Persona 4 Golden Review

My review of Persona 4 and why it has the most impactful and relevant message in the series and why this is the most consistent Persona game:

This is the most consistent game in the series. The dungeons are good. The characters and story are good. The social links are good. The music is good. Everything is good, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights that the other two games in the trilogy reach.

Dungeons

The dungeons in this game are a mix of the randomly generated Tartarus from Persona 3 and the cleverly crafted palaces from Persona 5. The different themes for each character are good, and I like that they at least try to make them feel different by having a gimmick in each one. Unfortunately, the gimmick only lasts one floor most of the time. The one in Naoto’s dungeon is definitely the worst because backtracking is one of the most frustrating tropes in video games. The best gimmick is in Marie’s dungeon. Not only does it last the entire dungeon (it is the only one that does this) but it also changes the game in the most interesting way and really adds a layer of strategy that you don’t have elsewhere,

One of the main problems with this game is the difficulty. The first two dungeons are very difficult, but Marie’s dungeon (the only optional one) is the only one that is particularly difficult. That is something that is actually pretty common in turn-based combat because you eventually just get a bunch of overpowered moves and the enemies can’t scale, but I feel like the other Persona games (especially 5) still do a good job at this. That being said, I still like all the bosses, and the dungeon crawling is much improved over Persona 3’s Tartarus. The music in the dungeons is really good too. Heaven is probably the best track in the game.

Dungeon Ranking

1. Marie (Hollow Forest)
2. Nanako (Heaven)
3. Mitsuo (Video Game)
4. Kanji (Bathhouse)
5. Adachi (Magatsu Inaba)
6. Yukiko (Castle)
7. Rise (Strip Club)
8. Naoto (Secret Lab)

7.5/10

Social Links

Okay, so, I have only played this game once, and I never worked part time, so I didn’t even start several social links. On one hand, that means I missed a lot of content, but on the other it means that I was able to finish almost all of the other social links, so I think that was a fair trade off.

0 Investigation Team (Fool)

This one is just a standard automatic link used to progress the plot. Pretty lame.

0 Tohru Adachi (Jester)

I guess I should have known something was up by just looking at the Tarot card huh? I guess I subconsciously always kind of knew that something was up with Adachi, but he is just such a fun guy. The social link does a good job of showing how lonely he is and how aimless his life is. It really is sad how his loneliness led him to do what he did, but that’s actually a pretty accurate description of real serial killers. Most serial killers are very lonely and it messes with their mind. That was definitely the case here.

I Yosuke Hanamura (Magician)

Yosuke might be my favorite character in all of Persona. Not only is he a great best friend character, but his voice acting is fantastic. He is the funniest character in the game, and he is probably the best written. Like many of the other social links in this game, this story basically ties off a part of his character from the main story as he learns to deal with loss. Yosuke seems to really be the only character with a Persona 3 level of complexity, and it really is a shame that the others in the Investigation Team don’t follow suit.

II Yukiko Amagi (Priestess)

I like that Yukiko can be both the most serious and least serious member of the Investigation Team at the same time. She follows the trend of finishing off her arc from the main story, and it is pretty good. She is very charming and it is overall an enjoyable link.

III Margaret (Empress)

This was one of the few I didn’t change. I really just don’t care to do any of the requests. The only requests I enjoyed doing were in Persona 3, but that’s mostly because Elizabeth is a much better character. I honestly prefer the Twin Wardens as well. Margaret is just plain boring.

IV Kanji Tatsumi (Emperor)

This is a good one. First of all, Kanji is hilarious, so any time spent with him is a good time, but also I think his fitting into the overall theme of the Jungian Theory of the Shadow Self is best explored here. He resents the part of himself he doesn’t see as cool or manly, but he learns to embrace that part of himself as he learns that he can help people. Really good link.

V Ryotaro Dojima (Hierophant)

This is my favorite Social Link in the game. Dojima is a great guy, but he has so many responsibilities and emotional baggage that has to carry with no one to help him. He wants to be a good cop, but he is hung up on the death of his wife which is a lost cause at this point. Most of all though, he wants to be a good dad, but he feels like he isn’t enough. This story is so good in contrast with Nanako’s social link, and I’m so glad I did these two at the same time.

