Persona 3 Portable: New Game Plus - What Carries Over?

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Persona 3 Portable: New Game Plus - What Carries Over?

So, you've finally finished Persona 3 Portable, huh? Congrats! After all that grinding, socializing, and, let's be honest, a few tearful moments, you're probably wondering what awaits you in New Game Plus (NG+). Well, fear not, intrepid Persona user, because I'm here to break down exactly what goodies you get to carry over into your next playthrough. We're talking about maximizing your social links from the get-go and steamrolling those early shadows with your souped-up Personas. Trust me; it makes a huge difference, especially if you're aiming for that ultimate Persona or want to experience the game with a different protagonist! You might be wondering what is the point of playing this game again. Well, there are several things that you can do that you might have missed the first time around such as maxing all social links or getting certain achievements that were impossible to get in a single playthrough. The best thing about new game plus is that you can skip the story and just focus on the things that you might have missed in your first playthrough. This is especially useful for those who want to experience the game with a different protagonist and want to see how the story changes.

What Exactly is New Game Plus?

Before we dive into the specifics of what carries over, let's clarify what New Game Plus actually is. In essence, it's a feature that allows you to start a new game using data from a completed save file. This means you get to retain certain aspects of your previous playthrough, giving you a significant head start and making subsequent playthroughs much more enjoyable. Think of it as a victory lap, or maybe even a chance to perfect your Persona 3 Portable experience. Basically, you are not starting completely from scratch which would allow you to play the game a little bit differently and just focus on the things that you want to focus on.

The Benefits of Starting a New Game Plus

  • Faster Progression: With your boosted stats and Persona compendium, you'll be able to breeze through the early parts of the game, allowing you to focus on the new content or challenges you might have missed the first time around.
  • Max Social Links: Having your social stats maxed out from the start makes it way easier to max out all of the social links which would allow you to fuse the ultimate personas.
  • Experiencing the game with the opposite protagonist: Persona 3 Portable allows you to play as a male or a female protagonist. Both have different social links and different story elements that you might want to experience.

The Carryover Breakdown: What Stays, What Goes

Alright, let's get into the nitty-gritty. Here's a comprehensive list of what you get to bring with you into your New Game Plus adventure:

Confirmed Carryovers

  • Persona Compendium: This is, without a doubt, the biggest and best carryover. All the Personas you've registered in your compendium will be available for summoning right from the start. Yes, that means you can unleash your late-game powerhouses on those poor early-game shadows. Just remember you still need the level to summon them and the money to pay for them.
  • Protagonist Level: Your protagonist's level carries over, giving you a significant advantage in battles. This also affects the level of Personas you can fuse.
  • Social Stats: Remember all that time you spent studying, hanging out with friends, and working part-time jobs? All that effort pays off! Your Courage, Academics, and Charm stats carry over, unlocking social links and dialogue options from the get-go. This makes it significantly easier to max out all Social Links in a single playthrough.
  • Equipment: Weapons, armor, and accessories that your characters have equipped at the end of the game will be available. This provides a huge boost in the early game and saves you a ton of money.
  • Money: All the money that you have at the end of the game will be available for you to use in your new playthrough.
  • Skill Cards: Any Skill Cards you've acquired during your previous playthrough will be available in New Game Plus. This is incredibly useful for customizing your Personas and creating powerful builds.

What Doesn't Carry Over

  • Story Progression: Obviously, you're starting a new game, so all story-related progress is reset. This includes your location in Tartarus, unlocked areas, and completed quests.
  • Social Links: While your social stats carry over, your Social Link ranks do not. You'll need to re-establish those relationships with your favorite characters. But with your maxed-out social stats, it'll be a breeze!
  • Items: Consumable items, like healing potions and status ailment cures, do not carry over. You'll need to restock your inventory.

New Game Plus Strategies and Tips

Now that you know what carries over, let's talk about how to make the most of your New Game Plus experience:

  • Fuse Powerful Personas Early: With your Persona Compendium intact, you can summon powerful Personas right from the start. Focus on creating a well-rounded team with various elemental skills to exploit enemy weaknesses.
  • Max Social Links Efficiently: Since your social stats are already maxed out, you can focus on spending time with your favorite characters and unlocking their Social Links. Use a guide to optimize your schedule and ensure you don't miss any events.
  • Tackle Optional Bosses: New Game Plus is the perfect opportunity to challenge yourself with optional bosses and difficult encounters. With your powerful Personas and equipment, you'll be well-equipped to take them down.
  • Experiment with Different Builds: Use your Skill Cards to experiment with different Persona builds and create unique strategies. Try out different combinations of skills and see what works best for you.
  • Play on a Higher Difficulty: If you found your first playthrough too easy, consider increasing the difficulty in New Game Plus. This will provide a greater challenge and make the game more rewarding.

Final Thoughts: Is New Game Plus Worth It?

So, is diving back into Persona 3 Portable with New Game Plus worth your time? Absolutely! It offers a fantastic opportunity to experience the game in a new way, whether you're aiming to max out all Social Links, complete the Persona Compendium, or simply enjoy the story with a powered-up protagonist. The carryover benefits make the early game much more enjoyable, allowing you to focus on the content you might have missed the first time around. So grab your headphones, fire up your PSP (or emulator!), and get ready for another thrilling adventure in the world of Persona 3 Portable. You won't regret it!