Scooby Doo in Japan! Shin Megami Persona 4!

There will never be a game that pulls me in as much as Persona 3 and 4, I essentially put my life on hold while I play them. Everything else is shut out, I can deal with it later. I did do my homework and work every day, so I guess I don't shut out everything. Still, these two games rule my life to the point where I thought it was March, the day the game ends. I don't work so I'm sure that added to my confusion.

    Person 4 is similar to its predecessor, Persona 3 in many regards. Through both you follow the life of a Japanese high School student who is tasked with fighting Shadows, and saving the world.  Though let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are a few links to Persona 3, such as visiting Gekkoukan High, and the character of Chihiro Fushimia appearing to briefly and giving a speech during your visit. She even mentions Mitsuru! President Tanaka, the salesman on television appears briefly too. Igor is still in the velvet room, though is former assistant Elizabeth is replaced by Margaret, due to the former trying to rescue a "Blue haired boy." This game takes place two years after Persona 3.

The cast by hair color Kanji (blond), Yu/MC (gray), Yosuke (brown), Teddie (bear suit), Naoto (blue) Rise (Auburn) Yuikiko black , and Chie (light brown). This couldn't fit in the caption. Anyway the game begins when the MC/Yu moves to a new town due to his parent's jobs. He lives with his uncle Dojima and his daughter Nanako in a small town. After picking him up, they stop at a gas station, where Yu meets a strange man, and feels ill afterwards. Shortly after his arrival, a series of murders begins. The murder victims all appear on the midnight channel, which only appears at midnight on a rainy day. Yu and his new found friends Yosuke, Chie and Yukiko all discover they can travel to the world of the Midnight channel by entering T.Vs, and summoning their Personas to fight back with the monsters inside. They fight to help the victims on the midnight channel face their true selves or Personas, and stop them from becoming murder victims.

Look at that cast! Holy dicks!

Now who's our main cast?
Yu Narukami- The hero, he moves to a new town and discovers his power of persona. He becomes the leader of your Scooby Doo gang.
Yosuke Hanamura- The son of the manager of Junes, which put most stores in the area out of business. He's your first friend and team mate in your new town.
Chie Santonaka- A tomboy who loves steak and martial arts movies. She bears a striking resemblance to Drake Bell.

Yukiko Amagi- Her family runs the local inn where to victim of the first murder happened.
Rise Kujikawa- The jailbait of the group who use to be an idol. She handles the tactics and planning of the group. The canon waifu if you ask me.
Kanji Tatsumi- A punk looking dude who loves to sew. He's often in trouble with the police due to his appearance.
Naoto Shirogane- A reverse trap police detective who's still in high school. Oh Japan.
Teddie- An empty bear suit that grows a body! He is revealed to be a shadow.

   The game has the same basic battle system as three, with group attacks, but you can also directly command your team mates too. Another welcome change is the dungeons are separate, and not the same 200 plus floors of Tartarus. They range from an 8- bit castle to a strip club. Hot. another nice change is you can form social links will all over your team mates! I always though that was wasted potential in Persona 3. There are no reverse social links either, and you can date as many girls as you want. My lead was dating Rise, Yuikio and Chie, along with a few other girls by the time the game ended. Apparently they just don't mention those things to one another. You do have sex with one of them on Christmas Eve, or it's heavily implied anyway. Bom Chicka wow wow!

It's Mr. Garrison! M'kay

Everybody loves psp!

    The main story of the game involves rescuing people throw in the T.V., and your team rescuing them. The majority of those you save join your cause, though a few are just evil. What the main plot point of the story is who is throwing people in the Television ? when you discover that, you wonder if that man could be the killer ? Brotip: the killer is Adachi, which barely makes sense. Though in the true ending, everything is revealed to be the work of the gas station attendant on the first day. He's Izanami, the final protagonist! You face him on the day before you leave town for good. The day is saved!

Golden Version, yes, the black haired guy in Kanji.

Regular version.

Now let's compare and contrast Persona 3 and 4!
Persona 3 Pluses- Better story, better character designs, better mood, cooler MC design.
Persona 3 Minuses- Social links from out of nowhere, Tartarus, and a depressing end.
Persona 4 Pluses- easier to play, more light hearted, happier ending, better social links, awesome dungeons.
Persona 4 minuses- lamer story (Scooby Doo in Japan), the final bosses are kind of a let down.
Still, to each his own.  I prefer 3, though only slightly.

Persona 4 Golden- The PSP Vita game maybe three people played, since who owns a Vita? From what I can tell the main differences are a few social links, Chie's voice actress changed( for the worse), and the gameplay extends through January and February. There's something about scooters, and you can explore Inaba at night too!Apparently there's some band event too (thank you you tube!) The main difference is an epilogue a year and a half after the end from the PS2 version. You return to Inaba to visit, and see how everyone has changed. Here's a link since I know you're dying to see it. After lurking on youtube for a bit, there is two new events with animated cut scenes! One is your gang playing music in front of Junes, the other is a Ski trip. Awesome.

Persona 4 The Animation- It's a straight adaption of the game. They retain the voice actors from the games, in both the dubs and sub. I haven't watched it dubbed yet though. It covers the true ending from the game. It's enjoyable to any fan of the series. It's a crying shame Persona 3 didn't get a full television series adaption.

So let's talk scores!
Persona 4 PS2- 9/10
Persona 4 Golden- ??/??
Persona 4 The animation- 7/10