted member 721

User-requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
10,416
You can play persona 4 on: ps2,ps3,psvita,pstv
You can play persona 3 on: ps2, ps3, psp, psvita, pstv

besides emulation
 
OP
OP
Shawn The Wonder

Shawn The Wonder

Member
Sep 7, 2018
2,521
PSTV what is that? I feel like I've missed something big this year. I sadly have not been keeping up with this industry like I used to.
 
Lazybob

Lazybob

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
6,710
Shawn The Wonder said:
After playing Persona 5 twice this year I'm really eager to play 3 and 4. I had FES back in 09, but my PS2 died. I said I was going to get another PS2 someday and I still might, but I don't think I'll do it soon, but I really want to play 3 and 4. Is there a way I still can? I currently have a PS4, Wii U, and a garbage PC.
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Emulation is your best bet given what you have available. Vita or PSTV would be better for P4 Golden but you don't have those.
 
mausterhunter

mausterhunter

Member
Feb 1, 2019
1,648
Vita's a very comfortable way to play, everything's on the PSN store, and it generally has the most content complete versions. Plus you can play Persona 1&2 plus the music games as well sometime, if you like.
 
Antoo

Antoo

Member
May 1, 2019
3,780
Get a Vita. P5 was my entry into the series and I loved it. I caved into getting one when I was in Japan last year. Great decision. P1 and P2 are on it too:
 
hankenta

hankenta

Member
Oct 25, 2017
670
I bought a Vita TV whn it went out of production specifically to play P4 Golden. The easiest way to play P3 and 4 is emulation on PC. You can easily rip the games yourself with any dvd drive, so no need to look around shady internet sites if you already own the games.
 
YaBish

YaBish

Unshakable Resolve - One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,341
FES upscaled in PCSX2 looks super clean. That's how I played it.
 
Aadiboy

Aadiboy

Member
Nov 4, 2017
3,641
Vita is literally the way to play Persona 1-4, though 3 FES on PS2 is also a viable option.
 
oni-link

oni-link

tag reference no one gets
Member
Oct 25, 2017
16,015
UK
I played FES on PS3 last year and had a real good time with that version (The PSN version)

I played 4 on Vita, also had a real good time
 
Jeb

Jeb

One Winged Slayer
Avenger
Mar 14, 2018
2,142
I'd warn against the PSN version of P3FES on PS3.

save files disappear on that one and its a long ass game.
 
SirNinja

SirNinja

One Winged Slayer
Member
Nov 17, 2017
8,219
Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States
Vita or PSTV, if you can find either for cheap. There's unfortunately no definitive version of P3, but P3P is the best one. P4G, meanwhile, is a straight upgrade in dozens of ways from P4; I absolutely cannot go back to regular P4 after Golden. (Being able to choose which skills go to fused Personas alone puts it over the top forever.)

You can also get Personas 1 and 2 there as well, though they're quite different from 3 onwards. 1 is kinda ehh, but 2 is pretty good if the gameplay clicks for you.
 
Dysun

Dysun

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,975
Miami
I played Persona 3 FES on PCSX2 with improved IQ and mods to control my party members this year. Worked great
 
Nikus

Nikus

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
10,362
I was wondering that too and I remember reading that the Vita version of P3 didn't have "free exploration", I mean when you walk around talking to people, and instead you just select stuff on a map.
I played 10 hours of P3FES on PS2 but couldn't continue for various reasons, but I liked it. What I read about the portable version made it sound like I would enjoy it less.
 
OP
OP
Shawn The Wonder

Shawn The Wonder

Member
Sep 7, 2018
2,521
Elven_Star said:
PCSX2 can run on pretty much any PC.
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YaBish said:
FES upscaled in PCSX2 looks super clean. That's how I played it.
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Blue Sky Noise said:
Both are easy to emulate
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chandoog said:
Yep, you can mod in proper wide screen and UI fixes and run the game in high resolutions on any standard PC.
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Dysun said:
I played Persona 3 FES on PCSX2 with improved IQ and mods to control my party members this year. Worked great
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This might not be an option for me. I cannot figure out how to get my PS3 controller to work on it when it works on all of my other emulators. I am not trying to buy another console for a game I already own.
 
