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. eefeef
    Aug 31, 2023
    10
    If Divinity 2 is the pinnacle of Western-style RPGs, Persona 4 is the pinnacle of JRPGs. The charming companions and sub-quests are a fantastic balance to the heavy, dark main story, keeping you entertained throughout your playthrough.
  2. GameMan2005
    Aug 22, 2023
    9
    The best PS Vita game of all time. Got me into Persona even before the series was cool.
  3. tonberry_ftw
    Jun 24, 2023
    10
    The original was already great, and they made a lot of good additions to this one.
  4. JustCallMeDaBos
    Apr 23, 2023
    10
    One of my favorite rpgs, love the story, the characters and the gameplay.

    My favorite game series, I'm just a sucker for the rpg and dating sim/VN game type.
  5. IchKc
    Mar 14, 2023
    10
    Definitely the best game of the series. Gameplay is much better than the predecessors and the cast is my favourite out of any game I've ever played. The story is phenomenal and don't even start on the soundtrack. The OST is marvelous and the best I've ever heard. It's a 10/10 no debate
  6. supermalik987
    Feb 3, 2023
    9
    First time was awesome and 6 playthrough was great . As someone who bought the Vita was hoping to get some great games from Sony. Well that didn't happen and Persona 4 Golden was must own video game and it's awesome now it's on mordon console
  7. GirinZan
    Jan 29, 2023
    10
    The original Persona 4 was my perfect game and when I played P4G, my mind was blown that my perfect game can be made even better
  8. Jdotdeedot
    Jun 30, 2022
    10
    This is the second persona game i've played and I freaking love this game. It has it's flaws but those flaws cancel out for because of how high the highs are in p4g. The chaacters are the most charming and relatable than any of the games i've played and are some of my favorite cast of characters in fiction. The small town setting is an elite setting for me in this game because it feelsThis is the second persona game i've played and I freaking love this game. It has it's flaws but those flaws cancel out for because of how high the highs are in p4g. The chaacters are the most charming and relatable than any of the games i've played and are some of my favorite cast of characters in fiction. The small town setting is an elite setting for me in this game because it feels like you really know this town because of how small it is. Which creates an excellent sense of immersion. The turn based rpg gameplay is amazing as always from atlus and the personas are badass and cool. Overall, I think this game is masterpiece and I highly recommend it.… Expand
  9. Kostas_Spirou
    Feb 15, 2022
    10
    A very heartwarming story full of suspense and mystery.
    The characters in this game connect and develop so well, their friendship is amazingly done and it's the most important thing in the entire game. The moments the characters share with each other is the core foundation of the story, and their team dynamic is what makes this game so special.
    The school trips and social events are also a    A very heartwarming story full of suspense and mystery.
    The characters in this game connect and develop so well, their friendship is amazingly done and it's the most important thing in the entire game. The moments the characters share with each other is the core foundation of the story, and their team dynamic is what makes this game so special.
    The school trips and social events are also a very big part of the game and they flesh out the characters more.

    The gameplay is pretty solid and enjoyable, it's your typical Turn Based JRPG gameplay with some very few unique elements, but the menus are a little bit clunky.
    The social simulator aspect is easily the best part of the gameplay, I absolutely love going out with people and partaking in events, doing the little side stories and interacting with the world the game has to offer.

    As for the music, it's fantastic, I honestly didn't think I would like the music of this game as much because it's not my type of music, but it fits very well, it's light-hearted and a contradiction to the game's themes, in an excellent way.

    The only problem I have with the game is the bad and lazy dungeon design, and the backtracking gets tedious after a while. Every area looks identical to each other, there are pretty much no puzzles, and the floors are randomly generated.

    Also some plot-points are kind of goofy and very sudden, which left me with some unanswered questions. That being said I think most of the story is honestly very interesting, and I love how the game delves deeper into the "murder mystery" theme, giving you choices to uncover the secrets of Inaba.

    Where the game shines is the atmosphere, at times it's surprisingly disturbing but for the most part it's very welcoming. The color palette is warm, cute and unique, making you really feel immersed into the game, spending time with the characters and participating in the story.
    It has a "family" vibe to it like no other game, and it feels like home.

    Despite the few outdated mechanics, I absolutely adore this game and it's definitely one of the best JRPGs I've ever played.

