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. Dumbass555
    Aug 23, 2023
    4
    Although it is a very good game nice story and gameplay
    It is just too grindy
    Like when you play the game for 50 hours trying to level up you will only level up by 4 levels
  2. Envenenado
    Jul 11, 2023
    10
    Simplesmente o melhor jrpg de todos os tempos, eu nunca me apeguei tanto a personagens fictícios, recomendo esse jogo a todos que querem uma experiência marcante
  3. TheQweast
    Mar 3, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I really love the environments of this game and the whole midnight channel concept. The only shame is that the stakes are significantly lowered compared to its predecessor and the only time I found myself truly worried was the heaven part of the game when Nanako could be dying. I do love the characters they give off the small town vibe for sure and adachi just being an edgelord also is very fitting. Boss fights in this game are also just so nice.… Expand
  4. 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
  5. Ghost7100
    Nov 18, 2021
    10
    Persona 4 stands as one of the absolute best games ever made, Amazing novel experience, exceptional gameplay & storyline, the atmosphere is straight up the best I found in a PS2 game, the art design screams soul throughout the whole experience & the soundtrack is incredible, Persona 4 stands tall as one of the most memorable experiences ever.
  6. kolarz3
    Oct 6, 2021
    7
    Very nice game. I think the story is the biggest advantage of that game. The second one is interesting gameplay - fusing persona etc. Things which are not the best:
    * Lack of voiceover for most dialogs
    * Generic dungeons
  7. anthonybobby
    Jul 22, 2021
    0
    The negative people, take your negative asses outta here! I've had it with hate! OUT! OUT!!!
  8. ItsBooker
    May 3, 2021
    10
    The Persona series is probably one of my all time favorite game series in a long time and Persona 4 was my first ever introduction to the series (play it back in 2018). I feel a lot of people should be introduced to the series through this game and it's even more accessible now than ever since it’s on PC. Now I'm going to tell you why Persona 4 is a Masterpiece.

    Now let's talk about the    The Persona series is probably one of my all time favorite game series in a long time and Persona 4 was my first ever introduction to the series (play it back in 2018). I feel a lot of people should be introduced to the series through this game and it's even more accessible now than ever since it’s on PC. Now I'm going to tell you why Persona 4 is a Masterpiece.

    Now let's talk about the story you play as the protagonist name (Whatever you want) and he moved to a small town recently with his uncle and cousin. Later on in the first half of the game you learn about the Shadow world inside the T.V. and the evil creatures known as Shadows. Of course the team doesn't think much about this at first until they realize it is linked to a bunch of people deaths in the town. So you and your new friends have to figure out who is causing the deaths in the town and how they are doing it. I gave you a very basic run down of the story with most of the big plot points being left out but if this seems interesting to you then you should check it out.

    Now to talk about the gameplay there are 2 components to this game that should be brought up. This game is a visual novel mixed with a turn based RPG. In the game you get to choose whether or not you spend time working on your social stats and your friends' relationship or go into the T.V. world to save the missing person and defeat shadows. Let's talk about the social aspect of the game first. In this game you get to spend life as a high school student which means typical high school things you can buy items to help you in the T.V. world, Work a part time job, Study, Go out to eat, and hang out with friends, During this segment you have this thing called Social stats there are 5 different social stats these are Courge, Knowledge, Expression, Understanding, and Diligence and all of these stats can be raised by doing part time jobs, doing certain task, hanging out with certain characters, and yes even fishing. Now this might not seem that important but they are very important for Social Links and Certain jobs you need to work at. Speaking of which lets talk about the Social links. Social links are this thing that represents the bond you have with your friends and going through this social could help you out during battle by giving your party members new attacks and abilities, Increase how much exp your persona fusions get, and even let you have discounts of a full hp and sp restorses. Not only that but the characters' stories are all very interesting (I recommend finishing Yosuke Social link even if you don't like him) but there's one last thing. You can romance almost all the girls in this game. It's completely optional and doesn’t change a thing to the gameplay, it's just for story purposes. Now onto the RPG aspect of the game. When you get the ability to enter the T.V. World through the Midnight Channel you get this amazing ability called a persona which represents your characters personality and of course since you character is almost a blank slate he can wield multiple personas this comes in handy because your character can become a healer, tank, mage, or a glass cannon depending on what persona you use. Now i'm going to get into a bit of story here but basically each of your party members have a shadow that look like them and this shadow sort of represents the hidden feelings that character wants to be hidden from the world and basically every character denies their shadow as being apart of them which lead to the boss fights of the game. Just a warning these bosses are super hard so look up a guide on how to beat them or start the game out on easy. Then there is how you obtain a persona. First there is the possibility of getting a shuffle time where a bunch of cards pop up and there are either one or two cards that have a persona on them and if you get the card with the persona on it you get to keep it. There is also the other option of fusion. Basically if you have way too many personas on you and you need to make room for stronger ones then you fuse your weaker persona together to get more powerful ones. Think of the RPG element as a more mature pokemon game. Although there are some gripes I have with the game first of if you die you have to go all the way back to your last save it could be really annoying when you have grinded a whole bunch of exp and then die and have to go all the way back it sucks but other then that the gameplay is great.

