The PlayStation Portal has quickly become my primary way to play my PS5. What I initially saw as a novelty has completely reshaped my gaming habits. I’ve already completed several great games from beginning to end using it, including RoboCop: Rogue City, Dave the Diver, A Plague Tale: Requiem, Final Fantasy XVI, and countless hours of Diablo 4. Diablo 4’s repetitive nature makes it ideal for playing in the background while watching a movie. Games with daunting time commitments feel more approachable thanks to the flexibility of being able to easily pick up and put down my Portal throughout the day.
And this newfound love all started with a game I nearly abandoned: Persona 3 Reload.
The Persona 3 Problem
Persona 3: Reload is undeniably brilliant, with tons to enjoy. Its time-management system, balancing school life, social links, and dungeon crawling, contributes to what makes the series so charming. But the game has one glaring flaw: Tartarus.
Tartarus is Persona 3 Reload’s one and only dungeon, a 260-floor behemoth that players are required to slog through over the course of the entire story. Unlike the thematically varied palaces of Persona 5 or dungeons in any other modern RPG, Tartarus is a monotonous, randomly-generated maze that barely changes from start to finish. The layout is repetitive, the mechanics introduced throughout are trivial, and the climb quickly becomes a tedious chore rather than an engaging challenge.
Every new floor I reached failed to feel like genuine progress because, beyond the occasional reskin, the layouts and core visuals remained unchanged, for all 260 floors. I understand this is how it was in the original Persona 3, but if ever there was a component begging to be reworked in the remake, it was Tartarus. Instead of an enjoyable journey, it became an exercise in patience.
There is a game I truly love hidden beneath what I’ve dubbed “The Tartarus Tedium”, but the process of uncovering it was exhausting. Without the Portal, I might have walked away entirely.
The Portal is my Persona
Initially, I was skeptical of the PlayStation Portal. It seemed gimmicky, and I wasn’t sure who exactly it was designed for. However, after hearing numerous Portal owners enthusiastically endorse theirs, I finally caved and bought one. Surprisingly, the Portal fundamentally altered how I interact with my PlayStation library. I’ve even begun evaluating new game purchases based on how enjoyable they’ll be specifically on the Portal, finding myself buying titles I never imagined playing simply because they seem perfect for relaxing in bed.
The ability to pause the game and switch off the screen lets me seamlessly transition between gaming and other activities. When I have more time available, I can switch effortlessly back to my TV for a richer, high-fidelity experience. Rather than forcing myself through hours of The Tartarus Tedium™ in one sitting, I could tackle it gradually in smaller, more digestible sessions throughout my day.
This flexibility was something I never required for Persona 5. Its pacing, structure, and varied dungeons always kept me engaged. Persona 3 Reload, however, demanded precisely this sort of adaptability for me, and this change was transformative. Instead of dreading each session in Tartarus, I began looking forward to brief manageable runs by sneaking in a level while watching TV with my wife, or while sitting in a work call (just kidding…). The device highlights that it’s not just the game itself, but how we play it, that can shape our perception of a title. Seamlessly transitioning between devices, pausing and resuming at will, and integrating gaming comfortably into daily life has fundamentally altered my relationship with my PS5, and greatly improved my relationship with Persona 3 Reload.
Escaping the Grind
Burnout can pose a significant issue for longer games, and with so many great ones to choose from right now, it is hard to rationalize pushing through if you aren’t thoroughly enjoying the experience. With The Portal’s ability to change the pace at which I play certain games, it has made me feel more receptive to many games I have been curious about, but have been afraid of due to the time commitment of being locked in front of my TV. Even when given a chance to play on my television, I often find myself preferring the Portal; it somehow feels less demanding, less like a major commitment.
Would I have completed Persona 3 without the Portal? Honestly, I doubt it. Its tedious grind would have burned me out early on. With the Portal, however, I get to experience Persona 3’s great story, characters, and social links, fully appreciating its brilliance without becoming bogged down by it’s dungeon.
Of course, the PlayStation Portal isn’t without flaws. Its battery life leaves room for improvement, and its reliance on a solid Wi-Fi connection limits its suitability for every scenario. But even on subpar WiFi connections, I’ve been amazed at the quality of the image and latency. Yet, these shortcomings feel minor compared to the freedom and versatility it provides.
At the end of the day, The Portal is all about expanding accessibility in how we play games, and because of that, has further expanded the library of PS5 games I will play. And now that I’ve had a taste, I can’t imagine going back.
