Console-PS2
Date Completed- 9-6-09
Genera-RPG

It takes roughly 80 hours to complete a play through of Persona 4. Usually for a Japanese RPG, this means a lot of grinding, spaced out by angsty teenagers wearing entirely to much zipper covered leather whining about pollution or some such nonsense. Persona 4 on the other hand, is 80 hours of sheer mind blowing perfection.
Defying the old RPG cliche of fantasy and or vaguely steampunk sci-fi settings, is set in modern day Japan, in the small country village of Inaba. You play a young man who has just moved in with his uncle and is attending the local high school. You quickly make a few friend, and are eventually pulled into a bizarre murder mystery involving fog and entering TV's. As wacky-tastic as a bunch of Japanese teenager fighting evil inside TV's sounds, it never feels all that unnatural or stupid. All of the main character's are interesting, likable, and real seeming people, they all seem like people you could have know in high school. Even the talking teddy bear is a sympathetic character whose more likable then every Final Fantasy VII character put together. Also, the game puts a heavy emphasis on the fact that you are a Japanese teenager. You have to go to school, study, hang out with friend, and do all the comes along with being in high school, and these parts of the game are just as fun as the dungeons or the combat. I know that an RPG mixed with a dating/life sim sounds like a horrible train wreck, but the whole game sings, thanks to a solid plot, great characters, and addictive game play. It surpasses even the superb Persona 3. One of my all time favorite games.
I could go on more about how amazing this game is, but I'll just say you should play it. This is probably the most review like write up I'm going to do, the other's will probably be more personal, Tim Rogers-esque pieces ([link]), except less pretentious, and much, much shorter. More like [link] Anyways, hope you enjoy.