http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001G0MG8W

FES alone was a great value at $29.99, so this bundle is ridiculous.  Presumably the music CD is the same one that was included in the original U.S. release of Persona 3; here's the track listing.  This deal may be available today only, or the price may drop further (it was $29.95 yesterday, and Amazon dropped its price protection program some time ago).

Source: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/sho … p?t=205013

Amazing deal! thanks for sharing

Man. Alright, alright! I'll have to give this one a whirl for twenty bucks. Happy now DK?

As long as you can withstand your RPG-fatigue and give it a decent chance to prove itself, you should be OK.

Yeah man, that's the plan. I'm going to be patient with it and give it at least 10-15 hours before deciding on whether I want to keep on going or not. My positive experience with FFXII has made me want to give other RPGs I have brushed off more of a chance this time around.

Patience is the key to enjoying Persona 3. My suggestion is to play it in short bursts, otherwise it can get repetitive.

I'm not sure that a 100-hour plus dungeon crawler is a suitable remedy for RPG fatigue...

So long as you enjoy the social life section and then just do speed runs up to each boss the time spent in Tartarus isn't that bad. Maybe 50 hours max, unless you try to unlock all the Personas. Even shorter when you get through you're first run.

Nerdy fanboy nitpicking time!

I find the constant labeling of Persona 3 as a "dungeon crawler" to be greatly misleading. In my dictionary, a dungeon crawler is a RPG where you spend basically all the time exploring dungeons, and those games are usually very thin on storyline and character development. Can you honestly say that about Persona 3? Sure, there's a lot of dungeon-exploring, but not more than the average RPG, in my opinion. Add to this that P3 has an awesome and very intricate storyline that just builds and builds the further you get into the game, fantastic, very memorable and plausible characters and character development, a modern, urban setting that sets it apart from virtually any traditional RPG out there, the "social life"-aspect lacking in most RPGs (a part that can take up just as much time as the dungeon crawling), etc. And once in the dungeons, you're treated to what at least I consider to be one of the fastest, smoothest, most flexible and intelligent, and just most downright fun battle systems in any traditional turn-based RPG, which greatly helps making the dungeons more fun to explore. This game's anything other than "random dungeon-crawley fantasy J-RPG X".

Yes, unless you noticed, I really liked that game. Unless you have any reasonable arguments to support the label, I won't have it being called a "dungeon crawler", as I find it totally misleading and probably having the effect of scaring away hesitant people who might otherwise enjoy this all-too needed breath of fresh air in the RPG-world. This is no guarantee at all that Zane or anyone else trying the game will love it, but if they don't, their RPG-fatigue is really serious (maybe incurable).

Clearly our definitions of "dungeon crawler" differ.  If the combat portion of a game involves navigating level after level of randomly generated hallways, that's a dungeon crawler in my book, regardless of what else the game brings to the table, which I agree is a whole lot in the case of Persona 3.

We happen to be on the same side of the "does Persona 3 rock?" issue, so I have no motive to discourage people from playing it.  Why the hell would I have posted this thread if I didn't want people to play this game?  I just have doubts that this is the right game for someone who is already weary of the genre.

Personally, I don't feel that the dungeon aspect of Persona 3 was very different from dungeons in most J-RPGs. I feel people often overemphasize how "dungeon crawlish" the P3 dungeons are just because they happen to be randomly generated and tend to look very much alike. But when you think about it, most RPGs have pretty boring and "same-y" dungeons that aren't very interesting or distinct, but somehow P3 gets to take more crap than usual for that bit.

I don't doubt it one bit. Even if you dislike it, this is the kind of unique and fresh RPG that comes around only once every few years that you just have to check out and form your own opinion on. Its the kind of game where, even if you disliked it intensely, you walk away from it enriched because your notions of how a RPG can be constructed have expanded (from most games you just walk away feeling you got more of the same the genre has to offer).

I'm also curious, if someone is tired of RPG conventions and clichés but still has to try a new RPG, which one would you recommend over Persona 3?

The game was $29.99 MSRP when it came out in the first place.  Who was Amazon kidding when they listed it as $49.99?!

If it weren't for the random battles and its tendency to chew you up and spit you out, I'd say Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne all the way.

Persona 3 is a great experience the first time, but just some of its nagging features like unskippable cutscenes really make subsequent playthroughs a drag.

Hmm, not sure about that, Nocturne was as dungeon crawl-y an RPG as any I've played on the PS2, P3 had a lot more substance in the story/character department. And Nocturne isn't exatly "new" anymore, its like 6 years old.

Not knocking it, though, I loved it myself. Its definitely more of a challenge than P3, and its got a hell of a lot better soundtrack. But its the kind of game you go play when you're really into RPGs, not when you're suffering from RPG-fatigue.

I agree with you on principle - but Nocturne was the game that reeled me back in when I was suffering from RPG fatigue.

I think it was the freshness of the whole Megaten thing, and if you've never played one before you can't really go wrong with any.

Nocturne is in my opinion, the most rewarding experience you can get out of them, though you have to put more work into it.

Shadow Hearts 2.  It's light and breezy and generally doesn't take itself too seriously.  I find that self-seriousness is one of the most wearying aspects of RPGs.

The Judgment Ring is a nice change from the norm, because it involves your reflexes and forces you to consider your appetite for risk.  You can play it safe and aim for the standard hit areas, or you can go for more damage by aiming at the strike areas, but then you risk missing a hit altogether.

I also liked the way SH2 pokes knowing fun at some cliches of the genre.  So as not to spoil any jokes, I won't cite examples.

I know what you're saying, things aren't that clearcut all the time. Sometimes blessings can come in disguise.

Sorry dude, Persona 2 Innocent Sin/Eternal Punishment begs to seriously differ. As much as I love both P3 and Nocturne, P2 is the highpoint of the series for me (especially when the two games are combined).

OK, I'll admit that was a very good answer. I think P3 is further from the RPG-mainstream than SH2 (SH2 may poke fun at itself more, but it still has that typical "epic-travel-around" J-RPG vibe), but SH2 was a breath of fresh air as well. They're both great games, but I think the point is moot, since I suspect Zane's already played SH2.

By the way, what is this topic doing in the Game Music forum? Shouldn't this be in Gaming?

Now you see, the demon customization is what puts Nocturne over the top for me because I'm a big fan of world mythology.

Example: http://asise.fileave.com/cuchulainnsm.JPG

Though, I wouldn't expect someone new to the game to be able to make something like that right off the bat. (my choice of Stasis Blade there really bugs the hell out of me sometimes)

And to bring this musically back on topic (maybe), the P3 music sampler was a bit of a disappointment and I'm glad to see that Atlus is handling it better for P4 by offering the full soundtrack between the Social Link Expansion Pack and the CD included with every copy of the game.

I sure have! I still have PLENTY of stuff to do with FFXII and if I dig Persona 3 FES I'm sure I'll plop down at least 40-50 hours in that as well... so I'll have my hands tied for a while. What about PS1 RPGs? Any recommendations on that console that might freshen the kick in my RPG step? I've played FFVII - IX and Chrono Cross, and definitely did not enjoy Xenogears.

Vagrant Story is the first one off my fingers, but that one tends to be polarizing.  Then again, it and Symphony of the Night are the only two PS1 games I still own.

If you're asking me, I'd say Persona 2 Innocent Sin/Eternal Punishment, my two favourite RPGs ever. Currently replaying Innocent Sin for the first time in three years and loving *every single second* of it. Order of Ecclesia and Homecoming are definitely put on hold till I'm done with this baby.

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