User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1064 Ratings

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  1. May 1, 2021
    10
    After playing Persona 5, I really wanted to play more Persona games. Persona 4 Golden released on steam last year, so I finally got the chance to play it.
    The story in Persona 4 is really good, relatable and very engaging, even if the writing is not very consistent. Overall though, it's great, and the additional story in Golden is quite interesting as well, albeit not anything special.
    The
    After playing Persona 5, I really wanted to play more Persona games. Persona 4 Golden released on steam last year, so I finally got the chance to play it.
    The story in Persona 4 is really good, relatable and very engaging, even if the writing is not very consistent. Overall though, it's great, and the additional story in Golden is quite interesting as well, albeit not anything special.
    The gameplay on the other hand, it's just okay; the combat system itself is fine but I'll explain later why the gameplay as a whole didn't age very well.
    The main characters, however, are the best part of the game and their interactions are probably the best I've seen in a videogame.
    The music took some time to grow on me but I ended up absolutely loving it!
    The art style is nice, although the visual quality is a bit outdated.
    Also, there are so many awesome school trips and events in the story, it's actually impressive! And it's worth mentioning that the dialogue is very funny at times... like, it had me laughing out loud! Persona 4 Golden is undoubtedly one of the funniest games I've ever played.
    Now, Persona 4 has one issue that affects the gameplay though; the dull dungeon design. The dungeons in that game are literally copy/paste, empty corridors, which is something Golden could improve on but it didn't.
    Another issue is the unnecessarily complicated saving system in the dungeons.

    Pros:
    + Great story
    + Incredible characters
    + Hilarious dialogue
    + Events & trips
    + Exceptional music

    Cons
    - Poor dungeon design
    - Complicated dungeon saving system

    Narrative: 8/10
    Gameplay: 6/10
    Content: 8/10
    Characters: 10/10
    Music: 10/10
    Art Style: ?/10

    Final Rating: 9.5/10
    - Outstanding -
    I gotta say, playing Persona 4 Golden after Persona 5/Royal made me realize how much Persona 5 improved upon its predecessor.
    Much like Persona 5/Royal though, Persona 4 Golden is one hell of an experience! One that I hopefully won't forget anytime soon.

    Do I recommend it?:
    Yes! Go treat yourself with some Persona, either 5 or 4, it doesn't matter.
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  2. Jun 13, 2020
    10
    Persona 4 Golden is one of the best JRPGs of all time. Don't let its graphics deceive you it is an awesome game with nice gameplay
  3. Jun 15, 2020
    10
    One of the best RPGs ever created is now on steam. If you have even the slightest interest in this game - buy it.
  4. Jun 15, 2020
    10
    Finally! I'm able to play this masterpiece. After all this time. I'm happy. This game is as awesome as P5 or even better.
  5. Jun 22, 2020
    9
    I generally don't like RPGS so the high score should really be a great indication of just how good this game is. I got a ps4 just to play persona 5, so I'm thrilled to see this on steam when I haven't gotten around to playing the fifth one yet.

    The RPG segments are a bit too easy but the characters more than make up for it. Hilarious game, highly recommend.
  6. Jun 19, 2020
    10
    Persona 4 is a classic RPG from 2008 brought to PC with this version of the game. I'll keep it simple:

    Pros: -Gameplay is pretty cool still by RPG Standards. While sometimes it can be a bit too easy, the game does offer a lot of challenge especially if you try playing it on the hardest difficulties. You get to hangout with your super cool companion characters and share actual funny or
    Persona 4 is a classic RPG from 2008 brought to PC with this version of the game. I'll keep it simple:

    Pros:
    -Gameplay is pretty cool still by RPG Standards. While sometimes it can be a bit too easy, the game does offer a lot of challenge especially if you try playing it on the hardest difficulties. You get to hangout with your super cool companion characters and share actual funny or serious moments with them that really brings up the gameplay's story and gives you a great motivation as to why you should keep doing what you're doing.

