The news of a possible Persona 4 remake has received mixed reactions from fans. Most fans will agree that the fourth game is a highlight of this franchise, arguably making it more popular than ever, but a remake doesn’t feel needed.
What makes this even more disappointing is that I will buy that remake when it comes out. I say this as someone who has already beaten Persona 4 Golden on the PS Vita and Nintendo Switch.
After Persona 3 Reload was beloved by fans and critics alike, a remake for the fourth game felt inevitable. Because the fourth game uses many of the same enemies as its predecessor, some heavy lifting has already been done. Reload’s engine is also there to make the beloved cast from P4 look even better, so the evidence suggests this has to happen.
Even with all that, a solid argument can be made that Persona 4 doesn’t deserve a remake. For one thing, Persona 4 Golden is available on every modern system right now, so anyone can enjoy this seminal JRPG whenever they want. The re-release also runs at 60 FPS for all systems, including Nintendo Switch, so the game looks great and performs well.
Fans will go to bat for the original Persona 3, but that game feels pretty dated in hindsight. Your lead character could only date women and not befriend them, which feels sexist. The battle system also had your party members controlling their actions, which could be infuriating. The release of Persona 3 Portable finally let players control their teammates, but the PSP version is missing anime cutscenes and the post-game epilogue.
Golden doesn’t feel dated gameplay-wise, as the Persona battle system is just as addictive in that version. That balance between dungeon crawling and social elements feels as good now as it did on the Vita or PS2. Even if the game’s graphics look a bit dated, there is a charm that helps it stand out and keeps its appeal for modern players.
click to enlargeWriting-wise, there are probably things the Persona 4 remake could improve upon. There are a lot of pervy and fat-shaming jokes that didn’t age well, so an argument can be made that this remake could fix those things. Another argument could be made that Persona 4 was a product of its time, and those elements should be kept as a reminder of how much we’ve grown since then.
If we get a remake, we’ll probably get a whole new English dub for the game, which is pretty sad. The Persona 4 cast is pretty stacked, with Yuri Lowenthal, Laura Bailey, Troy Baker, and Johnny Young Bosch as some of the big names in this game. P3 Reload gave the old voice actors new roles to play so that this remake could do the same.
Despite all of these concerns, I will buy this Persona 4 remake when it comes out. Atlus is good at making JRPGs, and we’re sure this remake will be spectacular. Those musical remixes alone are going to make this purchase worth it.