    Final Rating: "Excellent" - 9.5/10.    … Expand
  10. andikalj2
    May 11, 2022
    9
    Best JRPG game i play so far as i bought Vita specifically to play this game.
  11. Antonyy
    May 3, 2022
    10
    I love this game soo much! Persona 4 Series really has changed my life, and I feel very grateful for that.
  12. Tommey
    Mar 26, 2022
    10
    One of the greatest games of all time. Fantastic story, character, plot, music, everything about Persona 4 Golden is perfect. It indeed is golden. It was my first Persona game, and I've never looked back.
  13. Narukami
    Feb 26, 2022
    10
    Steam version is released but i still choose the vita version because of its mobility, unless you want better graphics and 60 fps bettering go with the steam version.
  14. blisslovesotome
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    What can I say, this game is perfect. Story, gameplay, atmosphere... Everything!
  15. lesiuML
    Jan 3, 2022
    8
    Awesome story and characters design! Huge game and ton of fun. There are really a lot of memorable moments that I am sure everyone will cherish!
  16. Winter88
    Dec 27, 2021
    10
    The Story is great as well as the gameplay. You just want to continue playing, to find out what is going in this town.
  17. JimPickens
    Dec 25, 2021
    8
    Persona 4 Golden is the updated rerelease of the ps2 game Persona 4, and personally, I think it suffers from many of it's additions rather than benefits from them, yet still it remains a fantastic game and with the added benefit of portability and HD graphics, I really can't recommend Golden over the originally enough, not to say the original doesn't still have merit, but for your firstPersona 4 Golden is the updated rerelease of the ps2 game Persona 4, and personally, I think it suffers from many of it's additions rather than benefits from them, yet still it remains a fantastic game and with the added benefit of portability and HD graphics, I really can't recommend Golden over the originally enough, not to say the original doesn't still have merit, but for your first time with this game, I think Golden is the way to go, but unlike P3 FES and P5 Royal, I think you really ought to go back and play the original too.

    Persona 4 tells the story of a city boy moving to the countryside to stay with his uncle and niece for the year, you can name this boy whatever you want, but canonically his name is Yu Narukami, so that's what I'll be referring to him as. Yu will meet a whole host of characters, some bright and vibrant with character and some are Yumi Ozawa, but we don't talk about her. There's the main cast, comprising of resident best friend character Yosuke Hanamura, a fellow city kid and removed gay romance option, Atlus you cowards, Chie Satonaka, spunky tomboy who isn't as obsessed with meat as the spin-off's would have you believe, Yukiko Amagi... she's fine, Kanji Tatsumi, the most relatable character I've ever met in a piece of fiction, I love him so much, Naoto Shirogane, best girl detective who people on Twitter willfully misinterpreted as transgender, Rise Kujikawa the simp, and finally Teddie, annoying mascot character. All in all it's a pretty good cast, I don't like it as much as either P3 or P5's cast, but good nonetheless. They do suffer a bit from being TOO in love with Yu. where in P3 Junpei hated Makoto for a month and you had to work to impress Yukari and Mitsuru, everybody here kinda just loves you right out the gate and never shifts opinion, you're god to them. It's especially bad with Rise, who simps harder for Yu than I simp for Naoto, which is damn hard. For the most part these are good characters, Kanji and Naoto stand out to me as having particularly great character arcs that deal a lot with personal identity and where society places you, Kanji specifically, I find his story of having traditionally feminine interests really relatable, him trying to appear more masculine on the surface as a self defense mechanism only for him to embrace those parts of him people find strange or "queer" is something I find more emotionally resonant than all 6 of these games combined, and despite Kanji's sexuality never being confirmed because in his own words "it ain't about guys or chicks, I'm just scared sh*tless of bein' rejected" My personal headcanon is that he's bisexual, but I'm just projecting at that point.

    As for the story in this game it focuses a lot around the "truth" and how far you'll go to pursue it, to the point of having a really dumb secret ending that I don't understand how you're supposed to get without the internet telling you how but there you go I guess. It also has themes of societal expectations and rebelling against that, something Persona 5 would later build upon. The games actual plot revolves around a murder mystery in a small town as you and your ragtag group of friends work together to route out the killer making friends and enemies along the wa- wait a minute... this isn't Persona 4, this is just... GRAND MATROPOLI- I mean, Diamond Is Unbreakable. Yeah people have discussed this games similarities to JoJo's Bizarre Adventure before, and given the nature of Persona's in general, it wouldn't shock me to find out Persona is inspired by JoJo, but as is, it's just a fun little coincidence.

    Golden introduces one new character in Marie, she's... fine, she has this whole tsundere thing and it's kinda rough but I like her design a lot, very cute. Her dungeon is pretty good too, if easy. The game as a whole is pretty easy actually, the easiest Neo-Persona game in my opinion, to the point I could solo Marie's dungeon no trouble whatsoever, which is a far cry from spending 2 hours fighting Nyx in P3, but I guess I'd rather this anyway. Combat is what you think it is, Turn Based combat with your standard Pokemon-like elemental attacks and weaknesses, Pokemon + Demons, a Pokemon for Doom fans. Good to see Atlus realized their mistake with P3 and gave you direct control over your party again, god knows it needed it.

