Persona 4 Golden

 PlayStation Vita
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1851 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,584 out of 1851
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 1851
  3. Negative: 213 out of 1851
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  1. Lee_Godspeed
    May 4, 2017
    10
    So having never played a Persona game I was totally blind to it other than the many greatest games/rpg lists it appears in. Wow I was in no expecting it to be as amazing as it was. Over 100 hours play and I never stopped thinking about it when I wasn't even playing it. The story is great very typical to an anime but that's a good thing with characters I was totally invested in and caredSo having never played a Persona game I was totally blind to it other than the many greatest games/rpg lists it appears in. Wow I was in no expecting it to be as amazing as it was. Over 100 hours play and I never stopped thinking about it when I wasn't even playing it. The story is great very typical to an anime but that's a good thing with characters I was totally invested in and cared about. I also loved the combat, very old school turn based action with its own spin with the personas you can create and use with its many different skills and personas. It's also not just fight, fight and fight. It's broken up with having to juggle your everyday school life, from making friends to having to work or study to pass exams. Ive played many games and that of rpgs in my time but this is easily the best I've ever played and also one of the best games in general I've ever played. A must play… Expand
  2. belody42
    Apr 15, 2017
    10
    The sole reason I and many others purchased a ps vita. Despite this being my first venture into the Persona series I knew it would be something special and that it would tick all my boxes for a great game, however, little did I know it would become my favourite game of all time (Maybe once I finish Persona 5 it will drop down to second though). The charm, charisma and depth the majority ofThe sole reason I and many others purchased a ps vita. Despite this being my first venture into the Persona series I knew it would be something special and that it would tick all my boxes for a great game, however, little did I know it would become my favourite game of all time (Maybe once I finish Persona 5 it will drop down to second though). The charm, charisma and depth the majority of the cast and story provides is incredible and by the time you finish this game you will feel as though you are saying goodbye to your real life best friends. This is largely thanks to the narrative driven core of the game as well as the unique social link system that was introduced to the series in Persona 3 and has been refined further in each main entry to the series since. This system allows you to become closer to various characters in the game and uncover their backstory and secrets whilst also granting you rewards that make the dungeon crawling aspect of the game easier and more enjoyable. Oh yeah, this game also has dungeon crawling which is sometimes easy to forget due to the game so heavily focusing on the story and characters. Whilst unfortunately the dungeons are usually quite barebones the persona fusion mechanic, the incredible soundtrack by Shoji Meguro and the unique shadow selves manage to still make it an enjoyable experience. The dungeons are found in the supernatural "TV world" and the design and boss of each dungeon give an interesting insight into the character who's psyche you are exploring. Essentially, by going into the TV world you are investigating the inner workings of someone who has been on TV a lot in the real world and who is stuck inside the TV world. It sounds complicated but it makes sense in the game, it's just hard to explain. It allows for a lot more unique and interesting dungeon themes and designs than most JRPG's however, with dungeons ranging from castles to strip clubs and each dungeon boss explores real world insecurities and fears, making the boss encounters and characters who's inner selves you are exploring relatable and engaging. Furthermore, akin to pokemon, you can collect enemy shadows and turn them into your own persona's which you can use to fight alongside you. You can also fuse multiple persona's together to make new more powerful persona's, creating an addictive drive to collect as many persona's as possible in order to see what new adorable or terrifying creatures you can make. Finally I will mention the battle mechanics. The persona and SMT series have a cool "1 more" feauture, meaning that if you hit an enemies weakness you are granted an additional attack. This allows for more strategy than a regular JRPG fight, especially since the enmies can use this "1 more" system too, meaning you have to both hit enemy weaknesses whilst trying to avoid your own teams weaknesses from being hit.