    -The story of the game is pretty great, it's got a lot of turns and twists, and especially the reveal of the actual villain that caught me off guard too. A lot of the game's plot points for dungeons that involve certain characters being important, also has a focus(at least in my interpretation) how they struggle with their inner demons or some form of secret/way they are as a person and by the end of the dungeon they've confronted that and accepted what they know. It's really cool!

    -The soundtrack is 10/10. Go listen to it. That is all.

    -With it being Persona 4 Golden, it also brings the things the Vita version brought differently than the original version in 2008.

    Cons:
    -Some minor graphical issues, nothing too major, but there were some noticeable hiccups.

    A classic from start to finish, and yes i will definitely be playing it again to see what i can do differently.
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  7. Jun 18, 2020
    10
    Karakterleri muazzam her bi karakter resmen yaşıyor kesinlikle bu oyunu oynayın harika bir oyun.
  8. Jun 20, 2020
    10
    Still my favorite RPG, yes it is not perfect, no game or media is, but everything in this game just clicks so good, the themes, the music, the battle system, the social links.
    An instant classic reccomended for all rpg fans.
    This is the only rpg i have ever given a 10 besides FF6
  9. Jun 14, 2020
    10
    I’m about 8 hours in right now and am absolutely stoked that this game has FINALLY hit PC. Just rescued a certain princess and completed the first arc. I have had no issues with the game crashing or no sound as I’ve seen some reviews on steam have. Only thing I’ve noticed was slight hiccups in the anime cutscenes and when doing an All Out Attack, there are stutters in the animation whenI’m about 8 hours in right now and am absolutely stoked that this game has FINALLY hit PC. Just rescued a certain princess and completed the first arc. I have had no issues with the game crashing or no sound as I’ve seen some reviews on steam have. Only thing I’ve noticed was slight hiccups in the anime cutscenes and when doing an All Out Attack, there are stutters in the animation when the enemy falls and everyone gathers around. Other than that it has been perfect for me. I cannot wait to put another 150-200 hours into this game yet again. Thank you so much Atlus and I hope this game succeeds so we can see you release other Persona titles or even SMT titles on Steam! Thank you sooooooo much for this you have made this horrible year all the better with this release and P5R!!! Expand
  10. Jun 15, 2020
    10
    I had a long review written up for why I give it a 10 but I accidentally hit the back button and it all got deleted. Just play the game. The dungeons may feel a little bland by today's standards but this game is from 2008 (ps2) Jump into to the game with that mindset. Travel back to 2008 for one the best JRPGs of that time. Also anyone having issues with the laggy animated cutscenesI had a long review written up for why I give it a 10 but I accidentally hit the back button and it all got deleted. Just play the game. The dungeons may feel a little bland by today's standards but this game is from 2008 (ps2) Jump into to the game with that mindset. Travel back to 2008 for one the best JRPGs of that time. Also anyone having issues with the laggy animated cutscenes there are plenty of fixes on YouTube for the issue that may resolve it for you. I had no issues with it but i know its a problem. Disregard the 0/10 scores. This game is not a zero. Expand
  11. Jul 7, 2020
    9
    Finally persona 4 got released to steam and i can finally play it and what do i have to say about
    it? only the highest praise
    this game has such good characters and story writing everyone is super relatable and unforgettable by the end of the game i was actually sad that its all coming to an end .the graphics are a little out dated but then again the game was released 8 years ago so for
    Finally persona 4 got released to steam and i can finally play it and what do i have to say about
    it? only the highest praise
    this game has such good characters and story writing everyone is super relatable and unforgettable by the end of the game i was actually sad that its all coming to an end
    .the graphics are a little out dated but then again the game was released 8 years ago so for a 8 year old game it is what it is everything else is just superb it is a bummer tough that physical attacks were kinda useless and you can finish the game by just casting spells but except that i really don't have anything bad to say about the game the music the atmosphere the game play and the characters everything is super good and just made me want to play the game more and more which bring me to my final score which is a 9 out 10 i really recommend this game for jrpg lovers and for new comers to the genre
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  12. Jun 19, 2020
    10
    awsome game masterpiece I also hope that persona 5 and 3 and 2 and 1 will also come on the pc and if 6 should also fit a pc port please
  13. Jun 20, 2020
    10
    An enhanced edition with many improvents of the classic ps2 JRPG, Persona 4 one of the best games ever with addicting gameplay, excellent storytelling, nice clean & slick artstyle, you simply can't miss out on this game.
  14. Jun 21, 2020
    9
    Great game. Glad it’s finally on pc. Hopefully persona 5 will come to pc eventually as well
  15. Jun 18, 2020
    10
    Stays true to the original and not only expands on it but also improves it. If you are a fan of turn based RPG then this is a must play and a great introduction to the Shin Megami Tensei universe.
  16. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Lo estaba esperando hace mucho,es genial,este va a ser unos de mis juegos este 2020.
  17. Jun 19, 2020
    10
    This is great game(in my personal opinion story is better than in p5), port itself is ok(it is not a remake so don't expect up to days graphic), technically it works but there are framerate hiccups when game change resolution and framerate(when transferring between animated cutscene and game or some longer animations in general).
    From me it is 10/10 as a thank you and encouragement for
    This is great game(in my personal opinion story is better than in p5), port itself is ok(it is not a remake so don't expect up to days graphic), technically it works but there are framerate hiccups when game change resolution and framerate(when transferring between animated cutscene and game or some longer animations in general).
    From me it is 10/10 as a thank you and encouragement for Atlus to bring more of their games to PC and other platforms(otherwise game itself is 8.5/10), that gives them creative freedom from comifornian soystation central(look what was done to western p5 royale and catherine full body)
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  18. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Nice game, now we want persona 5 royal on pc atlus come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  19. Oct 27, 2020
    9
    Been a while, really. Been a while since I played a game this good. Been a while since I've last sunken 70 hrs into a game in a single fortnight.