    Persona 4 Golden is good, great even, not my favourite Persona but one I highly recommend, even with Golden taking away from what made Inaba a neat concept by adding a beach and a Ski Resort, I mean seriously Yosuke's whole character arc revolved around him being bored out of his skull and you add a Ski Resort? Well whatever, it's still good, and it's on Steam, so go play it.    … Expand
  18. Kostas101
    Feb 21, 2021
    10
    A very charming JRPG that tells an interesting story full of heartwarming moments & mystery. I love the characters in this game, they connect & develop so well, their friendship is amazingly done and it's the most important thing in the whole game. The school trips and the events are also a very big part of the game and they flesh out the characters more. The gameplay mechanics are prettyA very charming JRPG that tells an interesting story full of heartwarming moments & mystery. I love the characters in this game, they connect & develop so well, their friendship is amazingly done and it's the most important thing in the whole game. The school trips and the events are also a very big part of the game and they flesh out the characters more. The gameplay mechanics are pretty solid and enjoyable, although a little bit outdated for today's standards. The music is fantastic, I honestly didn't think I would like the music of this game as much because it's not my type of music, but it fits very well. The only problem I have with the game is the bad and lazy dungeon design that gets tedious after a while. Despite the very few outdated mechanics, I absolutely adore this game and it's definitely one of the best JRPGs I've ever played.… Expand
  19. RaptorX3
    Sep 12, 2021
    5
    Average story with great voice acting ruined by 90 hours of pointless grinding.
  20. kiwizzler
    Sep 12, 2021
    10
    Amazing feel-good slice of life game combined with a tense and disturbing murder mystery plot which takes place over a calendar year. The high-school characters in this game aren't inherent heroes or superstars (not even the teen idol as you will see if you play the game), but just your regular optimistic and, sometimes, naive teenagers. What they have though is big hearts and potentialAmazing feel-good slice of life game combined with a tense and disturbing murder mystery plot which takes place over a calendar year. The high-school characters in this game aren't inherent heroes or superstars (not even the teen idol as you will see if you play the game), but just your regular optimistic and, sometimes, naive teenagers. What they have though is big hearts and potential for growth, which is best seen in the social link mechanic which allows the main character to hang out his friends and other people he meets in the town. This is my favourite part of the game, getting to know other characters in the town and but also obtaining bonuses for the dungeon crawling part of the game. Of which the turn based dungeon combat is so addictive. The Jungian aspects is also very cool too. Music overall is pretty good as well.

    If there is something I didn't like it would be that the main character is infallible and perfect in the eyes of his friends. I suppose it's better than being a blank slate but it would be nice if Persona 6 had a more complex protagonist for once. Then again the fact that he is boring takes away the attention from him allows his friends and family to shine brighter as characters.    … Expand
  21. MatisseThybulle
    Jul 22, 2021
    10
    If you've got a Vita, play this game. Prior to this, the only RPG I'd played was Pokemon Leafgreen (quite fun btw). But from the very beginning, this game sucked me in. The world building, each character having their own arcs that feel meaningful, to spending time enjoying the small town of Inaba. The game simply draws you in, attaching you to the characters. And the story is amazing.If you've got a Vita, play this game. Prior to this, the only RPG I'd played was Pokemon Leafgreen (quite fun btw). But from the very beginning, this game sucked me in. The world building, each character having their own arcs that feel meaningful, to spending time enjoying the small town of Inaba. The game simply draws you in, attaching you to the characters. And the story is amazing. Twists galore. If you love RPG's, play this game! If you don't, play this game! As a last note, the soundtrack is wonderful.… Expand
  22. Gioban
    Apr 26, 2021
    10
    Persona 4 Golden is a masterpiece. Give it a shot if you never did. The beginning may be a little slow if you aren't habituated with story-based games, but it quickly turns itself into one of the best "friendship simulator" games of all time.

    The gameplay is pretty good. For me, Persona series has one of (or literally) the greatest turn-based RPG mechanic of the century. Combining    Persona 4 Golden is a masterpiece. Give it a shot if you never did. The beginning may be a little slow if you aren't habituated with story-based games, but it quickly turns itself into one of the best "friendship simulator" games of all time.

    The gameplay is pretty good. For me, Persona series has one of (or literally) the greatest turn-based RPG mechanic of the century.

