Given that every acclaimed RPG, from Chrono Trigger to Final Fantasy VII, eventually made its way to a handheld platform, you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that Shin Megami Tensei: Persona has now arrived on PSP. The decision was hardly rocket science – far from it. When you’ve got a classic game that only a handful of players have experienced, and a handheld system with more than 50 million users worldwide, any sane person would have made the same choice.

Persona comes to Sony’s handheld with its stellar content intact. This is more than a port, however. Atlus is promoting it as a “remake,” and though that might be too vast of a word to use to describe what is essentially one great big upgrade, Persona on PSP is one very cool and exciting commodity.

Those who have played the original Persona will instantly notice the updated visuals. The battles are still two-dimensional and not a day past 16-bit territory, but the game looks sharper and richer on PSP. Part of that surely comes from the PSP’s HD-emulating screen, though you can bet the developers retouched everything to ensure the game runs better at a higher resolution.

Persona is more strategic than the average RPG but less intense than a full-fledged strategy/RPG. Party members can be placed anywhere within a 5x5 grid, which is simple enough. But take note of each ally’s attack range, since it is directly attached to the placement of each character. This is where the strategy part goes into effect, particularly when trying to attack enemies that are scattered throughout their own grid. You almost certainly won’t be able to target every enemy with every party member, so it is vital that you have a strong, well-positioned group of characters.

Moves are purely turn-based; no active time clock or any other hints of real-time features are present. Attacks are quick and effortless – Persona may be a bit more hands-on than its successors (which tended to automate a few elements), but the increased character interactivity is no more demanding than the rest.

The battles aren’t lightning-quick but move at a fair pace. Menu selections are smooth and easy to grasp, following the usual list of options (attack, shoot, item, Persona, etc.). Graphically, the Personas won’t do much for players seeking eye candy. The effects are minimal and will never let you forget just how old this game really is. Physically, however, the Personas are as important as ever, blasting enemies with powerful magic and other attacks that’ll guarantee your enemies feel the burn.

Persona’s level exploration content is quite different from the norm, taking on a first-person 3D view whenever you step inside of a location. The graphics are somewhat generic, so you’ll have to watch the map closely if you want to keep track of where you’re going (and where you’ve been). Battles occur randomly with an encounter frequency that sits just below Pokemon, which means you won’t be able to take more than a few steps without battling a monster or two. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though, as these are some of the most inviting battles of any handheld RPG.

Hoping to entice gamers to purchase the PSP version of Persona as soon as possible, Atlus is including the full two-disc soundtrack with every launch copy of the game. Though I haven’t had the chance to listen to the music externally (away from the game), internally it has been a memorable mixture of rich and powerful melodies. It’s the kind of music that will no doubt be appreciated in CD form, even to those who do not play the game. But of course they should play Persona, because only then will they understand the music’s roots and grow to love it in a way that can only occur within an RPG.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona is another great port/upgrade in a long line of RPG ports and upgrades that have come to PSP. It isn’t a must-buy for those who own the original, though it’s likely those players won’t need any reviewer to tell them that because they’re the biggest fans and are bound to buy it anyway. It is, however, a must-own for those who have never taken this journey before.

Gameplay: 8.5
Top-of-the-line turn-based gameplay spawned from the shift of 16-bit to 32-bit gaming. If you love the style of classic RPGs (pre-voice infested, pre-3D everything) but don't wish to live without the best of what modern RPGs have to offer (stellar music, cool animation sequences), Persona is your game.

Graphics: 4.0
The animation sequences look good but the graphics themselves are quite dated. A full PSP-caliber upgrade would have been hugely appreciated, but obviously that isn't what we got.

Sound: 8.3
Deep, engaging, rich and exquisite.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
If you've been beaten down by the latest Persona games for PlayStation 2, the original will seem like a fairly tame RPG.

Concept: 6.0
Persona is a great game, one that was very creative at the time of its original release. But while the PSP enhancements are certainly welcome, they do not turn Persona into a new RPG.

Overall: 8.2
Whether you've played Persona before or are playing it for the first time on PSP, it's hard to deny that this is one of the best RPGs of the year, and is a must-own for any RPG fan whose collection is without a version.