Persona 4: Dancing All Night is an experience that truly grabs you from the first beat. If you are not lost in perfecting your rhythmic timing on each track, you’ll find yourself immersed in the game’s music player, reliving the unforgettable Persona soundtrack. The surprisingly deep story mode, combined with the customizable Free Dance mode, creates an addictive journey into sound and stardom that’s hard to put down.
Set shortly after the events of Persona 4, Dancing All Night brings the beloved Investigation Team back together, plunging them into another intriguing supernatural mystery involving vanished idols and a strange website. This time, however, their battles against Shadows take a different form: dance. Instead of using their Personas in the TV world, they must impress the Shadows with their dance moves in a brand new realm. While the premise might seem initially unusual, the 12.5-hour story mode proves incredibly captivating, especially with its numerous nods to previous games in the Persona series.
However, patience is key as the game takes some time to truly find its rhythm. The initial part of the story attempts to recapture the magic of Persona 4 but doesn’t quite reach the same heights immediately. The early focus on rescuing missing idols can feel somewhat formulaic, and the primary antagonist can become repetitive with seemingly looped dialogue. Despite this slower start, it’s enjoyable to see each member of the Investigation Team take center stage, showcasing their unique dance styles to the Shadows.
Story Mode: A Supernatural Mystery on the Dance Floor
The story mode in Persona 4: Dancing All Night blends visual novel elements with rhythm game mechanics, heavily emphasizing theatrical presentation. As the narrative unfolds, Rise’s friend and fellow idol-in-training, Kanami, steps into the spotlight, injecting a lighter tone and providing significant screen time for Nanako and Detective Dojima. Their storyline proves to be particularly engaging, as they take a leading role in unraveling the mystery. Adding to the enjoyment is the characteristic banter of the Investigation Team as they navigate the enigmatic Midnight Stage.
As mentioned before, the narrative truly picks up pace and becomes more compelling as you progress. Every line of dialogue is fully voiced, enhancing the immersive experience (though some English voice actors differ from the original Persona 4 cast, they become familiar over time). Character expressions and reactions are amplified with playful emoticons, and the game’s artwork is consistently vibrant and visually appealing.
Gameplay: Rhythm and Challenge
The visual presentation during the rhythm game sections is equally impressive. The button prompts are positioned on the left and right sides of the screen, making it intuitive to anticipate the next button press. In the center, the chosen dancer performs stylish and captivating moves in sync with Persona’s signature catchy music. While approximately half of the soundtrack consists of remixes from other Persona titles, they are reimagined enough to feel fresh and not like recycled content.
Visuals and Music
The combination of dynamic character animations and the energetic Persona soundtrack creates an engaging visual and auditory experience that keeps you hooked. The remixes breathe new life into classic Persona tracks, making them perfect for the dance rhythm gameplay.
Difficulty and Free Dance
The rhythm gameplay starts at an accessible level, with the story mode limited to Easy and Normal difficulties. Normal difficulty is welcoming for newcomers to rhythm games and still enjoyable for experienced players looking for a relaxed playthrough. However, for those seeking a greater challenge, the Free Dance mode is where the game truly shines. By increasing the difficulty scale in Free Dance, the game offers a significant step up in challenge, providing a real test of rhythm game skills. It’s worth noting that Persona 4 Dancing All Night is also playable with touch controls, but players with larger hands might find this control scheme more cumbersome than enjoyable.
Scoring System
One aspect of Persona 4: Dancing All Night that could be improved is the clarity of the scoring system. The game uses only four feedback marks: “Perfect,” “Great,” “Good,” and “Miss.” Compared to other rhythm games like the Hatsune Miku: Project Diva series or Dance Dance Revolution, this limited gradation makes it harder to accurately gauge your performance, especially during more complex song sections. The “Good” rating feels particularly vague, leaving you wanting more feedback to understand specific areas for improvement. While a small chart on the score screen attempts to indicate performance dips, it isn’t particularly insightful. While positive reinforcement is appreciated, it shouldn’t come at the expense of clear feedback.
To increase the challenge and replayability, Free Dance mode offers extensive customization. Beyond the four difficulty levels, players can adjust note speed, use items to make notes disappear, or even alter note patterns. Initially, the appeal of unlocking costumes might overshadow these gameplay modifiers, but experimenting with them provides a fantastic way to rediscover and refresh your favorite songs, extending the game’s lifespan considerably.
Visual Novel Meets Rhythm: The Theatrical Experience
Persona 4 Dancing All Night successfully blends the compelling narrative elements of a visual novel with the engaging mechanics of a rhythm game. The theatrical presentation, with its voiced dialogue, expressive characters, and vibrant art, creates a cohesive and immersive experience. The story mode provides a substantial and enjoyable narrative, while the Free Dance mode offers endless replayability and customizable challenges for rhythm game enthusiasts.
Conclusion
Persona 4 Dancing All Night is a must-have for Persona fans and a highly enjoyable rhythm game for anyone looking for a unique musical adventure. While the story may start a bit slowly, it quickly becomes engaging and offers a worthwhile continuation of the Persona 4 narrative. The addictive gameplay, combined with the fantastic Persona soundtrack, makes Persona 4 Dancing All Night a captivating experience that will keep you dancing the night away on your PS Vita.