    Overall this is certainly a niche title which I can imagine people either falling in love with or despising but if anything I said piqued your interest you should definetely check it out, you won't regret it.    … Expand
  3. daddydom
    Apr 13, 2017
    10
    Of course, everybody knows it by now. Persona 4 Golden is the best game on the Vita, and maybe even one of the best games ever made. Everything comes together to form something beautiful and compelling. Murder, romance, friendships, even worlds inside TVs! The music, oooooh the music. The same songs for 75+ hours and they never get old. You'll find yourself singing along in no time. BuyOf course, everybody knows it by now. Persona 4 Golden is the best game on the Vita, and maybe even one of the best games ever made. Everything comes together to form something beautiful and compelling. Murder, romance, friendships, even worlds inside TVs! The music, oooooh the music. The same songs for 75+ hours and they never get old. You'll find yourself singing along in no time. Buy the game, play the game. Trust me, you'll never forget it.… Expand
  4. Mallenlane
    Apr 11, 2017
    10
    I bought a PSTV just to play this; it was definitely worth it. The Persona series as a whole is really in a class of its own. They are simply that good, and the stories and characters that engaging.
  5. Valkana
    Apr 4, 2017
    10
    Never played the Persona Series but was told to start with this one on the Vita. The game is the best one on the Vita. In fact it's the best games to take on the go because there is so much to do and you can spend a 100 hrs with it. The story is intriguing and the characters are like able and have personality. Game play wise it's really great and everything seems to fit in perfect. It'sNever played the Persona Series but was told to start with this one on the Vita. The game is the best one on the Vita. In fact it's the best games to take on the go because there is so much to do and you can spend a 100 hrs with it. The story is intriguing and the characters are like able and have personality. Game play wise it's really great and everything seems to fit in perfect. It's definitely worth the purchase. I gave it a 10 because I don't feel there was anything wrong with it for a Portable game and I enjoyed every bit of the world they created.… Expand
  6. gregorius
    Mar 30, 2017
    10
    I'm glad I stayed on this game at the beginning because it's quite slow. Once you get the freedom to actually play the game you will be rewarded with one of the most amazing and likable characters in gaming history. The story itself is quite compelling and engaging to move the plot. The social and life simulation is top notch never in a game I enjoyed do tedious work and be rewarded by it.I'm glad I stayed on this game at the beginning because it's quite slow. Once you get the freedom to actually play the game you will be rewarded with one of the most amazing and likable characters in gaming history. The story itself is quite compelling and engaging to move the plot. The social and life simulation is top notch never in a game I enjoyed do tedious work and be rewarded by it. My time in P4G is meaningful that I feel I'm living a double life. It's that good!… Expand
  7. marcelus
    Mar 17, 2017
    10
    I was introduced to Persona series by this game. Of course many SMT purist hate this entry because is the most friendly one. But if you just like games, RPG's you can find a very different thing here. This game alone makes PSVita worth buying. Yukiko Best Waifu!
  8. fborjas
    Mar 13, 2017
    10
    Persona 4 Golden for PS Vita is a JRPG that completely envelops you for dozens of hours and does not let you escape. You get it with a really varied and charismatic cast of characters, making you live a double life inside the TV and out as a teenager. The plot of murders unfolds little by little as you develop ever deeper bonds with your friends and people around you until you feel onePersona 4 Golden for PS Vita is a JRPG that completely envelops you for dozens of hours and does not let you escape. You get it with a really varied and charismatic cast of characters, making you live a double life inside the TV and out as a teenager. The plot of murders unfolds little by little as you develop ever deeper bonds with your friends and people around you until you feel one more in Inaba. An unforgettable and indispensable game for lovers of JRPG.… Expand
  9. kuehnau
    Feb 11, 2017
    7
    I spent the last two weeks playing Persona 4 Golden and have finally reached end game, which makes me feel as though I can now give the game an honest review.