    I have a lot of feelings about this game, all of them strong. I heard about Persona a bit here and there before, but since they were Playstation locked, and my PS4 is 2k miles away for me right now, I had to wait for its PC release. I
    Been a while, really. Been a while since I played a game this good. Been a while since I've last sunken 70 hrs into a game in a single fortnight.

    I have a lot of feelings about this game, all of them strong. I heard about Persona a bit here and there before, but since they were Playstation locked, and my PS4 is 2k miles away for me right now, I had to wait for its PC release.

    I stumbled upon P4G on a steam sale, and now I wish I could've paid full price to support Atlus even more, make them bring P5R to PC faster.

    But enough gushing, let's get down to business:

    Pros:
    - THE WRITING. For the love of god this is how you write a mystery, how you write plot twists, how you write characters, how you write chemistry and humor. The characters are high-schoolers but they could have easily been adults without changing much of the themes handled. Mature, but not without their pinch of craziness because the game was made by people who know how to balance things out.
    The end of the game really felt like saying goodbye to a group of my own friends. Bravo.
    - Visuals. Now, this is a decade-old game. Technical mastery is not something I expected. But even then, the updated Inaba does the job. The dungeons are innovative in their art styles, the interface is also super stylized.
    - Personas. They're the core of the dungeon side of gameplay, and they're a fantastic core. They allow for such flexibility of builds, for some very creative uses of their skills, and they're cool. Izanagi FTW.
    -THE MUSIC. I'm a sucker for games that have a good soundtrack, and this one blows a lot of other soundtracks out of the water. You definitely feel the late 2000s-early 2010s vibe, and that's awesome. The max s link music makes me shiver, the dungeon battle osts get my blood pumping, Never More makes me choke on my own tears.
    And how could I not mention the opening? Catchy, rhythmic, perfect... Never skipped it once.
    - The slice of life aspect of the game is also perfectly mastered. The s links are well-thought-out, advance naturally, you can get a part-time job, you have to actually remember your courses to ace your exams... For 70 hrs, I was back in high school.
    - Choices that matter. Sometimes games offer choices, mostly they're just illusions (ain't that right, Horizon: Zero Dawn? Joking I still like you). Here, a bad choice can lead you to a bad ending. Simple. And good.