    Now some of my final thoughts on this game. This game has done a lot for me so I might be a bit biased but this game helped me out through a really dark time in my life and when the game was over I basically cried I really enjoyed this game and seeing this characters that have become my friends says goodbye is the most heart wrenching thing ever. Yes it might not be a perfect masterpiece but not everything is perfect and everything has flaws. Give Persona 4 a chance you won't regret it. Also the music is amazing. -Booker    … Expand
  9. 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
  10. grizzlymagnum
    Jan 3, 2021
    10
    The best JRPG ever made. Great storyline, soundtrack, gameplay and artstyle. And to top it off, great animated shows too.
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. BlackKanbaru
    Aug 3, 2020
    10
    Um dos melhores jogos que já joguei na vida, vale muito apena! Todos os personagens são muito carismáticos, e a historia prende muito fácil.
  15. Clayton_
    Jun 27, 2020
    10
    It’s very good. The story is amazing, the characters are lovable, and it’s overall just a well-made game. Good stuff.
  16. H9Stalin
    May 15, 2020
    8
    Es un juego muy bueno, que se aleja del tópico del Jrpg común pues nos presenta una situación diferente e interesante.
    Pero el comienzo del juego es lenta y pausada para que pueda llegar a lo verdaderamente interesante aunque después mejora su apartado narrativo dándonos una historia más profunda con unos personajes increíbles cuyas interacciones son de lo mejor del videojuego.
    Persona 4    Es un juego muy bueno, que se aleja del tópico del Jrpg común pues nos presenta una situación diferente e interesante.
    Pero el comienzo del juego es lenta y pausada para que pueda llegar a lo verdaderamente interesante aunque después mejora su apartado narrativo dándonos una historia más profunda con unos personajes increíbles cuyas interacciones son de lo mejor del videojuego.
    Persona 4 es un buen Jrpg.    … Expand
  17. tenforten
    May 1, 2020
    6
    How I rate games:
    Game-play, Music/Sound, Graphics & Visuals, Story/World-building, and Characters each get 0-2 points adding up to a score /10. 0 is non-existent or bad, 1 is average or N/A, and 2 is better than average.
    Game-play: 1 The gameplay is basically the same as P3, showing little improvement for the series. Music/Sound: 2 There is a huge library of music and most of it    How I rate games:
    Game-play, Music/Sound, Graphics & Visuals, Story/World-building, and Characters each get 0-2 points adding up to a score /10. 0 is non-existent or bad, 1 is average or N/A, and 2 is better than average.

    Game-play: 1
    The gameplay is basically the same as P3, showing little improvement for the series.

    Music/Sound: 2
    There is a huge library of music and most of it is very nice and the voice acting is definitely an improvement over the P3 games.

    Graphics & Visuals: 0
    While they aren't bad, the graphics were not improved over P3 at all which is a big problem as the graphics for the P3 games were not great. This game looks like it much, much older than it is.

    Story/World-building: 2
    The small town limits what you can do but plays perfectly into the characters and the story. The story, while a touch bloated with high-school slice-of-life crap, works well as a simple murder mystery.

    Characters: 1
    This cast you will either find boring and unlikeable or you will be sucked in like you are one of the gang. I found them unlikeable as they told eachother to accept their true selves while doing things like bullying their friend for questioning his sexuality. Many of the characters behaviors have aged terribly to the point where if this game gets remade post 2020 there will need to be some serious edits just to not cause a boycott.

    TOTAL: 6/10    … Expand
  18. iKen
    Apr 13, 2020
    10
    Played on PlayStation 2.
    Gameplay: AWESOME.
    Story: GREAT.
    Graphic: AWESOME.
    Music/Sound: AWESOME.
    Dialogue: GREAT.
  19. 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.
  20. 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
  21. MercusMassacre
    Mar 23, 2020
    9
    A bit too light hearted for an SMT or Persona game, but it's fun none the less.
  22. Shimmeywill
    Feb 19, 2020
    5
    Great music and presentation doesn't overcome the average gameplay and mediocre writing.
  23. 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
  24. vodkaffee
    Jan 20, 2020
    10
    probably the best game of the persona series. highly recommended. unlike its predecessor. great music, characters and story
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. 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
  30. 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
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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
See all critic reviews »