Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4

 PlayStation 2
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 943 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 713 out of 943
  2. Mixed: 44 out of 943
  3. Negative: 186 out of 943
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  1. JesseWatson
    Dec 9, 2008
    10
    Why isn't this on the front page with the other new games? Come on, metacritic. This game is getting ridiculously high reviews, and I'm so happy to see it. While I haven't finished the game yet (I'm taking my merry time), I can safely say that this is proof that Japan doesn't need to westernize their game development to make great stuff, nor do they need toWhy isn't this on the front page with the other new games? Come on, metacritic. This game is getting ridiculously high reviews, and I'm so happy to see it. While I haven't finished the game yet (I'm taking my merry time), I can safely say that this is proof that Japan doesn't need to westernize their game development to make great stuff, nor do they need to westernize to appeal to the west. What we need is more stuff along these lines. Quirky, bizarre, weird, excellent, and we need it on every platform, PS3 especially. Happily rating this a perfect score. Normally I am more conservative, but I did not think P3 (a solid 9 or higher) could be improved upon.… Expand
  2. JonD
    Oct 9, 2009
    10
    a few years back I bought Persona 3 and thought "what could top this?" Persona 4 thats what!! I grew up playing NES RPGs since the 80s like Dragon Warrior (now called Dragon Quest) This is the real deal and so is Shin Megamis Devil Summoner 1 &2, Digital Devil Saga 1&2, and Nocturne...
  3. TuesdayS
    Apr 6, 2009
    9
    Firstly, the only part I think could have been changed was the grinding necesary and mobs available to grind on. But overall, the story, characters, combat animations, personas, fusion system, city, and whatever else you can throw out there have provided me with hours and hours of entertainment. This is my first MegaTen game, and it definitely hooked me. In fact, I bought P3 FES and Firstly, the only part I think could have been changed was the grinding necesary and mobs available to grind on. But overall, the story, characters, combat animations, personas, fusion system, city, and whatever else you can throw out there have provided me with hours and hours of entertainment. This is my first MegaTen game, and it definitely hooked me. In fact, I bought P3 FES and Digital Devil Saga today.… Expand
  4. DanS
    Feb 23, 2009
    10
    Hmm, Don't know where to start on this one. Obviously the guy who said the story line was childish and the translation was poor either hasn't played the game or is just not that smart. First of the story is rather deep, has many levels of interpretation, and, for a video game, isn't even that cliché. The translation is hardly sloppy, its acutally rather well done, it Hmm, Don't know where to start on this one. Obviously the guy who said the story line was childish and the translation was poor either hasn't played the game or is just not that smart. First of the story is rather deep, has many levels of interpretation, and, for a video game, isn't even that cliché. The translation is hardly sloppy, its acutally rather well done, it keeps much of the Japanese feel to the dialouge, while not sounding too litteral. I do agree however adding the -chans, and -samas, and -kuns to the end of the words is cheesy and is only for the hordes of 17 year old social outcasts who buy every JRPG created think that if you add -desu to the end of a sentence you are suddenly speaking japanese. ANYWAY back to the game. Battle system is improved from P3, the day-to-day goes much faster and is less mundane. The S.Links upgrade muuuch faster, and still contain interesting sub-stories. I feel like the S.links in P4 feel closer to the character and less random then they did in P3. The battles are still fast paced and fun. The new Dungeon layouts are less repitive and feel more "real". The only real gripes that I have, are that sometimes in the dungeons the camera gets clunky, and the battles can get a bit repetitive (as in P3). But for the most part, you will be smashing your way though, enjoying a good story, and loving one of the BEST rpgs for PS2 (and any other current consoles).… Expand
  5. GP
    Mar 16, 2009
    10
    Believe the hype - I was skeptical about whether or not this could really be that much better than 3 (Which was my favorite game in 2008), but believe me it is. In fact, as I play 4, I constantly think back and see faults with 3 - they've renovated what wasn't a problem to new extremes of awesomeness and annhialated what was. Oh, and the menus are much, MUCH faster. If you liked Believe the hype - I was skeptical about whether or not this could really be that much better than 3 (Which was my favorite game in 2008), but believe me it is. In fact, as I play 4, I constantly think back and see faults with 3 - they've renovated what wasn't a problem to new extremes of awesomeness and annhialated what was. Oh, and the menus are much, MUCH faster. If you liked Persona 3, get this. In fact, get this.… Expand
  6. LokiG
    Jul 8, 2009
    10
    This game is like california roll sushi. Once you've eaten one, you can't get enough of it. I thought Persona 3 was just the best out there, but after Persona 4 everything changes. This game was fabulous in every single way, and it definitely made me hook to the Shin Megami Tensei franchise.
  7. E
    Jan 20, 2010
    10
    Here's a short summary: Great art design, the most immersive story and gameplay ever, round and realistic characters, a soundtrack that never gets old, a long story (took me 250 hours to get one hundred percent complete) all problems with persona 3 ironed out (like social link options are less one-sided, the hidden boss is actually managable, full team controle, you can choose to be Here's a short summary: Great art design, the most immersive story and gameplay ever, round and realistic characters, a soundtrack that never gets old, a long story (took me 250 hours to get one hundred percent complete) all problems with persona 3 ironed out (like social link options are less one-sided, the hidden boss is actually managable, full team controle, you can choose to be "just friends" with a girl instead of having like five girlfriends at the same time, and you dont have to get 100 percent complete in one playthrough to unlock the final persona), and all remaining flaws with the SMT series ironed out (bad level design fixed with randomized dungeons and the high encounter rate fixed with sprites that represent battles which you can avoid). The reason why I tried keeping this so short is because I can go on for hours talking about it. Seriously. It's the best game of all time. I have hundreds, and this one just shines like no other, and I'm getting warm just thinking about playing this. If you are on the edge, or even remotely like jrpgs, than you really, REALLY need to check this out. I know I'm coming off as a creepy fanboy but words can not discribe this masterpiece. It's just that perfect.… Expand
  8. BenH.
    Dec 15, 2008
    10
    It may seem crazy for me to give this game a ten but it is my game of the year. It was an amazing work of art while at the same time being laughable and never takes its semi dark story too seriously. Along with the wonderfully challenging gameplay I love it.
  9. JohnF.
    Dec 20, 2008
    9
    Atlus has done it again. As was the case with Persona 3, Atlus stood tall against all the hyped current-gen releases and delivered the best RPG of the year (yes, P4 is better than Fallout 3, although they are two completely different styles of RPG and are both worth playing). Like P3, Persona 4 isn't for everyone -- there's some grinding (although it lacks the repetitiveness pf Atlus has done it again. As was the case with Persona 3, Atlus stood tall against all the hyped current-gen releases and delivered the best RPG of the year (yes, P4 is better than Fallout 3, although they are two completely different styles of RPG and are both worth playing). Like P3, Persona 4 isn't for everyone -- there's some grinding (although it lacks the repetitiveness pf P3) and some Japanese flavor and oddities that fans of WRPGs might not like. But the story is solid, the cast of characters is very strong and just as memorable as Persona 3's, and the game makes improvements on Persona 3's gameplay flaws. Plus the game is very funny, which is always a plus. The game takes a little while to really hit its stride, but once it does, you are in for a treat. If you are a fan of JRPGs or RPGs in general, you need to dust off the PS2 now and play Persona 4 as it is not only one of the year's top games but one of the best games in the PS2 library.… Expand
  10. ryansalmasi
    Dec 22, 2019
    10
    This is my favorite game of all time. (If I had a PS Vita *cough* or if there was a Vita emulator *cough*, it would probably be P4 Golden). If you plan on playing the game, please go for the true ending, it's not that hard, but even if it were, it would still be very much worth it. There are multiple, very good spoiler-free guides on the internet. The best part is the characters. TheThis is my favorite game of all time. (If I had a PS Vita *cough* or if there was a Vita emulator *cough*, it would probably be P4 Golden). If you plan on playing the game, please go for the true ending, it's not that hard, but even if it were, it would still be very much worth it. There are multiple, very good spoiler-free guides on the internet. The best part is the characters. The combat is also fun, but interacting with your S. Links is in my opinion, way more entertaining. Give it a try, even if you don't like JRPGs, Visual Novels or Anime/Anime games. You should also give the game a bit of time. It gets really entertaining at about hour 7, I think, not sure. btw Rise is best girl… Expand
  11. BambiRue
    Mar 30, 2020
    5
    Good game, but far from perfect.

    The game has some really good elements, a concrete story, and great battle system, but this is probably my least favorite persona game. The plot is TOO happy (with music to match) and it makes the game being about murder off putting and you'd wonder how a game that is a cousin of the SMT series came out with this. The characters are so really boring -    Good game, but far from perfect.

    The game has some really good elements, a concrete story, and great battle system, but this is probably my least favorite persona game. The plot is TOO happy (with music to match) and it makes the game being about murder off putting and you'd wonder how a game that is a cousin of the SMT series came out with this.

    The characters are so really boring - other call it 'realistic' but some of the characters life issues come across as whiny and makes them unlikable. They are also the type to sit around and wait while someone is dying in another dimension and it feels in character considering the snarky comments they like to make towards eachother. If I wanted this kind of dull and mean I'd go talk to random people off of the street and not play a video game. The weather mechanic also was a lot less straightforward than following moon cycles like Persona 3.

    But when it is good, it is really good. The murder storyline was good, the twists were good, and the use of 'your true self' laid bare is good as both a story beat for developing characters and great for boss battles and creative imagery in the dungeons.

    So while I don't think it is unplayable, I think 'overated' would be a good word for this game.    … Expand
  12. ERB
    Jul 25, 2013
    9
    I love this game.Best PS2 game I have ever played.
  13. ageofwinter
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    Oh boy, this is one of the greatest games ever made. The Persona series is probably the greatest series of all-time. This takes everything from Persona 3, and adds to it, making it a tad more difficult and adding some new gameplay changes. This game has fantastic combat, allowing you to switch between your crew and control what attacks they use, making it much more tactical. Outside ofOh boy, this is one of the greatest games ever made. The Persona series is probably the greatest series of all-time. This takes everything from Persona 3, and adds to it, making it a tad more difficult and adding some new gameplay changes. This game has fantastic combat, allowing you to switch between your crew and control what attacks they use, making it much more tactical. Outside of that, the world they built was fantastic, I've grown to love every single one of these characters. The story is great & very dark, just what Atlus is known for. The soundtrack, just like Persona 3, is absolutely top-notch, even better than Persona 3 in my opinion, it really gets you immersed in the world they created. I simply cannot wait for Persona 5.… Expand
  14. Jripper5
    Feb 5, 2012
    10
    Shin Megami's Persona series exemplified with it's latest iteration. Each character possesses real problems and are for the most part relate able and enjoyable. There have been many recent spinoff's including manga and anime iterations. It seems that although this game has a more niche appeal than the more mainstream games such as FF have it is still an amazing peice
  15. BobF
    Jul 10, 2009
    7
    Aside from the dungeons it was very in depth and addicting. The dungeons are just.... ach.. one after another of bland repetitive frustration, along with the enemies. But hey, i played through it two times so obviously i didn't mind that part that terribly much
  16. TiagoRPGfan
    Nov 10, 2011
    10
    This is the best excepcional work of ATLUS! this game is superb good the best RPG for PS2 i ever play . the one little problem it's the long chats. that almost of the time is boring but except for this..i can't wait to se a Persona in the ps3
  17. BasilZero
    Oct 22, 2015
    10
    Game: Persona 4
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Atlus System: Playstation 2 (PS2) Total Score: 97/100 Value Score: 9.7/10 • Story: 10/10 • Characters: 10/10 • GamePlay: 10/10 • Graphics: 9/10 • Sound: 10/10 • Music: 10/10 • Length: 10/10 • Replay Value: 8/10 • Player Value: 10/10 Pros +Social links are back and consists of deeper narration of stories for more characters and more    Game: Persona 4
    Genre: RPG
    Developer: Atlus
    System: Playstation 2 (PS2)
    Total Score: 97/100
    Value Score: 9.7/10