    Cons: Yes, there are a few.
    - While I loved the dungeons, their design sometimes felt lacking in both clarity and complexity if that makes sense.
    - For god's sake, implement an autosave feature. And that's because...
    - ...I crashed a few times after 1.5 hrs crawling through a dungeon. Having to redo an entire dungeon I *just* almost cleared because I forgot to exit and save (or just didn't have the time to do it) is not a good experience.

    9.5/10 GG EZ.
    One of my favorite games ever, and I'm probably about to plunge back in with a NG+ in order to fuse you-know-who as soon as I can.

    Best JRPG I ever played and I'm excited to play P5R Day One whenever it finally graces PC with its presence.

    Sega, Atlus?

    Thanks a lot. You made me fall back in love with video games.
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  20. Nov 11, 2020
    9
    I just finished Persona 4 Golden and am writing this review to process how much I appreciated it as a work of literature more than as a game.

    The aspects that make Persona 4 a video game are definitely fun and engaging, but nothing mind blowing. The turn based battle system is as standard as it gets for a JRPG. Finding enemy weaknesses is definitely satisfying. I've read criticism of
    I just finished Persona 4 Golden and am writing this review to process how much I appreciated it as a work of literature more than as a game.

    The aspects that make Persona 4 a video game are definitely fun and engaging, but nothing mind blowing. The turn based battle system is as standard as it gets for a JRPG. Finding enemy weaknesses is definitely satisfying. I've read criticism of the game's randomly generated dungeons, but I honestly didn't think they were much of a weakness. I still had a lot of fun exploring the dungeons and actually appreciated how predictable they became.

    The story and especially character development is what makes this game such a work of art. The main detective story itself is really well done - it was suspenseful and definitely gives the player a lot of incentive to keep playing and finding out what is really going on with all the killings in town. There is also a huge theme of city life vs. rural life going on, and the developers of the game did such a masterful job of depicting the importance of relationships and growth of heart that is much more possible in a small knit community as opposed to a metropolis.

    I don't know if I can describe how much I enjoyed the characters and their interactions, but I'll try. This is my first Persona game, and the inter-relatedness of the social links, personas, and combat are such a good metaphor for how things are in actual life. The game really operates on the idea that we become stronger and better equipped to handle the dangers of life by strengthening our relationship with our friends and 'family', however it is defined. There is certainly strength in dealing with an issue alone, but it's almost never a sustainable endeavor. All of the characters that you develop social links with share intentions, secrets, plans, vulnerabilities, and their sense of personhood with you throughout the playthrough. Their growth and realizations throughout the game are unbelievably rich and deep. The amazing thing is that almost all of the dialogue is moving and convincing. I almost never felt that something that was expressed by the characters was lame or half-baked. I also have to give the developers credit for certain scattered moments of humor throughout the game. Some of the scenes involving food in this game are so hilarious.

    The music in this game is so good and definitely helps to hammer home the emotional impact of certain scenes. 'Reach Out To The Truth' - battle theme is such a classic, as well as many of the other tracks.

    There are a few things that I really didn't like about the game that kept it from being a 10/10 for me. First off, I feel like the game is unnecessarily hard, even on normal. There were a lot of times, especially early on, where I was going through the dungeon and got one-shotted by normal enemies. In this game, if your main character dies, it's over. Thankfully you can start over from the floor of the dungeon you're on, but it still can knock out a lot of progress. One boss in particular in the middle of the game was so infuriating that I had to lower the difficulty to beat it. I almost stopped playing the game because of this. Towards the latter half of the game, I did a better job of grinding so it was much easier, but I still felt this was a weakness.

    My second gripe with the game is its structure towards the end. There are multiple endings you can get, and this is definitely a game where your choices have SEVERE consequences. I guess choices in games are good, but I like games that are generally linear and structured so that you can easily reach the end. I made a mistake at some point and got one of the 'bad' endings, which left me annoyed. I did try again after doing some research and got the ending I wanted (it was worth the effort), but I really don't like that this game allows for game-breaking choices.

    Thirdly, I feel like the game also drags on for a bit longer than it needs to be. It's nothing too crazy but I feel like a portion of the game was a little unnecessary.