VI Rise Kujikawa (Lovers)

The message here is kind of weird. I understand that she is embracing her shadow self and realizing that performing is part of who she is and is how she can give back to the community, but something just doesn’t feel right about that. It mostly makes sense for the other main characters, but Rise feels like she is just regretting her initial decision to stay out of the grind of show biz and slow down like she really wants. Just strange mixed messaging. It almost feels like you just let her get manipulated.

VII Chie Satonaka (Chariot)

This one is the least substantial of the main cast, and that makes sense as you look at the main story. She only gets a very small moment in the spotlight at the beginning of Yukiko’s dungeon. She’s a very likeable character, and the story isn’t bad, it just doesn’t feel super necessary. She feels like she has to protect everyone, but you don’t see that much in the story. Maybe it’s because I never use her in fights.

VIII Nanako Dojima (Justice)

This is the second best social link in the game. She is maybe the most depressing character in all of persona, which is really saying something. Because of Dojima’s struggle to be there for her, and her mother’s untimely death, she doesn’t get the chance to relax and be a kid. She doesn’t get the chance to have a normal life, and she even gets caught up in the whole kidnapping plot. I’ll talk more about her character later, but this social link along with Dojima’s are the best in the series.

IX Fox (Hermit)

I don’t even think I got past the first rank on this one. I don’t care about quests, and I never will (unless Elizabeth comes back).

X Naoto Shirogane (Fortune)

This is the only member of the Investigation Team that I did not finish their social link. This is mostly a product of how frickin hard it is to unlock the first rank. From what I know, her social link doesn’t really do much for her. She is already a proven detective, and she is gotten over her whole identity thing, so the social link does really accomplish anything.

XI Kou Ichijo (Strength)

He loooooves them balls. This is the funniest social link for sure. Him and Daisuke are the realest homies in the series. The story is nice, but nothing special. It is just entertaining to hangout with these guys.

XII Naoki Konishi (Hanged Man)

This one was decent. Definitely the most “Persona 3-esque” with its drama and dealing with death, but it helps make the events of the story feel like they matter. Naoki himself isn’t the most likeable guy ever, which definitely hurts this one, but it is pretty sad, I’ll give it that.

XIII Hisano Kuroda (Death)

I didn’t do this one.

XIV Eri Minami (Temperance)

I didn’t do this one either.

XV Sayoko Uehera (Devil)

Or this one.

XVI Shu Nakajima (Tower)

Or this one.

XVII Teddy (Star)

This is another automatic social link, and it is okay. It is better than the Investigation Team for sure, but it’s much more rushed than an actually pretty good one (all things considered) with Morgana in Persona 5, who is basically that game’s version of Teddy. I’ll talk about him more as a character later, but the social link doesn’t help him all that much.

XVIII Ai Ebihara (Moon)

This one is pretty good. She is the worst, and she knows it. It’s nice to be able to help her come down to earth and realize she has her own flaws. The part where she almost throws herself off the building was pretty nuts. Overall, pretty fun.

XIX Yumi Ozawa (Sun)

This one is decent, but also pretty Persona 3-esque. Very dramatic, which I guess is fitting because you meet in drama club. She is a pretty enjoyable character on her own though, and this was a nice option if I couldn’t hangout with any of the Investigation Team.

XX Seekers of Truth (Judgement)

Yet another automatic plot device.

XX Marie (Aeon)

This one is okay. Pretty repetitive overall, and her character really doesn’t do it for me. It is still better than some of the slop in the other persona games though. What really makes this worth it is the reward of being able to do her dungeon if you get all 10 ranks. Worth it for sure.

Social Link Ranking:

1. Dojima (Hierophant)
2. Nanako (Justice)
3. Yosuke (Magician)
4. Adachi (Jester)
5. Kanji (Emperor)
6. Yukiko (Empress)
7. Kou (Strength)
8. Chie (Chariot)
9. Ai (Moon)
10. Rise (Lovers)
11. Yumi (Sun)
12. Naoki (Hanged Man)
13. Marie (Aeon)
14. Naoto (Fortune)
15. Teddy (Star)
16. Margaret (Empress)
17. Investigation Team (Fool)
18. Seekers of Truth (Judgement)
19. Fox (Hermit)

• Hisano (Death)
• Eri (Temperance)
• Sayoko (Devil)
• Shu (Tower)

This is the best set of Social Links in the series. They do a much better job with the team member ones than Persona 5 did, and the other social links are all really solid, with Dojima and Nanako having my favorite ones in the series. The only non-automatic ones I didn’t like were the side quest ones.

