The Best PlayStation Game Every Year 1994 - 2024

13. 2012 - Persona 4 Golden

Persona 4 Golden Adachi
Atlus

Going by MetaCritic scores, Persona 4 Golden is tied as one of the best games of 2012, alongside Mass Effect 3. Only one of those games was not just a PlayStation exclusive but released for the ill-fated PS Vita. So the next time someone says that the system didn’t have any games, just let them know it had one of the highest-rated games of 2012 (not a lot else, but it had that).

Persona 4’s murder mystery story was strong but the real star was building relationships. It’s stellar localisation was brought to life by a star-studded voice cast, most of which have gone on to be the big names in the industry, who were able to make the most of each moment - be it cosy, funny or downright tragic.

And if the social links weren't charming enough in their own right, they also affected taking your team into battle. Your allies gained new abilities as they progressed through their own side stories, making for much more engaging and connected systems.

The Golden rerelease of Persona 4 was, naturally, the definitive edition with more of everything: dungeons, social links, Personas, and an extended epilogue. Freeing the game from its late-stage PS2 release was a kind gesture, but bringing it to the PS Vita didn’t really help the sales numbers. Thankfully, the modern multi-format port means that it’s easier than ever to enjoy the best game on the Vita and the best PlayStation release of 2012.

 
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Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many gaming quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite