In 2008, two years into the PS3's lifespan, Atlus released the critically-acclaimed JRPG Persona 4 for PlayStation 2. Earning rave reviews from critics, Persona 4 suffered a bit from being released at a time when many gamers had already moved well beyond the PS2. The game got a second lease on life in 2012 when Persona 4 Golden was released for PlayStation Vita, but unfortunately, the Vita wasn't all that popular. Now, in the wake of Persona 5's huge success, Persona 4 Golden has the chance to reach a much wider audience, as the classic game is finally available for PC.

The PC version of Persona 4 Golden doesn't feature any major new content that wasn't found in the Vita release, but it does have some definite enhancements. The most obvious is the visuals, which look better than ever. Some backgrounds and textures haven't aged well, but the characters really pop and generally, everything looks as great as one could expect from an older game. It also features the option to choose between English and Japanese voice acting, which wasn't available in the original Persona 4 Golden release.

The upgraded visuals and the ability to choose between English and Japanese voice acting make this the most complete version of Persona 4 to-date. Since it's the Golden version of the game, it also includes the content that was added in the PS Vita release, which consists of a new character, expanded cut-scenes, extra Personas to collect, and much more.

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Persona 4 Golden on PC is the best way to experience the JRPG classic, so anyone that hasn't had a chance to play it should certainly check it out. However, these improvements are not all that significant in the grand scheme of things, and so those that have already invested significant time into the PS2 and PS Vita versions of the game may not find the PC port quite as compelling. Also, those that have already played through Persona 5 may find that there are some aspects of Persona 4 that are not as refined as its predecessor.

Persona games are notorious for starting slow, and Persona 4 Golden is admittedly one of the most egregious. It takes about two and a half to three hours before players will even get to the first dungeon. Persona 5 was a little faster-paced, so those who started with that game may find it difficult to get into Persona 4 Golden initially. However, those that stick with Persona 4 Golden will be rewarded for their efforts, as the game eventually becomes impossible to put down.

Persona 4 Golden hits its stride once players are given free rein over each day. Players can fill their days completing various activities and building their relationships, with benefits that translate to combat and actually progressing the main story. Making an effort to improve the "Social Links" between the main character and the rest of the cast will give players significant advantages in battle, and so pursuing this side content is worthwhile. However, players have a limited amount of time to work with each day, so it's necessary to plan ahead.

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Video games with time limits can be stressful for some, and that holds true for Persona 4 Golden. Without diving too deep into specifics, the basic plot is that people are disappearing into a TV dimension, and if they aren't rescued within a week, they die and a gamer over screen appears. Players have a limited time to fully explore the missing person's associated dungeon and defeating the boss at the end of it to progress the story.

It should be said that the randomly-generated dungeons make the time limit gimmick sometimes feel a little cheap. Persona 5 had a mix of handcrafted dungeons and randomly-generated ones, and so it does feel like a step backward to have only one type in Persona 4. However, since it is an older game in the series, some drawbacks like this are to be expected.

While the dungeon design may feel a little outdated to Persona 5 players, something that has aged tremendously is Persona 4's combat system. Persona 4's turn-based combat requires a lot more strategy than similar games, with players having to put thought into their actions if they want to succeed in the tougher fights. Players have to figure out the best move-types to use against each enemy so that they can knock them down, leaving them vulnerable to a second attack. They also have to decide when to spend a turn guarding to avoid taking significant damage or being knocked down themselves. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Persona 4's combat system.

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What gives Persona 4's combat real depth is the titular Personas. While it's a far cry from something like PokemonPersona 4 Golden still has a monster-catching element to it, with players sometimes receiving new Personas by defeating "shadows" in battle. These Personas can earn XP and learn new moves that may significantly change how one tackles any given battle in the game. Before too long, players will have a significant number of skills at their disposal, all of which will need to be taken into consideration when in a fight.

For some, it may actually become a little overwhelming, especially as players also have to manage multiple party members and their equipment on top of all the Personas. Luckily, Persona 4 Golden lets players assign AI to their teammates and adjust their tactics to fit their needs. Players can always take a more hands-on approach and control every action of their teammates if they so desire, and it's great that both the options are there.

Combat in Persona 4 Golden is also engaging because of just how rewarding it is. Players get the usual loot that they expect from winning JRPG battles like money and XP, but they also get the chance to participate in brief post-battle mini-games for additional bonuses. This can include things like cards that fully restore HP, XP boosts, stat increases, a map of the dungeon, and more.

Persona 4 Golden's gameplay is great, but what makes the game truly addicting is its story. Persona 4 Golden is set in the small town of Inaba, and it follows a group of high school students that gain the ability to travel to a different dimension through their television sets. The kids use this ability to save people from being killed by mysterious shadows, while also trying to solve the murders that have been going on around town. Despite how ridiculous the general premise is, the writing is sharp and the game is constantly introducing startling new story revelations to keep players hooked. Persona 4 Golden successfully blends the page-turning suspense of a mystery novel with the quirky aesthetic of a JRPG.

Carrying this story is Persona 4's tremendous cast of brilliantly-written characters that come across as genuine people. They don't talk or act like generic JRPG characters; they all have their own distinct, multilayered personalities and don't fall into any of the archetypes. Persona 4's protagonist is really the only character that doesn't feel quite as fleshed out or interesting, but that's because they are a silent proxy for the player.

Persona 4's cast and strong writing help keep the game interesting for the long haul, which is a tremendous feat considering the game can last 100 hours or more depending on how much side content players partake in. Many games struggle to justify being so long, and seem to throw tedious time-wasters at the player to artificially lengthen the experience. While it's a slow burn, there's really no wasted time in Persona 4 Golden, and it remains genuinely enthralling up to the end.

Persona 4 Golden is a massive JRPG that looks better than ever on PC. Those that have already played through the PS2 or PS Vita versions of the game may not find the HD visuals to be a good enough reason to double dip, but the game is highly recommended to new players. Anyone wanting more Persona after getting their fill of Persona 5 Royal should most definitely give Persona 4 Golden on PC a try.

Persona 4 Golden is available now for PC and PS Vita. Game Rant was provided a PC code for this review.