How Long Does It Take To Beat Persona 4 Golden?

It's been over a decade since "Persona 4 Golden" first hit the gaming scene, but buzz surrounding the game is just as active as ever. An enhanced version of the original "Persona 4" from the PlayStation 2, "Persona 4 Golden" has carved out a legacy as one of the most critically-beloved JRPGs of all time, winning fans over with its intriguing murder mystery premise, charming characters, and classic "Shin Megami Tensei"-style turn-based gameplay. In many ways, the game doesn't show its age either, as it features many of the trademark style and gameplay elements that fans of later entries in the series, like "Persona 5," hold so dear.

While "Persona 4 Golden" spent much of its early life trapped on the failed PlayStation Vita as an exclusive, the game has received new life from Atlus by way of a plethora of ports to other consoles in recent years. With the game being more accessible to a wider audience than ever, many who are new to the title may be wondering just how long it takes to get through the game. Fair warning: if you're not a massive JRPG fan, the answer may be a bit of a doozy.

"Persona 4 Golden" may not surpass the jaw-dropping length of its ultra-beloved successor, with "Persona 5 Royal" taking over 100 hours to beat, but this little JRPG darling is still no slouch when it comes to extended runtimes. Per HowLongToBeat, an average playthrough of the main story of "Persona 4 Golden" clocks in at roughly 69 hours. That statistic roughly doubles to the 140-hour mark for completionist players, as they'll likely have to do a second playthrough to experience all of the game's content.

"Persona 4 Golden" taking nearly 70 hours just to see through once may sound pretty shocking, but it makes sense considering the game's ambitious scope. While players will spend a good chunk of their time progressing through the story's several dungeons and defeating key bosses, they'll also be manually living out nearly every single day of an in-game year. That means attending school, working part-time jobs, spending time with friends, and so on. It's just as much a life simulator-style game as a JRPG, and taking the time to immerse oneself in the game's narrative and world is encouraged.

"Persona 4 Golden" players can attempt to blast through the game's dungeons and story, but this popular Vita title is a title that's arguably best savored. In any case, even the most skilled speedrunners may have a tough time progressing quickly, especially if they're playing on some of the tougher of the five difficulty levels of "Persona 5 Golden.".