Summary

• Persona 4 Golden offers more intimate and authentic relationships compared to other major RPGs.
• The game's unique scheduling system forces players to prioritize spending time with characters.
• Persona 4 fosters a sense of group dynamics among party , creating a more immersive experience.

Something has been bugging me about the relationships in major RPGs, but it took playing of Persona 4’s spin-offs to spend more time with them.

That isn’t to say Persona 4’s relationships are perfect. In fact, many of the actions taken by the game’s male leads are downright deplorable. However, despite these flaws, Persona 4’s main cast still has one of the strongest relationships in any RPG that I’ve played. This is due in large part to the more authentic feel of Persona’s relationships.

Persona 4’s Relationships Feel More Genuine Than Many Big RPGs’

Persona 4 Makes Players Spend Time Getting To Know Their Party

Many major RPGs have followed a similar formula for handling interparty relationships as far back as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic in 2003. When not on a mission, the player’s party largely hangs around in a central hub, and the player can talk to each of them individually to progress their relationship. This formula has hardly been improved upon over the years, even in games that are otherwise mechanical marvels like Baldur’s Gate 3. Persona 4 fixes many of the issues with this model.

One major way the Persona series makes its relationships feel more authentic is through the main characters’ differing schedules. Instead of being constantly available whenever the player decides they want to have a conversation with them, characters in the mainline Persona games have their own schedules. If players want to spend time with a specific character, they need to prioritize doing so when that character is available. This often means missing out on other things that one might want to do that day.

Though this mechanic initially caused me some stress, I quickly came to realize it made progressing the relationships in Persona 4 a lot more meaningful than in other RPGs. In the Mass Effect games, there were times that I wouldn’t even speak to a party member for large chunks of time. Then, I would simply run through all the dialogue I had missed with them in one big conversation. There was no difference between me dedicating time to get to know them throughout the quest, and having a single chat right before the end.

In contrast, Persona 4 forces players to dedicate entire days to hanging out with their friends. This means skipping out on a chance to level up through combat or improve their character’s social stats. This also means that developing a strong relationship feels rewarding, and not taking the time to do so has consequences.

Locking Players Out Of Relationships Over Time Makes Persona 4 More Realistic

Players Can Miss Out On Friendships By Not Prioritizing Them

Aside from limiting when players can spend time with their party , Persona 4 also has a hard limit on when players can hit certain milestones. For instance, if players don’t max out their relationship with Marie in Persona 4 Golden, they won’t be able to go on the group ski trip or complete her dungeon. Players may also miss out on a chance to fully connect with each party member if they aren’t prioritizing their friendships over other activities.

The fact that players actually have to spend time with their friends to develop strong relationships is much more realistic than those in other RPGs. I find it jarring that I can speed through an entire relationship with a Mass Effect crew member in a single conversation after largely ignoring them throughout the game. This is even more unrealistic when that crew member declares their love for Shepherd after having one or two chats.

Locking players out of specific relationships if they fail to dedicate the proper time to them is a much more realistic mechanic. Friendships and romantic relationships take time to develop and require maintenance to uphold. For as silly and unrealistic as aspects of Persona 4 can be, its relationships feel far more realistic than other RPGs due to these strict requirements for getting to know party .

Persona 4’s Emphasis On Group Dynamics Makes The Whole Party Feel Closer

Persona 4 Dedicates Time To Building A Group Dynamic Not Just Individual Relationships

Another thing that has bugged me about many RPGs’ handling of relationships is the way the NPC party interact, or more accurately, don’t interact. Sure, the Baldur’s Gate 3 crew may exchange a few words here or there while traversing the overworld, but at camp, they always head straight back to their designated spots and stand still, waiting for the player to talk to them. It often breaks my sense of immersion when a game doesn’t even try to hide the fact that I’m the only real person present.

Persona 4 gets around this in a few key ways. First, there are plenty of social events that the group attends as a whole. This allows players to see how all their party interact when not in the middle of a battle. Activities like the group watching fireworks together or going skiing in Persona 4 Golden aren’t just filler between battles, but they create a true sense of connection between the main cast as a group. This is a nice change of pace from games where it feels like most party only connect with the player.

It’s a small addition, but Persona 4 also does a good job of having party mention one another in their dialogue. Chie and Yukiko often talk about one another in their one-on-one hangouts with the player, which feels natural since they are best friends. Even Kanji mentions spending time with Rise in one of his scenes, despite the two not always getting along. This helps breathe life into the group dynamic, instead of making it feel like the other characters are just there to interact with the player.

Persona 4’s Handling Of LGBTQ+ Relationships Is Imperfect, But At Least It’s There

Kanji Tatsumi’s Storyline Tackles Major LGBTQ+ Themes

Another issue with many RPGs’ relationships is what some players refer to as “the gay button.” This is essentially the idea that, while LGBTQ+ relationships are possible in games like Mass Effect or Baldur’s Gate 3, they are also fully optional. Though these options are nice for players who want the freedom to romance whomever they wish, they also don’t allow the game to tackle any LGBTQ+ themes in a meaningful way.

Now, Persona 4 has been scrutinized for its handling of its LGBTQ+ characters, and there are certainly flaws. The framing of Naoto’s shadow self is something that is often pointed to as being particularly problematic. That said, I couldn’t help but find the game’s handling of Kanji Tatsumi to be a refreshing departure from what I’m used to in video games.

Kanji is initially attracted to Naoto when she presents as a man, which is confirmed more explicitly in Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Much of Kanji’s story involves him struggling with his sexual identity and his difficulty living up to what he perceives as proper manhood. Ultimately, Kanji comes to accept himself, telling the player, “[t]hat other me is me,” about his openly gay shadow self. Though Kanji is confirmed to also be attracted to women, this ission, coupled with his initial attraction to Naoto, makes it clear that he is attracted to people regardless of gender.

Though Kanji’s story is not immune to the occasional problematic element, I still find him to be one of the most relatable characters in any RPG that I’ve played. Sure, maybe Gale flirts relentlessly with my male Baldur’s Gate 3 character, but the game never takes the time to explore what it means to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Persona 4’s handling of Kanji, on the other hand, felt very real to my experience of learning to come to with who I’m attracted to and how meaningful ive relationships are in accepting oneself.

Source: The Conversation