    • Story: 10/10
    • Characters: 10/10
    • GamePlay: 10/10
    • Graphics: 9/10
    • Sound: 10/10
    • Music: 10/10
    • Length: 10/10
    • Replay Value: 8/10
    • Player Value: 10/10

    Pros
    +Social links are back and consists of deeper narration of stories for more characters and more arcanas
    +More fusion forms and combinations available to create more powerful personas
    +Ton of side quests which will have you revisit dungeons again just to retrieve the items and to fight special bosses
    +Uses the same gameplay mechanics as Persona 3
    +A Deep engaging story of mystery and suspense with colorful and memorable characters.
    +New game+ mode which allows you to get more specific items and fight more powerful enemies
    +Multiple endings allow you to see different conclusions to the story depending on the choices you make

    Cons
    -The transition from P3 to P4 is smaller than the transition of changes from P2 to P3. The game is almost exactly the same as Persona 3 excluding characters, location and story.    … Expand
  18. elcano
    Dec 2, 2013
    10
    A interesting plot ,a very challenging gameplay and lovable characters makes Persona 4 a cult classic.The game basically sucks you into the game and let you live te game.
  19. NyanKo
    Feb 8, 2014
    10
    I have played this game like 10 times or more. I liked Persona 3, too. But it was a little dull to repeat the same thing everyday. But P4 changed it like you can fish better in rainy days, cook for your lunch, etc. I really love it.
  20. FlamingApelsin
    Jul 10, 2014
    10
    This game is just legend, i doubt that they ever made games like this. It's old school JRPG style, they don't make games like this now, well just have to wait and see what well be Persona 5.
  21. BlackWas
    Aug 17, 2014
    10
    67 hours and 19 minutes, and i still want more (btw its still my first playthrough).
    The game has great characters, an amazing story, fantastic music and good ( if sometimes repetitive ) gameplay.
  22. SpaceJamOnVHS
    Nov 12, 2014
    10
    The best game I have ever played. The game brings out different emotions in you, making you actually care about the story and feel connected to the characters.
  23. Noxmad
    Dec 11, 2014
    10
    There is something to be said about Atlus. This company is capable of many great things. This game, is definitely one of their crowning jewels. For me to express my absolute respect for the company would require more space than the 5,000 character limit of this site would allow. So instead, I'll go into further detail about not only what made Persona 4 a fantastic game, but also theThere is something to be said about Atlus. This company is capable of many great things. This game, is definitely one of their crowning jewels. For me to express my absolute respect for the company would require more space than the 5,000 character limit of this site would allow. So instead, I'll go into further detail about not only what made Persona 4 a fantastic game, but also the pinnacle of JRPGS (in my opinion) to this date.

    First of all, let's talk about why I immediately consider this game to be superior to its predecessor. The cult classic Persona 3/Persona 3 FES, is argued to be a better game and the most common (frustratingly so) arguments are because it has a better atmosphere and storyline. Allow me to say, that atmosphere does not mean a better game. My biggest issue with the atmosphere of the first game, while I did enjoy it, was that it made anything outside of the suppressive feeling in the game, feel extremely out of place in the game. While that is usually the point of such moments, the drastic difference just makes you feel like there is a transition that you missed getting there. Persona 4 does not have that problem. It has a naturally lighter atmosphere and the way the characters act in said atmosphere, makes for a much less jarring change between and a much more natural transition for the characters. Then there is the issue with the storyline argument. While I will agree that the overall story of Persona 3 is fantastic and it has some great character mini-arches throughout, the biggest issue is that almost none of the main characters are likable for the vast majority of the game. With no character development for any of them for far too long, the only character I ended up liking for the longest time was one who was there for less time than most of the Social Links in game. Persona 4 did not make this same mistake. It gave access to Main Character Social Links almost immediately after gaining the person in your party. Not to mention that the way the dungeon system works, has you getting to know people even before you get them as party members. Another thing this game did better was dungeons. It separated them all by person and level range in the Persona 4 which I thought was really smart.

    So what does Persona 4 have wrong with it? Well, nothing that I would consider a universal problem. If you don't like long games, give this one a pass. I would have to say the average first play through of the game is a minimum of 80 hours if you are not entirely invested in doing things and over 100+ hours if you really get into it. Like I said, not a big issue but I can see some people having an issue with it. The other thing is... how do I put this... do you know what "moe" (pronounced "mow-ay") is? "Moe" is like a really bright, bubbly type character with a high voice and some "overly cute" mannerisms. Well there is one in this game by the name of Teddie. Like I said, not a universal problem, but I do know that there have been people who quit the game because of this character.

