Yes, I totally agree with Persona 3 having one of the best endings ever. It was so bittersweet that if I had tear ducts, I would've shed some man tears!

From what I've been reading (I have a copy of P4A but due to business I haven't gotten to it, yet!) the P4A story is practically a visual novel at its core. I'm totally cool with that, but I can see how some people aren't too receptive to it being that way.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny: That's probably it, then. I've heard a lot of discussion about certain aspects about the ending arc, and I'm pretty sure it was positively inclined, so I think you still have a lot to look forward to!

Persona 3's ending is probably my favorite game moment ever. 

@Metal_Gear_Sunny: The story mode in P4A is designed to be easy. Battles are one round and the opponent AI is dumbed down. If you're looking for a challenge, you should play either Arcade, Score Attack, or against a human opponent. Story Mode is purely for those that want to know the story in its full detail. Whether you can appreciate the VN-style presentation of it is, of course, up to personal taste. I personally enjoyed it.

Persona 3 and 4 are two of my favorites. Glad you got to experience them.

Persona 4 Arena explains a lot of things about Persona 3 and the future of Persona 4.

I myself did Yosuke's story last and it's probably one of my least favorite.

Persona 4 Arena explains a lot of things about Persona 3 and the future of Persona 4.

I myself did Yosuke's story last and it's probably one of my least favorite.

You get a definitive answer of what Elizabeth is up to in Persona 4 Arena, rather than one formed from conjecture.

The biggest takeaway I have from Persona 3 is that I really took walking into the dorm and pressing X a bunch to speak with the rest of the SEES members for granted. The first time I walked into the dorm after defeating the final boss really hit me hard. The fact that it was empty was kinda similar to the whole "Nanako event" in Persona 4. It was something that you knew could happen after a certain point, but when it finally does happen, you might finally realize how attached you've become to a fictional character(s).

As for Persona 4 Arena, it's a been a blast so far for me, despite being pretty much done with it having completed Story Mode with every character. I think it should be known that you tread a lot of familiar ground with each character, minus a few exceptions, but what you really should be excited about is that you're getting into a character's mind, so you can expect rather observant thoughts from characters like Naoto and Akihiko you wouldn't notice with others, and putting characters like Akihiko and Kanji together can make for some interesting, and especially funny, situations, that you can see through only one person's point of view. If you're strapped for time or whatever, playing through the story with Labrys, Elizabeth, Mitsuru, Charlie, and Aigis is probably the best way to get everything the game offers story-wise.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny:

P3 Ending spoilers in case anyone was wondering.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@EquitasInvictus: I sure hope so!

You have to see Liz's story in P4A for more info on P3's story.

When you fight Margaret in Persona 4 she will kind of explain why Elizabeth is "Neglecting her duty" which is also explained in P4A. As for the P3 ending, i personally think it's the best ending but 4 has that fun charm to it. P3 seems to be way more serious to me personally.

I guess I'm one of the few that didn't much care for P3's ending and the game in general. It was certainly emotional, but after 100+ hours with those characters none of them ever made me care enough. Aigis is probably my favorite character in P3, but mostly because of her being a robot and struggling with it. P3 is a good game, but when compared to P4 it really isn't that much of a contest to me.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@eroticfishcake:

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

So he technically dead anyway, but he's only alive because of that promise?

I don't understand why there are spoiler marks when you put the warning in the title...

Anyways, no.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@eroticfishcake:

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

So he technically dead anyway, but he's only alive because of that promise?

I don't understand why there are spoiler marks when you put the warning in the title...

Anyways, no.

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

I believe he simply does his best to gather the remainder of his strength so that he may fulfill his promise, which then leaves him once it is fulfilled.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny: I think he was living on pure willpower alone. That's how much MC cared about his friends, not even death will stand in the way to see how things end.

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending. Much like Earthbound doesn't Persona 3 give you a chance to talk to all your friends? More games need that.

@Nottle: Persona 3 FES definitely includes your Level 10 social links in the epilogue prior to the Aigis ending that was really nice. I think the one epilogue that had me grin the most was Hermit/"Maya."

I also think Persona 4 has an epilogue that lets you see your Level 10 social links one last time as well.

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending. 

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Nottle said:

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending.

I've noticed that, but never fully understand the reasoning behind that. I guess they go more of that in The Answer, right? She decided to be a real girl until MC died, and then she wanted to become a machine again, and then the new character in The Answer was created out of that? Am I right?

In The Answer, Aigis loses the connection with her more human side, which manifests itself as Metis. So Metis is kind of like a Shadow, but not really.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny: I highly encourage you to look it up since it's definitely out there on youtube, I'm pretty sure! I think it's the best thing ever!

@FluxWaveZ: Ah it's just instinctive of me to put story related stuff in spoiler blocks. But what you said sounds about right. I'm more of a P4 guy then a P3 one. Not too far off base though.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny: I highly encourage you to look it up since it's definitely out there on youtube, I'm pretty sure! I think it's the best thing ever!

@Hailinel said:

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Nottle said:

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending.

I've noticed that, but never fully understand the reasoning behind that. I guess they go more of that in The Answer, right? She decided to be a real girl until MC died, and then she wanted to become a machine again, and then the new character in The Answer was created out of that? Am I right?

