The success of 2008’s Persona 4 lead Atlus to continue the adventures of the Investigation Team in a variety of spinoffs and rereleases, a trend that would continue with Persona 5. Covering a variety of genres, Persona 4 and its spinoffs give fan new ways to enjoy the game’s fantastic storytelling, characters and music.
However, with so many games and spinoffs released, fans may be wondering which Persona 4 game is the best. To determine this, let’s take a look at how critics reviewed each game, averaging their Metacritic and Internet Game Database scores to rank each one.
7. Persona 4: Dancing All Night – 77/100
Persona 4: Dancing All Night is a rhythm game where the Investigation Team dances to their heart’s content. Players must hit the corresponding buttons in time with the music. Unlike the other Persona dancing games, though, Persona 4: Dancing All Night actually continues the original’s story as the cast uncovers a mystery surrounding a missing idol group. However, instead of using their Personas, the Investigation Team must find a nonviolent way to free trapped shadows using dance to free their minds. While Dancing All Night is the lowest ranking game on the list, it received mostly positive feedback, with critics praising its unique story and use of Persona 4‘s incredible soundtrack.
6. Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth – 80/100
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth is a continuation of a Nintendo 3DS side-series that combines the casts of different Persona games. Persona 3‘s SEES and Persona 5‘s Phantom Thieves join the Investigation Team in a dungeon crawling RPG adventure heavily based on film. The Persona-users must make happy endings for each story, reminding players that the future is theirs to sculpt. The title garnered largely positive reviews thanks to its style.
5. Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth – 82.5/100
The predecessor to New Cinema Labyrinth, 2014’s Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth includes characters from P4 and P3 as they navigate another realm full of dangers. The teams must help new characters Zen and Rei recover their memories in the hopes of escaping. The game includes first-person elements to help navigate the labyrinths, and players can also use Personas to combat foes. The title was positively received by critics, who found it as rewarding as it was entertaining.
4. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax – 86/100
Persona 4 entered the fighting game world with Persona 4 Arena and continued its story in Ultimax. These games prove that Persona‘s characters are just as capable of physically fighting opponents as they are using the mystical powers of their true selves or dancing their opponents into submission. Ultimax game features a massive roster of characters from Persona 3 and 4 and tells a story in a visual novel style between fights. Both its gameplay and story received critical praise at launch.
3. Persona 4 Arena – 87/100
Thanks to the pairing of Atlus and Arc System Works, Persona 4 Arena kickstarted narrative that saw the heroes of the third and fourth installment battling with friends and foes. The fighting game broke the mold by moving away from the series’ standard RPG elements while including a narrative that encompassed its main characters. Between battles, players could experience the story through visual novel segments that were split the Investigation Team and SEES. The title was praised for its roster, gameplay and narrative and ultimately helped usher in more crossovers between the Persona characters.
2. Persona 4 – 91.5/100
Persona 4 focuses on a murder mystery that the protagonist and his friends must solve by entering into the TV World. There, they must confront their true selves, activating their Personas to combat dangerous Shadows. Outside of the dungeon crawling and turn-based battles, players will be able to raise Yu’s social skills and link with other characters. Persona 4 was a hit for the franchise, helping it reach the heights it enjoys today. However, one game exceeds it.
1. Persona 4 Golden – 93.5/100
Persona 4 Golden takes the top spot for enhancing the existing game with new social links and story elements. These greatly expand the story’s impact without jeopardizing what made the original so great to begin with. By adding a new dungeon, endings, difficulty settings, musical tracks and much more Persona 4 Golden has become the definitive way to experience this amazing game.
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