9.5/10

Story

The story is pretty underrated in my opinion. It is by far the most focused of any of the three games, and I think it benefits because of it. It’s a murder mystery with a lot of good twists, so of course I like it. Everything is pretty tightly written, and it doesn’t just hand you the answers. There are several points in the game where it could just end if you come to the wrong conclusion, and that really makes it seem like you have a lot of agency in the story, unlike the other two games.

The villains in this game are actually really good I thought. Mitsuo is a total creep, and definitely seemed like he would definitely do something shady. He even admits to the murder, so it seems like you have found the easy way out, but upon further investigation you find out he is just a crazy loser freak that wanted to take credit for the murders just for attention.

Namatame was a really good subversion. He kidnaps and murders a 6 year old girl who is basically your sister. Of course you have every reason to be pissed and believe he is the true culprit! This is a moment where the Investigation team really sets itself apart from the Phantom Thieves and becomes a much better group. Not everyone thinks the same thing and is on board immediately. Yosuke and Kanji want this guy dead, and you have the opportunity to deliver him the same fate as Nanako and the others that he killed. What makes this all worse is that Namamtame thinks he’s “saving” these people. He is clearly insane and would attempt to kill moe if given the chance. Naoto seems mostly indifferent towards what decision you make, but she does offer the opportunity to investigate further while the other girls are completely against you killing him, but will respect your decision because of the pain and suffering Namamtame has caused for you and Yosuke. I had to replay this part of the game THREE times before I got teh right answer. At first I killed Namamtame because I wanted revenge, then I let him live and accepted everything we thought we knew about the case as fact. Then I chose the third option. Everything may not be as it seems. Namatame had an alibi for the first murder. He thinks he’s saving people, what does that mean? Upon further investigation you realize that he was putting people into the TV because he knew the real culprit was going after them, so this would keep them safe. He didn’t realize that the TV world was dangerous. Eventually Nanako’s life is saved, and she gets back to normal, which I think is kinda cheap. Obviously I’m happy she’s alive, but it would have been just an overall more effective moment for everyone, especially you as the protagonist and Yosuke.

The part I love most about this story is when it asks you to figure out who the true culprit is. It’s just you, Yosuke, and Naoto, who are obviously the smartest and most serious characters in the group, discussing the possibilities. The game gives you literally everyone in the game as a possible suspect, and you have to decide who to accuse. Apparently, if you get it wrong three times you literally just lose. I got it right the first try, but I really had to think about it. The game doesn’t hand feed you the answer, it makes you think about any subtle clues you may have gotten. The evidence on Adachi seemed pretty good, though it is a little ridiculous that he almost immediately confirms your suspicions once you question him.

Adachi really is a good depiction of what serial killers are actually like. Him, Mitsuo, and Namamtame all. Mitsuo is a creepy loser who clearly has a twisted view of the world. Namatame has a crazy god-complex and feels morally justified because he believes he is this town’s noble savior, but Adachi is something completely different. He seems to be a smart guy. He has a good job as a detective. Dojima and Nanako clearly care about him. Even with all of this going for him, he is still lonely. He doesn’t know what it is like to have true connections with other people, so he thinks whatever he does doesn’t have any consequences. He murders because he thinks it’s a fun game. He has no one to ground him and tell him no.

All this being said, I wish the story would have just ended with you defeating Adachi and left it at that. All of the more supernatural stuff was kind of lame, even if it did answer basically any question you could have about the lore.

