Discover with us the mysteries that revolve around the town of Inaba, in this review of Persona 4: Golden
In the wake of the success of the fifth chapter, which has the merit of having brought the series to new heights of popularity, Atlus has decided to re-propose to the public of enthusiasts also the two adventures that preceded it, among other things, also available on Xbox Game Pass. We have already covered the return of the third chapter, and if you missed our review on it you can find everything at this link, but now it’s time to find out together how the return of Persona 4: Golden is doing today.
Look mom I’m on TV!
Among the titles of the series that we have tried, the plot of this fourth chapter is perhaps the one that takes off first ever. As with its successor, here too we will have some really well done anime-style cutscenes, through which we will get to know our protagonist. At the beginning of the adventure we will be moving to Inaba, a country town very different from the metropolis we are used to. Here we will live with our uncle, the police inspector Ryotaro Dojima, and with our little cousin Nanako, and we will obviously have to attend the school year at the local school.
It will be right among the desks that we will make our first friendships, quickly forming a small circle of trusted friends with whom we will live our adventure. Indeed, in Inaba, shortly after our arrival, a series of strange murders and events will begin, which seem to be linked in some way to the mysterious legend of the Midnight Canal. To avoid spoilers, we prefer not to reveal anything else to you, but we can confirm that the title boasts a plot that is still very valid today, masterfully written and dotted with well-drawn characters, to whom you will soon become attached.
At midnight sharp – Review Persona 4: Golden
If you have already played the fifth chapter (or have a general smattering of the series) you will know for sure that this saga lives on two very distinct and complementary souls: on the one hand we have the life sim component while on the other the real action and its own, consisting of dungeon exploration and turn-based combat. This duality was born with the third chapter, but the fourth has undoubtedly modernized everything a lot, making the game in all respects much closer to that of today’s titles. Basically, as already mentioned in the previous paragraph of this review, in Persona 4: Golden we will find ourselves living our lives as young students in the town of Inaba. This will involve a whole series of possible activities, ranging from attending school lessons to exploring the various areas of the country more or less freely.
After a long narrative incipit, we will in fact have certain moments of freedom during the various time slots into which the days are divided. The progression of the game is in fact marked by the passing of the days on the calendar, and although (especially at the beginning) many of the events that will happen will be guided by plot needs, as the adventure continues we will acquire more freedom to choose how to spend our time. These decisions will actively impact the growth of our statistics, with effects that affect battles.
I am you and you are me – Review Persona 4: Golden
After becoming aware of the activities mentioned in the previous paragraph of this review, even in Persona 4: Golden the time will come to lead hands. When we have to explore the game dungeons, we will find ourselves colliding with the Shadows (the classic antagonists of the series who also make their return here). It will be then that we will have to exploit the power of our Personae, or manifestations of the personality of the various characters, which can be summoned in battle in the form of demonic beings. The statistics that we will increase with the daily activities, as well as the friendship bonds (called Social Links) that we will make, will allow us to strengthen these precious allies, effectively determining our approach to the clashes.
Then various mechanics return, such as the system of weaknesses of enemies and allies, through which it is possible to obtain extra attack opportunities. Despite the years, it must be said that both the battle mechanics and the life sim ones have aged quite well and are still fun and enjoyable today (although perhaps a little less immediate than the fifth chapter, which boasted, among other things , also a really well thought out over the top graphical interface). The Italian translation present in this remaster, then, represents a significant added value, given the impressive amount of texts on the screen to read to understand the plot and game mechanics.
Walking around the countryside – Review Persona 4: Golden
If the plot and game mechanics are on balance aged quite well, the same cannot be said of the technical sector. Mind you, we are facing the remaster of a title originally released in 2008 on PlayStation 2, so it is clear that miracles cannot be expected from this point of view. Yet, also given the general enjoyment preserved by the experience, perhaps a little more could have been done to rejuvenate a graphic sector that is decidedly the son of another era.
However, this is not a real insurmountable defect, as the soul of the title lies in very different aspects. Nonetheless, as we also wrote about the revival of the third chapter, if one were to highlight a weaker aspect than the others in these remasters, it would be to be found in the technical sector, whose angularities are accentuated especially if you play Persona 4: Golden on Xbox Series X connected to a modern TV, as we did in the review.
Through the screen
Our raids through the town of Inaba were a journey that really captured us from the first moments of the game. If the third title has the merit of being the first to establish the canons of the saga as we know it today, it is in fact with its successor that the classic structure has been refined, acting as a valid forerunner to the adventure of Joker and associates . Under a graphic aspect that now shows the weight of the years, a still captivating plot is hidden, capable of keeping you glued for hours and hours. If you loved the fifth chapter, our advice is therefore to give it a chance. We are sure you will not regret it.
And what do you think? Have you already played this title or are you thinking of taking advantage of this new edition to discover it for the first time? Let us know in the comments and stay tuned to TechGameWorld.com for all the news dedicated to the world of video games. To buy video games at a discounted price, we advise you to take a look at the Kinguin catalogue.
A more than welcome return.
Plus points
- The return of a much-loved JRPG classic.
- History and gameplay are able to bewitch, yesterday as today.
- Screen texts finally translated into Italian too.
Points against
- The heavy dose of dialogue and narrative scenes may not suit everyone’s taste.
- On the technical side, perhaps a little more could have been done to modernize the title.