    All-in-all, I award this game a 10/10 and a recommendation to buy it, either in this form or its portable form on the PSVita Persona 4 Golden.    … Expand
  24. SomeGuy7000
    Jan 3, 2018
    9
    Persona 4 really surprised me with how good it was even with it coming out almost a decade ago. Each character in the game has depth with their own problems as well. The Story was very interesting with the game having you go throughout your everyday life trying to solve a murder mystery. My main problem with this game was the dungeons, they were just boring. Not saying the story bits werePersona 4 really surprised me with how good it was even with it coming out almost a decade ago. Each character in the game has depth with their own problems as well. The Story was very interesting with the game having you go throughout your everyday life trying to solve a murder mystery. My main problem with this game was the dungeons, they were just boring. Not saying the story bits were boring or the combat its self-was boring either but the actual means of searching through it. Every floor looks the same until you reach the top. Each dungeon had a cool theme but I wish there was more to it. There were also some moments in the game where the bosses felt cheap, like kanjis and the final boss. Which is apart of another problem with the game which is you can't win if you don't grind. Some of the bosses will just straight up one shot you if you aren't a high enough level or if you personas aren't then the battle will be long and drawn out until you lose your sp and die. I'm not against grinding in games at all, but in this, it just felt like you had to do it at every boss and for quite a while too which wouldn't have been as bad if the dungeons were a bit more interesting to go through. Other than the dungeons everything else about this game was great even the almost 10-year-old graphics didn't bother me as much as I expected them to. Long story short, if the game sounds interesting to give it a shot it's like 10-15 dollars on the ps3 store and there's an extended version with persona 4 golden on the vita.… Expand
  25. thedarkorb
    Oct 7, 2010
    9
    Persona is nothing less then an astoundingly fantastic RPG. It takes Persona 3's social sim and dungeon crawler blend and adds to every aspect in meaningful ways. The story is more focused and the characters even better developed then P3 which is something I wouldn't have though possible. The score is fantastic and the visuals are on par with other PS2 JRPGs. Minor gripes include the factPersona is nothing less then an astoundingly fantastic RPG. It takes Persona 3's social sim and dungeon crawler blend and adds to every aspect in meaningful ways. The story is more focused and the characters even better developed then P3 which is something I wouldn't have though possible. The score is fantastic and the visuals are on par with other PS2 JRPGs. Minor gripes include the fact that if the main character gets KOd it's still instant game over, it's shorter then Persona 3, and that the "proper" ending requires you jump through some specific hoops near the end of the game. If you own a Playstation 2 and enjoy RPGs you should track this down as it is an amazing experience that stays with you long after you've finished the game.… Expand
  26. Kanazawa
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Here I thought it was impossible to follow up Persona 3, and they somehow managed to pull it off. Now comparing it to the previous game, the characters are FAR more likable, the gameplay is much more improved, the story is slightly better, and the graphics weren't much of a difference. The music was a hell of a lot better and has its own unique style to it. This game was fantastic.
  27. 6xdandangp
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    Persona 4 is not only the best game in the series. But it's also one of the best PlayStation 2 games ever! It's a huge improvement over Persona 3 in every aspect.
  28. MoonCanLight
    Feb 11, 2019
    3
    This could be really nice game, but 3 things throw it out from my best 10 games list. 1. school events was really bad written and had something I hate in japanese culture. Bullying boys by girls in anime always acts on my nerves, and all school events in P4 was the same. Even main hero's girlfriend acts like she hate him, when it comes to main story events. 2. In main story, when you tryThis could be really nice game, but 3 things throw it out from my best 10 games list. 1. school events was really bad written and had something I hate in japanese culture. Bullying boys by girls in anime always acts on my nerves, and all school events in P4 was the same. Even main hero's girlfriend acts like she hate him, when it comes to main story events. 2. In main story, when you try to resolve mystery, even when you have to choose what to say, someone always repeat what you just said and all characters ignore fact that you said it first. It is stupid and takes away all satisfaction. 3. fighting shadows is really boring and frustrating, when you need to analyze every new enemy to find its weaknesses.… Expand
  29. Mattxx
    Aug 29, 2010
    10
    Takes Persona 3 and improves a lot, the character depth (not to say that Persona 3's was BAD, just, Persona 4's was better), the combat, and the slick menus. I gotta say, I really like the way the menus look, very stylish. One complaint is the story isn't as good as P3's. While P3 is GRIM DARK DEATH stuff, P4 is kind of cook-cutter. But then again, comparing P3 and P4 is like comparingTakes Persona 3 and improves a lot, the character depth (not to say that Persona 3's was BAD, just, Persona 4's was better), the combat, and the slick menus. I gotta say, I really like the way the menus look, very stylish. One complaint is the story isn't as good as P3's. While P3 is GRIM DARK DEATH stuff, P4 is kind of cook-cutter. But then again, comparing P3 and P4 is like comparing night and day. It definitely stirs some emotions, the voice actors do a good job of conveying their character's emotions which really makes some of the scenes that much better. But, with the improvements, I still recommend playing Persona 3 FES first, you'll thank me later once you play P4 and think the combat system is freaking awesome, along with the character development.… Expand
  30. Aetheri
    Oct 19, 2010
    10
    Persona 4 is easily one of the most addictive games for the PS2. Everything about the game is at least very good. The circular plot is perhaps the only thing about this game that is lacking, particularly in comparison to Persona 3. However, there are enough twists and turns in this game too keep things interesting. Finally, the character development is fantastic, the music is highlyPersona 4 is easily one of the most addictive games for the PS2. Everything about the game is at least very good. The circular plot is perhaps the only thing about this game that is lacking, particularly in comparison to Persona 3. However, there are enough twists and turns in this game too keep things interesting. Finally, the character development is fantastic, the music is highly entertaining and the writing in the game is superb.… Expand
  31. vahn
    Nov 7, 2012
    7
    I really loved persona 3: it's probably one of my most favorite game of all time and when I saw the sequel coming out I was so impatient and excited to get my hands on it. The day came, I got the game, and what I found was...a good game, with some improvements from the previous game, and MANY downdgrades as well. First of, I do like the new settings and new characters: they look good andI really loved persona 3: it's probably one of my most favorite game of all time and when I saw the sequel coming out I was so impatient and excited to get my hands on it. The day came, I got the game, and what I found was...a good game, with some improvements from the previous game, and MANY downdgrades as well. First of, I do like the new settings and new characters: they look good and are actually "normal" people who have their lives and just do teenage stuff and you can easily relate to them, (unlike the previous where the characters were a lot more weird and strange, almost different than a normal person). On top of that, now these characters have a more normal relationship with you and you can also finally do a social link (basically the only way to create better Personas) with ALL of them, instead of some, and this not only it's a good thing, but also "vital" since it can make their persona evolve into a better one. But here comes one big issue that I had during the game: once you meet them and make your group, you basically never see them again, except in obvious parts where you need them all, and the only way to actually see them properly is to do the events and increase their social links...but the problem is that you haven't got enough time to upgrade all of them and that means you're stuck on upgrading the characters you need and want the most. And infact, here comes another BIG issue, and that is the Dungeons. While in the previous you had (basically) 30 days for exploring a dungeon, in here the days aren't clear! According to the game, whenever there is 3-4 days in a row of rain, you're FORCED to go and do the dungeon part, or else it's game over and you need to restart from a week before (or sort of). The days aren't counted but you definitely have less than 2 weeks for upgrading and training your characters, AND also study, AND increase social links, and so this makes a huge mess in organizing your daily routine and studies. Not only that, you can do dungeon only during the afternoon, and this is a HUGE issue also. While in the previous you went into the dungeon at night (I'm sorry if i compare, not my usual way, but it's just for showing a particular flaw), that meant that you could easily upgrade your social links AND also go to the dungeon. There were social links also at night, but far less than in daylight, and you could easily do a lot in a single day. In here, if we go to the dungeon, our day is ruined, and once we exit, we can only go to sleep: we can't study (and so upgrade possible social links), nor upgrade social links at all (and some are during the night, as well). In other words, there's a feel that you have to rush out and maximize AND plan each single day in a crazy way, so much that I basically did the dungeon in few days, train the most I could, and upgrade social links until the time was up. This is such a pity because even if I did enjoy the game, the story not only is far more simple, but it's also uninvolving. The story itself isn't bad, at all, but the way it's told it reminds me of those mistery show for kids and doesn't feel sometimes as serious as it should be...we're still talking about demons you know! (I know it can sound like a joke, but it feels like I'm playing a Scooby-Doo game...with a bear instead). I liked this game but I did not enjoy as the previous game, but if you liked the previous game and, of course, other games of the Shin Megami Tensei series, it's actually a game to check it out: has flaws, but also good things, but to me it's not gonna be as good as the previous game.… Expand
  32. Type4101
    Sep 16, 2013
    10
    One of the best JRPGs ever made. One could make the argument that it is the best ever made. Deep, compelling, and at times even emotionally moving, Persona 4 captures the best elements of the zany weirdness that exemplifies classic Japanese storytelling. Part RPG, part murder mystery (and a good one!), this game is a must play.
  33. Poringun212
    Oct 7, 2013
    9
    The perfect JRPG, if only FF has the story depth and relatable characters of P4, only thing to worry about for the mainstream audience is the rather repetitive combat, but overall this game is'nt made with the combat in mind
  34. Panzidane
    Apr 22, 2017
    10
    One of best games if I already play on PlayStation 2, Give a chance for this game. One of the best turn RPG game with I ever play. Very good, play it.
  35. wordy_actions
    Feb 21, 2013
    9
    Let me start by saying that, for the most part, I hate JRPGS. This game has many of the hallmarks of what I usually find unbearable in a JRPG. Grinding, repetition, and a slow start to name a few. Yet, for some reason, I am absolutely in love with this game. Each component of this game, taken by itself, is not that impressive, but taken all together it is a remarkable and addictiveLet me start by saying that, for the most part, I hate JRPGS. This game has many of the hallmarks of what I usually find unbearable in a JRPG. Grinding, repetition, and a slow start to name a few. Yet, for some reason, I am absolutely in love with this game. Each component of this game, taken by itself, is not that impressive, but taken all together it is a remarkable and addictive experience. Except for the music. The music by itself is great. The biggest complaint about the game is the lack of variety and innovation as far as the dungeons are concerned. They're basically just hallways and rooms with enemies and treasure in them. The combat system fares much better. Simple to grasp, hard to master, especially on some boss fights (there's a few that are pretty difficult even on normal). The characters, music, and style of this game are what really does it for me. Okay...I'm rambling. This is a great game.… Expand
  36. whitespider999
    Mar 1, 2012
    9
    My favorite jrpg. An even more fantastic story than 3, feels more offbeat, daring, involving, magical, and the characters are more memorable. A masterpiece.
  37. Kirisoul
    Aug 5, 2014
    10
    Persona is a special game that can't be described well in words... It features one of the most compelling stories I have ever had the pleasure of playing through, commentating on 21st century teenage life in all of its complexities and absurdities. Its network of characters are all fantastically developed, which is not a surprise considering that the main premise of the game is saving eachPersona is a special game that can't be described well in words... It features one of the most compelling stories I have ever had the pleasure of playing through, commentating on 21st century teenage life in all of its complexities and absurdities. Its network of characters are all fantastically developed, which is not a surprise considering that the main premise of the game is saving each character from his/her darker thoughts and ambitions. Thematically, Persona is profound, deep, powerful, and at times flat out outrageous. But that's what makes it so memorable. This is one story and cast that you won't be forgetting anytime soon.

    As a game, Persona captures the essence of a JRPG, mixing together creature collection, summoning and magic systems, and the classic swapable 4 member party. The battles have lots of surprises, flow very quickly and cohesively, and feature some of the most creative enemy design I have ever seen.

    Really, I don't feel I can do Persona 4 justice by simply trying to explain its elements. This is one game you really have to play as a whole to see its genius.    … Expand
  38. Kenmei
    Jan 2, 2012
    10
    The next game in the wonderful Persona series, Persona 4 builds off of what made Persona 3 and FES so good and then adds some things to give it it's own identity that were both good and bad but mostly good. This game follows Persona 3 in the fact that it adds a simulation element to the RPG goodness to create a game that will literally have you playing for days and weeks on end. The amountThe next game in the wonderful Persona series, Persona 4 builds off of what made Persona 3 and FES so good and then adds some things to give it it's own identity that were both good and bad but mostly good. This game follows Persona 3 in the fact that it adds a simulation element to the RPG goodness to create a game that will literally have you playing for days and weeks on end. The amount of stuff to do in this game is staggering and I can honestly say this game, as well as Persona 3, will take you days to finish and that's a good thing. The combat is a fluid as ever, plus they've added the ability to control your teammates during battle now so no more questionable A.I. decisions from 3. It seems things have gotten a bit serious from 3 to 4 as your now dealing with a series of grisly murders in a small, rural town. For me, the story was the biggest improvement from 3 since in 3, the story is mainly just the run-of-the-mill "save the world from the bad guy" deal. This story was gripping and it really brought you closer to the characters in a way that 3 wasn't able to do. The multiple environments are a refreshing change of pace from 3's Tartarus and the enemies are a bit more varied in this version. However the biggest complaint I have about the game is the fact that it's way too grindy. The problem is they took the healing tarot cards from the after battle shuffle out, making things alot harder to deal with sometimes. Healing items are at a premium, even on easy, and the fact that you don't have a reliable healing avenue till the end of the game can make getting those needed levels very bothersome especially early on in the game. Just watch out since you'll spend most of your time each level grinding out the 10 or so levels you need to get from one boss to another to survive. It can be tiresome, especially since you have to kill each boss before a certain point or it's a game over. But the journey to get to those points is filled with alot of fun stuff and the simulation portions of this game are on par, if not better than the ones in 3. However 3 had a better collective of characters, while 4 only has a few characters that stand out (Teddy and Rise especially) over the rest. You will definitely enjoy all the characters you've got and it's nice to see that you can control their Persona evolutions on your own instead of having to wait for it to happen during the story. There are alot of other things I could talk about in this game but, suffice it to say, you should just play it for yourself if you haven't already. If you have, go play it again. It's far better the second time around than alot of the other stuff that's out there right now, especially if you have nothing else to do except wait for Persona 5 or the Persona 4 remake for the Vita to come out later this year.… Expand
  39. Catsy
    Apr 30, 2013
    9
    Here's a quick review... I've been playing this game for more than 100 hours, more than a year to finally get to the end since I was lazy.

    Persona 4 is a game about a group of students trying to solve a murder mystery in the quiet town of Inaba. One day at school, the protagonist hears a story about being able to see your soulmate inside your TV at midnight on rainy days. He sees    Here's a quick review... I've been playing this game for more than 100 hours, more than a year to finally get to the end since I was lazy.

    Persona 4 is a game about a group of students trying to solve a murder mystery in the quiet town of Inaba. One day at school, the protagonist hears a story about being able to see your soulmate inside your TV at midnight on rainy days. He sees someone and when he goes to touch them, he slips through his TV.

    Persona 4 is a great game if you've got the time to play it. By having players create relationships with other characters, you have specialised and personal character development plus the development that occurs through the story. You also have the option of starting a romantic relationship with the girls in the game.

    Something that really shines within the game to me is the music. The soundtrack of Persona 4 is great. It's upbeat, it's catchy. Really fits the mood. Like other Persona games, the music ties back to the story and what the characters must face. Tracks like "Facing my True Self" emphasise the story arcs about Personas.

    Now gameplay. Persona plays like many other dungeon crawler (J)RPGs. You run through a map and explore. Get treasure. Fight monsters. The camera in the game is a little slow, but you can turn it faster using L/R2. A few things that bothered me about the game is that if you were running from a monster, your AI companions would get in the way after trying to catch up and couldn't be moved by running into them.

    The removal of the feature created in Persona 3 Portable allowing you to separate your team to explore faster is a bit of a downside to me. It takes 2x as long to explore the floors and without the option to separate, you gain watered down XP.

    I also believe that each Persona game I have has a coding error. After a while of exploring, battling, whatever, XP is multiplied by a lot. A persona with 30k remaining XP can level up every 2 or 3 battles. However, it might just be the discs I have.