This game has the best message of the trilogy, that I believe is the most relevant to today. There are two main themes here. The one that is a little more in your face is not accepting the easy way out and looking at the big picture. The case seems to be solved at several points throughout the story, but there is always something more to it. If you take what you are told at face value, you can be deceived. This game was made before social media, but it definitely applies to it. So many people don’t show the full story, or give very biased information that many just take as fact. You have to look deeper and make sure you are not being deceived. The other theme is the Jungian philosophy of the shadow self. If we suppress our insecurities, not only does it eat us up inside and make us do things that we may regret, but it also affects those around us. We must come to terms with who we are and accept it. While the Investigation Team all gets this chance to come to terms with reality, Adachi does not. He lets his loneliness and failure turn him jaded and emotionless. This message has aged extremely well and is even more relevant today than it was back in 2008. So many people have a problem with identity. People are confused, and think that they need to change. The truth may not be what you want to hear, but just because it is easier to play pretend and accept the easy way out, doesn’t mean that that is the right decision. Some of society views this theme as harmful, that you should be able to make your twisted feelings a reality… but that only hurts everyone involved, especially someone who really just needs help and someone to love them. Naoto was especially troubled and insecure about her identity. She was lonely and thought that what she was doing was the only way she could be happy, but with the help of her friends she realized she needed to accept who she was. Adachi didn’t have that chance so he turned into a psychopathic murder. Obviously not everyone who is alone turns into a murder, but closing yourself off to those who care about you will only bring you harm.

10/10

Characters

Villains

I already talked about most of the villains, so I’ll make this quick.

Mitsuo Kubo

He’s a total freak, and I hate him. Pretty good villain.

Taro Namatame

Namatame was ultimately trying to do the right thing, but his huge ego developed into a crazy god complex that temporarily killed a little girl and almost killed several others. He is legitimately insane, and he should have been put in a mental institution or something. Why is he allowed to be a politician in the end!? Of all professions, that!? He still kidnapped and almost killed several CHILDREN. He should be in jail, even if he did think he was saving them from Adachi.

Tohru Adachi

Adachi is one of my favorite characters. He is a funny, loveable goofball for a majority of the game, which makes it even more sad in the end that he was so alone and so pessimistic. Very good villain and displays the themes of the game pretty well.

Investigation Team

Yosuke Hanamura

Yosuke is by far the best written character in the Investigation Team. He is essentially the main character, and he is definitely my favorite character in the game. He is this game’s best friend guy, and I think he fills that role the best. Ryuji and Junpei fill this role really well, but Yosuke feels like your equal while Ryuji and Junpei really just follow your role. Yosuke is so invested in this investigation, and actually helps the plot move forward the entire time. Unlike Junpei and Ryuji, who are the dumbest ones on the team in their games, Yosuke is the smartest member of the team until Naoto joins. He must face his insecurities of loneliness and incompetence, and he grows to be the real MVP of the group. Yosuke, more than anyone else, possibly in the entire persona series, feels like a real, complex person. He must come to terms with Saki’s death, his own personal failures, and the unfairness of life. He is the funniest character in the cast while also being the most serious. Yosuke is the best character in Persona.

Chie Satonaka

Chie seems like the most straightforward character in the cast. Like Yosuke, she doesn’t have a full dungeon to herself for her character to be focused on, but she doesn’t really get moments to shine elsewhere. I like her social link, but that’s really all she gets. She is really funny and plays well off the rest of the cast, but there is nothing specific that stands out.

Yukiko Amagi

Yukiko is in a similar situation to Chie. After her dungeon, she doesn’t get a whole lot to do, but that doesn’t mean her character is bad per se. She is charming enough, and she has a good social link, but her and Chie REALLY get sidelined so that Yosuke and Naoto can really shine. That’s a shame because I feel like there is some untapped potential here. She has the booksmarts but not really the street smarts. She could have provided a more nuanced perspective that none of the others really can, but unfortunately that’s not the case.

Kanji Tatsumi

Kanji is a good character. His insecurities are probably the most realistic in the cast, and unfortunately he plays the butt of the joke a little too often. I think it would have been nice if he had kind of evolved to become a more complex character, but he kind of falls into the reckless dumb brute archetype a little too often. He’s very entertaining, and his character arc is alright, I just wish he could have had a little bit more of an impact.

