When I started the grind, I figured that The Answer was going to be like a cheap addon that breaks the original game's story, and hence put off playing it until now. And although most of the game is a grind with few cinematics, but once that part is over, the game gets awesome (trying not to spoil), and now I'm on the final final boss (expecting to die), however, it didn't mangle the story or anything, which is cool. And besides the lack of Direct Control, I really like Persona's combat, and the bosses were a lot more interesting then in P3/4 (in one fight I had to use Attack/Magic mirrors because the boss had only 2 attacks and astronomically high HPS)
 
TLDR: The Answer is pretty good, and is scratching that Persona itch...I'll be sad when it's over, though the boss is going to assrape me :(

good to hear it's better than people say.

No, it really isn't.

I'd say it mangled the story.  There were some interesting moments, but for the most part, the grind was unbearable and the bosses were much more annoying than the ones in the main game.

I've only just started on P3:FES myself. I don't think I'll be maxing out S.Links on my first run. Having a lovely time, glad to see The Answer is going to be more of the same goodness.

The answer doesn't break the story and it clarifies some of the unclear plot points in the game.  That is really the only thing good about it in my eyes. 
 
I never really liked Aigis as a character, and some motives characters have in the story are just bad.  The game is also pretty unforgiving early on when you don't really have variety in Personas.  After you get some Persona though, thats when you go through the same paces you did in the journey, but worse. 
 
They could've done some interesting things with the whole time scenario, but I was really disappointed to see it just translated as an excuse to confine the player.

" No, it really isn't. "

Story aside, it is unforgivably structured. I went through 30 hours of grinding with Akihiko, Mitsuru and Junpei, and at the end, it turns out my partner is Metis, who is about 40 levels under norm. If you don't use her throughout, you are boned. I had to restart, and have been going through the entire game again with a two-person team, me and her. It's a bitch.

" Story aside, it is unforgivably structured. I went through 30 hours of grinding with Akihiko, Mitsuru and Junpei, and at the end, it turns out my partner is Metis, who is about 40 levels under norm. If you don't use her throughout, you are boned. I had to restart, and have been going through the entire game again with a two-person team, me and her. It's a bitch. "