    All in all, i highly recommend Persona 4 Golden. It's definitely not just a great JRPG, but an experience that'll trigger feelings of nostalgia and reflection on the player's end for sure.
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  21. Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Not a perfect port, but I'm so happy they finally brought this to PC. It's likely my favourite game of all time, and up there with Persona 5 Royal as the two best non-classical JRPGs out there.
    Awesome cast of characters, fun story, great up-beat vibe. Love it.
    I can't wait til the modding community goes wild either.
  22. Jun 21, 2020
    9
    It’s a great game. I enjoyed it a lot when I played it years ago on PSVita.
  23. Jun 18, 2020
    10
    The Game is just to good I was waiting years for a release of Persona 4 Golden that was on a system easier to get then the vita. I'm enjoying the nice unlocked frame rate and higher resolution then the vita the game it just runs so nice on my desktop and laptop.
  24. Jun 19, 2020
    10
    (Redacted) creator (Redacted) declares: modern Japanese games "just suck" 2012

    Persona 4 Golden and many games years after that statement just made that statement false! well technically persona was released in the mid 2000’s in the PS2 but still its a reminder that Jalanese games don’t suck! As an asian man I was insulted when an indie developer said japanese games are trash but
    (Redacted) creator (Redacted) declares: modern Japanese games "just suck" 2012

    Persona 4 Golden and many games years after that statement just made that statement false! well technically persona was released in the mid 2000’s in the PS2 but still its a reminder that Jalanese games don’t suck!

    As an asian man I was insulted when an indie developer said japanese games are trash but games like persona 4 proves we are not trash and asians make the most greatest of games. Redacted the name as not to bring any attention to the person.

    The defining game this year and its not even from this year. Compare it to western games it handles sensitive topics in a respectful way and deals with dark storylines in a light hearted warm manner.

    This is what Western Story based games try to be but they are to busy pandering they forget how to craft a great story.

    Gameplay is great! An Japanese style RPG with deep mechanics and some of the stats affect dialogue choices ala Western Style RPG! its a rare turn based combat game that still is acceptable in this age of RPGS using action games and shooters as their means of combat.

    This is the greatest game ever made and that is not a bold statement a lot of people agree. Japanese games have overthrown the western side of gaming sans (CD Projekt and Rockstar Games) and has proven that indie dev wrong.
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  25. Jun 20, 2020
    10
    The best version of one of the best JRPGs ever made, for just 20 dollars. Just buy it.
  26. Byv
    Jun 21, 2020
    10
    Great game and great story. Well-designed characters and great music. I hope they port and 5 part in Steam.
  27. Jun 21, 2020
    9
    Persona 4 Golden now being on Steam is a delight to all Atlus/SMT/Persona fans. It's given lots of us an optimism for the future of Atlus, and I'm sure many are hoping that more Persona games are ported, and most importantly, that some SMT games get ported too. That aside, let's get to the game itself.

    As this is new to Steam, and to a majority of people who never had a PS Vita, it
    Persona 4 Golden now being on Steam is a delight to all Atlus/SMT/Persona fans. It's given lots of us an optimism for the future of Atlus, and I'm sure many are hoping that more Persona games are ported, and most importantly, that some SMT games get ported too. That aside, let's get to the game itself.

    As this is new to Steam, and to a majority of people who never had a PS Vita, it should be known that Persona 4 Golden is, indeed, an old game, with dated graphics. It's a little better than what Persona 3 had, which isn't exactly saying much, but it's enough to make it a much better experience. The theme of the game can be described, without spoiling anything, as a "Scooby Doo movie in the boonies."

    Persona games always follow a certain theme throughout the game; whether it be a genre of music, a colour scheme, or the ways in which the characters in the game develop, they often stick out because of just how well they execute this. Persona 4 Golden is no exception.

    From characters who make you nostalgically dream of times which were better, comfier, and much more wholesome, to the new music added in the Golden remake which soothes your heart. The characters in Persona 4 Golden all have great depth to them (with a single exception; no spoilers, won't mention), and the way in which they develop, act, and speak to not only the main character, but also to the person behind the screen, invoked, at least for me, strong feelings of empathy, of understanding, and of acceptance.

