Persona 5 vs Persona 4 Golden
The short answer
Persona 5 Royal is the better game to start with — it is the most polished, best-looking entry and its combat and calendar systems are the series at full strength. Persona 4 Golden has the warmer cast and the better murder mystery, and it is much shorter.
What they have in common
Same structure: a school year, a calendar, social links by day and dungeon crawling by night.
Pick Persona 5 Royal for the presentation and the systems.
The UI alone is worth seeing, the Tokyo setting gives it far more to do, and Royal's third semester is a real addition rather than a bonus. It is a hundred hours.
Pick Persona 4 Golden for the cast and the length.
A small town, a small group, and a mystery that ties the social links to the plot better than any other entry. Around seventy hours and it runs on anything.
Frequently asked questions
Should I play Persona 5 or Persona 4 Golden?
Persona 5 Royal is the better game to start with — it is the most polished, best-looking entry and its combat and calendar systems are the series at full strength. Persona 4 Golden has the warmer cast and the better murder mystery, and it is much shorter.
What do Persona 5 and Persona 4 Golden have in common?
Same structure: a school year, a calendar, social links by day and dungeon crawling by night.
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Buy This Game
* Affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
More head-to-heads are on the comparisons page.
