Atlus’s long-running JRPG franchisePersonahas become known for releasing expanded editions of the majority of its main series games. The trend started withPersona 3,which received bothPersona 3 FES,which added a playable epilogue, andPersona 3 Portable,which added a female protagonist.Persona 4 Goldenwas an even beefier new version, adding new Social Links, new events throughout the year, and a new dungeon. However, 2019 re-releasePersona 5 Royaltops its predecessors with quality of life upgrades, entirely new characters, and a playable third semester of school. For completionists,Persona 5 Royal’splay time may exceed that ofPersona 4 Goldenby approximately 20 hours.
Persona 4 GoldenandPersona 5 Royaltake place in the same universe, but are stand-alone titles, and either can be played without prior knowledge of the other. Both center around a group of high school students investigating bizarre occurrences related to the human subconscious. The characters travel into other worlds created by the hidden desires and fears of those around them and defeat enemy demons using Personas, manifestations of their own inner strength.Persona 4first released for the PlayStation 2 in 2008;Goldenfollowed for thePlayStation Vitain 2012. After multiple delays,Persona 5debuted in 2016 for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, withRoyalarriving in in 2019 for the PlayStation 4 only.
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Persona 4 Golden: 80-90 Hours
Most players report thatPersona 4 Goldentakes between 80 and 90 hours to beat. This is approximately 10-20 hours longer than the standard version ofPersona 4,which usually clocks in at around 70 hours for main story completion. The majority of the additional time is reportedly spent in the new dungeon added forGolden,although cutscene-heavy sections such as the students' new Halloween hangout and summer vacation beach trip can also add several hours onto the game.
As with other games in thePersonasub-series and broaderShin Megami Tenseiseries,Persona 4 Goldencan take longer for players who wish to complete every objective. A completionist play-through ofPersona 4 Goldencould include completing everySocial Link, successfully fusing every Persona, and beating the “Midnight Trivia Miracle Quiz” mini-game. There is also a high difficulty optional boss fight against Margaret, the game’s Velvet Room assistant. Some players have reported spending up to 100 hours completing and unlocking all content inPersona 4 Golden.
Persona 4 Golden’s Added Content
The additional content inPersona 4 Goldenprimarily centers around Marie, a mysterious new character who assists Igor and Margaret in the Velvet Room. Protagonist Yu can form a bond with Marie - the Aeon Social Link - and has the option to choose her as a romantic partner. If the player successfully completes Marie’s Social Link, they will be able to access a new dungeon called the Hollow Forest. Exploring the Hollow Forest reveals more about Marie’s true nature and why she has come to the town of Inaba. Anew epilogue forPersona 4that heavily features Marie is also unlocked after beating the Hollow Forest.
The second new Social Link added inPersona 4 Goldenis the Jester Social Link. It belongs to Tohru Adachi, a local detective and the mastermind behind the murders the protagonists are trying to solve. Unlike other characters, Adachi’s Social Link ranks up partly through choosing to spend time with him and partly through witnessing specific plot events related to the murder investigation and his capture. Players can also unlock an alternate ending, commonly known as the “Accomplice Ending,” in which Yu chooses to aid Adachi rather than reporting his crimes. This ending is fairly brief and does not add much to the game’s total playtime, but does include new cutscenes.
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Persona 5 Royal: 120 Hours Or More
Inspired by the success ofPersona 4 Golden, Persona 5 Royaladded even more brand-new content to the already lengthyPersona 5.Most gamers reportPersona 5 Royaltakesat least 100 hours to complete, with some reporting as many as 120. This is in contrast to the originalPersona 5,which generally takes between 90 and 95 hours to complete. As withGolden,a combination of new animated cutscenes and new dungeons are the primary contributors to the game’s added length.
Some completionist play-throughs ofPersona 5 Royalhave reported far longer times - with 150 hours being the average and some reports saying 175 or even as many as 200 hours. In addition to completingConfidants-Persona 5’sreworked version of Social Links - and fusing Personas, these longer times included clearing the entirety of the bonus dungeon Mementos, completing secondary objectives such as winning the fishing and batting mini-games, and unlocking awards, which allow players to decorate the Thieves' Den, a bonus gallery-style room added inRoyal.Even more objectives can be added by purchasing the Battle Bundle DLC, which unlocks challenging battles against fearsome opponents including the protagonists ofPersona 3andPersona 4.
Persona 5 Royal’s Added Content
Persona 5 Royaladds two new characters, Takuto Maruki andKasumi Yoshizawa. Kasumi is a potential love interest for protagonist Joker and, if her Faith Confidant can be completed on time, may join the Phantom Thieves as a playable character during the events of the third semester. Dr. Maruki is introduced as the school’s counselor and, fittingly, has a Confidant belonging to the Counselor Arcana. He becomes an antagonist during the events of the game’s third semester, and is ultimately the final antagonist players must face inPersona 5 Royal.The third semester includes both a new Palace for Maruki and additional floors added to the secondary dungeon Mementos.
In addition, the character ofGoro Akechiplays a much larger role inPersona 5 Royal,as he is given a full Confidant rather than one which ranks up automatically. More scenes are added between Goro and Joker, and Goro is an integral part of the events of the third semester. Each character was given a third tier Persona that could be unlocked late in the story, and characters can team up with powerful Showtime attacks. A new location, Kichijoji, is available to visit; it features a darts and billiards club, a jazz bar, a temple, and several shops. Finally, Mementos grinding is made more interesting via the addition of new character Jose, who hosts a “Stamp Rally” event in the lengthy dungeon.
Players interested in experiencing eitherPersona 4 GoldenorPersona 5 Royalwill soon be able to do so on a much larger variety of platforms. Both games will be making their way to PC,Nintendo Switch, and Xbox consoles,whilePersona 5 Royalwill also be coming to the PlayStation 5.Royalwill release for other consoles in late October, while the release dates for ports ofGoldenas well asPersona 3 Portablehave not yet been announced.Persona 5 Royalis also expected to be available via Xbox Game Pass following its port.
Persona 5 Royalis currently available for PlayStation 4 and will release on July 22, 2025 for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.Persona 4 Goldenis currently available for PC via Steam and PlayStation Vita, and will release for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S at a currently unrevealed date.
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