    P4G exemplified near tremendously how a game should treat social issues. My only gripe would be that Yosuke is a little bit of a homophobe; that could very easily be justified as "Teenagers being none the wiser", or "being edgy with your jokes", but it was still a bit odd, and out of place. Aside from that, however, everything pinned the nail on the head. Truth in media, women's issues in the workplace, toxic masculinity (I hate the word as it's almost always misused, but this game tackled the genuine thing, and realized it as an issue that men should be helped through, not scrutinized and mocked for), and last but not least, the power of friendship. Sorry, last point is a bit of a joke, but it's also quite an important plot device in practically every recent Persona game, but in Persona 4, it's easily the most prevalent.

    Now, a quick summary for every aspect of this game:

    Art design: 7/10. Although outdated in modern times, it's still not half bad at all. Persona designs are, as always, very interesting, but it's in the characters where the art excels. It's hard to explain it without spoiling a few characters, so I'll refrain from doing such.

    Sound design: 10/10. I'm no big fan of giving out scores of 10, but Persona's music almost always deserves it, and as I've mentioned in regards to others aspects of this game already, Persona 4 Golden is no exception. The introduction of the song "Snowflakes" really sets this rating in stone for me, as that song manages to invoke the strongest feeling of nostalgia and warmth within me than any story or media has ever accomplished yet, save for maybe Undertale.

    Story design: 8/10. I've always thought that Persona 4 was a bit lacking in the story department, but putting my biased goggles aside from my experience playing Persona 3 and Persona 5, the story in this game is still superb. It is only in the shadow of those two games which the story of Persona 4 seems a bit worse, but I often find it unjustly being referred to as a bad story; by no means is it such. Of course, though; won't spoil. Unfortunately, I cannot sing its praises much without doing so. I can safely say, however, that it succeeded in gripping my heart throughout my playthrough, and had me eagerly playing the game throughout its entirety. There was scarcely a moment in the game in which I felt I should take a break; for better, or for worse, that's up to you to decide.

    Character design: 9/10. Persona 4 excels in exactly this department; it's characters are exceptional when compared to the other Persona games, and even when compared to many other games in the modern gaming landscape. The S-Links in Persona games always show to the player the struggles which the main cast faces outside of their forages into the different world. In Persona 4, their struggles with who they are, what they wish to become, what they mean to others, and what others mean to them; suffice it to say that I have never felt more able to relate to video game characters than I could for the characters here. Their design is full of love and warmth, brimming with that pervasive sense of nostalgia which is ever-present throughout this game, and yet again, for better or for worse, you'll likely leave this game desiring such personal relationships as the characters in this game have with one another.

    Overall: 9/10. The wear of this game hasn't worn out just how stellar it is to experience, and I urge everyone give it a chance when they can.
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  28. Jun 22, 2020
    10
    Very good
    Truly a masterpiece, one of the best JRPGs ever made only pared by final fantasy games
  29. Jun 24, 2020
    9
    My first persona game, I absolutely dig the vibe, music, and story. Perhaps this will be a gateway for me to the realm of JRPGs
  30. Jun 30, 2020
    10
    What a masterpiece of a game! Incredible characters, voice acting, fun gameplay and immersive storyline. Looks amazing and runs great at 4k/60fps+
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 29
  2. Negative: 0 out of 29
  1. Sep 15, 2020
    90
    It’s a strong showing that is genuinely fun to return to, even if I think certain characters’ stories deserved better representation and development. I’m glad a whole new audience will get to visit Inaba.
  2. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Sep 3, 2020
    80
    By the end of the game, Inaba will feel like home to you. [Issue#247, p.50]
  3. Jul 14, 2020
    90
    Persona 4 Golden was largely considered one of the PlayStation Vita’s must-play titles and for good reason. Inaba’s small-town feel, the fantastic cast, incredibly personable dialogue, excellent audio, and strong gameplay combine to make the game a superb all-around experience. Though there are no distinct advantages of playing this version over the Vita one, its release on PC should be rightfully celebrated for giving a whole new set of RPGamers the chance to play a game that resonates just as strongly now as it first did.