This first post is spoiler free, can't say the rest of the tread is safe though...

For those of you who don't already know, Brad and Ryan (also Patrick?) bought a vita to play persona 4:golden. If I had to predict an outcome it would be: Ryan gives up at some point due to an anime/JRPG overdose and Brad beats it unless he starts the game on easy. In that case he gets bored with the combat halfway trough and stops. What about your predictions? Do you think they'll make it?

Also, if you have useful, non spoilery tips, just post them below. I'll try to keep track of the best ones and include them in the OP with the username associated. Not sure they'll read trough them but whatever.

Tips:

• So, single tip from a bunch of dudes: @msavo: @leinad44: @AmatureIdiot: and others

They made persona 4: golden easier than persona 4 so you shouldn't have any problems on your own. Just don't waste your days fishing or turning capsule machine dials.

• Personal tip:

play on normal, you'll get bored on easy. Getting bored after 20 hours would be very bad since it's a 60-100 hour game.

Protip: Watch the Endurance Run.

Shadow Yukiko kills them both and rights the grievous cosmic wrong that began years ago.

@Turambar: not sure that would help a whole lot. Vinny and Jeff kinda fumble their way trough that game. It was very entertaining to watch but not more helpful to a new player than playing the actual game.

@Terramagi: they got lucky with that boss fight, Brad and Ryan could be less lucky...

Play Persona 2.

Seriously though, don't look at tips. There not massively hard games, and the fun of games (at least I think it is) is discovering and exploring the game for themselves. Sure you will fuck up occasionally, but nothings better than finding something cool by yourself.

Persona 4 isn't that hard. I'm shite when it comes to any form of RPG and I managed to fumble my way through P4 and get the true ending easily.

Persona 4 Golden is real easy on Normal in comparison to the original game, so they should have no trouble going through it unless they do some really dumb shit like waste their days fishing and turning capsule machines.

I don't think either of them will finish it or even get halfway through.

@AmatureIdiot said:

Play Persona 2.

Seriously though, don't look at tips. There not massively hard games, and the fun of games (at least I think it is) is discovering and exploring the game for themselves. Sure you will fuck up occasionally, but nothings better than finding something cool by yourself.

this might be the way to go but the crew has shown they're not the best at figuring out systems in videogames. Veterans of the franchise might have forgotten but persona 4 is full of complex systems and those systems are way more complicated than, let's say, the systems in chrono trigger.

Please don't solicit tips...

The comment section of every episode of the P4 ER full of annoying know-it-alls that took it personally that Jeff and Vinny were playing that game for enjoyment and not to achieve a perfect playthrough. I really hope Brad and Ryan avoid seeking advice (which is not really necessary, the game isn't really that difficult) and just play to experience the game.

@Terramagi said:

Shadow Yukiko kills them both and rights the grievous cosmic wrong that began years ago.

She's weak to Ice now. Kangi's subordanites are weak to ice and wind.

In other words, they got the nerf bat :P

For Yukiko, I agree. Her boss was ass

They shouldn't worry about anything. Play the game. Have fun. It's not hard at all.

@pyrodactyl said:

Veterans of the franchise might have forgotten but persona 4 is full of complex systems and those systems are way more complicated than, let's say, the systems in chrono trigger.

I disagree. I started with P3, but P4's systems are straightforward. The combat system is really simple—perhaps even more so than Chrono Trigger—and the fusing system is explained in-depth and should be a simple system to grasp in the first place (weak Persona + weak Persona = stronger Persona) unless you want to be one of the people who go for the insanely specific and powerful ones that are not necessary at all on Normal.

I seriously don't see what could be so hard to comprehend about Persona 4's systems.

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run 
 
Think about it 
 
THINK ABOUT IT!

I hope they see it through without using too many FAQ's (except for maybe a true ending walkthrough, even though if they can't see their way through that dialogue tree and past the supposed killer at that point then fuck you sir). I don't want this game to turn into something like The Witcher 2 where Ryan kinda dropped off after about five hours.

However, I'm almost positive Ryan will drop out in half that time and Brad might play it at all. Sucks, but I doubt either of them will get remotely close to finishing it.