Rise Kujikawa

Rise is a fun character, and she is entertaining, but she definitely has the most confusing story arc. She leaves fame and fortune behind because show biz is so shallow. Makes sense. Her entire dungeon mocks Japanese Idol culture and treats it as if it is just glorified prostitution. Good message. That seems all well and good, but then comes her social link. She decides to go back to being an idol because there are kids out there that look up to her, and she can make a positive impact by being in the spotlight. She accepts her shadow self, and vows to be better, but I feel like it misses part of the point. Teen idol culture is not good, especially for Rise. She left because she hated being idolized just for her looks and the sex appeal. She’s really just going to go back to that? Yes, she has gotten over her insecurities, but it doesn’t change the fact that the culture is still toxic. She should have rejected that culture, but still used her platform as a former idol to inspire kids to not become a part of that immoral slop. I like the character, but I don’t like the character arc.

Naoto Shirogane

Naoto is the least likeable of the group, but she is still a good character. Her struggle with her identity gives a message that is very applicable today. Don’t separate yourself from reality. Being delusional will only hold you back from being your best self. She is also literally a detective, so she actually helps the plot move forward, something really only her and Yosuke do. Even despite her superior experience and great skill, the game still gives you the opportunity to make the ultimate decision, which I really appreciate because they easily could have let her or Yosuke suss out Adachi on their own. That is probably my favorite part of the game. The game knows that you, Yosuke, and Naoto are the smartest and the most invested in this case, so it is just you three making the decision. Persona 5 would have surely included everyone in a scene like that.

Teddy

Teddy is probably one of the most confusing characters to me. Sometimes he is the funniest one in the cast and he can be a real bro. Sometimes he is extremely annoying and I want to punt him off a building. His character development is basically like a beta version of Morgana’s and it is very rushed. He has a lot of highs, but a lot of lows. The main thing I love about him is how much he annoys Yosuke. For that reason alone he can stay on the squad.

Investigation Team Ranking:

1. Yosuke Hanamura
2. Kanji Tatsumi
3. Yukiko Amagi
4. Rise Kujikawa
5. Chie Satonaka
6. Naoto Shirogane
7. Teddy

Other Characters

Ryotaro Dojima

Dojima might be my favorite non-social link character in the series… It’s either him or Yuko. Dad characters don’t get enough of a spotlight in most media, so I’m glad he gets to represent. He shows the struggle of dealing with his personal trauma, supporting you and Nanako, and now investigating this serial murder case… and he has to do all of this without complaining or having any chance to show any weakness. He has to be an example to Nanako. He has to be an example to Adachi. He has to be an example to all of Inaba. He has all of this pressure on his shoulders, and he is a man through it all.

Nanako Dojima

Nanako is adorable. You are immediately endeared to this tragic little kid who just wants to help her dad. She has so much pent up sadness, but she has to put it aside to help take the pressure off of Dojima. When she got kidnapped, it was time to get serious. If you don’t get that dungeon finished in one trip, you must have a problem, or are just terrible at the game. After she dies, getting revenge seems like the only option. Namatame is right there, and you can kill him with no consequences. You can especially feel the rage from Yosuke who is still getting over Saki’s death that he could not prevent. Nanako does end up coming back to life if you spare Namamtame, which is kind of lame. I guess Teddy did some magical crap to make it happen, but it just feels cheap because her initial death was so devastating. Good for Dojima though because he would have really been in a tough spot had Nanako died for real.

9/10

Soundtrack and Art

As a soundtrack, the music works better than in Persona 3. It fits the themes and atmosphere better, though this is probably my least favorite to just listen to. The art direction is the most simple out of the three, but this is also by far the oldest version of a Persona game I have played, so I’m sure the art will be better in the remake. Ultimately everything works very well together, it is just less masterful than something like Persona 5.

Top 10 Music Tracks:

1. Heaven
2. Pursuing My True Self
3. Signs of Love
4. Heartbeat, Heartbreak
5. I’ll Face Myself
6. Reach Out to the Truth
7. Time to Make History
8. Shadow World
9. Specialist
10. Your Affection

9/10

Conclusion

This is the most consistent yet still most impactful Persona game. The characters, the plot, and the music are all stellar. Unfortunately, the gameplay is unbalanced and repetitive, so this game doesn’t have the replayability that something like Persona 5 has. Overall, this game is a must play, even if it’s just for its amazing story.