Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight Critic Reviews

Atlus has proven that Persona 4 DAN was not a one off, and while SEGA and Atlus seem to have lost the Hatsune Miku license recently, it is clearly not because the company has lost the ability to produce a sublime example of the rhythm game genre.

Dancing In Moonlight is particularly special because of the strong remixes and remasters of familiar songs, recreations of places we've been, and reimagination of characters we've long known. You may find the overall premise a little strange, but if you let loose--just as the SEES crew has done--you'll find a brilliant rhythm game weaved into an amazing, evocative soundtrack.

While I still don’t know that the world needs dancing games based off of the Persona series, it’s obvious that Atlus could do way worse than Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight. Both games show clear effort in terms of visuals and animations, and if there’s any RPG franchise with soundtracks you’d want to groove to, it’s Persona.

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight has some of the best music on the PS4, and mastering its beats is immensely rewarding. It's a top tier rhythm game that's sure to strike a chord with fans of the PS2 classic, but more than anything, it's made us realise just how desperate we are for a Persona 3 remake or remaster.

For Persona 3, it’s touching to see these characters, the wonderful music, and their original voice actors return after so long for one more group outing.

Dancing in Moonlight uses twelve years of songs to bring the Persona 3 cast the musical tribute they deserve.

Based on the lore of Persona, the gameplay is intuitive and its difficulty will meet all kinds of players' skill.

At their core, both are solid, fun rhythm action games with kickass soundtracks that you can have a great time with, regardless of character knowledge, and despite the games being exact copies of each other. If you like the genre and have that itch, then get on your dancing shoes and enter the Velvet Room. The stage awaits.

Those who simply love music rhythm games and haven’t got much experience with the Persona series, though, should probably just dip their toes in with Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight to test the water. And maybe wait for it to go on sale before they do so. Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight are both very good, but they don’t quite feel like they’re worth their asking price.

Dancing in Moonlight is fun and addictive, and a great choice if you like rhythm-based games, although, obviously, Persona fans will find it more appealing.

It’s a question I’m still struggling with. I liked playing Dancing in Moonlight. I unlocked everything in the game and earned a platinum trophy. I liked seeing these characters and hearing their voices again; it felt like hanging out with old friends. Like most human beings, I appreciate it when a low-key thing I enjoy specifically panders to me. It feels great to be seen. When I finished playing Dancing in Moonlight, however, I suspect it only exists to take my money.

Despite the gameplay not being the best, the game is charming enough with its music and music videos to still be a fun time.

Persona 3 Dancing Moon Night had everything to be a great game, but sadly weird decision made by Atlus such as the lack of a proper solo mode, the addition of a lot of non-remixed tracks hurt the overall experience. Why tone down on the "Electro/Dancing" feeling that the first instalment had? That's a shame since the few remixes left are actually pretty good. Still a nice experience, but not as fullfiling as the first game.

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight might not have the largest tracklist in the genre, but the remixed tunes and challenging gameplay ring true. Those that don’t mind a package that is a little on the light side will enjoy mastering its unique playlist.

If you’re eager to catch up with the cast or music of Persona 3, Dancing in Moonlight is worth a few excursions into the Dark Hour.

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight is a fun rhythm game that could've been so much more but still manages to be well worth it for Persona 3 fans with some excellent music.

Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight delivers upon expectations without quite surpassing them. It's a very welcome return for a great cast of characters with a fun, colourful, challenging rhythm-action game wrapped around their weird and entertaining universe. Though the price of entry is undeniably high, there is definitely a party happening in the Velvet Room, and few Persona fans in attendance will find themselves leaving disappointed.

Hardcore Persona fans are probably going to be let down that the story and character screen time takes a backseat in this one, but you’ll take whatever Persona you can get when you’re obsessed with the series like I am. The gameplay is still solid, and while the track list is a slight downgrade, it’s still decent enough, and enjoyable.

In the end, though, it’s the gameplay and music that’s king here, and both together make for a very enjoyable experience. It’s not worth the for $60 price tag for non-Persona 3 fans, but is worth trying after a price drop.

If you're aching to go dancing with your favorite Persona characters, Persona 4: Dancing All Night remains the best choice for now. If you want to listen to Persona 3 or Persona 5 songs instead, opt to borrow these games if possible instead of investing in them for now.