Came for the high school antics, stayed for the characters and story. This is a terrific JRPG, one that I'd place somewhere among my top 10 for sheer enjoyment. If you haven't played a Persona game before, this is the one I'd recommend to start with. Persona 5 Royal is the latest entry into the series; and while I completed both P5 and P5 Royal, Golden just hasn't been topped due to it's cast. These high school misfits are so endearing, that I couldn't help but feel the bonds they held with one another. The game's events play out much like an anime, with a pretty quick pace to the scene transitions. The social link mechanic has to be my favorite feature, much like the skits in Namco's "Tales of" series. There is just something to be felt when you uncover more of the personal lives of your teammates, and see their interactions when you break away from the main plotline for a moment. These scenes never feel drudged out, as they don't waste the player's time, other than giving additional information on story setups and character motivations. It pulled me into the town of Inaba, and had me live there within it's fully realized world.

You may have heard how some gamer's went out and bought a PS Vita for this game. I was one of those people. So much so, that I also went out and purchased the VitaTV/PlaystationTV, shortly after release; so I could play this on the big screen. This PC port looks so much sharper and runs smoother than the previous iterations of P4. While I worry the graphics may put some gamers off (as Persona 4 was originally a Playstation 2 title), there is still a lot of charm in it's visual presentation. It's so colorful and vibrant, which hides some of the darker themes that present themselves later. If you can look past the dated visuals, which still hold up (imho); you'll find yourself making some new friends and share an adventure that won't soon be forgotten.