Renfran

Renfran

Alt Account
Banned
Aug 28, 2018
3,325
Vita. You can play Persona 1-4 all on Vita.They're all on PSN so you're set. Technically, you can also play P5 (Royal soon) on Vita due to remote play and it looks and runs great. So with a Vita you can play Persona 1-5 easily. Which you can't do on any other system. + OLED Vita really makes all 5 games look incredible.
 
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Kapryov

Kapryov

Member
Oct 27, 2017
10,131
Australia
I played P3FES to completion on the PS3, it was fine. I experienced no major issues.
P3P is much better though, even without the free exploration and cutscenes. They fixed a lot of shit, including the writing.
You can technically emulate both, I guess.

P4 Golden is Vita or PSTV. That's it. I don't think the Vita is well emulated (yet?)
 
Biske

Biske

Member
Nov 11, 2017
8,255
I've you are gonna play P4, Golden on Vita or Vita TV is the only way to go.
 
Drayco21

Drayco21

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,364
Golden on the Vita is bar none the best way to play 4.

P3 has two versions people will swear by- P3P is the portable PSP port with controllable party members, and the female MC option, but the tradeoff is that you don't get to walk around the gameworld like the other games, the anime cutscenes are cut out and several moments are thus more visual novel like. P3FES is the updated rerelease for PS2, and playable on PS3 through the PS2 Classics - it has exclusive story stuff, a full post-game campaign, and is the closest looking (and feeling outside of combat) to the latter games- but your party members will be controlled by the AI. Personally, I like FES, but both versions are good and neither is truly definitive.
 
Kaim Argonar

Kaim Argonar

Member
Dec 8, 2017
2,268
Drayco21 said:
Golden on the Vita is bar none the best way to play 4.

P3 has two versions people will swear by- P3P is the portable PSP port with controllable party members, and the female MC option, but the tradeoff is that you don't get to walk around the gameworld like the other games, the anime cutscenes are cut out and several moments are thus more visual novel like. P3FES is the updated rerelease for PS2, and playable on PS3 through the PS2 Classics - it has exclusive story stuff, a full post-game campaign, and is the closest looking (and feeling outside of combat) to the latter games- but your party members will be controlled by the AI. Personally, I like FES, but both versions are good and neither is truly definitive.
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Man, I tried to play P3P after playing P3:FES and couldn't do it. I need to walk around and my anime cutscenes now. I wish there was a P3:FES version with the Female PC and what was added in Portable. I'd even take a digital only release.
 
NLCPRESIDENT

NLCPRESIDENT

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,969
Midwest
Shawn The Wonder said:
This might not be an option for me. I cannot figure out how to get my PS3 controller to work on it when it works on all of my other emulators. I am not trying to buy another console for a game I already own.
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If all else fails, op. Just wait there will most likely be ports on PS4. Late ports, but that's usually when these types of games get ported. Just like vanquish and bayonetta. There will be more ports and would t be surprised if p3 & p4 did make it this year as well.
 
crimilde

crimilde

Member
Oct 26, 2017
6,004
You can play all of the Persona games before 5 on Vita, it's a good investment to get a cheap SH one if you're into the series imo.
 
Bing-Bong

Bing-Bong

Banned
Feb 1, 2019
797
You can play Persona 1 to 4 on a PsVita, but check out it's catalogue and see if there's other games that might interest you to make the purchase worth it. It has a pretty good collection of japanese videogames and indies, also you can play PSX and PSP games on it too. The scene is also worth to check out, it's mostly what keeps the console alive.

Alternatively use Pc emulators to play the Persona games. ePSXe and PCSX2 run flawlessly on anything this days.
 
Novocaine

Novocaine

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,946
Played P4 on the Vita. It was perfect. You can get 3 on there as well. Not sure how easy finding a Vita is nowadays though.
 
Giga Man

Giga Man

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 27, 2017
21,216
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