    Combining the amazing story and the fabulous gameplay, Persona 4 Golden changed my life. Why don't you let it change yours as well?    … Expand
  23. RodStrokes
    Jan 15, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is magical, i mean, really magical. I just can't choose between Persona 4 Golden and Persona 5 Royal, there are absolutely no flaws whatsoever on both games, Lets start of with introducing our favourite persona protagonist, Yu "The Chad" Narukami, Yu is this silent kid who holds a big heart. Yu rarely speaks but the rest of the group makes sure to convey all his emotions on their words.
    Let's get another one out of the way, The Persona 4 Golden Soundtrack
    The soundtrack is an all time classic, an eternal timeless soundtrack that just pulls you into nostalgia and a "feel good" state. Recomended songs: Heartbeat. Heartbreak, Signs of Love, Your Affection, Snowflakes, Specialist, i could name drop the whole soundtrack :).
    The combat is not as entertaining as P5's combat but its still amazing to play, we are introduced as well to the best Velvet Room gal, Margaret.
    We are introduced as well to the second best antagonist on the persona series, only losing to Takuto Maruki, Tohru Adachi is somehow a antagonist that you can't bring yourself to hate, even if you know he is the antagonist, it just makes you wanna spend more time with him.
    And i guess thats it

    naoto is the best girl, fight me.    … Expand
  24. Ishikaze
    Dec 10, 2020
    10
    Persona 4 Golden is a game that is an integral part of my childhood. The day I got this game at the PlayStation Vita became the start of me being a fan of the Persona franchise or just JRPGs in general.

    The game offers a lot for the players to have their time worth with it's incredible narrative and a beautiful cast of characters that you will emotionally be attached to because of how    Persona 4 Golden is a game that is an integral part of my childhood. The day I got this game at the PlayStation Vita became the start of me being a fan of the Persona franchise or just JRPGs in general.

    The game offers a lot for the players to have their time worth with it's incredible narrative and a beautiful cast of characters that you will emotionally be attached to because of how well written each characters are, even the side ones. Adding with its amazing combat system that made turn-based combat into a whole another level, making people who hate the combat system become a fan of one and I was one of them. The creative and innovative bosses and dungeons all have different feeling to them and it was perfect for each scenario in the different events happening in the game. The soundtrack is absolutely amazing changing the vibes of the game because of the BGM alone, whether it be a cheerful or a sad one.

    It is no wonder that Persona 4 Golden is the only game on Playstation Vita to have a Metacritic Must Play. The game still holds up until now and I honestly can't recommend it enough.    … Expand
  25. EwokSmuggler
    Nov 10, 2020
    10
    Challenging combat and boss battles, Great Story, Gameplay is addicting, dialogue is pretty great.
  26. Apeboi
    Oct 27, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is decent, that's pretty much it. The physical game sells for a fortune so digital is probably your best option. It's good for time wasting, and has a great OST but not much else to say. It's actually worth the money if you wanna try out something new and has some good gameplay, but yeah that's it I guess… Expand
  27. lulzpls
    Sep 27, 2020
    0
    Amazing game! The story is perfect, the gameplay is gr8, and best of all, it's on Vita! It may be on LC, but the Vita version is still joy!
  28. maniaque
    Sep 16, 2020
    7
    Persona 4 get great scores but i dont understand. The game is ok but dont deserve a 9 or 10 like some give. It is fun but not perfect or near it. Graphics are very average. Gameplay is fun for some parts but alot of talking too. Too much talking for me. I prefer action games and this one need alot reading and searching. I would still recommend but this is not an awesome game. Its a goodPersona 4 get great scores but i dont understand. The game is ok but dont deserve a 9 or 10 like some give. It is fun but not perfect or near it. Graphics are very average. Gameplay is fun for some parts but alot of talking too. Too much talking for me. I prefer action games and this one need alot reading and searching. I would still recommend but this is not an awesome game. Its a good game but not more.… Expand
  29. JGar453
    Sep 10, 2020
    10
    My favorite game of all time baby! It has an intriguing premise of catching a serial killer who throws people in a TV and it has highly functional and balanced combat. More importantly than the premise, it delves into Jungian psychology examining the painful truths people wish to deny about themselves. The series signature gameplay element of social links, which pretends that you hadMy favorite game of all time baby! It has an intriguing premise of catching a serial killer who throws people in a TV and it has highly functional and balanced combat. More importantly than the premise, it delves into Jungian psychology examining the painful truths people wish to deny about themselves. The series signature gameplay element of social links, which pretends that you had friends and hung out in highschool, is best done in Persona 4 in my opinion. They contribute to the small town intimacy of Inaba and boost your combat capability. The team in this game feels very tight knit and there's not a single member of the Investigation Team I don't love. The game shows this extremely early on the second you see Chie kick Yosuke in the nuts. The music is insane, Shoji Meguro is a real one for writing Your Affection.… Expand
  30. GundamBoy
    Jun 7, 2018
    10
    What's better than Persona 4? Persona 4 Golden!

    This game are enhanced version of one of the best PS2 games, they put more content in it and fixed some problem it used to have.

    If you haven't played it, then go for it. If you played the original and haven't tried Golden, go for it too.
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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.
    Read full review
  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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