Review: Persona 4

Persona 4 is an addictive and unusual RPG that should not be missed. Oh, and did we mention that it's really, really weird?

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*sigh* and I won't get a chance to play it until friday evening...

Stupid Canadian release date delays.

The way you described the game, reminds me of Psychonauts :)

each victim is in a new location, created by their own personal inner demons

But I didn't have the chance to play it (yet).

As a big fan of the Shin Megami Tensei series I got to buy this one.

Hankage:
Digital Devil Saga was fun: 'Should I kill this person or just eat them?'

Yes it was fun at times. Especially when Cielo talked. I just love that guy.

It sounds great. I looked it up on metacritic...it's for PS2? Too bad both of mine are broken :(

Square Enix have confirmed they're publishing it in Europe but I'm still gonna have to wait a while for this to come to the UK. Looks like it'll be worth it though, and I have Persona 3 FES to keep me going.

Hankage:

Vlane:

Hankage:
Digital Devil Saga was fun: 'Should I kill this person or just eat them?'

Yes it was fun at times. Especially when Cielo talked. I just love that guy.

It was a lot more fun when you learned Iron Stomach; when you first start, the game seems to pick a certain character that always gets sick when you feed.

I didn't like the first one, but DDS2 was some kinda brilliance with an awesome skill system, really cool battles, hella awesome visuals and one of the best plots I've ever seen in gaming.

With the exception of the music, it kinda sounds like a Mother/Earthbound game that's rated M...

... I'm definitely intrigued.

ZeroMachine:
With the exception of the music, it kinda sounds like a Mother/Earthbound game that's rated M...

... I'm definitely intrigued.

That almost acurately describe Persona 3 actually. Haven't played 4 yet so I can't confirm that, but it's likely true.

They are a little less overtly silly than Earthbound though. and a LOT more Jpoppy, despite the Jpop Soundtracks in Persona being exceedingly well composed and not really gratting at all.

I have the battle music stuck in my head right now.

I loved the first one more than any other JRPG released to date, missed the second entirely and then was less than thrilled with the third. While Persona 3 wasn't bad, the characters seemed a lot more 'cute' than the original and the gameplay seemed limited in exploration and repetitive in tasks. Four looks a bit more promising, but considering the massive let-down I experienced from the third, how would you compare the two?

Sorry for the boring history lesson, this question's open to anybody who's played the games.

Another great review, and only mildly spoilerific. I don't know if I'm getting this one or not. Is the music really that repetitive? I've never been able to enjoy a JRPG with bad music, I don't know why. I think it's because JRPG's tend to be all about story and atmosphere, and music is vital to both of those, particularly the latter.

Also, is Context Sensitive ever coming back? I found that column to be particularly entertaining.

Lvl 64 Klutz:
Another great review, and only mildly spoilerific. I don't know if I'm getting this one or not. Is the music really that repetitive? I've never been able to enjoy a JRPG with bad music, I don't know why. I think it's because JRPG's tend to be all about story and atmosphere, and music is vital to both of those, particularly the latter.

Also, is Context Sensitive ever coming back? I found that column to be particularly entertaining.

This isn't like any RPG music you've heard before, trust me.

My only complaint in 10 hours of game play is the fact they made the fusion puzzles from 3 into a Social Link (man I hate those so much). Other then that this improves on 3 in every way, and shouldn't be missed even if you're only vaguely interested in JRPGs.

Calamity:

Lvl 64 Klutz:
Another great review, and only mildly spoilerific. I don't know if I'm getting this one or not. Is the music really that repetitive? I've never been able to enjoy a JRPG with bad music, I don't know why. I think it's because JRPG's tend to be all about story and atmosphere, and music is vital to both of those, particularly the latter.

Also, is Context Sensitive ever coming back? I found that column to be particularly entertaining.

This isn't like any RPG music you've heard before, trust me.

My only complaint in 10 hours of game play is the fact they made the fusion puzzles from 3 into a Social Link (man I hate those so much). Other then that this improves on 3 in every way, and shouldn't be missed even if you're only vaguely interested in JRPGs.

I'm aware of that, I did play Persona 3. I did notice that the soundtrack to this game was much shorter than that of the previous title, but I didn't think much about it until reading this review. I can see it getting a little irritating.

To answer a few questions:

1. P4 is less cutesy than P3 simply because you're attempting to track down a serial killer. It's nowhere near as dark as, say, SMT: Nocturne, though.

2. The music isn't bad, it's just omnipresent. You WILL get it stuck in your head. The same song plays every time you get in a fight, and you'll get in hundreds and hundreds of fights. The other songs are less obtrusive, but that one...yeah, there's just no escaping it.

3. Yes, Context Sensitive will be coming back, just in a new form. :) Oh, and I kept the spoilers to an absolute minimum. Oh, the stuff I wanted to say.

This is listed as not going to be out in Europe until the second quarter of next year...I guess that gives me time to finish Persona 3, since I only started playing it recently.

It still doesn't seem as weird as Person3:FES (Or the original, for that matter). You fight a Jesus Demon, for Christs's sake (See what I did there? Ha... I'm so pthetic). Anyway, yeah, I'll have to get this game... later, in the summer, when I'm home, and have access to a PS2.

