The new consoles have arrived and already put up record-breaking sales numbers, and I wasn't around to give two shits about either of them. I've got a new graphics card in my PC, and I'm looking forward to an alternative gaming console that I'll talk more about later. However, by passing on next gen, November was by no means a money-saving month for me. I celebrated my 19th birthday, and got some cash from my family (because it's easier than explaining to them what I want). Along with the graphics card (and some awesome free games that came with it), I went to Gamestop and picked up the new Zelda and Pokemon games for 3DS.
Unfortunately, none of this matters. I haven't played a second of either of my new Nintendo games, and my PC mostly sits collecting dust. This is because I also picked up Persona 4 Golden for my Playstation Vita. That game has consumed most of my free time and, with the semester coming to an end, has been a cataclysmic disaster for my grades.
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I didn't anticipate playing this much of the game. I've never been a very big fan of JRPGs, and didn't know a lot about it. All I know is that it's been on my radar for a while since it's on virtually every "Must-own Vita Games" list on the internet, and I needed a third game to meet the criteria of the "buy 2, get 1 free" deal, so I bought it.
My first clue should have been when an employee at Gamestop got incredibly excited for me purchasing the game when he saw me checking out. He said he put over 90 hours into it and that it's his favorite JRPG. That didn't carry much meaning to me, but I was still looking forward to it when I went home and started up.
I have never underestimated how much I would enjoy a game in my entire life.
That game is utterly fantastic. The combat is rich and deep, yet easily accessible and quick to learn, something not a lot of RPGs get right nowadays. Battles are wicked fun, and you can choose to either let your battle party attack on their own or control them yourself (I of course chose the latter). Collecting and fusing Personas is like a grown-up's version of Pokemon, and I'm always trying to level up to unlock new abilities for myself or my crew. The game is always open to hours of grinding in any of your previously conquered dungeons (which are sometimes saunas and strip clubs), which I never thought I could enjoy. The only time I think I've welcomed grinding in a game is Pokemon, but Persona gives so much more incentive. Defeated enemies drop sidequest items, gems and loot which you can sell or, better yet, take to the town blacksmith (right next to the tofu shop and the gas station, like in every small town) so he can make them into new, more powerful weapons and armor.
Outside of the great combat system, Persona is a delightful Japanese life sim. You make lots of friends at your new high school, which is significantly less terrifying and stressful than what I've heard about Japanese education. You form relationships, go on dates, and solve mysteries with the hilarious crew you've assembled. This game is loaded with fully-voiced dialogue, and has made me laugh out loud several times, which is really weird considering that I'm almost certain Persona 4 is not Portal 2.
After a couple of weeks with the game I'm already over 40 hours in, which from my research is only about halfway through the main story. Frankly, that isn't long enough. I never want Persona 4 to end. It's already one of my favorite games, and I can't put it down for the life of me.
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