@ll_Exile_ll said:

Please don't solicit tips...

The comment section of every episode of the P4 ER full of annoying know-it-alls that took it personally that Jeff and Vinny were playing that game for enjoyment and not to achieve a perfect playthrough. I really hope Brad and Ryan avoid seeking advice (which is not really necessary, the game isn't really that difficult) and just play to experience the game.

While I'm not about to say the comments weren't overbearing at points, Shadow Yukiko WOULD have killed them if not for the "get Senri with Red Wall".

Do not cast Bufu on Shadow Teddie.

@SirOptimusPrime said:

I hope they see it through without using too many FAQ's (except for maybe a true ending walkthrough, even though if they can't see their way through that dialogue tree and past the supposed killer at that point then fuck you sir). I don't want this game to turn into something like The Witcher 2 where Ryan kinda dropped off after about five hours.

However, I'm almost positive Ryan will drop out in half that time and Brad might play it at all. Sucks, but I doubt either of them will get remotely close to finishing it.

Yeah, it's fucking long too. They have GOTY contenders to play.

@Aegon said:

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run

Think about it

THINK ABOUT IT!

Blow the whistle! Someone mentioned the forbidden words!

@Aegon said:

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run

Think about it

THINK ABOUT IT!

People have been asking for a Ryan/Brad P4 Endurance Run since the original ended. I think with the release of P4 Golden and them actually wanting to play it it's a perfect time for it.....It

@Terramagi: But even if they died on Shadow Yukiko they would have loaded a save and adjusted like any normal player. Knowing how to succeed in advance is a shitty way to play a game. Sometimes failing and learning from your failures is just as fun as winning on your first try.

Ryan is gonna be dismissive about it because anime and Brad is not gonna finish it.

Do Adachi's S.Link as soon as you can because his is very time specific.

Here some really good tips

• Go up as many stairs as possible and when your SP is low enough, jump out, save, restore SP, and jump back in.
• Even if you have the Persona from a Shuffle before, still get it just to fuse it to make a new Persona
• Focus on your team social links since they gain new abilities for combat
• Try to get a social rank up everyday

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run 
 
Think about it 
 
THINK ABOUT IT!

Neither of them finish it. Brad gives up during the introductory two hours and Ryan gets a little further. The Japan and the length puts them both off.

I have faith that Ryan will finish it.

Brad will "set it aside for later" and then never play it again. Same with Patrick.

They won't finish it, man they should do another. P4 er with brad and Ryan's perspective, but alas.

Brad should know this isn't a Square game so grinding does not help. Run through each dungeon twice. Experience is based upon level differences so you don't need to keep the same party all game and really shouldn't.

I don't see Ryan finishing it. I think more for the fact that despite the improvements there is still enough bullshit that he will eventually get frustrated enough to give up than the anime/JPRGness of it. I don't know about Brad. I could see him finishing and enjoying it or he gets sidetracked by other games and never comes back to it.

@AmatureIdiot said:

Play Persona 2.

Seriously though, don't look at tips. There not massively hard games, and the fun of games (at least I think it is) is discovering and exploring the game for themselves. Sure you will fuck up occasionally, but nothings better than finding something cool by yourself.

Absolutely, it's fun to do things unexpected like turning rusted dials and the like. I feel like using a faq and critical pathing this game your first time through would take away a lot of the magic and fun.

Prediction: Neither one of them will ever finish it.

I will only buy a Wii U if any one of them beat it.

They will NEVER beat it. Ryan will get bored from all the grinding. And Brad will play in very small increments and lose his plot and never return to it.

Prediction, they will quit before the save Yukiko. They say they will play it over the break (at least Brad did) and I don't believe he will. He fucking said he would BEAT ME3 over Thanksgiving break and didn't. P4G is probably 4 to 5 times longer than that.

