ATLUS does it again with Persona 4. It's fun, stylish, and engrossing. Any JRPG fan would do well to give it a try.
Persona 4 is set similarly to its predecessors, in modern Japan. You play as the silent protagonist (whom you name), who has just arrived in the town of Inaba where he will stay with his uncle and her daughter for the year. It only takes a matter of time however before strange incidents begin happening. People are mysteriously disappearing, only to show up days later dead. A strange fog is engulfing the town. And as if to add to the general strangeness, a rumor is spreading of a mysterious event occurring on television called the Midnight Channel that will supposedly tell your future. Our protagonist and his friends begin to investigate the murders, leading them on a path that will not only test their wills, but their relationships with each other and their very destinies themselves.
Persona 4's gameplay, like Persona 3 before it, can be split into two sections. The first is the, "dungeon crawling" section. This is where the protagonist and his friends will fight Shadows, summon their Personas, and explore the mysterious world beyond the Midnight Channel. This is staple RPG stuff. You fight enemies and bosses, find items, level up, etc. I'll go into more detail about this later.
The second is the, "normal life" section, where the protagonist will go to school, hang out with friends, and shop at stores. You know, usual teenager stuff. While seemingly pointless in a quest to save the town, this part of the game actually has a large impact on the other. One of Persona 3's most famous features, the Social Links system returns. This is the infamous dating sim aspect of the game, where you will hang out with friends and family, and depending on your chosen responses, will either become closer or more distant with you. Persona 4 emphasizes the importance of relationships and it's important to cultivate them with fellow students and people in Inaba. Social Links with certain characters can enhance their stats in battle, unlock new Personas, and even give them new abilities, such as being able to take a potentially fatal blow for you. Those that ignore the Social Links will find themselves having a very hard time succeeding.
The dungeon crawler aspect of the game is a little bit more, "normal" but just as engrossing as the, "normal life" section. Your party will explore the various levels of dungeons, ascending up stairs (or occasionally descending lower) while fighting shadows.
Battle comes off as basic, but has a few tricks up its sleeves. You fight in turn-based battles, controlling each of your party members (a welcome addition that was missing in Persona 3) using various spells and abilities. However, what makes the battles unique is the special effect of attacks that are especially effective. Along with doing extra damage, they also knock down the enemy. If you can knock down all the enemies in a battle, you get a chance to perform an, "All Out" attack, which can easily end the battle right there. However, enemies can also utilize your weaknesses to knock you down and take advantage. This encourages playing with a variety of Personas and characters to allow you to deal with all types of threats.
At the end of every dungeon is a boss, most likely accompanied by some sentimental dialogue, deep self reflection, and some sort of important message used to advance the story. While this formula may sound generic, Persona 4 pulls it off extremely well. The story is engaging, and will be sure to shock and surprise you. Unlike most games, you won't even be sure whose the true villain right until the very end. And if you don't unlock the best ending, you won't even MEET the true villain.
The characters in the game are just as good as the story, each one bringing something unique to the table with their wide range of personalities and back stories. Whether it be Yosukue's subconscious inferiority complex, or the pressure Yukiko has as inheritor of her family's in, or even Kanji's struggle to come into terms with his sexuality and outlook on life, you'll find characters you want to learn more about, understand, and fight with until the very end. In example, I personally got to know each and every member of my party, and the game's ending was so powerful, I truly and honestly felt sad that the game had ended and our adventure had come to a close. That is how powerful of a game Persona 4 is, and it benefits from that emotional bond every step of the way.
The game's music helps contribute to this, from its catchy battle theme (Reach out to the Truth) to its self reflective ballads (fittingly named I'll Face Myself), the songs bring out the themes of the game. These themes include knowing the truth and deciding whether the truth is actually something you want to know, overcoming your faults by accepting them, and knowing that something as simple as having a friend can make the difference between living life and wallowing in despair. If you're like me, you'll be thankful the game comes packaged with the game's soundtrack, for you'll definitely be constantly listening to one or two of the game's catchiest songs.
I said the game was stylish, and I meant it. While on the PS2, which is definitely showing its age in this generation, the game makes up with its well-drawn character sprites and fantastic artwork. Every dungeon has a unique theme, just like every character, every Persona, and even every enemy. What this game lacks in technical power, makes up in sheer style.
Overall, Persona 4 is an amazing game. It has everything a good RPG should have. A compelling story, believable characters, an entertaining battle system, well-implemented features, great music, and a good sense of style. Persona 4 can be considered one of the last hurrah's of the PS2's venerable RPG legacy. Every RPG fan looking for something different, yet still familiarly enjoyable would be doing themselves a favor if they decided to check out what may be ATLUS's best (and last) RPG on the PS2.