The Ultimate Persona Showdown: Why Persona 4 Golden Reigns Supreme Even after 15 Years

Persona 5 is now regarded as one of the best modern JRPGs, with high praise for its intricate storyline, diverse characters, catchy music, and more. Even in 2023, new additions and spinoffs are being released, including Persona 5 Tactica set for a November launch. Despite Persona 5's dominant position in the genre, its predecessor, Persona 4, continues to hold its own. The charming small-town mystery of Persona 4 remains popular as it approaches its fifteenth anniversary since its initial release.

Persona 4 debuted in Japan on July 10, 2008, narrating the tale of a series of bizarre murders unfolding in the small town of Inaba. With Persona 3 having been released just two years prior and the enhanced Persona 3 FES a year earlier, there were concerns about fans experiencing "Persona burnout." However, this worry proved unfounded as Persona 4 achieved exceptional sales and received outstanding reviews. It topped the charts in Japan and repeated its success when it launched in North America in December of the same year. Today, Persona 4 has an updated re-release called Persona 4 Golden, three spinoffs (Persona 4 Arena, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona 4: Dancing All Night), along with various animated adaptations, manga, and stage productions. Moreover, characters from Persona 4 make appearances in both Persona Q and Persona Q2, crossover titles with other entries in the franchise.

Persona 4 Golden's Unexpected Steam Debut

Persona 4 held the title of being the definitive Persona game for eight years and received a significant amount of attention from developer Atlus. While Arena and PQ were marketed as crossovers, the P4 characters took center stage, particularly in Arena and its sequel Ultimax. The addition of Dancing All Night to the franchise came as a surprise, introducing the central characters to a new genre of rhythm games. However, in 2016, Persona 5 finally arrived after numerous delays and quickly surpassed P4 in terms of sales and reviews.

Persona 5 went on to receive an updated re-release called Persona 5 Royal and spawned its own spinoffs, such as Strikers, Dancing In Starlight, and the upcoming Tactica. P4, on the other hand, appeared to have been diminished, with its characters only making appearances as DLC battles in Royal and a cameo in the three-way crossover Q2. Then, in 2020, Persona 4 Golden, which was previously exclusive to PlayStation, unexpectedly launched on PC via the Steam service. This release was a massive success and eventually led to a wider release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and the Nintendo Switch in 2023, a full fifteen years after the original release of Persona 4.

Despite being released on Steam a decade after Persona 4's debut and well after Persona 5, Golden proved to be a huge success. It surpassed the record previously held by Final Fantasy 15 Windows Edition and became the best-selling JRPG on Steam for several months. Within just a month of its release, the game already had over 500,000 players on the platform. Fast forward to 2021, and Persona Central reported that Golden had sold over a million copies on Steam alone. Part of its success can be attributed to its timely release during the COVID-19 lockdowns when people were seeking immersive gaming experiences. However, the game's engaging storyline, captivating setting, and intriguing central mystery also played a significant role in its triumph.

It's No "Mystery" Why Persona 4 Succeeds

Persona 4 definitely showcases the supernatural aspects that are typical of the series, as the characters embark on a journey through televisions to confront Shadows, which symbolize their own insecurities and fears. However, at its core, it presents a compelling "whodunnit" mystery. Mysterious murders of people hanging from telephone poles occur on misty mornings, with the police being clueless about the perpetrator. Taking matters into their own hands, the Investigation Team, comprised of eight determined high school students (and a enigmatic bear-like creature masquerading as one of them), takes on the task of unraveling this enigma. Eventually, the player is faced with the crucial decision of selecting the true culprit from a list of suspects and ensuring that justice prevails, even when the authorities either cannot or will not intervene.

The mystery in Persona 4 is skillfully crafted, challenging to unravel yet not insurmountable. While the gameplay heavily focuses on supernatural dungeon exploration and battling personas, it also incorporates traditional elements of mystery-solving such as gathering clues, questioning witnesses, and pursuing suspects. By allowing players to uncover the true culprit themselves, the game effectively immerses them as integral members of Persona 4's Investigation Team.

In recent years, the mystery genre has undergone a revival due to various factors including the popularity of escape rooms, games like Among Us, and movies like Knives Out and Glass Onion. Although the solution to Persona 4's main puzzle can be easily found online and is commonly known in spin-off titles like the Arena and Dancing games, it is plausible that many new players introduced to Persona 4 Golden through the 2020 and 2023 releases remained unspoiled. The appeal of a mystery game with a potential undiscovered solution during this "mystery renaissance" perfectly positioned Persona 4 Golden to experience its own literal "Golden age."

What Does This Mean For Persona 4's Future?

The ongoing success of Persona 4 Golden, despite the overwhelming popularity of Persona 5, suggests a promising future for the game. Recently, it was announced that Persona 3, the previous installment, will receive a remake for modern consoles. If this remake proves successful, it is likely that Persona 4 Golden will receive a similar treatment in the coming years. While it may be less probable, there is still a chance that Atlus may create a spinoff of Persona 4 Golden in the style of Persona 5 Strikers or a tactical game, as a grand celebration of its success. Persona 4 Golden's ability to maintain a strong presence in the gaming world is truly impressive, especially when faced with a dominant force like Persona 5. Similar to the determined Investigation Team, Persona 4 Golden is resilient and capable of holding its ground against formidable adversaries. For gamers who have not yet had the opportunity to experience Persona 4 Golden, now is the ideal moment to delve into its world.

Persona 4 Golden is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.