Speaking of this...

Has anyone else in Canada had trouble getting ahold of this? I have. So far it hasn't come in to any stores, it's "on order" but it hasn't arrived. Usually it doesn't take this long.

Lvl 64 Klutz:

I'm aware of that, I did play Persona 3. I did notice that the soundtrack to this game was much shorter than that of the previous title, but I didn't think much about it until reading this review. I can see it getting a little irritating.

I'm not that far in yet, but I like the music a lot more in P4 and am finding it less aggravating. Overall it seems more poppy and less pseudo-jazzy.

WHY DID MY PS2 HAVE TO DIE!!!!!!!

Oh and don't get me started on my explanation of Persona 3

Stop me when it gets to weird, right so your a special kid who a robot battle girl sealed the embodiment of death inside your soul so that the world would be saved, later when you are older you are transferred to a new school and placed in a special dorm where you sign a contract with the creepy kid only you can see.

Then creepy hand rape things appear at an hour that exists between each day that normal people don't notice cause they transform into coffins.
Now it's up to you and other Persona users to kill these embodiments of utter death by shooting yourself in the head with trauma to summons gods/ angels/ demons from the pits of your soul.

The only way to make these Persona stronger is to become friends with the boys (and with the exception of the online gamer girl who turns out to be your teacher, and the lolita) and boyfriend to all the girls.

Then a dog and little kid join you around the time Hippie/Revolver/Vampire Jesus arrives with a nerd and a Gothic Lolita, Then the Robot Battle Chick joins you.

In short, Wake up, Go to school, save the world.

Conclusion: Only the Mother series can reach this level of mindfuckery.

I allways loved that the reason you can't use a gun was simply that it would SUCK to make THAT mistake in battle seeing as the Evoker to use your Persona is, well a Gun, that shoots trauma, lord knows what happens when you use it on a normal person, and in the heat of battle you don't wanna pull the wrong gun when your going to shoot yourself in the head.

PedroSteckecilo:
*sigh* and I won't get a chance to play it until friday evening...

Stupid Canadian release date delays.

Be lucky you can play at all. It's only on PS3, isn't it?

OverlordSteve:

PedroSteckecilo:
*sigh* and I won't get a chance to play it until friday evening...

Stupid Canadian release date delays.

Be lucky you can play at all. It's only on PS3, isn't it?

No it's on PS2

Onmi:

No it's on PS2

Son of a- sold mine last year. *Growls*

OverlordSteve:

Onmi:

No it's on PS2

Son of a- sold mine last year. *Growls*

Well... That sucks then doesn't it.

Susan Arendt:
2. The music isn't bad, it's just omnipresent. You WILL get it stuck in your head. The same song plays every time you get in a fight, and you'll get in hundreds and hundreds of fights. The other songs are less obtrusive, but that one...yeah, there's just no escaping it.

Yes, the music. I liked it well enough to tolerate more than 100 hours of Persona 3 FES, but it drove my sister nearly to siblicide.

"Please, for God's sake just play Grand Theft Auto 4 already, ANYTHING. I'll pay you!"

OverlordSteve:

Onmi:

No it's on PS2

Son of a- sold mine last year. *Growls*

Don't new 80gb PS3s come with software-based backwards compatibility? The PS website has a compatibility list for 80gb (60gbs have near-perfect hardware BC, heh) models, and Persona 3 FES is on that list. From that I assume that Persona 4 would also fit.

unangbangkay:

Susan Arendt:
2. The music isn't bad, it's just omnipresent. You WILL get it stuck in your head. The same song plays every time you get in a fight, and you'll get in hundreds and hundreds of fights. The other songs are less obtrusive, but that one...yeah, there's just no escaping it.

Yes, the music. I liked it well enough to tolerate more than 100 hours of Persona 3 FES, but it drove my sister nearly to siblicide.

"Please, for God's sake just play Grand Theft Auto 4 already, ANYTHING. I'll pay you!"

OverlordSteve:

Onmi:

No it's on PS2

Son of a- sold mine last year. *Growls*

Don't new 80gb PS3s come with software-based backwards compatibility? The PS website has a compatibility list for 80gb (60gbs have near-perfect hardware BC, heh) models, and Persona 3 FES is on that list. From that I assume that Persona 4 would also fit.

No the removed BC with the new versions, we are waiting for them to realize that was dumb and return it. your former player base doesn't have the drive to upgrade to the PS3 if your old PS3 games don't work on it.

By the way, does anyone else think "M Rated Pokemon" is a pretty good description of the Persona system?

Lvl 64 Klutz:
By the way, does anyone else think "M Rated Pokemon" is a pretty good description of the Persona system?

Meaning the collecting of Persona's? nope I would say Digimon World 2 is closer, especially how you have to merge them to get stronger Persona.

Like Thanatos, Satan (THAT Satan) and Messiah.

This game seems like a definite 'do want' in my book but thanks to advent of what is known as college and the misery it caused me, my psyche has been battered and reformed in ways that I can't even begin to comprehend. In essence, I've become skeptical about EVERYTHING, even Persona 4. *cry*

Still, I'll buy if only to play it later when I'm not acting like such a mope.