    In closing, Persona 4 is a great game for players with the time to spend on a deep story and engaging characters. With so many options, replay value is very high.    … Expand
  40. Carlitoxic
    May 15, 2015
    10
    Only can say that I left in one corner my WiiU and PS4 for returning for play this game in PS2. I dind´t know that Persona 4 can surprising me like it does. Awesome Characters, original and inusual story and hours and hours of diversion. Like FFX, FFVII and Secret of Mana, one of my legandary RPG ever.
  41. Santi_RHCP
    Mar 15, 2012
    10
    This is, along with Persona 3, the best rpg ever made. I regret not having finished the game, but I put atleast 40+ hours into it. Im really looking forward for the next Persona game. This is the last ps2's greatest game.
  42. AusGamer_Dubs
    May 29, 2012
    9
    As a person who struggles to find an hour a day to play any game, I'm hard pressed to find an RPG worth the time and effort to see to the end. Since I discovered Persona 4 a year ago, I'm still playing it today between work and studies like someone would routinely watch their favourite TV show. The story keeps you invested, the characters realistic and relateable, and the battlesystemAs a person who struggles to find an hour a day to play any game, I'm hard pressed to find an RPG worth the time and effort to see to the end. Since I discovered Persona 4 a year ago, I'm still playing it today between work and studies like someone would routinely watch their favourite TV show. The story keeps you invested, the characters realistic and relateable, and the battlesystem though repetitive provides just enough variety in enemies to serve as a bridge between intriguing plot scenes. The real draw however transpires between the action and the plot, where you have the opportunity to further the social links you develop within the game. You truly feel invested in the characters and your team, and it drives you to build your relationships with them and see their stories through. A great game no RPG fan should miss out on, not even now.… Expand
  43. Welterweight426
    Oct 10, 2012
    10
    Another fantastic persona game. The story, while not quite as good as Persona 3's, is fantastic. The characters are top notch and the voice acting is pretty good. The social links are now much more personal and are easier to finish up. The dungeons are more varied. However, they are much harder. In fact, Persona 4 is MUCH harder than 3. However, in the end, it pays off because the game isAnother fantastic persona game. The story, while not quite as good as Persona 3's, is fantastic. The characters are top notch and the voice acting is pretty good. The social links are now much more personal and are easier to finish up. The dungeons are more varied. However, they are much harder. In fact, Persona 4 is MUCH harder than 3. However, in the end, it pays off because the game is so fantastic. However, be warned. Unlocking the true ending is quite difficult and a grind will be needed.… Expand
  44. whiteboard_hat
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    Absolutely brilliant. Gameplay retains many of the former elements seen in 3 and improves on them tremendously, but the story is where the real gold is. When the final credits roll, assuming you haven't gotten a bad end, you'll feel like you've said goodbye to great friends and a warmth inside will compel you to play through it all over again.
    Gameplay is primarily, on the surface,    Absolutely brilliant. Gameplay retains many of the former elements seen in 3 and improves on them tremendously, but the story is where the real gold is. When the final credits roll, assuming you haven't gotten a bad end, you'll feel like you've said goodbye to great friends and a warmth inside will compel you to play through it all over again.
    Gameplay is primarily, on the surface, grinding, pressing X and reading, but P4's cast and interactions carry the game so well it's impossible not to enjoy yourself. Absolutely recommended for any fan of RPGs.    … Expand
  45. ihatecheez
    Jun 26, 2013
    10
    great game but i really prefer persona 3 than 4.

    pros: - another great cast of characters that are fun to be with and are still very funny - same gameplay but you can control all your characters instead of just the main character - another great story cons: - living in a small town is not as interesting as living in the city - even on the easy difficulty, you need to grind a    great game but i really prefer persona 3 than 4.

    pros:

    - another great cast of characters that are fun to be with and are still very funny
    - same gameplay but you can control all your characters instead of just the main character
    - another great story

    cons:
    - living in a small town is not as interesting as living in the city
    - even on the easy difficulty, you need to grind a LOT! and boss's take forever to beat
    - the endings are pretty mediocre
    - almost a carbon copy of persona 3    … Expand
  46. Rox22
    Jan 3, 2013
    9
    To be honest, I had no idea of what to expect from this game going in. Never played a Persona game before, but knew of the name from its praised reputation. Persona 4 did not disappoint. I absolutely fell in love with this game. I loved the social system and the character development. The music is really great and catchy, visuals are very good and scenic. The translation of some of theTo be honest, I had no idea of what to expect from this game going in. Never played a Persona game before, but knew of the name from its praised reputation. Persona 4 did not disappoint. I absolutely fell in love with this game. I loved the social system and the character development. The music is really great and catchy, visuals are very good and scenic. The translation of some of the dialogue could have been done a little better in terms of localisation to the non-Japanese gaming market, but then again I believe if they did that, then the game would lose a bit of its charm. I learned quite a bit about Japanese customs and speech mannerisms thanks to this game. I really don't get why some people criticize the voice acting, it's some of the best I've ever heard in a JRPG, ever.

    Unfortunately I do have one critique: The dungeons. They get repetitive and a bit dull after the first few levels. It would have perhaps made more sense to have more, but smaller, dungeon types. Allowing players to move through them at a faster pace in order to keep the momentum of the narrative. Luckily grinding isn't really an issue until you get to the last dungeon, where grinding is almost mandatory if you want the best fusions.

    Overall: A really wonderful game and the best JRPG I´ve played to date. I'm really glad I went back to play it and I will recommend this as a mandatory purchase for all JRPG fans.    … Expand
  47. FFallen
    May 2, 2013
    10
    This game is fantastic. The characters are so fleshed out, they're almost like kids you would meet at school. The story also held its own with the greats in my opinion, and with multiple endings, plenty of personas to create and plenty of things to do outside of combat, this game has plenty of replay value. Persona is probably my favorite PS2 series.
  48. Slsr
    Jul 26, 2013
    7
    It's rather fun game but dungeons get kinda repetitive and it eventually got boring for me, concept itself had great potential though, if writing would be better than dungeon system would be slightly more interesting this could be somewhat ideal game to me :P.
  49. spidey271
    Nov 26, 2013
    10
    This game is perfect in every aspect and it is the best game I have played in my life and I have played countless amount of games that are of the RPG genre. I can guarantee that this will at least be worth your time playing if not one best games you have played.
  50. death12123
    Dec 1, 2019
    5
    The weakest entry I ever made for SMT games and Persona.
    I did not like Persona 4 really. It felt way too happy and it didn't really feel like a SMT game. The story didn't grow on me whatsoever, the soundtrack became really annoying after just two hours, the characters are by far the worst choices with the worst development, the analysis characters become really annoying, the main    The weakest entry I ever made for SMT games and Persona.
    I did not like Persona 4 really. It felt way too happy and it didn't really feel like a SMT game. The story didn't grow on me whatsoever, the soundtrack became really annoying after just two hours, the characters are by far the worst choices with the worst development, the analysis characters become really annoying, the main character is the worst choice, Mr. Perfect and the school life somehow is WORSE then the 3rd game.

    I had to force myself to finish this game and the payoff wasn't even worth it. Newer fans might like it because of how happy and lighthearted it is in comparison but for me it's not worth ever playing again.    … Expand
  51. ThecriticGoD
    Mar 15, 2016
    10
    It would be wrong to call this the new Final Fantasy because eventhough it's a turn-based RPG there are way too many differences with FF, but if there's one saga that's to continue with the legacy of the great turn RPGs, it's Persona, and Persona IV is simply the most refined in the saga. Great characters, great anime-like graphics, great storyline, great music, great everything basically.It would be wrong to call this the new Final Fantasy because eventhough it's a turn-based RPG there are way too many differences with FF, but if there's one saga that's to continue with the legacy of the great turn RPGs, it's Persona, and Persona IV is simply the most refined in the saga. Great characters, great anime-like graphics, great storyline, great music, great everything basically. I just can't think of any RPG saga that is close to Persona nowadays.… Expand
  52. marvs869
    Mar 11, 2017
    9
    It's amazing how an RPG blends so well with slice of life genre that are rarely as popular in gaming nowadays. It emphasizes the same trend Persona 3 made with a unique gameplay equivalent of friends = strength. The story is not too shabby either considering it has to follow suit with its predecessor's dark storyline. Collecting personas is still as fun as it was before and their is noIt's amazing how an RPG blends so well with slice of life genre that are rarely as popular in gaming nowadays. It emphasizes the same trend Persona 3 made with a unique gameplay equivalent of friends = strength. The story is not too shabby either considering it has to follow suit with its predecessor's dark storyline. Collecting personas is still as fun as it was before and their is no doubt of the series' continuing success in the mainstream market.… Expand
  53. FelleBanan_ygsr
    Mar 17, 2018
    10
    The game starts with the MC (YOU) moving from the BIG CITY to a small, foggy town called Inaba as a transfer student. There you live with your uncle and his cute daughter Nanako. After starting school and making a few friends something shocking happens in the small town. A lady is found hanging murdered upside down from an antenna. The police investigators are obviously stupid, so it’s upThe game starts with the MC (YOU) moving from the BIG CITY to a small, foggy town called Inaba as a transfer student. There you live with your uncle and his cute daughter Nanako. After starting school and making a few friends something shocking happens in the small town. A lady is found hanging murdered upside down from an antenna. The police investigators are obviously stupid, so it’s up to you and your friends to solve the murder mystery.
    The main characters soon find out that the victims are shown on the mysterious midnight channel before they are murdered. By literally entering the TV and fighting the victims’s inner demons they can save them from the TV world and their death.
    While the gameplay is divided in 2 parts it isn’t necessarily 50/50. The game is based on time and scheduled so that certain events take place on certain dates. The first part is the social/story part which I’ll talk more about in a minute and the other part is the dungeon gameplay where you can spend your time in the dungeons grinding levels or equipment and items. Grinding is not something that is really necessary in this game though. As long as you fight all enemies you happen to meet, you should be fine.
    It’s very nice that the game doesn’t have random encounters. Instead you see the enemies on the map and you can easily choose if you want to fight them or not by cutting them with your blade or just running away from them.
    The most important factor in fights are the Personas you fight with. They have physical attacks draining your health to deal damage and magic attacks draining your SP to buff your party or deal magic damage. By hitting an enemy’s weakness or hitting a critical hit they are knocked down. If you knock down every enemy in the fight you are allowed to perform a very satisfying all-out attack that usually ends the fight.
    The entire fighting system takes the basics of a normal RPG fight and removes ALL the annoying stuff while adding a fluid, fast and straightforward system. For example you can change the ”summon” a.k.a. Persona equipped without wasting a turn, which is not something I think I’ve ever seen in a turn-based RPG before. That’s how the majority of the game is. Take the best of both genres and remove the annoying parts of them.
    The other part of the gameplay is social life simulation. Here you experience the story, the sidequests and the preparations for the dungeons.
    The most important thing you will be doing here is improving your social links, or S. Links for short. By hanging out with friends your bonds with them will increase, to the point where you can get intimate relationships with the female ones. You could always try to get all of them, but I would never do something like that… no, I’m serious, I only had one girlfriend, being the **** from the drama club. Joining clubs is optional, but don’t skip that **** your stats can be increased and **** The stats I’m talking about are stats like knowledge, expression, courage and such. Those stats are not used in combat, but rather to unlock more dialogue options, sidequests and part-time jobs giving you money.
    Almost everything you do has a consequence as almost everything you do is indirectly related to one or many stats of yours making you involved in everything you do.
    One aspect of the game that scared me before playing was DUNGEON CRAWLING. Usually exploring dull, depressing, disorienting areas makes me angry in RPGs, but this game made it endurable enough for me to somewhat enjoy dungeons. You see, the dungeons are varied in theme and are easy to navigate as they aren’t even that big. The largest dungeon in the game has like 11 floors, and takes under 2 hours if you do everything in it (unless you level grind). Another pleasant thing when exploring is that you with the right item (it’s cheap as **** in the normal store) can return to the entrance and continue exploring another in-game day with HP and SP fully restored. HP is almost never a problem as you can easily restore it to max with SP or HP items. The SP is on the other hand a slight problem as you can’t buy SP restoring items except from the periodically refilled vending machines in the shopping district. This means that you might sometimes have to quit mid-dungeon because of lack of SP, but this is not really a big problem as blasting through a dungeon in one sitting is tiring to begin with. Luckily the save points are placed well too, so losing a lot of progress because of you being bad is probably not gonna happen.
    The overall atmosphere is further improved by a great, catchy soundtrack and a very unique stylistic style in menus. The game hits the perfect combination of dark and happy and it’s lovely.

