Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 2 - Innocent Sin Video Review

I'm sorry but this review is ... well, pretty terrible. There's so much focus on graphics and how 'out dated' the game is, but to be honest with you sometimes the best thing about a game is the story. RPG's follow the same package, the graphics don't always have to mean anything to the level of enjoyment that can be have. 

I was more hoping the review would talk about the story and what that's like compared to the rest of the series, and no so much the general appeal of it graphically. Guess I might just have to add it to my shopping list of games to test for myself.

I look foward to playing this. I hopethat I can get my P.S.P. repaired.

This review is pretty bad. He seems to have such a big issue with the "outdated" graphics. Yet am I right in thinking Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions kept the same graphics when ported from the PSX? Yet there was no big issue there.

I was reluctant to buy this game due to this review score, glad I didn't listen.

The reviewer compares this to newer Persona games. I just beat Persona 4 and I beat a fan translated version of persona 2 years ago. In terms of the main story, I found Persona 2 more interesting. To be fair Persona 4 is way better in terms of overall package. Persona 4, you kind of know who the killer is, it doesn't really do a good job convincing you it's anyone else.  Persona 2's story kept me wanting to play it from start to finish. The combat in Persona 4 is yes more interesting, although they removed alot of stuff that was in Persona 2, a few elements, fusion spells and the biggest loss since Persona 3, demon negotiation.

Hey...this game has somethin to do with persona 2 for the psx? in the psx version the main character was Maya and in this its Tatsuya..

I've been playing this and its awesome. I appriciate that Gamespot are tough reviewers, bust this guy is just full of $#!%.

Ok, reviewer. Selecting what to do from a menu, again and again, is what an old school Rpg is all about. Deal with it... It's making the right or wrong choice that makes the game live.

Sounds like the reviewer is nothing but a graphics whore that rather than looking at a game for what it is instead for its graphics. Plus what is with all the complaints that he keeps putting forward? It sounds almost like he is new to games and can't stand old games. This reviewer needs to go back to the golden days of gaming and see what it really is not this flashy crap of today.

This review is terrible.... I mean honestly. Everything he listed doesn't sound like a problem with the game besides the graphics.

Honestly, I can't fully agree with this review. It's hard to believe that a port of a game that originally got a 9.2 rating on this site, despite being completely in Japanese, only got a 5.0 in this era. Sure, some things don't age as well as others, but if you think about it, they couldn't just add it to the PSN for $10 because it had no English text OR language. Most people wouldn't be able to understand it, so porting it to the PSP was their best bet. As for the price tag, it's probably for all the RECENT work they had to do to port it over. For people who don't know what this game is - fine. But for those of us who liked the original and would enjoy giving this game a shot in English, this review is far too harsh.

gah am i the only who hates this guy's voice >.

I have been playing jRPGs for over 20 years and still frequently play games from that entire period. I am currently playing Phantasy Star IV on the Wii Virtual Console for the first time (and thoroughly enjoying it). That said, I'm willing to defend this review. Some titles age better than others. I have no trouble believing that an absurd encounter rate, mindless repetition / lack of engagement in individual battles, shallow characterization, and poor pacing drag this game down. The only place I disagree with Carolyn is when she says that this game may have been great in 1999. I doubt it. It may have been less obviously flawed, but even in the late 90s, these qualities were notorious genre-pitfalls (and a game like Phantasy Star IV, made in 1993, effortlessly avoids them). I also think it's legit to say that Persona 3 and 4 show tremendous growth and advancement over this game, making it difficult to play. For comparison, no game in the Final Fantasy series has shown "tremendous advancement" over earlier entries since 1991. They all have their particular strengths, but that kind of improvement hasn't happened in two decades, which is why remakes of FFIV still review well. Basically I don't think she's being unfair or hypocritical. I say that as a fan of both the genre and someone who plays older games as much or more than new ones.

I used to be a moderator at GameSpot, it was a different era with different reviewers and a different generation of users to boot. I feel the quality has since declined, drastically. In fact I know it has, everyone who has left or even stayed does. For a more accurate review of this game, peek at the older article: http://www.gamespot.com/ps/rpg/persona2innocentsin/index.html?tag=result%3Btitle%3B4 9.2

So, what I got from this is, because its different and not like your standard Final Fantasy game, it's awful? Alright. Now I know that playing something different is an awful thing and all those games are bad. Thanks Gamespot.

The video review only mentions one valid point. The graphics. If they waited 12 years, then I expected a complete makeover. At least the character pictures could have been redrawn to look more sharp. The reviewer did a poor job by complaining about things that are to be expected from a game of this genre.

I guess Zelda Orcanna of time should get a 5.0 too..oh wait, its a nintendo game so it gets a pass.. New super mario bros.. using the same style of game from 1985... but again...nintendo so it gets a pass.. Rpg with menus... the horror... Come on.. rpgs have always, always have had menus...newer games like mass effect 2 and dragon age 2 are not rpgs there shooter and action games.

oh nooes menus... such horror..lol... This game looks great... and I liked all the smt games... will be picking this up!

"you need to kill things so you can kill tougher things later on." and "Time consuming menu driven combat" ..... this is what jrpgs used to be... whats the problem? If this is why she gave it a 5.0 then this review is a croc. What was GS expecting a completly new game with a fast twitch battle system for the cod crowd? Not every game needs to be fast twitch... Hell Final Fantasy was like this up until part 13! Most rpg gamers like turn based combat. If you do, don't listen to her score...simple as that.

@ Raykuza You've got some valid points. All depends on your point of view I guess. Some people are into old school and some are not. Nothings better or worse, it's all perspective.