They will really enjoy the best game ever

Prediction: Ryan and Patrick will both give up around hour 6, not talking shit here but watching the quick looks I have and watching Chrono Trigger ER, those guys need to be smacked over the head with game mechanics, and SMT games just don't do that. Yes, Persona games are better at it than say Nocturne but still, I think they're going to hit some walls. Just look back to the P4 ER, if it weren't for Vinny and his OCD, that series would have been done as soon as the fusing started. Once the barriers are broken it's no problem but I don't think those boys will finish....too bad really :(

They play it up through Yukiko's Dungeon over the holidays and then never pick it up again, much to Jeff and Vinny's displeasure. Quite frankly, I don't see Brad or Ryan as having any sort of attention span for a game of Persona 4's length and Persona 4's genre.

Honestly, I will be really surprised if any one of the crew manages to beat P4G.

@soul101 said:

Prediction: Ryan and Patrick will both give up around hour 6, not talking shit here but watching the quick looks I have and watching Chrono Trigger ER, those guys need to be smacked over the head with game mechanics, and SMT games just don't do that. Yes, Persona games are better at it than say Nocturne but still, I think they're going to hit some walls. Just look back to the P4 ER, if it weren't for Vinny and his OCD, that series would have been done as soon as the fusing started. Once the barriers are broken it's no problem but I don't think those boys will finish....too bad really :(

I'm constantly bafled by the fact that people that play all the games for their jobs and started playing games way befoe I did, don't pick up on obvious video game trops and systems.

@Aegon said:

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run

Think about it

THINK ABOUT IT!

100 hours staring at thumbs. No thank you.

Brad can't play Persona 4 until he retrieves his Persona 3 save!

@Aegon said:

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run

Think about it

THINK ABOUT IT!

Well, unless they really want to point a camera over Ryan/Brad's shoulder for about 100 hours, it's not happening.

@Hailinel said:

@Aegon said:

Brad and Ryan Persona 4: Golden Endurance Run

Think about it

THINK ABOUT IT!

Well, unless they really want to point a camera over Ryan/Brad's shoulder for about 100 hours, it's not happening.

But what if they really do?

@soul101 said:

Prediction: Ryan and Patrick will both give up around hour 6, not talking shit here but watching the quick looks I have and watching Chrono Trigger ER, those guys need to be smacked over the head with game mechanics, and SMT games just don't do that. Yes, Persona games are better at it than say Nocturne but still, I think they're going to hit some walls. Just look back to the P4 ER, if it weren't for Vinny and his OCD, that series would have been done as soon as the fusing started. Once the barriers are broken it's no problem but I don't think those boys will finish....too bad really :(

That sounds about right, I'm with you.

Don't know why people say Brad wouldn't have the patience. He finished FFXII-2.

@endaround said:

Don't know why people say Brad wouldn't have the patience. He finished FFXII-2.

Did he? I don't remember hearing that.

Also, there is no FFXII-2.

I predict they'll get bored with it before they get anywhere with it.

@AmatureIdiot said:

Play Persona 2.

This is a good recommendation. If only they updated Persona 2 to have the snappy menus and combat of P3/4

@EvilKatarn said:

I predict they'll get bored with it before they get anywhere with it.

@AmatureIdiot said:

Play Persona 2.

This is a good recommendation. If only they updated Persona 2 to have the snappy menus and combat of P3/4

Huh, I preferred the combat in persona 2. You have a greater array of magic and physical attack types to think anout, and how you have to consider turn order with combo spells is interesting. Now if they put in p3/p4 dungeon crawl parts, rather than the random battles, that would be cool.

@AmatureIdiot said:

@EvilKatarn said:

I predict they'll get bored with it before they get anywhere with it.

@AmatureIdiot said:

Play Persona 2.

This is a good recommendation. If only they updated Persona 2 to have the snappy menus and combat of P3/4

Huh, I preferred the combat in persona 2. You have a greater array of magic and physical attack types to think anout, and how you have to consider turn order with combo spells is interesting. Now if they put in p3/p4 dungeon crawl parts, rather than the random battles, that would be cool.

Yes, the whole turn order, combo spells thing is great. What isn't great is how it hitches up during the animations and how long even the easiest random encounter can last because of those animations. I meant snappy menus and snappy combat, sorry.

I kinda doubt either will finish it, maybe Brad will, but its still a really really long game. I don't think Ryan will play it for very long. But who knows maybe they'll both love it? It is definitely way easier on normal and more accessible to new players.