    I’m happy to say that this is one of the best RPGs on PS2 and so also one of my favourite games of all time. Truly a unique experience.    … Expand
  54. KaitosKid
    Sep 8, 2019
    10
    It's one of the best RPG's that I ever played.
    The Game has a fantastic Story (after 10 Hours Playtime) It's also a fantastic Game for Anime Fans because It's Just Like a playable Action Anime.
    The Soundtrack is also one of the BEST gaming Soundtracks that I've ever heared.
    Play the Game It's a MUST PLAY
  55. Canier
    Nov 8, 2019
    9
    Un excelente videojuego que te permite adentrarte en su historia y, sobre todo, empatizar con sus personajes integrando a la perfección las mecánicas del juego con las relaciones interpersonales, las cuales son necesarias para mejorar nuestra capacidad de combate.

    Cada personaje posee una personalidad característica que irá mostrando a lo largo de la historia, así como sus conflictos    Un excelente videojuego que te permite adentrarte en su historia y, sobre todo, empatizar con sus personajes integrando a la perfección las mecánicas del juego con las relaciones interpersonales, las cuales son necesarias para mejorar nuestra capacidad de combate.

    Cada personaje posee una personalidad característica que irá mostrando a lo largo de la historia, así como sus conflictos internos e inseguridades. De esta forma es probable que acabemos empatizando y dándole preferencia a las interacciones con algún personaje en concreto para descubrir qué historias tiene que ofrecernos.

    Persona 4 nos propone un loop de juego en el que debemos conciliar la vida real con ''el mundo del televisor'' de modo que necesitamos de uno para poder progresar de forma óptima en el otro. Por ejemplo, es necesario estudiar para los exámenes para elevar el stat de inteligencia, pero a su vez no podemos olvidar completar el nivel del televisor antes de llegar a la fecha límite.

    El sistema de combate por turnos, basado en unas criaturas llamadas “persona” -las cuales deben aprovechar las debilidades del oponente-, se ve aderezado por mecánicas como: el derribo de los enemigos a los que golpeas con una habilidad a la que son débiles y el '' all out attack'', que consiste en comenzar una especie de camorra de bar en la que todos los enemigos reciben daño tras haberlos derribado explotando las debilidades de cada uno de ellos previamente.

    Las ''personas'' son las criaturas que utilizaremos a lo largo de la historia para librar los combates. Podemos conseguirlas de dos modos, el primero y más sencillo es derrotando a nuestros enemigos y, tras los combates, ocasionalmente se nos dará la oportunidad de obtener una nueva criatura. El segundo método de obtención de "personas" es la fusión de las que ya teníamos para obtener otras nuevas con mayor nivel y otras habilidades (unas heredadas de sus componentes de fusión y otras nuevas).

    La banda sonora dispone de algunos temas memorables como el de batalla o el del mundo exterior, aunque a la larga pueden resultar extremadamente monótonos y repetitivos.

    Antes de acabar me gustaría recomendar que la primera partida se realizará sin guía y sin intentar ser lo más eficiente posible disfrutando de lo que se nos presente a lo largo del juego. De este modo el juego se presentara más desafiante, puesto que no explotaremos al máximo los recursos de este y podremos disfrutar de manera más orgánica de nuestra partida.

    Mi conclusión es que de una fórmula que a priori puede parecer absurda e incoherente obtenemos una experiencia muy satisfactoria al tener que gestionar de forma eficiente el tiempo limitado y las "personas" de las que disponemos durante el juego.    … Expand
  56. QuAc
    Nov 15, 2019
    9
    THE ONLY REASON I AM GIVING THIS A 9 IS BECAUSE PERSONA 5 EXISTS. after playing persona 5 and crying at the end because I didn't want that amazing game to end and never be able to play it for the first time again. I spent $100 to get a ps2 and another 25 for this game. and other that the game play aging compared to Persona 5, the characters and story are still amazing, a must play in my book
  57. izraillikedi31
    Dec 8, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. added to wishlist ps2 istek listesine eklendi liste istek ps2 persona 4 2008… Expand
  58. DaffyDs
    Dec 31, 2019
    10
    Legit one of the best games ever made. This is my personal favorite persona and PS2 game! This is a must play for anyone who has a PS2.
  59. Insert_Username
    Jan 23, 2011
    10
    I thought Persona 3 FES was great but this game beats it in almost every way. The characters are very likable, there is a great story throughout the entire game, the social links are fixed, and plot twists are legendary.
  60. RightEOThen
    Apr 11, 2013
    10
    Persona 4 is a brilliant mix of dungeon crawling and solid character development, it transcends JRPGs as a whole and overcomes it few flaws with a fun and interesting story, good character development and surprisingly in depth game play. It is a must have game.
  61. Ishi123
    Oct 31, 2016
    10
    Everything that made Persona 3 great, Persona 4 has and then some. A new setting, a new story, new characters, and everything feels just as great as its prequel. Persona 4 sets the bar just as high as Persona 3, and even surpasses it in some ways.

    If you want to read what makes Persona 4 great, you can read my review on Persona 3 FES, because the dungeon crawling and the high school    Everything that made Persona 3 great, Persona 4 has and then some. A new setting, a new story, new characters, and everything feels just as great as its prequel. Persona 4 sets the bar just as high as Persona 3, and even surpasses it in some ways.

    If you want to read what makes Persona 4 great, you can read my review on Persona 3 FES, because the dungeon crawling and the high school social life aspects are still there. The characters, however, are even more relatable and likable than before, with some part members feeling like lifelong friends that you would almost wish were real (Yosuke, AKA Brosuke). Each character has their own personal struggles in life, and in connecting with them they'll open up to you and reveal more about themselves as their trust in you grows, and you will feel a connection to these people on a personal level. They'll become stronger in their resolve as you support them, and in turn will become more effective in combat, unlocking certain techniques such as instantly recovering an ally from a status ailment, or even taking mortal blows for you, up to resisting fatal damage once per battle. The characters are believable and very human, and are a very central part of the game as a whole.

    The themes of the game are a bit more lighthearted than 3's depressing motifs, but its every bit as engaging, revolving around a supernatural murder mystery that provides intrigue and suspense, as well as its fair share of twists throughout the entire thing. The game will make you think and deduce things for yourself, and as the main character, you don't just passively watch as the mystery solves itself like in many other games. You are a part of the team, and you are every bit as involved as your friends, and you will be required to think and solve things yourself from time to time, making the game engaging and fun, though it will sometimes test your ability to critically think and deduce solutions from complex situations, which isn't a bad thing, but it can sometimes make you feel in the dark unless you've been paying complete attention.

    Collecting Personas is just as fun as in 3, and fusing and creating new ones is a blast. Finding Personas is all well and good, but creating your own is where the magic happens. That feeling when you create a new powerful Persona and take it for a spin is unbeatable in satisfaction, though the combat will always find ways to test your ability to strategize and think ahead, and the addition of allowing for player control of all party members adds even more strategy and options to combat. Luckily, the AI for team members are smarter than they were in 3, so leaving them to their own devices is just as viable an option, though I personally prefer player control.

    Just like Persona 3, Persona 4 is a must own for JRPG fans, and hell, even people who aren't into JRPGs and just want a good narrative. It has a slow start, but stick with it and you'll find so much to love.    … Expand
  62. ookami
    May 25, 2013
    3
    I feel like I am the only person who just didn't get this game. I enjoy a great engaging story line but I just did not find it with this. Forget that it took me 5 hours of real game time to actually have my first battle because the introduction took so long but I really didn't find this game enjoyable. I didn't like having to take on part time jobs or join clubs, it felt like I was beingI feel like I am the only person who just didn't get this game. I enjoy a great engaging story line but I just did not find it with this. Forget that it took me 5 hours of real game time to actually have my first battle because the introduction took so long but I really didn't find this game enjoyable. I didn't like having to take on part time jobs or join clubs, it felt like I was being forced into these things when I really wanted to go out and kill something. Then the game gives you a guilt trip if you don't actually engage in these extra activities. I didn't like being forced to follow a calendar, or have to figure out when I am supposed to do XYZ, and if I miss the time then you supposedly miss a major event. Ain't nobody got time for that. I tried my hand at this game several times, I really tried, and I just couldn't continue with it. I suppose I am just the other side of the bell curve in this game because everyone else seems to love it. I didn't enjoy it. I felt I should post my review only because it has so many positive scores I wanted it said that not everybody enjoyed or connected with this game. I certainly didn't. The bottomline for me is the story was quite interesting, thats where the 3 points come in, but delivery and execution of this game left much to be desired. The wait to actually do something like combat other than walk around and talk to people was just too long for me. If I want to socialize I'll do it with real people. As a side note I am a major RPG fan, played through many a JRPG and RPG alike, this was the first one I did not enjoy. For those that loved this game, more power to you.… Expand
  63. seieko_pherdo
    Jul 13, 2011
    10
    Rarely if ever do I consider a game perfect. However Persona 4 is the closet thing to perfection I have ever played. Everything from Persona 3 is back and done far better. The dungeons are all different instead of the giant tower of doom you get sick of going through. The social links and the people within them are done much better. Not to mention you can control your party membersRarely if ever do I consider a game perfect. However Persona 4 is the closet thing to perfection I have ever played. Everything from Persona 3 is back and done far better. The dungeons are all different instead of the giant tower of doom you get sick of going through. The social links and the people within them are done much better. Not to mention you can control your party members whenever you want so you can make all the stupid choices in battle. Yet this game does have flaws as all game must and I think they should be pointed out. The main thing in this game that bothers me is the fact if you go out with anybody throughout the story how nobody in an entire town filled of noisy rumor loving people every figure out your going out with somebody. And most of the girls in the game are popular and well known so the fact this small thing was not worked on is a bit a jarring, but and the end of the day it is a small fault and doesn't bother me all that much. After all this is the game I've spend around 400 hours of my life playing.… Expand
  64. fachriunited
    Mar 14, 2012
    10
    Just masterpiece i say for this game, better than persona 3, hell it is bettter than any Final Fantasy games in ps2 generation, great story, great character, great soundtrack, just give us more battle variety in the next title thank you atlus
  65. VidyaBum
    Jul 23, 2015
    5
    So I finally finished P4 on my second try. It wasn't easy.

