Persona 4! Do Not Miss Out!

I just got the game and this is by far one of the best games to sport the PS2 title. This is probably the last worthwhile title to come out on PS2. This game is amazing and it looks spectacular. Do not let this being on a last gen system fool you. The game pays all atention to detail! This comes from a guy who had a PS3. When you play Persona 4 you actually feel like your in an anime, which is by far the most amazing part about the game. It just has this amazing graphical, and musical combination that fits so well together. It's true, it's an RPG game, but an RPG like no other! This isn't final fantasy folks, this RPG is one of a kind. I'm not even in to turn based games, but the fighting style of this game is awsome! It's quick and to the point. I'm sure there's plenty of people out there saying "Persona 4.. meh it's a Ps2 game" haha jokes on you a-hole, you missed out big time. This game is off tha hook!

I never got the hype behind the whole Persona series either. Just because it has a 'darker' theme to its plot and setting than most other RPGs, doesn't make it revolutionary at all.

The rest of it is all marketing hype. Consdering the PS2 is past its twilight years, and now just hanging on. However, more people own a PS2 than any of the current gen. consoles, and considering the only RPGs coming out now for the console are from small publishers who cater to niche audiences, it's understandable I suppose.

The Persona series is a kind of a hit or miss.The series however became extremely popular with Persona 3 and 4.

Personally, the whole "tarot" thing puts me off the series. And its a bit too similar to other Anime. I'd rather they do a sequel to Nocturne.

Im glad you liked the first few minutes. Now get back to us when you are 40+ hours in. P3F got boring as hell. "An rpg like no other"??? Yeah right. Its revolutionary because you have to talk to people to improve yours powers??? Everything else about the game plays out EXACTLY like every other rpg that has ever existed. I havent played the game. Im not gonna say its crap. But I know P3 was being called the rpg of the year and getting all kinds of bullcrap hype when it was just another average boring rpg. _AbBaNdOn

First few minutes? I'm 20 hours in to the game I've been playing it non stop. Calling Persona 4 average it's laughable. You obviously don't understand the game. Your either very young, or not mature enough to appreciate the variences of Persona. Unlike every other RPG you get level up through fighting this one you actually level up through social elements, and interacting with people that's something new on the table. It was pure genius combining aspects of a social life and action adventure into an RPG. It gives the game a great sense of realism. The combat system is completely one of a kind. The way you level is one of a kind, the artistic style of the game is one of kind, the story itself is one of a kind. You need to grow up some more and experience a few more RPG's before you call this one "Exactly like every other RPG" the only similarity between this RPG and anyother one is that you use a Playstation controller.

I really think that this is a fantastic game. It's familiar to the formula that was in P3, but I find that the game paces itself much better, and the tweaks to the Social Links, combat and such make this game so incredibly addictive. It's just one of those games that you can't put it down, not to mention the amazing cast of characters that really makes this shine for me. Superb voicework and an excellent soundtrack. I think anybody remotely interested in RPGs should definitely take a look at Persona 4. One of my personal favorite games for 2008.

I found the gameplay so addicting that I had to indulge myself on other games within the Shin Megami Tensei universe. Currently playing through Nocturne and having a great time with it, too. Really need to keep an eye on more games like these.

Persona 4 is pretty awesome. I really enjoy collecting and fusing different personas, developing social links, and the battles. I like the story better in Persona 4 than I did Persona 3 as well. Although predictable at times, it's a cool murder mystery. The tarot cards are obviously not as cool as blowing your brains out with an evoker gun, but it's still fun to fight with your personas. I don't think the game is groundbreaking by any means, but it certainly is one of the better rpgs for the PS2. I'm nearing the finale, but I don't want it to end!

Persona 3 and Persona 4 are two of my favorite games, and I have Persona 2 coming to me soon along with Nocturne, Digital Devil Saga, and Devil Summoner. Still need that damned Digital Devil Saga 2 and Persona, but they are waaaaaay expensive.

First few minutes? I'm 20 hours in to the game I've been playing it non stop. Calling Persona 4 average it's laughable. You obviously don't understand the game. Your either very young, or not mature enough to appreciate the variences of Persona. Unlike every other RPG you get level up through fighting this one you actually level up through social elements, and interacting with people that's something new on the table. It was pure genius combining aspects of a social life and action adventure into an RPG. It gives the game a great sense of realism. The combat system is completely one of a kind. The way you level is one of a kind, the artistic style of the game is one of kind, the story itself is one of a kind. You need to grow up some more and experience a few more RPG's before you call this one "Exactly like every other RPG" the only similarity between this RPG and anyother one is that you use a Playstation controller.

birthofastar

"Unlike every other RPG you get level up through fighting this one you actually level up through social elements": Actually, social links don't level you up, they just give you bonus experience for persona you fuse. You yourself still level up through fighting like most RPGs. The main appeal of the social aspect is how it gives you deeper look/understanding of a larger cast of characters.

"interacting with people that's something new on the table": Seriously, you interact with people in just about every RPG out there... the only difference is in how much you interact with NPCs/PCs alike.

"The combat system is completely one of a kind.": What makes the combat seem different than most RPGs is the mixture of elemental weaknesses with the "One More" system. The "one more" system is actually common among most Shin Megami Tensei games; thus it is not "one of a kind", especially since P4 is modeled after the popular Persona 3 that came before it.

"The way you level is one of a kind...": Again, you level through fighting like other RPGs. It's very possible to go through the entire game without doing any social links; the only things you'd miss out are the fusing exp bonuses (so gaining skills for persona would just take longer) and not have access to the final persona for each arcana (which aren't all the best either; my persona on hand during the final stretches of the game consisted of NONE of the final persona).

"...the artistic style of the game is one of kind, the story itself is one of a kind": The art style is not 'one of a kind' as it's heavily influenced by it's predecessor, Persona 3. If you'd check through my blog, you'd see I own the Official Design Works for both P3 and P4. On both a technical level and artistic level, both games share a lot of assets and designs. A large number of the enemy designs are carried straight over from P3 including the 3D models. As for the story, while the whole murder mystery thing is more intimate and not as large and epic in scale as most RPGs, it does eventually degenerate into a 'save the world' plot that most RPGs have.

Let me mention again that I love Persona 4. I spent 120 hours my first playthrough (with the true ending, all social links maxed except for two, and 94% of my persona compendium complete), and I'm expecting to play a second time as soon as I finish some other games I'm playing. While I may not usually agree with Abbandon's views most of the time, I respect his opinion and know that he has played more RPGs than you may think he has. Based on your comments, I'd argue that you are the one who experience a few more RPGs before claiming Persona 4 "one of a kind". While Persona 4 is a fantastic game IMO (and one of my personal favorites of last year), it is not one of a kind considering it's heavily modeled after it's predecessor, just much more refined.

*Edited for paragraph formatting.