Should I play Persona 4 Golden?

[Nacho Papi]

Alright, so I'm probably going to get some flak for how I'll phrase this entire post/question but I promise it comes from a place of good, sincere, intention.

I borrowed Persona 5 on PS4 from a friend of mine a year or two ago but never got further than the initial hour or two of the first palace (dungeon?).

Now that I have since gotten rid of my previous-gen consoles, and finding myself in an in-between limbo only possessing a laptop, I thought I could give Persona 4 Golden a try instead...

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

I feel that this might be akin to someone stating they don't like first-person games, shooters at that, set in a war-time environment, and asking whether or not they should try the latest COD.

But I feel like there wouldn't be this massive, widespread, adoration of the Persona games if there wasn't something 'for everyone' in it. Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking from someone on the outside wanting to enjoy something that's clearly not aimed for them?

 

[MavFan619]

Yes. Sorry I didn't read enough, no don't. But in general to others thinking the same without the same qualms the answer is typically yes.

 

[Deleted member 76797]

It's a fantastic game but it's not for everybody. Tons and tons of exposition.

 

[Weebos]

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

I'd say no, you would be better off with the mainline SMT games if this is how you feel. Persona 4 is a wonderful game, so it might win you over, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[AuthenticM]

The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

Persona isn't for you.

The only non-gameplay thing you might enjoy is the core narrative, which consists of a murder mystery. But it's wrapped in anime all around.

 

[Xiofire]

I'm fairly certain this would fall under the Steam 2 hour refund policy.

Buy it, play as much of the opening as you can, and refund it if it's not rubbing you the right way.

Easy.

 

[Dolce]

The reason Persona appeals to so many people is the story aspect, the school life stuff, and the slice of life aspects. If those things don't appeal to you, then I can't really see you liking the games much.

Also, just to make it clear, most of the stories in the game are not romance. They're just stories about various kinds of characters.

 

[Lant_War]

You might be interested in the SMT games if you haven't played those.

 

[Shining Star]

It sounds like you already don't want to play it, so why are you even asking?

 

[Jachaos]

It's not that expensive and really good at what it does. Like, the best JRPG out there for me, who wasn't really playing them. I did enjoy the elements you mention not interesting you though, so who knows. Also, I personally like the early game (2-3h) and setting up the plot, the characters, the world, its amazing atmosphere, but you don't have the core gameplay of freedom and everyday life until like 3-4h in, which is a bit long. Persona 5 has a much faster start at getting you there. Still, to me Persona 4 Golden is an amazing game and I think you'd ought to try it!

 

[RAWRferal]

Sounds like it's not really for you man.

 

[Orayn]

Yes, Persona 4 Golden is absolutely worth your time and everyone else's. It's a gripping mystery story with a likeable cast and fun as hell dungeon crawling. It is pretty "anime" but it has so many other wonderful qualities.

You don't need to get super deep into the relationship stuff to enjoy the game. I picked a few characters who I thought were interesting and maxed out their social links but overall didn't put a ton of effort into it beyond that.

 

[Tangeroo]

No, don't play it. There are way too many RPGs out there, and I'm sure that there are many that will satisfy what you're looking for. Persona 4 & 5 are heavy on anime tropes and if those don't interest you, you should play something that does.

 

[LinkStrikesBack]

Reading your OP it sounds like the games wouldn't be for you. It's not seriously different from P5 which you already dropped.

Almost completely out of nowhere recommendation, but have you considered trying Valkyria Chronicles 1 instead? It's a fairly lightweight game and based solely on the OP, might be more in line with your tastes. It's set on the backdrop of an alternate reality World war.

 

[dancingphlower]

If the story and setting don't appeal to you then you won't enjoy it.

 

[Ralemont]

No, you are correct that the school/relationship/day-to-day is the core of the game. If that doesn't appeal to you then there are better games out there for you.

 

[VeryBerryPunch]

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

That's the appeal of the games so you most likely wouldn't like them

Don't feel like you have to force yourself to play and like these games just because they're popular
Not every game is for everybody

 

[Mekanos]

Don't play it if the visual novel-like aspects are a turnoff, it's arguably a bigger appeal than the dungeon crawling (which was fairly primitive until Persona 5).

 

[Samaritan]

Absolutely, I think of all the modern Persona games, P4 is the most accessible for people who don't necessarily like the Japanese high school setting, or even JRPGs.

 

[paraxor]

Persona 4 has a pretty slow start, you gotta play for at-least 6-8 hours to immerse into the world and enjoy it. That said, Persona series isn't for everyone.