    First major problem: Gameplay is terrible. While an RPG's value is usually in stacking different characters' powers to create a battle strategy, here no. A long explanation on how the gameplay is weak isn't necessary to explain how it sucks, I'll just give you the strategy for 90% of the fights in the game: -Use the    So I finally finished P4 on my second try. It wasn't easy.

    First major problem: Gameplay is terrible.
    While an RPG's value is usually in stacking different characters' powers to create a battle strategy, here no. A long explanation on how the gameplay is weak isn't necessary to explain how it sucks, I'll just give you the strategy for 90% of the fights in the game:

    -Use the elemental weakness of the enemy
    -Spam your strongest physical attack
    -If you have a Persona who repels the enemy attacks, put it on and then go light a smoke while the fight plays itself.

    That's IT. It counts for most bosses too! The system is so poorly done that while you have all the basic RPG elements of buffing/debuffing, status effects and elementals, apart from bosses the way those are implemented make them wholly useless. You're almost always better off spamming the same 2-3 strategies for EVERY single fight. In short the gameplay is painfully uninteresting.

    Second major problem: Anime.
    Now you might think " well duh, this is an anime game", but Persona wasn't nearly so anime before. It was a dating sim in Persona 3, but it was a dating sim with a tons of dark, gloomy, depressed, sad, and deep characters. While the depth is very present in this game and every character feels well rounded and realistic, an ungodly amount of them feel like the worst saturday morning anime you can think of.

    This game in short has about 3/4th of its stories that try to be slices of life, but they're all very boring and the worst kind of anime stories, they're overly lovey-dovey/yay for the power of friendship and love, but they all fall incredibly flat.

    And to give a clear example on what I despise with a lot of social links:
    Yukiko 1: "I want to not inherit my Inn!"
    -Me : "Ok then cool"
    Yukiko 2-9: "Let's go out buy eggs and talk and let me tell you about my life of being a good, plain girl who does what she's told but feels a little cramped!"
    -Me: "ok whatever"
    Yukiko 10: "In the end I'll inherit the inn because that's where I belong!"
    -Me: "....why was I here?!"

    How am I of any importance to her personal dilemma? None of her decisions are influenced by me. Her entire social link is taking her out to boring places, nothing fun or special happens and I don't feel like I'm ever being anything else than "the guy" while she's "the girl". My interest is dead for so many social links because I feel special to nobody and nobody feels special except Kanji, the Dojimas, and the stepmother who can't communicate with her son. With these I either feel like I'm facing a very tragic and peculiar life situation, or like I'm being helpful and special to these people. It feels good and it's what P3 did with great talent at almost every single social link. P4 is riddled with failures in comparison.

    That also applies to the main storyline. The story essentially repeats itself 5 times doing the same predictable, boring, annoying, and honestly offensively stupid pattern:

    Midnight channel shows shape. Shape is x character. Stupid Yosuke calls every time to say "hey, did you just see what you just saw?!". Try to save x character from being kidnapped. Always fail. Always go into dungeon and save x character. x character is now a part of the Team!

    More than FOUR TIMES the same storyline with Yukiko, Kanji, Rise, Naoto, and the others. The 4 I just cited are almost carbon copies of one another! Nothing is as infuriating as knowing that what I'm currently doing is pointless because the plot said so, and still the game makes me do it anyway!
    When Mitsuo Kubo is brought back and the entire team lashes out at him, I cringed more than I did even in the worst final fantasies. HE IS SO OBVIOUSLY NOT THE KILLER. A MILLION ELEMENTS INDICATE HE'S NOT THE KILLER. WHY IS THIS STUPID GAME GIVING ME SCENES OF HIM BEING HATED ON WHEN HE'S THE MOST OBVIOUS RED HERRING THERE IS.

    The story takes me for an idiot...

    Lastly, the game is plainly tone-deaf.
    P3, again, was dark through and through. All the characters were dark, all the stories were sad or tragic.
    P4 feels like this.
    "Hey, let's go to the beach have fun! We'll take some drinks and swim and maybe take a peek at the girls' boobs!
    -Yosuke you pervert!
    -Hey let's not also forget if we haven't killed the bad guy in two days time the world will be destroyed!
    -Yo Naoto, make me a man!
    -Secretly the killer may be watching us!
    -Yay! Look at me girls, isn't Teddie the sexiest thing alive!
    -OOOOH, I saw a dark Shadow last night in the fog!
    -Hey, the Death Star!"
    What. The. Hell.

    Fix a tone! Are you trying to be animeshtt or to be taken seriously?! Because as is, it's a horrible mess that never knows what it's trying to make me feel, a kinda dull teenage anime story or something dark and profound about the hidden side of the human soul, I never know and it's horrible.

    To conclude, like all Persona games this game is super rich and has so many little gems that it still earns a 5, but it falls very short of the previous Personas.    … Expand
  66. Haganeno12
    Dec 14, 2015
    10
    How should is say it...this is really hard to describe the beautiful things and all of the feelings of this game.
    love,Friendship,family,hate and responsibility.
    story is beyond good.even beyond super good.it is something that only persona 4 have it. game play. dungeons and battles are as the same as other j r pg games.but,the difference,O M G,the difference is the day time.yes,it is    How should is say it...this is really hard to describe the beautiful things and all of the feelings of this game.
    love,Friendship,family,hate and responsibility.
    story is beyond good.even beyond super good.it is something that only persona 4 have it.
    game play. dungeons and battles are as the same as other j r pg games.but,the difference,O M G,the difference is the day time.yes,it is all about Social Links.Awesome and addicted Social Links.making MAX relationship with you friends in this game will become one of the the most HAVE TO things of your own daily life !
    music...wow.just think about an OST even better than two Persona 2 and Persona 3 .it is beyond again.
    in the end,if you still have not play this game,hurry man,hurry and buy it and make your self drown in the sea of Persona 4    … Expand
  67. shootingstars99
    Aug 23, 2019
    4
    This game has to have been written by a turtle with how slow it is, there is so much talking that ultimately goes nowhere in a majority of the cutscenes, and like Persona 3, everything between "Date A" and "Date B" where the plot will progress just feels like filler. The initial mystery is hooking, but when almost everyone's shadows center around their teenage angst and how flustered theyThis game has to have been written by a turtle with how slow it is, there is so much talking that ultimately goes nowhere in a majority of the cutscenes, and like Persona 3, everything between "Date A" and "Date B" where the plot will progress just feels like filler. The initial mystery is hooking, but when almost everyone's shadows center around their teenage angst and how flustered they are with their sexuality or gender, the mystery ultimately goes nowhere until much later in the game, taking a back seat for quite a while so we can watch what makes Kanji all hot and bothered... This game could go from 70+ hours to 15-25 if the plot was devoid of filler. At least in this one you can actually choose to control every party member...… Expand
  68. hggxqgaj
    Oct 20, 2011
    3
    This game has entire days worth of content.
    This content being teenage sexuality issues and level grinding.
    Now this would be fine if I cared about the characters, but I don't because the horrendous voice acting and awkward dialogue makes the already fairly bland character completely unlikable, which in a game that's basically a character study with a tacked on dungeon crawler is an    This game has entire days worth of content.
    This content being teenage sexuality issues and level grinding.
    Now this would be fine if I cared about the characters, but I don't because the horrendous voice acting and awkward dialogue makes the already fairly bland character completely unlikable, which in a game that's basically a character study with a tacked on dungeon crawler is an unforgivable sin.    … Expand
  69. ballsofsteve
    Jul 30, 2011
    10
    I rarely hate a video game, hell i even enjoyed hello kitteh island adveentur3. THIS GAME IS SHawt!! I watched my friend play this game and ive got to say, if making **** spaghety was a proffesion you guys would be on IRON CHEF and i dont even watch that show. first of all there is way 2 much dialoge, second these skowrt are tow short, fifthly why the **** does every japanese game haveI rarely hate a video game, hell i even enjoyed hello kitteh island adveentur3. THIS GAME IS SHawt!! I watched my friend play this game and ive got to say, if making **** spaghety was a proffesion you guys would be on IRON CHEF and i dont even watch that show. first of all there is way 2 much dialoge, second these skowrt are tow short, fifthly why the **** does every japanese game have some gateway to a different world? AND sixteenthly what the **** is with the title, translate it, i speak American in America… Expand
  70. Jabbernec
    Aug 17, 2013
    3
    Nearly the same game as Persona 3 with better graphics, but not as interesting overall. Same combat, same daily grind..really should have done something more with it, but if you've never played a Persona game, try this and Persona 1
  71. HuffmanJ.
    Dec 15, 2008
    5
    This game is just trying to coerce more money out of the fan's pockets. Barely any work was done for the localization. The translation is iffy. The voice acting is poor. Atlas insists that Japanese honorifics are included into the game on top of saying "Mr," Mrs," et cetera. It is a sloppy patchwork job. The music is good as it is with Persona 3. The story feels like something out of This game is just trying to coerce more money out of the fan's pockets. Barely any work was done for the localization. The translation is iffy. The voice acting is poor. Atlas insists that Japanese honorifics are included into the game on top of saying "Mr," Mrs," et cetera. It is a sloppy patchwork job. The music is good as it is with Persona 3. The story feels like something out of Scooby Doo. Horribly cliched and much of the plot is cringe-worthy and often you will spend 30 minutes pressing x to get through cheesy dialogue before you can move onto fighting again The battle system is quite good. The grinding is horrible. The game's style is good. I'd have to say that young kids will enjoy this game, but with the adult themes that are included... I'm really puzzled with whom Persona 4 is meant for. Just a poor game all around. I would expect only kids would have the attention span or desire to play through it.… Expand
  72. SyStematicalAB1
    Jul 26, 2019
    0
    I rather play fortnite than this crap. Persona 4 is absolute poop, no metaverse...
  73. Dreniast
    Apr 8, 2020
    9
    Despite some randomness on the fights and the difficulty menu selection (because easy is VERY recommended if is your first game), is an excelent game with beautiful graphics and not so heavy load screens,which for the PS2 generation is amazing, the game can give you easily 100+ without without noticing, and the menu managment if you like it is very entertaining.
  74. DarkwingSchmuck
    Mar 5, 2022
    9
    Launching in the West only one year after the release of its masterful predecessor, Persona 4 is every bit more of what you liked about Persona 3 with only minor refinements to A.I., dungeon design, and setting. Persona 4's story is at its best when it's focused on its refreshingly smaller scale M-rated Scooby-Doo-like murder mystery. When it does eventually go bigger with the standardLaunching in the West only one year after the release of its masterful predecessor, Persona 4 is every bit more of what you liked about Persona 3 with only minor refinements to A.I., dungeon design, and setting. Persona 4's story is at its best when it's focused on its refreshingly smaller scale M-rated Scooby-Doo-like murder mystery. When it does eventually go bigger with the standard RPG world ending peril, it feels a bit misplaced and off brand with the rest of what the game is going for.