In The Answer, Aigis loses the connection with her more human side, which manifests itself as Metis. So Metis is kind of like a Shadow, but not really.

I think the scene at the end of P3 was just symbolic, MC was kind of 4 seconds from death. Also isn't Metis's name significant in some way? Obviously her persona, Psyche applies to her role as part of Aigis.

@Nottle said:

@Hailinel said:

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Nottle said:

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending.

I've noticed that, but never fully understand the reasoning behind that. I guess they go more of that in The Answer, right? She decided to be a real girl until MC died, and then she wanted to become a machine again, and then the new character in The Answer was created out of that? Am I right?

In The Answer, Aigis loses the connection with her more human side, which manifests itself as Metis. So Metis is kind of like a Shadow, but not really.

I think the scene at the end of P3 was just symbolic, MC was kind of 4 seconds from death. Also isn't Metis's name significant in some way? Obviously her persona, Psyche applies to her role as part of Aigis.

If the Wikipedia entry is to be believed, Metis is, like much of the P3 cast and their Personas, based on a Greek mythological figure of the same name. Not unlike her relationship with Aigis in The Answer, her relationship with Zeus is a mutually beneficial, yet destructive one at the same time. Of particular note is a prophecy that stated that she would bear two children with Zeus, the first being Athena (Aigis' initial Persona) and the second being a son that would rise up to become more powerful than Zeus himself and take the throne from him. There's additional information in that part of the story in particular that explain Metis' use of clubs and axes in the game. The entry is worth a read if you're curious.

@Nottle said:

@Hailinel said:

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Nottle said:

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending.

I've noticed that, but never fully understand the reasoning behind that. I guess they go more of that in The Answer, right? She decided to be a real girl until MC died, and then she wanted to become a machine again, and then the new character in The Answer was created out of that? Am I right?

In The Answer, Aigis loses the connection with her more human side, which manifests itself as Metis. So Metis is kind of like a Shadow, but not really.

I think the scene at the end of P3 was just symbolic, MC was kind of 4 seconds from death. Also isn't Metis's name significant in some way? Obviously her persona, Psyche applies to her role as part of Aigis.

According to Wikipdia, Metis is the name of the ancient Greek titaness of wisdom. Zeus swallowed Metis, who was pregnant at the time. The end result was Athena being born by emerging from Zeus's head. Athena is Aigis's evolved Persona in Persona 3 before she becomes a WIld Card user in The Answer.

@Pepsiman said:

@Nottle said:

@Hailinel said:

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Nottle said:

Also yeah, the ending is beautiful. Aigis is given some corny lines that work pretty well somehow. Also notice how she has no robot parts during the anime section of the ending.

I've noticed that, but never fully understand the reasoning behind that. I guess they go more of that in The Answer, right? She decided to be a real girl until MC died, and then she wanted to become a machine again, and then the new character in The Answer was created out of that? Am I right?

In The Answer, Aigis loses the connection with her more human side, which manifests itself as Metis. So Metis is kind of like a Shadow, but not really.

I think the scene at the end of P3 was just symbolic, MC was kind of 4 seconds from death. Also isn't Metis's name significant in some way? Obviously her persona, Psyche applies to her role as part of Aigis.

If the Wikipedia entry is to be believed, Metis is, like much of the P3 cast and their Personas, based on a Greek mythological figure of the same name. Not unlike her relationship with Aigis in The Answer, her relationship with Zeus is a mutually beneficial, yet destructive one at the same time. Of particular note is a prophecy that stated that she would bear two children with Zeus, the first being Athena (Aigis' initial Persona) and the second being a son that would rise up to become more powerful than Zeus himself and take the throne from him. There's additional information in that part of the story in particular that explain Metis' use of clubs and axes in the game. The entry is worth a read if you're curious.

You beat me to it. :P

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Hailinel: @Pepsiman: You lost me.

The Personas of Persona 3 are references to Greek/Roman myth and history, much like the Personas of the party in Persona 4 come from Japanese myth and history. These references extend to the character Metis, who is a part of Aigis, and whose name is a reference to the mother of Aigis's evolved Persona.

@Metal_Gear_Sunny said:

@Hailinel: @Pepsiman: You lost me.

The Personas of Persona 3 are references to Greek/Roman myth and history, much like the Personas of the party in Persona 4 come from Japanese myth and history. These references extend to the character Metis, who is a part of Aigis, and whose name is a reference to the mother of Aigis's evolved Persona.

I started playing this after Sunny's first blog. It was great until my save file got corrupted... If someone could upload a save that's in June/July/August I'd greatly appreciate it. I would man up and work my way back but I can only get 30 minutes a session if I'm lucky.

I think I like P3's story better than P4, maybe its just how good the ending is combined with Aigis's social link right before. I do love P4's murder mystery story though. Can't wait for P5, I don't care if it continues P4A's story or is something brand new.

I finished it last night. With that, I join the group of people who like Persona 3 more than Persona 4. God damn if that ending isn't something else.  
 
Also, I booted up "The Answer", which everyone says to avoid like the plague. I've only played for an hour, but I kinda like it. Probably because Aigas is my favorite character, and it's all about her (so far). I probably wouldn't feel that way if I didn't play P4: Arena before starting P3, though. By going in with low expectations I may be pleasantly surprised.