    Persona 4 Golden is kind of a monster collecting RPG that revolves around collecting cards after battles and then fusing those cards together to form stronger monsters, also known as "Personas". As you play the game, you'll meet    I spent the last two weeks playing Persona 4 Golden and have finally reached end game, which makes me feel as though I can now give the game an honest review.

    Persona 4 Golden is kind of a monster collecting RPG that revolves around collecting cards after battles and then fusing those cards together to form stronger monsters, also known as "Personas". As you play the game, you'll meet friends who can also use Personas, but you are the only character who can change their persona.

    Persona 4 Golden is absolutely a standard JRPG. Even the "normal" difficulty is fairly hard. Thankfully they put in a easy mode that allows you to just enjoy the story and characters while almost effortlessly walking through battles, dungeons and boss encounters.

    Graphically the game looks great and runs well with no visual slow downs that I could see. It's a perfect port to the vita. A recurring problem with most JRPGs is present in the game and that is a lack of creative enemies, you are going to encounter a lot of re-colored enemies in this game, it really lacks diversity on that front.

    As a added bonus, the game is also kind of like a slice of life teenage high schooler sim. The game places a lot of focus on meeting people, forging long lasting relationships, romance and even working part time jobs and going to school.

    There's a lot going on and the game requires you to manage your time, you can't do everything at once and when you first start playing, you'll have to decide what things you want to focus on.

    The story is somewhat engaging and it's writing is good enough that Persona 4 Golden will have you caring about the characters and relating to them. Some of the overall themes are fairly cliche and there is a lot of cringy content that revolves around character's sexuality.

    As your character grows, they will often be given dialog choices that are effected by your personality, such as courage and empathy. One would think that these dialog choices would alter the story or paths your character will walk, but the reality is, the only large differance is slightly different dialog. This part of the game is pretty underwhelming and the reality that not all options can be used your first playthrough is slightly annoying.

    The game does feature a "new game plus" mode, but unlike a lot of traditional games that offer this as a feature, almost NOTHING carries over, completely ruining the concept of new game plus. After beating the game, if done correctly, you'll have access to your ultimate persona form, but unfortunately you still cannot use it until late in the end game and requires a lot of grinding in order to make even remotely useful.

    The biggest failure of the game is the ending. You'd think that the game would be close to ending after defeating the final boss and solving the "case", but that's not true. The game will continue to drag on for in-game months, leaving you with almost nothing to do besides chasing the ending to the game. There was no good reason for adding this in and really ruins the ending after glow you'd normally get.

    Persona 4 Golden also adds in a extra character and additional dungeon, but they are both so awful, I wouldn't recommend wasting your time pursuing them in any capacity unless you have extra time to burn.    … Expand
  10. midipon
    Jan 21, 2017
    5
    Overrated waifu filth. Easy as hell with **** for payoff at the end. Terrible bosses, annoying characters, flat world, and boring school segments. Irritating fetch quests, lame dungeons, ugly graphics, and stupid story pacing. The music has okay tracks. But that's it.
  11. ambroser53
    Dec 27, 2016
    10
    Seriously one of my favorite games to ever happen upon. My love for RPGs like this stem from their ability to put meaning and feeling behind the sprites and turn-based battles they consist of. The core mechanics, when looked at from the perspective of a heartless robot, aren't anything to shout about, but it's the meaning the game puts behind everything that really gets you engaged in theSeriously one of my favorite games to ever happen upon. My love for RPGs like this stem from their ability to put meaning and feeling behind the sprites and turn-based battles they consist of. The core mechanics, when looked at from the perspective of a heartless robot, aren't anything to shout about, but it's the meaning the game puts behind everything that really gets you engaged in the world and the fantastically written characters.
    If you have a ps vita you either do or should own this, but for me it was well worth buying a vita for.    … Expand
  12. Leon_90
    Nov 29, 2016
    0
    Quite possibly the worst JRPG in the history of gaming. Old outdated gameplay, very bad graphics (you might actually go blind from the aweful design. I do not recommend at all!
  13. ghostwarmen
    Nov 21, 2016
    10
    By far and large the best JRPG I've played IMO. A fantastic game, near perfection! Fantastic story, very likable characters, and fantastic JRPG gameplay! This is an absolute MUST PLAY!
  14. HTGamer
    Nov 15, 2016
    9
    My first Persona game and I absolutely loved it. I lost my sleep for 3 weeks, thanks to the portability of the Vita and the hooking of the game, I must have played it for 100 hours on my bed.

