Review: Persona 4

[Susan Arendt]

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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[PedroSteckecilo]

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

Stupid Canadian release date delays.

 

[Nikita89]

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).

 

[Vlane]

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

 

[Vlane]

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.

 

[KarmicToast]

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

 

[Watershed]

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.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

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.

 

[ZeroMachine]

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

... I'm definitely intrigued.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

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.

 

[Keane Ng]

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

 

[LaxLuster]

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.

 

[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.

 

[Calamity]

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.

 

[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.

 

[Susan Arendt]

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.

 

[Murian]

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.

 

[Mstrswrd]

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.