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

Nope, would be pretty hard to get into the game from this viewpoint.

 

[Richter1887]

SMT is similiar but more focused on gameplay and has a darker setting. I would look into that instead if you hate school and anime stuff.

 

[Croc Man]

Probably not. The first hour or two is very slow and mostly never ending dialogue so maybe watch the start of a let's play and see if the style appeals.

 

[HylianSeven]

Based on what you say, you may like it, but I think mainline SMT might be more your thing. They don't even involve a high school typically and there's no calendar or anything. They're not focused on socialization and romance, but more focused on making choices to determine the fate of the world.

Also, it sounds like Persona 1 and the Persona 2 duology might be up your alley. I'm going to link the thread I made on that subject yesterday: https://www.resetera.com/threads/i-...sona-1-and-the-2-duology-spoiler-free.335661/

I will continue to be an annoying Persona 1 & 2 stan.

 

[Kuro]

P4G has a slower start than P5 and especially P5R which improved and streamlined the dungeons. It also doesn't have as varied a cast of social links that P5 does so its mostly going to be high school stuff.

 

[Diarrhea Day-Lewis]

Don't if you don't want to but it sounds like you have an issue with anime style games, and that type of setting. While tropey games and the school setting can be so poorly done, it also can be done very well. Idk if P4G is the one but I'd recommend challenging your notions of what you're into. Sure, you might have a couple of duds but one game/show/book/film is bound to break through and then you will open yourself up to a whole new world.

some of my best gaming memories are when I tried games I previously didn't think I would like. Persona, Monster Hunter, Shadow of the Colossus, and now Demon's Souls are examples of this. So P4G or not (I liked it a lot) just take a risk with something

 

[Trejo]

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

The Persona series is not for you. I would recommend the main SMT franchise instead.

 

[Grouch Douglass]

I liked the cast better in P4 than P5. They are both very anime though so you should probably skip it. Persona is super popular now, but it has always been a niche series intended for those who love JRPG's and monster collecting/fusing.

 

[lmcfigs]

i think you'll probably not like p4g if you weren't a fan of the social stuff. why not play more of persona 5 and then see if you end up liking the formula? In general, i think p4g has better characters, but that won't make a difference if you don't like the main gameplay loop
edit: oh wait you don't have a ps4 anymore. nvm. but yeah it's not that different from persona 5

 

[Bosch]

Yes 100 times

 

[Lobster Roll]

I played P5R in March and downloaded P4G when it dropped on Steam recently, and while it does a few things better ... it's a bit of a slog. The dungeons are all samey, the enemies from dungeon to dungeon are the exact same sprites but with different names & weaknesses, there's little to do, and it's just a bit of a sleepy experience. The characters are quite wonderful, though. If you're in it for the characters and exposition alone, it's better than P5R, but it's just extremely bland after having experienced both.

 

[Asklepios]

Nope. It's too long and bloated. You can maybe play 3 other shorter and better games in the same time, that don't have casual sexism, homophobia and creepy fan service.

 

[Small Red Boy]

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

If this is the case you shouldn't. The combat is great and all that, but the story isn't anything special. What I loved is how charismatic the characters are (I really like Youske, in case you couldn't tell) and the interactions between them, not necessarly Social Links but they are also a big part of it. Moreover, it is very anime-y: the interactions, character designs, casual homophobia (even transphobia) and misogyny.
I don't really think is a game for you, at least for what I enjoyed .

 

[CrocodileGrin]

Maybe skip? A lot of the game is micromanaging your life between hanging out with friends, part time jobs, homework, extra curricular activities after school, eating, reading books, sleeping or exploring dungeons all while solving a mystery at play. If those things, character interactions or school aspect seem troublesome to you, don't play it because that's what the game is. I tried P4G about 6 or 7 years and couldn't get into it because the daily life sim aspect felt overwhelming and the dungeon stuff never clicked with me back then. Fast-forward to 2020, and I played both P4G and P5R this year from start to finish. P4G is the better game imo for its story and characters.

 

[Manmademan]

Alright, so I'm probably going to get some flak for how I'll phrase this entire post/question but I promise it comes from a place of good, sincere, intention.

I borrowed Persona 5 on PS4 from a friend of mine a year or two ago but never got further than the initial hour or two of the first palace (dungeon?).

Now that I have since gotten rid of my previous-gen consoles, and finding myself in an in-between limbo only possessing a laptop, I thought I could give Persona 4 Golden a try instead...

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

I feel that this might be akin to someone stating they don't like first-person games, shooters at that, set in a war-time environment, and asking whether or not they should try the latest COD.

But I feel like there wouldn't be this massive, widespread, adoration of the Persona games if there wasn't something 'for everyone' in it. Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking from someone on the outside wanting to enjoy something that's clearly not aimed for them?

Click to shrink...

I'd say no honestly. If you have no interest in the school or relationship aspects, and don't like anime that's most of the appeal of the game.

If you're a hardcore JRPG fan that loves the monster recruiting/combining aspect of the gameplay you may enjoy it- but in that case I'd point you to Nocturne first.

 

[deadfolk]

It's a wonderful game, imo. GOAT material for me. But it's basically a VERY anime visual novel with an RPG tacked on. Probably not for you, I would say.

 

[Kensation]

Yeah

 

[Tora]

I adored Persona 5 (Royal) but I got bored as hell after 15 hours in Golden. Different strokes and i'm a bit picky when it comes to playing older games, but the two dungeons that I played were so dull and drab; I was missing a lot of the personality of 5.

I understand that Golden is adored though, I liked the characters

 

[Reckheim]

based on what you said; you shouldn't, I don't think you would enjoy it.

 

[playXray]

I absolutely love P4, but if the school/relationship stuff isn't for you then I'd suggest you give it a pass.

 

[My Blue Heaven]

if you don't like the school/daily life stuff yeah don't bother, it basically has cultural focus and wish fulfillment about high school the same way americans have a fondness about college.

 

[BasilZero]

I always thought and enjoyed the social interactions of the characters, social links, etc

Pretty sure out of the almost 70 hours I clocked in most were doing stuff/exploring outside the dungeons.

If you don't like the setting or anime , probably not especially after playing P5

Edit: I played the PS2 ver

 

[Kneefoil]

The question is, should I? The school and relationship aspects of the game(s) don't really appeal to me and I fear that that's exactly what the core of these games are. If I barely enjoy anything 'anime' to begin with, and some of the fundamental concepts of the series aren't made for me to begin with, is there any reason to try again with P4?

Click to shrink...

Not really, no. If you enjoyed the dungeon crawling aspect, give Shin Megami Tensei games a try. If you enjoy those games, maybe give Persona another try afterwards.

 

[ItIsOkBro]

The game is like 90% school stuff, social events etc and 10% everything else.

 

[mikeys_legendary]

Full stop. Don't even bother OP. If you can't get through an hour of the most accessible Persona game to date, why would you buy its predecessor?

If you got halfway through P5 I would be more inclined to say maybe, but why do that to yourself?

The core game play loop is:

1. Investigation

2. Find the dungeon

3. Hang out with your character's friends and other townspeople and complete the dungeon.

4. If you finish the dungeon early (enough days left over) you hang out with your friends some more.

5. Investigation for the next mystery.

Most of the game falls into steps 3 and 4.

 

[kamineko]

Another vote for smt instead

 

[werezompire]

Persona is one of my favorite series, but based on the OP, you should probably pass. The main appeal of the later games is the Dark Urban Fantasy settings crossed with slice of life anime crossed with a solid dungeon crawler RPG. If the slice of life anime aspect doesn't appeal to you, you could go for the Shin Megami Tensei series or one of the other SMT spinoffs like Soul Hackers or Devil Survivor. Those tend to just be dark urban fantasy anime + dungeon crawler RPG (or in the case of Devil Survivor, Strategy/RPG).

 

[Mona]

i dunno, i didn't like P5 very much and P4 is one of my favorite games of all time

 

[Piston]

I'm like 40 hours deep into it and I am at the same point I was at with Persona 5 at that hour marker. I enjoy the game enough and appreciate most aspects of it individually... but it is getting to be a slog and I want it to end. I spent 20 hours and got to the start of August in-game and thought I was flying through it but it has taken me another 20 hours to get halfway through September now and the game is until the end of March from my understanding.

The mystery is interesting enough but I wish it had more to it and was faster paced because I only get snippets ever 5+ hours of gameplay time.

 

[Maligna]

I love it.

It was my second favorite rpg after Shenmue, and then for some reason I hated Persona 5.

 

[Heretic Kazuma]

I second the others in that Persona's main gameplay loop isn't for you. And ain't nothing wrong with that. It doesn't appeal to me either.

However, I also second those that recommend the Shin Megami Tensei series instead.