    Persona 4 Golden is a port of the original PS2 game and it has been adapted to the PS Vita. Graphics are the same as the PS2 version, the soundtrack is amazing, the voice acting is great, and the    My first Persona game and I absolutely loved it. I lost my sleep for 3 weeks, thanks to the portability of the Vita and the hooking of the game, I must have played it for 100 hours on my bed.

    Persona 4 Golden is a port of the original PS2 game and it has been adapted to the PS Vita. Graphics are the same as the PS2 version, the soundtrack is amazing, the voice acting is great, and the story is awesome.

    As for gameplay, it's a mix of JRPG, dungeon crawler and school simulator. Half the time you are a nameless schoolboy who is making friends with various characters, while the town the game is set on is caught in a supernatural murder mystery and all together they will solve the mystery (Japan is the only place in the world where teenagers are more capable than adults, it appears :P). The other half of the game is a somewhat dull dungeon crawler (the multi level maps are atrocious and unbearable) coupled with a fantastic JRPG combat system. Enemies are great, bosses are awesome, and you also have your Personas (summons) at your disposal!

    One of the greatest games I have ever played. I am hyped for Persona 5. Enough said. Buy Persona 4 Golden and play it. Be prepared to lose your sleep :P    … Expand
  15. Iamthe1
    Nov 8, 2016
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is so bad and overrated, it's basically a JRPG Scooby-Doo. Bunch of teenagers solving murders. It's so repetitive like Pokémon, killing 10 levels of shadows and then rinse and repeat. The story is also really weird and disturbing. It gets 2 because of the voice acting and Rise… Expand
  16. Kaprawiec
    Oct 21, 2016
    7
    It's so overhyped, that I dont really know where to start. Boring dungeons, idiotic characters (this bear dude is just too much to handle), really weird story with no pointers how to acquire true ending in the game and LOTS of time consuming uninteresting things to do (I remember running through the halls of the school and reading idle chit-chat). Also those teenagers with their pubertyIt's so overhyped, that I dont really know where to start. Boring dungeons, idiotic characters (this bear dude is just too much to handle), really weird story with no pointers how to acquire true ending in the game and LOTS of time consuming uninteresting things to do (I remember running through the halls of the school and reading idle chit-chat). Also those teenagers with their puberty troubles are a pain to watch as they seem just generic. Graphics are nice, story is so-so, and it sometimes is quite funny. But nothing that spectacular to say that this is the best game on VITA really.… Expand
  17. Aridos
    Sep 21, 2016
    10
    Persona 4 Golden is the must-have game for the PsVita.

    I'm not afraid to say this was the reason I bought a PsTV. The game is a RPG, based around some old japanese town where the hero goes for a year, and from there things roll on, into mystery and adventure, I won't spoil too much. Like the rest of the Shin Megami series beforehand, the game takes RPG conventions and plays around    Persona 4 Golden is the must-have game for the PsVita.

    I'm not afraid to say this was the reason I bought a PsTV.

    The game is a RPG, based around some old japanese town where the hero goes for a year, and from there things roll on, into mystery and adventure, I won't spoil too much.

    Like the rest of the Shin Megami series beforehand, the game takes RPG conventions and plays around with them to create a fluid and fun gameplay.

    A lot of elements show great design, and newcomers will love it, while old-commers already bought it so why are they even reading this?

    The game remembers the best platform for storytelling: if you create compelling characters you can have fun with, you'll be that much more drawn to their stories, and Persona 4 Golden is all about story.

    With the player character in the front and center of it all, it's fun to get lost in personal banters and conversation with the varied characters, something that transcended the 'We'll tell you how this character develops and you'll sit there and like it' moments of Persona 3.
    Showing that the studio has come to understand that fun gameplay and engaging story is better than a good story.

    The Golden tag adds a few new Personas, scenes, interactions, etc.
    It's worth to explore everything new for those who only played Persona 4 Vanilla before, and for anyone else, just enjoy the game the way you want to.
    There's no right or wrong choice in the game, oh, except in the end.

    I don't like to say it for any game, but Persona 4 Golden stumbles near the end of the game-
    There the game will give you a warning to save, and if you lack patience, you'll want to pull out an FAQ and see the 'Right' way to reach the ending of the game.

    It shows that while Atlus has the right track of mind to let the player fail and know they did, but not tell him what he did wrong once he floped, so he can load up a save and do it over to continue anyway.

    Hopefully, this will be fixed with Persona 5, but that's another review.    … Expand
  18. Shlag
    Sep 11, 2016
    10
    Never have I played a game like this.

    The story, the music, the characters, everything, just everything verge on perfection. At first, i was hesitant buying a Vita for it (no real reason to do so really) but every tear i shed while playing this game...every tear made every penny more then worth. Epic. just epic. Be prepared to become an emotional wreck for as long as your    Never have I played a game like this.

    The story, the music, the characters, everything, just everything verge on perfection.

    At first, i was hesitant buying a Vita for it (no real reason to do so really) but every tear i shed while playing this game...every tear made every penny more then worth.

    Epic. just epic. Be prepared to become an emotional wreck for as long as your formidable adventure will last savoring this masterpiece. A-ABSOLUTELY-MUST-BUY!    … Expand
  19. drlowdon
    Sep 2, 2016
    8
    There are two distinct, but linked, elements that make up Persona 4's gameplay. Around 40% of your time will be spent traversing the randomly generated dungeons and defeating enemies in old school turn based battles, the rest of your time is spent going to school, meeting friends and generally trying to make social connections with people. The stronger the connections you make with peopleThere are two distinct, but linked, elements that make up Persona 4's gameplay. Around 40% of your time will be spent traversing the randomly generated dungeons and defeating enemies in old school turn based battles, the rest of your time is spent going to school, meeting friends and generally trying to make social connections with people. The stronger the connections you make with people the stronger your 'persona's' (creatures that help you fight the battles) can become.

    To be honest you have little, if any, say in the way conversations go when making these social connections but most of the characters stories are interesting and well written enough that you'll want to see how they pan out anyway. The same can be said of the central plot that, after a slow opening couple of hours, had me hooked right up until the final credits rolled..

    The time spent in the dungeons won't appeal to anyone that dislikes the turn based battles found in games like the older Final Fantasy titles but the variety of enemies, each with different strengths and weaknesses, and ability to constantly upgrade and adapt your abilities by creating new personas certainly kept me entertained.

    It took me a little over 65 hours to complete Persona 4 and, while it had started to become a little repetitive by the end (what game doesn't after that long?), I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and will certainly be keeping an eye out for the soon to be released sequel.    … Expand
  20. Clone_Jock
    Aug 13, 2016
    10
    With a soundtrack that will make you sing right after you get out of bed in the morning and a story that hits the "feels" real hard Persona 4 Golden is a real treat to almost anybody who plays it. (Also this is my first review).

    Gameplay - Persona 4 Golden is a single player role-playing game with a social simulation that the game refers to as "Social links". Persona 4 Golden uses    With a soundtrack that will make you sing right after you get out of bed in the morning and a story that hits the "feels" real hard Persona 4 Golden is a real treat to almost anybody who plays it. (Also this is my first review).

    Gameplay - Persona 4 Golden is a single player role-playing game with a social simulation that the game refers to as "Social links". Persona 4 Golden uses elements from traditional RPG's and blends it with the in game social links. For example say you hang out with one of your friends in game for a serious talk, after the talk your "understanding" may increase or if you complete part of a social link your powers to create personas of your friends arcana will grow and so you would be able to make more personas to help you in battle. Think of Persona 4 Goldens gameplay as two parts. One part is in the real world of inaba where you progress your S.L (Social Links), go to school, do part time jobs, etc. The other part is in the TV world (The Dungeon of Persona 4 Golden) where you battle these things known as "Shadows". The battle system in P4G is very simple to grasp onto. Actions such as Attack,skill,etc. will appear in a dialogue box in the lower bottom-left of the screen that you can navigate, and on the right side of the screen their will be character portraits that display each characters HP & SP in your party.

    Soundtrack - "Truth is elusive, its nowhere to be found ..." It's stuck in my head! This games soundtrack will no doubt be your favorite video game soundtrack. It's catchy, upbeat, and it will make you feel younger! Seriously it will! Look up the opening theme for P4G!

    Story - The main reason why you would want to buy P4G is because of the story, its a masterpiece and the S.L's are a huge part of character development in this game and they are so good! The plot is extremely intriguing, and compelling but be ready to put your thinking caps on because the story is convoluted at times. Without spoiling anything I will briefly explain hardly anything about the beginning. On April 11th, 2011, the MC arrives in a small town called inaba to live with his uncle for a year because his parents are away on a business trip. Just after the MC arrives to inaba a TV announcer is found dead hanging from an antenna ... who could do such a thing? We might need people that work in the police force of inaba like Adachi to solve this case.

    Graphics - Though this game does not have the best graphics they are good graphics nonetheless. Keep in mind that P4G is a remake of P4 on the ps2 and does not really offer much of a graphical enhancement going from PS2 to the PsVita (P4G adds a new character named Marie into the mix of P4 and a new opening theme also new events to experience with your group of friends), but when a game gets as good as P4 graphics become almost ignorable because your so focused on other things in the game. The animated cutscene's in P4G look amazing on the other hand.

    Audio - Remember back in the day when you used play on your first console? If your first console came out before 2005 do you remember hearing the audio? Do you remember how clear it was? If you said yes and remember the audio being not so clear that isnt the case for P4G, the audio is extremely clear and literally never sounds off. From the voice acting, to hearing youf footsteps in the TV world everything sounds right.

    Verdict - It is a must buy ... NOW!    … Expand
  21. Eikast
    Aug 10, 2016
    10
    So as someone who just the other week finished the game with the Golden True Ending, I think that I am very qualified in leaving a review. I won't go into spoilers but I highly recommend that you look at a guide around September and December so that you know who to max out social links (prior to end of December for Golden Ending), and in early December to get which ending you would like toSo as someone who just the other week finished the game with the Golden True Ending, I think that I am very qualified in leaving a review. I won't go into spoilers but I highly recommend that you look at a guide around September and December so that you know who to max out social links (prior to end of December for Golden Ending), and in early December to get which ending you would like to get, otherwise the game pretty much ends in December for you and you miss out in 20 or so hours of gameplay).

    This game takes a long time to beat, especially if you're going after the Golden True Ending. Take your time and enjoy the game. If you play it on normal you will need to do some light grinding to make boss fights somewhat doable (or even easy if you're high enough). This game is hands down the best game on the PS Vita. I kind of wish they released it later on the PS4 so that more people can enjoy this game. If you have ever liked any sort of JRPG game, then you will enjoy this game. Persona 4 is how you do a good JRPG.    … Expand
  22. ptonyoliver
    Aug 1, 2016
    10
    Persona 4 Golden is a near perfect game, the best game on the Vita and in the franchise. Everything it offers and does it offers and does well. Story, characters, music, gameplay, mechanics, challenge, etc. It is one of my favorite games of all time and I'm glad I could play it.
  23. 50gamechallenge
    Jul 6, 2016
    9
    What do you get when you combine a classic turn based RPG, a visual novel, and a dating simulator? Probably not what you expected. What separates Persona 4 Golden from the flood of other Japanese imports hitting the market, with their copy-and-paste mechanics, is its individuality and creative spark.

    The story follows the protagonist, Yu Narukami, as he boards a train to stay with his    What do you get when you combine a classic turn based RPG, a visual novel, and a dating simulator? Probably not what you expected. What separates Persona 4 Golden from the flood of other Japanese imports hitting the market, with their copy-and-paste mechanics, is its individuality and creative spark.

    The story follows the protagonist, Yu Narukami, as he boards a train to stay with his detective uncle Dojima and young cousin Nanako in the sleepy town of Inaba. In this time your character attends school, meets some new friends and gets tangled up in a paranormal murder case shrouded in rumors of “The Midnight Channel,” a television show that appears at midnight to show the viewer their true love. Victims begin to appear around town hanging from telephone wires and without a single lead for Detective Dojima or his partner Adachi, it's time for the investigation team of high school friends to figure out what's really going on here.

    The main focus for the player is going to be, well, personas. These allies are summoned through tarot cards and earned through a card shuffle mini game after battles or through fusion. With little more than physical attacks and items, you're going to need to collect as many as possible. Personas are comparable to Pokemon (and the parent series of Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, actually started the collectible monster genre 4 years prior to the release of Pokemon), except you only want to see them as what they are: a tool. This might strike players used to their monsters being friends that level up with you as shallow, but in P4G there are hundreds of potential personas to help you along the way. The personas complement a fluid turn-based battle system that always felt fresh and new. Combat focuses heavily on your ability to play against enemy weaknesses and keep status buffs in a healthy rotation, something that feels more like an afterthought in typical RPGs. The battle system kept me interested as I traversed through the often bland and randomly generated dungeons for an hour or more at a time, an aspect that the previous Persona 3 suffered from as well. People new to the series might lose interest in this regard, but a player that enjoys grinding and hunting for treasure will feel right at home.

    As I continued through P4G, it became apparent that personality is where it counts. The jazzy pop soundtrack, vibrant color scheme, and varied character interactions set the tone for a memorable experience. Every character from your party members to the townspeople have their own fleshed out story to tell, and Golden invites you to speak to everyone you see and grow your reputation in Inaba. The social link mechanic allows you to form personal bonds with those you meet allowing new fusions, persona abilities, equipment, and stories in a way that transforms the conventional dating sim process found in many visual novels.

    Golden is a highly polished remake of the original PS2 title. The graphics received a complete overhaul, some enemies and bosses have been altered to get rid of outdated mechanics too heavily reliant on luck, and the new voice actors come from many notable roles in the industry (seriously, Johnny Yong Bosch has been in everything.) You'll also find extra content in the television channels available at the start screen, consisting of a trivia mini game, concept art, and footage from Persona Live concerts. Maybe the most prominent of additions is Marie, a character with a cloudy past.

    Marie can be unlikable from the start of her social link, often rude and lacking in social awareness. I found myself pressing fast forward through her dialogue but the conclusion of my time with Marie and the way our interactions filled out the overall narrative left me with a feeling of regret about judging this relevant piece of the puzzle too quickly. The content exclusive to Golden along with my 100+ hours spent in Inaba left me wishing for more time with the investigation team that altered my perspective of what can at times feel like a dying genre as a JRPG fan. It's a reoccurring lesson in P4G and even in life that sometimes it's best to just see where things go.

    If you have the time to spare and a love for well-crafted storytelling, Persona 4 Golden will treat you to an experience you won't soon forget. And while there are flaws throughout, it's hard to be down when you're having such a good time with good friends.
    ________________________________________

    Rating: 9/10
    + Persona fusion/battle system
    + Plenty of style and personality
    + Social link system is a fun way to interact with characters
    - Massive time investment and bland dungeon design
    - Extra content might not appeal or stand out to new players

