Slow paced introduction for the first 30 hours but the game takes around 100 hours for the first play through anyways
Initially I was going in blind expecting it to be like Persona 5 Royal and I was so dissapointed because the combat felt a bit different for example the sneak attack and all out animation are very different. Also, the Persona awakening when the characters first get their persona is very different. Because I was so used to the epic cutscenes Persona 5 had when the characters ripped off their masks to unlock their persona, I was a bit disappointed when it was just a gun but I later started to appreciate persona 3's gun persona more and more as I progressed.
Also social links initially felt like a slog, as well as grinding social stats. Also I initially was hoping different dungeons like Persona 5 Royal, but was disappointed when I found out Tartarus has over 200 floors for 1 entire level.
HOWEVER! That is all for my critique because despite the slow start, I later began to appreciate Tartarus lore more after chapter 4 the game really ramps up. Story gets a lot more interesting as character development also gets fleshed out more and social links feel more meaningful after nearing the halfway mark for them I appreciated those social link characters more.
I probably messed up the social link mastery my first play through but I very much look forward to maxing them out properly on my second play thorough now that the game is starting to click more.
Hell, I probably will toss in that $50 expansion pass just cause Im really digging this game now. Damn it Atlas! It would be unjustified to drop a 1 star review just because of a greedy optional dlc option to get the true ending like Persona5 Royal, because the base game itself is phenomenal with its great story telling
Oh and this is my first time playing persona 3, I didn't play persona 3 in the older gen version