Persona 4 Golden (Video Game Review)

Developer and publisher Atlus originally released Persona 4 for PlayStation 2, and the JRPG has since turned into one of the most loved role playing games of all-time. While the game seems unimpressive to the untrained eye, you'll quickly learn the game has plenty of great content to offer players in the form of strategic and engaging battles that utilizes a monster training mixed with classic JRPG battle schemes, plenty of mini-games and bonus objectives to complete such as finding a girlfriend or leveling your character by completing various activities during after school hours or simply enjoying a lengthy and engrossing story that has been heralded as one of the best ever. For the new release of Persona 4 Golden Atlus kept what wasn't broken by leaving most of the classic title intact and added plenty of fresh new content to the game that are all welcome additions that will help newcomers enjoy the classic tale and give veterans to the series a reason to go out and purchase a PlayStation Vita and their own copy of Persona 4 Golden.

Like any good JRPG, the storyline of Persona 4 begins innocent but soon becomes another classic tale of a group of friends battling an evil dark force; the game begins with the introduction of the game's protagonist who has moved to Inaba to attend school for a year while his parents attend a special job. You soon start making new friends, but things turn sour once dead bodies start showing up with no real explanation to how they've gotten there. You and your friends begin investigating and learn a strange television world is sucking in people where they are slaughtered by the deadly Shadow enemies lurking within. With the help of the game's friendly mascot named Teddy, you and your friends will travel between worlds battling the evil monsters all while returning to normal, everyday life where class must attended, friendships and relationships must be developed and nurtured, and most importantly, your characters must level up, gain new abilities, get new missions and buy and sell items and loot. The story of Persona 4 is a long but rewarding journey that just gets better with the additions contained in Persona 4 Golden.

Persona 4 Golden adds plenty of great new content, but the most important of all would have to be the game's improved graphics, additional cutscenes and extended dialogue and new ways to interact with the world. You'll instantly notice the improved graphics if you played the original release back on PlayStation 2, and either way, it's easy to see that Persona 4 Golden is one of the best looking handheld games around. Full of rich, vibrant colors and great character interactions and animations, the game definitely makes an impact as soon as you lay eyes on it, and the new storyline content expands what is already a 60-hour long campaign and adds great new content such as a new character named Marie and new ways to play and get to know the ladies of Persona 4 Golden. Of course, the classic Persona battle system returns as well, so there is plenty to learn in and out of combat, and you'll spend plenty of time leveling, finding, fusing and otherwise collecting the 150 monster Personas located throughout the game. You'll also want to level your own character by completing various tasks around the real world including reading books, working at part-time jobs or competing in various physical activities.

Even after you've spent weeks completing the main storyline of Persona 4 Golden, you'll still find new and interesting ways to play the game. Upon completing the game's storyline for the first time, you'll unlock New Game+ mode, and there are also various difficulty settings for the game should you require more of a challenge during your second venture through the game. The new release also packs in new online features that let you find and leave messages with other players or even seek out help from other players when you find yourself on the brink of death or in need of that extra boost deep within a dangerous dungeon. Surprisingly, this review has just scratched the surface of all there is to see and do in the world of Persona 4 Golden, but you should know the game is fantastic by now and well worth your time and money if you're a fan of role playing games. The title is old school, but packs plenty of content and a deep storyline that no other game can match. Pick up your copy of Persona 4 Golden today to experience one of the best games you'll ever play and the best PlayStation Vita title out now!

Persona 4 Golden is now available from all major retailers for the MSRP of $39.99 and can be purchased exclusively for PlayStation Vita. Persona 4 Golden is rated M by the ESRB for Alcohol Reference, Animated Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes & Violence. For more information on the game, check out the official Persona 4 Golden website.

Game Features:

Improved Graphics

Additional Cutscenes

Improved Dialogue

New Items and Activities

Nearly 100 Hours of Gameplay

Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Atlus
Available exclusively for PlayStation Vita (reviewed)
Release Date: November 20, 2012

Score: 9 out of 10