When Persona 3 was originally announced for Japan over a year ago, I was more than intrigued by the game’s battle system; specifically, the method in which you summon your Personae (creatures that act as the game’s magic system), i.e. shooting themselves in the head with a gun. Sure, they call it an “evoker” and it doesn’t actually fire any ammunition; however, when the damn thing looks like a gun and all the characters (all teenagers, I might add) are pointing the muzzle against their temple/mouth/between the eyes, it’s hard not to suspect that a little controversy is bound to follow this game to America. After a good 17 hours of play, I’m finding so much more to enjoy about this game.

There are many things that keep me playing Persona 3, but the biggest reason is what has been dubbed by some as the “dating-sim” portion. Essentially, when you’re not fighting through the game’s main dungeon, you attend school and form relationships with other people, including trying to score yourself a girlfriend. Right now I’m working on winning over the bookish Chihiro. What can I say? Guys make passes at girls who wear glasses!

I came for the teenage-suicide mechanic,
but stayed for the dating simulator…