@33ghill Some games just don't age very well, and this is one of them. This game didn't get worse; it's just that now all of the aspects of this game have been improved upon in other games. I don't "have to take it in context" because it's simply not 1999 anymore, and we have other, better games that are similar. The original got a 9.2 because it was original. Now it just isn't.

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

Worst review ever. It wasn't even a review. It was biased and more like a bash than a review. Menu battles? So many games still do that nowadays. Picking the most effective command every time is how you PLAY AN RPG. It's better than clicking "R" every time for an FPS. I mean aren't FPSs repeptitive mechanics? This is the worst review I've ever read hands down. The game obviously looks better than it did than in 1999 but apparently it looks the same??? Whatever still getting this masterpiece regardless of ignorant reviewers.

So it's the same exact game it was in 1999? You would have to be a die-hard fan to spend money on a twelve year-old game. Atlus knew exactly who they were catering to with this one, and I'm going to go out on a limb here and say this is probably a small tribute to the core SMT fans who missed out on the original PS1 game. If they were concerned about gaining an audience or capturing a new generation of players, or even refreshing the experience, they would have made plenty updates to the game like everyone else does.

Of course the original got a 9.2, because it was original. Unfortunately, its hard to keep giving relatively the same game a high score over and over again. Also, by rehash i was talking about the gameplay itself. As someone who as played persona 3 portable, this is a disappointment to me. Unfortunately for the FANBOYS i was berating, they deserve it for bashing on the reviewer because they can't get over the fact that the game is a disappointment. Please, listen to the review from 5:40 +

@ ebuc, this is not a rehash, it's the first time the game has been officially released in the United States. If you don't want to get it, fine, but don't berate people who do. BTW, the original got a 9.2. Great games do not simply get worse over time, you have to take it in the context of the year it came out. Hell, I still play Super Mario Bros, does it suck now simply because it came out in the 80's or because the graphics are terrible? Of course not.

LOL, you can't rehash the same crap over and over again and not significantly improve anything(unless its something with a great multiplayer, sorry). The Worse thing is that is a remake, and a bad one at that. The Persona series is exactly like the Naruto PSP games series in terms of being rehashed. This is the reason why they changed it and started Naruto Ultimate NInja Impact. The people who still buy these games even though they know its the exact same pathetic game over and over again are called fanboys, sorry. Fanboys such as the people below are more in love with the series than the game its self. No review should give it above a 6, sorry.

I think he's reviewing it with a skewed opinion......it's a re release.....yes it is going to be dated....its nearly 10 years old. I'm not personally a persona fan but i can appreciate it. By this guys standards, FF7 would be a dated, repetative, standard RPG. I'm not one to slate reviewers and i do agree it shouldn't be a full price release

haters gonna hate

P.S. I don't think this douche has ever played RPG's b4

Only DOUCHES can't understand old school RPG's, this game is EPIC!!! This guy's review SUCKS!!!!!

Unfortunately, most all those bad points are things I experienced myself in Persona 1. I'm a fan of classic RPGs, but there's something about the early Personas I can't bring myself to enjoy.

I dont think this game is for this reviewer....Seems like too much complaining in it.

still getting it , but that feature about spreading rumors to get good weapons is stupid .

If this review did anything for me, it reminded me how much I loved playing Persona 3. That game was fantastic.

Rather have P3P...

@timmytom15: The thing is that the game hasn't been properly updated but it's still selling at a $40 price tag. PSOne classics on PSN cost $6-$10, why is this old game selling for such a high price? As a Persona fan I'll definitely get around to playing this someday but for the price the game should have been a true remake, not an enhanced port.

[This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

the review made it sound like it was telling us not to buy this game even though it try to not say that.

I think Carolyn has to review it assuming it's for an RPG fan, not a Persona PS1 fan. I've gone back and played P2: EP on the PS1 and it definitely is dated. So Persona fans like me will get a good time out of it (at least if it drops to $20), but when you compare it to newer RPG's, it's a tedious game.

im very sorry for being such an as***** (and for my sloppy grammar)but this particular game is very important for me,its special,for me its different from all other games,very differenr from other persona series,even now replaying the original (english patched) i enjoy it more that tha latest games on any other console

the price is a big problem, well guess Atlus thought that there will be ppl who will pay the price to play the game that didnt came outside of japan in 1999,and im sure there will be

i agree with the pace of batle being slow,i hoped atlus would make an option similar to one in p1,to set the batle in auto mode ,but it seems it didnt hapen,thats a bad reason to not "acquire" the game

when u say "once you learn witch techincs to use on withc demons it uicly stops being interesting" u make it sound so easy,well its not

yes there are many random encounters but the battle is also needet for obtaining tarrot cards and spreading some of the rummors,and becouse you will want more personas u need more battles

i cant believe it takes 5/10!!!! ...i dont care what you guys say about the game i will buy it..i always be a presona fan

repetitive mechanics Obviosly wrong!!!! there are many personas,each different,ever changing skills and spells,fussion spells,personas can mutate,there are a lot of rumors to find and spread. The game will be repetitive for those who are not familiar with turn-by-turn RPG

didnt count tatsu coz hes a typical megaten protoganist ,yet distinctive if u play the games

ok ok ok ok ok that ballless monk said that p2 stood out in 1999 coz of the setting and atypical cast.Well nothing changed in the game industry since then.There are not many games(excluding the persona series and megaten) that are set in the present(i may be wrong but i think im not).Narcissist gangleader/lead singer in his band,Girl who traveld her childhood and doesnt know english despite her looks,an allways positive reporter,a photographer,a boy obsesed with flowers(uuuh) these characters are so typical now right?

evil force....now you are just painting black and white. it seems the editors who came up with the score did not actualy play the game I would notmaly stop here and punch ur face but i cant ,and I REALY LOVE THIS GAME