    Still, Persona 4's exceptionally strong characters, themes, style, soundtrack, and gameplay make for a superior RPG experience.    … Expand
  75. PeterA
    May 26, 2009
    10
    Improves on the formula of Persona 3 resulting in one of the most unique and diverse JRPGs I've ever played.
  76. JordiH
    Jun 11, 2009
    10
    Persona 3 was great, this one is even better. A lot more to do, but it doesn't have the epicness of Persona 3.. But that doesn't mean the story is bad, on the contrary, it's one of the most engaging stories I've come across in a while. Be prepared to deprive yourself of sleep once you've bought this game.
  77. ChrisTaran
    Dec 9, 2008
    10
    Persona 4 is a breathtaking experience and the last great game to come to the PS2 (hopefully P5 finally lands on a next/current gen platform).
    P4 takes all that was great about P3 and brings it to a new level, perfecting and adding to all the concepts introduced in Persona 3 and it's followup FES.
    If you enjoy RPG's with a unique twist then Persona 4 one that you    Persona 4 is a breathtaking experience and the last great game to come to the PS2 (hopefully P5 finally lands on a next/current gen platform).
    P4 takes all that was great about P3 and brings it to a new level, perfecting and adding to all the concepts introduced in Persona 3 and it's followup FES.
    If you enjoy RPG's with a unique twist then Persona 4 one that you can't afford to pass up.    … Expand
  78. PavelaS
    Apr 1, 2009
    9
    The main reason I enjoyed this game was because of its characters. They were high school students with personal problems that I could relate to, and putting them in a murder mystery rpg made the game all the more enjoyable. The game taught me a valuable lesson about accepting my darker nature as opposed to suppressing it in order to be truer to myself, and this in itself makes it stand The main reason I enjoyed this game was because of its characters. They were high school students with personal problems that I could relate to, and putting them in a murder mystery rpg made the game all the more enjoyable. The game taught me a valuable lesson about accepting my darker nature as opposed to suppressing it in order to be truer to myself, and this in itself makes it stand out against the novels that I have read. It's fun, addicting, and when the animated ending passed, I actually missed the characters and the story as a whole. While the story can immerse you, there are also some flaws about its setting however. The town of Inaba (where the game takes place) is pretty small and you don't travel through it in real time as in walking from one place to another. Instead there are distinct and separated places and you go to each of them via a menu-based system. This takes me out of the experience just a tad, and I only wish Atlus created a more realistic and easy-flowing game world. Another problem is that dungeon crawling can get a bit monotonous. The game can be beaten in under 80 hours and while the game has its share of different dungeons, a fair number of battle experiences are all too similar. However, the story and its characters do much to put its flaws into less consideration. Think of it as an interactive detective novel with many side stories (a number of them humorous) and relatable characters and you can just begin to appreciate what this game has to offer. This game is not like one of those fairy-tale based games where some impending doom threatens the world. Plot-wise it is much more down-to-earth, and I'm happy that I found a part of me in this great experience - something no other game has yet done.… Expand
  79. igormendes
    May 14, 2009
    9
    O jogo traz um balanço melhor do que nos foi apresentado em Persona 3 e a expansão P3: FES.
    Os personagens são carismáticos e não há limite na exploração de situações entre os personagens. O fato de poder controlar todos os personagens na batalha foi um grande passo a favor da diversão,já que na    O jogo traz um balanço melhor do que nos foi apresentado em Persona 3 e a expansão P3: FES.
    Os personagens são carismáticos e não há limite na exploração de situações entre os personagens. O fato de poder controlar todos os personagens na batalha foi um grande passo a favor da diversão,já que na versão anterior a Inteligência Artificial era, as vezes, bem frustrante. Recomendo.    … Expand
  80. EricL.
    Sep 8, 2009
    10
    This is the best game I've ever played. The combat requires lots of thought, and the characters are the roundest I've ever seen in a game, making it incredibly immersive. The game takes a long time to beat, about 70 hours on the first playthrough, and 50 on following ones because you can power through earlier dungeons in new game + mode. The music is repetitive, but they're This is the best game I've ever played. The combat requires lots of thought, and the characters are the roundest I've ever seen in a game, making it incredibly immersive. The game takes a long time to beat, about 70 hours on the first playthrough, and 50 on following ones because you can power through earlier dungeons in new game + mode. The music is repetitive, but they're the kind of repetitive songs like in Devil May Cry that never gets old. The few problems of Persona 3 were fixed, allowing more activities at night time and letting you use direct commands in combat. Also you can work on multiple social links at the same time, even during story-related events, and there are different stories depending on which sports or culture club you choose to join, instead of only changing the setting like in P3. I also think it's pretty tight how your allies can take a hit for you in combat. The only minor complaints are that the plot isn't as twisting as P3's, the graphics arent that great (but this is the ps2), and the criteria for getting the real ending (which is the only ending that gives any closure) and working on the Empress and Hermit social links almost require an faq. But those things dont matter because this game is so fun that it pulls you right in and makes you forget about any small shortcommings.… Expand
  81. JSF
    Dec 28, 2008
    10
    The graphics aren't exactly top notch, but if you're playing ps2 you aren't playing for graphics. The gameplay is amazing, with a battle system that's not too tedious if you're an experimental person. The social link system is just like P3's, only more important because having social links with party members will have impact in battle. The story's The graphics aren't exactly top notch, but if you're playing ps2 you aren't playing for graphics. The gameplay is amazing, with a battle system that's not too tedious if you're an experimental person. The social link system is just like P3's, only more important because having social links with party members will have impact in battle. The story's amazing and the plot twists towards the end are spetecular, and the cast is pretty good. While in a vacuum the characters may seem cliche, their interactions with each other are what makes the game, both for the humor and the atmosphere. The voices are nearly all good, except for Naoto who sounds awfull during battle, the music is great but it feels like a step down from P3 (except for boss and dugeon music) to me. It took me 10 less hours to finnish than P3, but that's still about 70 hours of gameplay and I didn't even do half the sidequests so this game is trully the ps2 going out with a bang.… Expand
  82. SilverE.
    Dec 30, 2008
    10
    Atlus' policy when it came to making Persona 4: If it ain't broke, make it MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME. If it is broke, make it MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME. Not only is it one of the most polished games to date, but it takes everything that Persona 3 did, good and bad, and made it MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME. Social Links? Even more interesting and really involved in the game's battles Atlus' policy when it came to making Persona 4: If it ain't broke, make it MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME. If it is broke, make it MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME. Not only is it one of the most polished games to date, but it takes everything that Persona 3 did, good and bad, and made it MIND-BLOWINGLY AWESOME. Social Links? Even more interesting and really involved in the game's battles this time around. The turn-based battles themselves? Even more fast-paced than before, this time with the A.I. being optional. Music? Freaking catchy, even catchier than Persona 3's "glued-to-the-inside-of-your-head-for-all-eternity" tunes. The story's pacing? Excellent. The characters? Even more realistic and relatable, somehow (because Persona 3's characters were pretty damn good). Even the voice acting is better...even with some of the same freaking voice actors (Yuri Lowenthal makes a return, and he's even better than he was last game) as last game. The game itself is overflowing with things to do: social stats to raise, friends to make and help out, equipment to produce, Personas to fuse like crazy, quests (and without time limits!) to finish, freaky demons to pwn, and people to talk to in order to solve the game's murder mystery. Quite frankly, you are getting a LOT for your buck, and it's high-quality stuff to boot. Even better is the fact that it's on the PS2, which is a console that everyone and their mother has. If you haven't gotten this or Persona 3 FES (get P3FES first!), you are seriously missing out on what is the best that the JRPG genre has to offer.… Expand
  83. AdamS
    Jan 19, 2009
    10
    If Final Fantasy 7 put RPG's on the map, than Persona 4 redefined them. Persona 4 is without any doubt, the most incredible RPG that I have played in years. Heck, it may even be the most incredible RPG that I've ever played in my life! From it's complex and engaging storyline, involving characters, flawless battle system, excellent J-pop soundtrack, and simple to use If Final Fantasy 7 put RPG's on the map, than Persona 4 redefined them. Persona 4 is without any doubt, the most incredible RPG that I have played in years. Heck, it may even be the most incredible RPG that I've ever played in my life! From it's complex and engaging storyline, involving characters, flawless battle system, excellent J-pop soundtrack, and simple to use persona fusion system, P4 is not only the RPG of the year, but for some (including myself), may turn out to be game of the year as well. Persona 4 is the PS2's last great showing, and I thank Atlus for it.… Expand
  84. ShawnE.
    Mar 11, 2009
    10
    In my opinion Atlus sort of came out of nowhere. Ever since I opened Persona 4 I've never been able to escape the clutches of its enticing story, battle system, and persona combinations. Actually when I showed all my friends the Persona 3 game they immediately joined the persona bandwagon, and purchased Persona 4. Only a few RPG's have caught my attention and kept my interest In my opinion Atlus sort of came out of nowhere. Ever since I opened Persona 4 I've never been able to escape the clutches of its enticing story, battle system, and persona combinations. Actually when I showed all my friends the Persona 3 game they immediately joined the persona bandwagon, and purchased Persona 4. Only a few RPG's have caught my attention and kept my interest throughout the whole game. I have to admit grinding in Final Fantasy 7 and 10 got repetitive and boring at times. Persona 4 limits your grinding to how much SP items you have. I thank Atlus for making such a terrific game and eagerly await Persona 5.… Expand
  85. KyleR
    Aug 18, 2009
    10
    A storyline that keeps you interested the whole time through, a great cast of characters with awesome interactions, vibrant menus, good voice overs, battle system that makes battles easy and fun. Bosses that present a challenge to prevent things from getting too easy as well! There is so much to love here! Try it and get hooked in to the world of P4
  86. KingKamor
    Dec 11, 2008
    10
    (I wanted to give this a 9.5, but since I can't do that, I guess that I'll just have to make due with a ten, because my only complaints are about something that happened only once.) I played all the way through Persona 3 FES, and I loved the game. Sure, it had it's flaws, but it didn't stop me from relating to and loving all of the relatable and loving characters. (I wanted to give this a 9.5, but since I can't do that, I guess that I'll just have to make due with a ten, because my only complaints are about something that happened only once.) I played all the way through Persona 3 FES, and I loved the game. Sure, it had it's flaws, but it didn't stop me from relating to and loving all of the relatable and loving characters. Persona 4 has taken my standards and raised them a few bars, because it's even better than P3 in almost every way. The characters are even more relatable, the game's setting being out in the countryside in a town with a very similar feel to the one that I grew up in; the battlesystem has been tweaked to make up for the mistakes that the AI often made in P3 by giving you the option to control your allies yourself; the storyline is much less cliche than P3; the voice acting as a whole seems much more natural (except for Chie, who sounds ten years older than she should); and the symbolism the game presents to the gamer playing it made my head spin a little after the first major boss battle. If I were to complain about something, it would be that some of the voices can be grating at times, and that there is so little voice acting in the Social Link conversations. There's barely a "Hey!" or a "Let's go!" before the silent text continues. I think that if they're going to voice parts of the Social Links, then they should go all out and voice them entirely. In addition, in the first dungeon, my teammates kept getting stuck behind the open doors whenever I would leave a room to continue down a given hallway. Not the most world-ending of annoyances, but it did waste a valuable five seconds each time. All in all, if I had to choose one word for Persona 4, it would be "fresh." It feels like I just got the keys to a new car that will never break down. I managed to play the game for twelve hours straight on the day that I got this game because it was just that good.… Expand
  87. SnowDay
    Jun 7, 2015
    8
    A very phenominal RPG if you can get past the first six hours of relentless dialouge. The dungeons also get a tad repetative at times, but the battle system and social link feature make this game difficult to pull away from.
  88. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    10
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: AWESOME.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: AWESOME.
    Music/Sound: AWESOME.
    Dialogue: GREAT.
  89. Steeldude
    May 5, 2015
    6
    Even though I was not very impressed with P3, I decided not to give up and try Persona 4, as it was praised a lot more. So, is it a better game? Well ... It's hard to say.

