This has been a work-filled week. Nevertheless, I found some fun through playing Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. I also enjoyed reading more A Game Of Thrones. In the process, I streamed some Persona 3 Reload on my channel this past week. After that, I headed out to see Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
Sonic 1 was a decent film, Sonic 2 was awesome and Sonic 3 was sheer joy. These folks have proven that you can have a hybrid of original story with game entry plot points. This results in a narrative that’s engaging and fun. Where Sonic X as a series failed, the Sonic films have succeeded.
As for Persona 3 Reload, the last stream before Xmas break was a doozy. The scene with Shinjiro, Ken and Takaya is still powerful. There’s a lot of hurt and it’s one that rips your heartstrings. The aftermath regarding Akihiko and Shinjiro’s brotherly bond really hit home. This takes me back to today’s subject — revisiting grief.
Although I have found healing over the years, I’m occasionally reminded of what hurt from loss is. I have lost friends, family, and pets throughout my lifetime. Moments like Shinjiro’s death really got to me. It hit hard. The conversation Shinjiro has with Ken before Takaya showed up was a crucial moment. It also reminded me of the conversation Bruce had with Dick in Batman Forever. Granted, a conversation between a late teen to a pre-teen was nothing short of touching. It further reminds the viewer and/or player that Persona 3’s theme is about the meaning of life while facing death.
You can’t live this human experience painless. It’s not a bug or glitch, it’s a feature in our program. I used to have an old shirt back in the 2010’s. It had the Latin phrase “Circumspice, memento te mortales esse”. It means, “Look around you, remember that you are mortals”. How every Social Link in this game grapples with loss of some sort is unique. Akinari is easily GOATed out of the bunch as his death is impending. His loss isn’t one that’s happened but one that is to come.
In a post-Milton era in Tampa, I reflect on my blessings and practice gratitude. Throughout the hurricane, I had power as if nothing had happened. Strangely, I had a more intense experience with Hurricane Ian. During this time, I’ve been gradually working my way through Persona 4 Golden. However, the experience has ranged from indifference at best to frustration at worst.
AI generated art fusing the style of Persona 4 Golden with Junji Ito.
The premise and story isn’t the issue. I feel like it tells a good story overall. My 1st issue is the pacing. That first arc is a drag. The 2nd is how little there is to do at the start. It continues to be minimal when you approach The Long Fog period. After experiencing the stellar Persona 5 Royal, this game feels dated. Persona 3 Reload also sets high expectations, which make this entry seem lacking.
Now the social commentary, predominantly with Kanji and Naoto, are possibly the strongest points you can have conversations about. Despite a game whose timeline is 2011-12, in 2024, the conversation can be more elaborate with everything we know today.
As far as gameplay mechanics, in retrospect, still solid. The follow-up attacks vary from single hit, multi-target to even insta-kills. The tag team attacks, depending who’s in the party, is introduced here in a way that we can truly appreciate. It would open the door to the tag team follow-ups in P5R, as well as the Showtime attacks.
I have one of the biggest gripes to this day about P4G. Some characters lack compatibility with their assigned Arcanas. Naoto doesn’t go with Fortune at all. Yosuke as Magician is surface-level at best. The Fox is a total waste of Hermit. Sayoko with Devil arcana chemistry falls off post-discussion of her scandal and gives more of a Hanged Man vibe. Ai is pitiful representing the Moon arcana. The Moon arcana would’ve served Naoki best. He is reserved, with emotions having him sink in like the very Cancer zodiac that arcana represents. The poor use of Arcana in respect to characters frustrated me to no end.
I also found myself not truly enjoying the OST the way I did with Persona 3 or 5. Time to Make History is the only song I actually like while the rest of the soundtrack, while not forgettable, lack any sense of excitement. When the OST of a game isn’t all that exciting for me, it ruins the vibe.
The themes of mystery and truth versus rumors are great. The concept of how it stares you in the face as your most suppressed self is also compelling. The execution is hindered by its harrowing slow pace. At times, you want to speed the process. There are moments where good dialogue would be best when excess points could be omitted. When narrowing down the main motives of the mystery murderer, only half of those points are worth addressing. The latter half of the estimates are very on the nose. I’ll go on to say that, like typical teenagers, the common sense isn’t there. SEES in Persona 3 seem distant, but they are in sync in their saga’s matters. Persona 5’s Phantom Thieves weaponize their trauma bonding. They save the world in defiance of the Demiurge. Persona 4’s Investigation Team are quickly close to each other like real friends. However, they remain far from the truth that stares at them.
As for other enjoyable elements of the game’s story, look no further than every member’s Persona being a Japanese deity. Then add their school’s name symbolizing 10 gods. The White Hare of Inaba by Cheryl Hamada is said to inspire Persona 4. I appreciate how Yu, our protagonist, arrives in town with Izanagi as his Persona. The final enemy is Izanagi’s sister-wife, Izanami. She’s been there the whole time, manipulating all the madness that the town of Inaba suffers. I also enjoyed a parallel in Persona 4 with an unlikely and unrelated story. It parallels Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable by Hirohiko Araki. They have the same yellow motif for its setting in a small town. Both involve a protagonist with a mighty being as its avatar of power. They both carry the element of mysterious murders, with its antagonist being around them the entire time.
Do I believe Persona 4 Golden is due for a remake like Persona 3 did? Yes! There are many holes that could be filled in retrospect. It could also make its NG+ cycle as good as P5R or P3R. Is the game bad? By no means! I just believe that, compared to its remade predecessor and its sequel, it hasn’t ages well and lacks balance. If it were me, I’d definitely rearrange some of the characters and their arcana story arcs. It would give a sense of congruence to them. In turn, it would enhance the meta aspect of the story. The lore would weave together more seamlessly. Even with a NG+ cycle, maxing out every Social Link in one playthrough is nearly impossible. I also find that it’s very challenging. That’s an issue P3 and P5 don’t have.
I hope you guys all enjoyed this review of my experience with the game. Eventually, my NG+ playthrough will be complete with a playlist, timestamps included, to facilitate the experience.
