System: PlayStation 2
ESRB Rating: M (for Mature)
Though the PlayStation 2 console system may be on its way to being officially put up on the shelves of gamers around the world, a surprising amount of pleasant gaming experiences hit the store shelves in 2008. Catching players off guard, company Atlus released their newest hit Shin Megami Tensei Persona 4 right before Christmas. Overflowing with mystery, elements of the Japanese pop culture, and aspects of a classic RPG game, Persona 4 rolls all this into one promising and unforgettable experience.
Throwing the player head first into the storyline, the beginning starts off with a drastic bang involving a small Japanese town plagued with gruesome murders. Focusing on a group of high school students, compelling moments of character reflections quickly become the dominant feature. However, experiencing the genuine game play is the reward of sitting through three to four hours of narratives. Soon, building social links and working your way through random dungeon designs will become the daily goal. While this form of playing can become repetitive, main plot points and some unique characters liven up the overall feel.
With visuals and musical compositions very similar to that of Persona 4’s predecessors, Shin Megami Tensei Persona 3 and Persons 3 FES, Persona 4 stands high on the totem pole of originality concerning the source of the dungeon exploring. Every night at midnight, the protagonists have the choice to enter what is called The Midnight Channel. Literally moving through a television set to enter the dangerous world, Atlus deserves points for originality concerning the bizarre but genius landscape. RPG elements of magic and turn based fighting are present as the characters are forced to summon a being called a Persona to their aid.
Features such as voice acting, musical compositions, and intelligent story development bring together a non-stop action packed RPG with 70+ hours of gameplay. If gamers have a lot of time to kill, Persona 4 offers an in-depth game that can easily span into more than one hundred hours of play involving the side quests and leveling up. Despite the game graphics being behind the top notch consoles, Persona 4 gives an excellent opportunity to dust off your PlayStation 2 and play into the wee hours of the morning.
Overall Score: 9 out of 10