    Positives: - Compared to P3, the characters and the story are slightly more interesting which is definitely a positive. - Visual novel/dating-sim portion of the game is as fun as in P3. Mixed opinion: - The    Even though I was not very impressed with P3, I decided not to give up and try Persona 4, as it was praised a lot more. So, is it a better game? Well ... It's hard to say.

    Positives:
    - Compared to P3, the characters and the story are slightly more interesting which is definitely a positive.
    - Visual novel/dating-sim portion of the game is as fun as in P3.

    Mixed opinion:
    - The super long boring Tartarus is no longer present (thank god), but on the other hand, this time you have to go through 8 or so dungeons whose floors are much bigger than in P3 and you have to do so without healing midway, so it's practically the same thing.

    - The combat is as dull and stupid as in P3 and the dungeons may have different visual look, but are still boring and there are only long hallways and rooms in the shape of a square to be found there.

    Negatives:
    - The gibberish in musical themes is pretty annoying.

    - Considering this is the 4th game in the series, I can't understand why the RPG elements in this game still suck so bad. Analysis is useless and doesn't do anything, enemies can inflict status changes on your whole party, thus preventing you from being able to recover, some enemies use 1-KO attacks that you cannot predict, when your hero dies you automatically lose the game and you cannot revive your hero even if you have a reviving skill in your party (probably the biggest **** in the whole game) etc.
    Once again, I have to say that the RPG part is bad and shouldn't be a part of this game. It should be a VN/dating-sim instead.

    - The ending is bad and the real killer's motive is stupid.

    - Persona Fusion never allows you to select the attacks that you want to have, thus making it better to have 2 Personas with different abilities as opposed to having a stronger Persona with only 1/4 of the abilities that you need.

    All in all, even though there are some improvements in this game, the fact that the RPG part of the game brings the game down still applies. The ruined ending does not help either. So, I have to give this game the same rating as P3. It's a **** RPG game, but a solid VN/dating-sim.    … Expand
  90. CDizzness
    Sep 1, 2020
    10
    I have avoided gameplay videos and so forth for 12 years now because I wanted a genuine, fresh experience. Wow, was it worth the wait, I found a PS2 at a flea market for $5 and since have went through PS2's amazing catalogue of exclusives. This may have been ported to other platforms and PC, but playing the original P4 on original PS2 hardware is amazing. The storyline makes the game forI have avoided gameplay videos and so forth for 12 years now because I wanted a genuine, fresh experience. Wow, was it worth the wait, I found a PS2 at a flea market for $5 and since have went through PS2's amazing catalogue of exclusives. This may have been ported to other platforms and PC, but playing the original P4 on original PS2 hardware is amazing. The storyline makes the game for me, it is interesting, it sucks you in, I am in love! Gameplay itself is fun, and I like when the game really picks up and lets you adventure around town. After about 5 hours in, I decided that I wanted to play Persona 3FES, so once I beat this, that's next on the list. So thankful to have this experience, thanks Atlus!… Expand
  91. MadMod
    May 4, 2016
    8
    really good game. obviously nowhere near persona 3 which was perfect in every way but still. not all the characters are that appealing but they are fun in the setting. a must play game. great music, characters, gameplay, tone. really good game
  92. artificeprime
    Jun 16, 2017
    8
    Personal 4 is certainly a unique experience and if you are a fan of JRPGs with turn based combat this is a game that should not be missed. The visuals are a weak point and the dungeons are bland but that is made up for by an excellent story with a ton of depth and detail. There are countless things to do in this game, the soundtrack is memorable, the characters are well fleshed out and thePersonal 4 is certainly a unique experience and if you are a fan of JRPGs with turn based combat this is a game that should not be missed. The visuals are a weak point and the dungeons are bland but that is made up for by an excellent story with a ton of depth and detail. There are countless things to do in this game, the soundtrack is memorable, the characters are well fleshed out and the experience is immersive.

    The story covers an entire year with several major characters who are all fleshed out. Switching between the real world and the tv world gives a good variety of game play and really gives incentive to reach the next goal. The story is well paced and a good blend of fun events and serious dark twists. I can't think of a game that is both very light at times and very dark at others. Some aspects of the story are just ridiculous silliness but those moments are entertaining and are well offset by moments that are equally serious and dramatic. Each character you meet has their own arc and dozens of story events. While the story is very weird and may not be to everyone's taste, it is undeniably well done for what it is. If you hate anime tropes this story is probably not going to appeal to you. If you enjoy or can tolerate that side of it though, you are in for something special, a story full of mysteries, twists and emotional moments.

    The gameplay is a mixed bag. The combat is can be fun when you get new abilities or fight bosses but it becomes very repetitive fighting your way through dungeons. All of the dungeons look different but they are basically just hallways that you run through killing monsters, there is very little detail and interaction within them. Collecting and creating new personas is one of the best parts of the game and that is what really makes dungeon crawling worthwhile. There are countless personas to discover and upgrade. The life sim element of the game is really addicting and the game does a great job of always introducing new elements the further you progress.

    Characters are probably one of the strongest aspects of the game. There are at least a dozen characters that all have stories to be explored. Each character is unique and has depth. You can also choose how well you get to know each character or group of characters by choosing to spend more time with them. These interactions spread throughout the game really help you relationships with each character feel immersive as characters will start to treat you differently the more you get to know them. While many of the characters seem very one dimensional or cliche at first, the more you get to know them the more complex and real they become. Each character has their own set of problems, that you have the opportunity to help them through. My only major problem with the characters is that the anime tropes are often extremely cringe worthy and a few characters never evolve beyond their cliche anime personalities. For example the little sister character is overly cutesy and never really evolves beyond that even though she has tons of screen time.

    The sound design is mostly excellent but once again, not for people who hate anime. The songs are catchy but get very repetitive in dungeons. The voice acting is very good though and the sound effects are all good.

    Overall Persona 4 is a special game, it has a ton of depth, and deserves a lot of the praise it gets. On the other hand it is a game that will likely only appeal to a certain type of audience. It is a game that fully embraces its anime quirks and that can sometimes be off putting. I really enjoy certain anime but some anime tropes drive me mad and this game is no exception. There are many great moments and the overall experience is definitely worthwhile but there were many cringe worthy moments as well and part of this game that grated on me.

    I give Persona 4 an 82%

    Story/Progression – 9
    Gameplay – 7
    World – 6
    Uniqueness Ideas – 9
    Sound Design – 8
    Characters – 9
    Visuals/Style – 7
    Length/Amount of Content – 10
    Atmosphere/Theme – 9
    X-Factor - 8    … Expand
  93. Akael
    Apr 22, 2021
    10
    A série toda em si é uma obra prima. Esse tem uma temática menos dark, mas pra mim é o melhor.
    Você realmente vive o personagem. estuda, trabalha, da em cima das meninas, faz amizade, inimizades... Persona 4 é o jogo que mais faz jus a RPG
  94. anthonybobby
    Jul 22, 2021
    0
    The negative people, take your negative asses outta here! I've had it with hate! OUT! OUT!!!
  95. NickSlyCooper
    Nov 10, 2020
    10
    We are living our lives.... Abound with so much information!!! The theme is awesome and I loved the game, in some ways better than 5. If you are looking to get into the Persona series, I'd recommend Persona 4 first since it has both aspects of P3 and P5 that are important. While I think P5's soundtrack is superior by a little bit, I think P4's soundtrack shines better than P5's in someWe are living our lives.... Abound with so much information!!! The theme is awesome and I loved the game, in some ways better than 5. If you are looking to get into the Persona series, I'd recommend Persona 4 first since it has both aspects of P3 and P5 that are important. While I think P5's soundtrack is superior by a little bit, I think P4's soundtrack shines better than P5's in some cases. For example, I prefer the music while you explore Inaba. As much as I like Tokyo Daylight, Your Affection and Heartbeat, Heartbreak is better than Tokyo Daylight combined. The 6th Dungeon Theme I believe is one of if not the best dungeon theme behind Whims of Fate. Overall, i loved this game, probably Top 5 all time for me. And I recommend it.… Expand
  96. Lulcy
    Jun 27, 2019
    8
    Not as good as Persona 3 but still a very solid entry nonetheless, wish it was about 15hs shorter though.
  97. Schism78
    Jul 24, 2018
    7
    I was never really into the J-Rpg, but this game, even if you do not like it, is worth playing.
    7.5
  98. vodkaffee
    Jan 20, 2020
    10
    probably the best game of the persona series. highly recommended. unlike its predecessor. great music, characters and story
  99. Bbplayer
    Dec 13, 2020
    8
    Pros: An amazing story that gets better as time goes on, awesome characters and a fun social/school system. Good dungeon visual themes as well. Overall nice music but nothing insanely good.

    Cons: The monster hit system to start a battle in dungeons feels so weird, sometimes you would easily hit them to start your team in advantage and sometimes you would apparently miss the sword swing    Pros: An amazing story that gets better as time goes on, awesome characters and a fun social/school system. Good dungeon visual themes as well. Overall nice music but nothing insanely good.

    Cons: The monster hit system to start a battle in dungeons feels so weird, sometimes you would easily hit them to start your team in advantage and sometimes you would apparently miss the sword swing 2 feet in front of you.    … Expand
  100. TJ_of_Carolina
    Feb 8, 2020
    10
    My favorite game of all time, great story and characters, unique premise and an emotionally satisfying ending if you pursued the true ending. The game has a better difficulty curve than P5 and is more challenging, requiring strategy while not being *too* hard. The story is very emotionally charged and the true culprit once you find them is a very well written villain. The cast is great andMy favorite game of all time, great story and characters, unique premise and an emotionally satisfying ending if you pursued the true ending. The game has a better difficulty curve than P5 and is more challenging, requiring strategy while not being *too* hard. The story is very emotionally charged and the true culprit once you find them is a very well written villain. The cast is great and I found that I liked all the cast. The game picks up right about when Kanji Tatsumi joins your party and gets better and better from there… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS2 Game of 2008
1
#1 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2008
1
#1 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 47 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 47
  3. Negative: 0 out of 47
  1. RPG Fan
    94
    Among the cookie-cutter sequels and half-hearted remakes, Persona 4 is a near flawless example of the perfect balance between "falling back on what works" and "pushing the genre forward." That said, I wholeheartedly recommend it as one of the best RPG experiences of the year.
    Read full review
  2. Gamervision
    100
    An outstanding achievement in gaming. There’s no question that this is going to be one of my top games of the year, and any fan of JRPGs should be playing it when it’s released next week.
    Read full review
  3. 1UP
    100
    What really sets Persona 4 apart, though, is its endearing, relatable cast.
    Read full review
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