    Recommended for: fans of Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger, or narrative-driven story games like Life is Strange, Ace Attorney, Or Danganronpa.    … Expand
  24. chayshirin
    Jun 25, 2016
    9
    80 hours of pure, unadultered fun. Relatable characters, sweet story and side stories. Fun combat, endearing graphics and enchanting music score! Go get a Vita and play this.
  25. gq_foine
    Jun 8, 2016
    10
    The best game in the franchise! The best RPGs game in the last 9yrs!!! The story, music, characters, game development is amazing!! If you liked Persona 4 on PS2. Well this is like the remastered super elite version!!!! In my top 3 best RPGs of all time right behind Chrono Trigger and FFVI.
  26. alexaxa
    May 22, 2016
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Really good RPG! The story/intrigue is great but it's just sad that you most probably need to follow a walkthrough to see the real ending since it requires specific conversation options at one point of the game.… Expand
  27. joker7195
    May 16, 2016
    9
    i love the persona games persona 3 fes being my fav out of the all the games but persona 4 has to grow on u so fast this game is really more light compared to the other persona games i would love to play it a lot more buuuuut just like what kingdom hearts did that put the games on every consoles this being the amazing vida that i wish i could buy but can't offered unfortunately whenever iti love the persona games persona 3 fes being my fav out of the all the games but persona 4 has to grow on u so fast this game is really more light compared to the other persona games i would love to play it a lot more buuuuut just like what kingdom hearts did that put the games on every consoles this being the amazing vida that i wish i could buy but can't offered unfortunately whenever it comes to games that do this i really need to think hard will it affect the review? No it should not this game just needs a 10-10 but from me i will give a 9-10 i would love if the game could give a better way of leveling up in fes there was a option after battle to get a card that increases the amount of exp u get thats what saved me time in that game as i said i had a limited amount of time before i had to stop this game is great everyone should have a chance to play it.… Expand
  28. FinalFantasy467
    May 11, 2016
    10
    When I got the game I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I read the great reviews when it was first released and had the idea that I would like the game but wasn't expecting it to become my favorite game of all time. Love the story and characters. The events and a thing call social links adds so much depth to the characters an humor as well. By the time you are finished, youWhen I got the game I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I read the great reviews when it was first released and had the idea that I would like the game but wasn't expecting it to become my favorite game of all time. Love the story and characters. The events and a thing call social links adds so much depth to the characters an humor as well. By the time you are finished, you feel almost sad. Not because the ending is sad but because it feels like you have developed relationships with these characters and its hard to leave. Can't wait for Persona 5… Expand
  29. Ogie
    Apr 25, 2016
    10
    This game is just incredible. Amazing story, amazing gameplay, amazing music, really good graphic. What do you want more? This game is perfect or almost perfect in everything. The game is too much enjoyable, it won't let you leave for long. Even this is just english version for west, this dubbing is amazing and best I have seen in games so far. Persona 4 Golden is just... wow! For everyThis game is just incredible. Amazing story, amazing gameplay, amazing music, really good graphic. What do you want more? This game is perfect or almost perfect in everything. The game is too much enjoyable, it won't let you leave for long. Even this is just english version for west, this dubbing is amazing and best I have seen in games so far. Persona 4 Golden is just... wow! For every RPG fan this should be must and even for people who usually don't like this genre I can say this will change you opinion on RPGs! The best PS VITA game!

    GRAPHIC - 8
    GAMEPLAY - 10
    LASTING APPEAL - 10
    EXECUTION - 10

    OVERAL - 9,5    … Expand
  30. Rising94
    Apr 13, 2016
    10
    A esto si que llamo una obra maestra en los rpg. Es un juego que mantiene la línea de los combate por turnos. Buena jugabilidad, bonitos graficos, buena música y gran variedad de Personae. Es un juego perfectos para las personas que le gustan los jrpg puro y duro. Además tiene un inglés básico y entendible. Sigue así Atlus!
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Awards & Rankings

1
#1 Best PS Vita Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2012
1
#1 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
93

Universal acclaim - based on 61 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 61 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. Gamer.no
    Apr 18, 2013
    90
    Persona 4 Golden is part detective novel, part teenage simulation and part asian RPG – all being important pieces which combine to create some of the most memorable and entertaining moments I’ve ever had with a JRPG.
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  2. Pelit (Finland)
    Apr 15, 2013
    92
    Persona 4 Golden manages to make a classic JRPG even better. A definite buy for any Vita owners, and actually a good enough reason to justify the purchase of Sony's struggling handheld. [Apr 2013]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Apr 4, 2013
    80
    Persona 4 Golden is a Tardis of a game. Initially, it seems cute and friendly and it hooks you with its murder mystery and time management focus. Once you get inside, it opens up exponentially, awing you with its scope. [March 2013, p76]
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