Hello again, readers! Today marks the official launch of Persona 4 Golden for PS Vita. The team at ATLUS has been very hard at work preparing this title, chock-full of new content and maximized for the beautiful PS Vita hardware, and we’re super-excited to be able to bring this game to all of you.

While we don’t want to spoil anything, it’s really difficult to keep this level of enthusiasm up without sharing any of it with people who would like to listen. There’s been quite a bit of attention paid to the characters of Persona 4 Golden, and with that in mind we’ve asked some of the staff here at ATLUS about some of their favorite NPCs. We might even share some strategies and insights into the game!

Nich Maragos, Editor

“I’m fond of the twins who rope you into the telepathy experiments they perform. Helping them out with their trial and error over the course of the game is one of my favorite examples of how many small, quirky stories P4 has going on in the background throughout your year in Inaba.”

Mai Namba, Translator

“Kanji’s mother was my most favorite NPC in the game because not only is she accepting of Kanji’s hobbies, she sees nothing wrong with them and even encourages him to pursue said hobbies. How could you not like a mom like that!?”

Christian La Monte, QA Tester

“At first glance Ai Ebihara seems to be everything that not only the player, but the rest of Yasogami, should despise. She is actively vapid, materialistic, and heartless. Until, like all others, she becomes aware of her true self. Ai is afraid of showing emotion or weakness, and this manifests itself as an Ice Queen exterior. If the protagonist can see beyond this, he can unlock the doors that she has closed her entire life. It’s a great feeling when the greeting she gives is no longer a disdainful ‘Of course you’d want to hang out with me’ and instead becomes ‘I’m so happy to see you,’ after her fury cools. Although she treated a lot of my party members disdainfully, I think she eventually gets over that.”

Mike Meeker, Editor

“I really like the ailurophobe’s journey of discovery. But, out of anybody, I think Morooka gets a bad rap. I get the feeling that he used to be an optimistic and hopeful teacher, but years of disappointment in the educational system have worn him down into the cynical, hateful shell you see in the game. There are occasional glimpses showing that he actually cares about his students’ well-being and is more than just an angry guy doing a job he hates.”

Scott Williams, QA Lead

“Yumi Ozawa is one of the more focused, intense, and talented characters in the game. A little melodramatic and manic at times, she wears her heart on her sleeve and is one of the most cheerful people the protagonist will encounter, when the mood strikes her. She also has my favorite line in the game.”

Elwood Cruz, QA Tester

“Ms. Kashiwagi was probably one of my favorites (especially when teamed with Hanako). I thought she was hilarious right from the start. Plus she’s always ready for a bikini competition. I have a soft spot for Hisano, though. I really enjoyed her S. Link. Her perspective was an interesting change of pace from all the other characters.”

Clayton Chan, Editor

“It was really tough to localize all of Wallet Misplacer’s poetry so it fit into the space constraints, so she’ll always have a special place in my heart, along with Spacy Girl and Errand Boy. (Atlus needs to continue their stories as grown up protagonists in a game at some point.) If I have to pick a favorite, I gotta go with Funky Student. I like characters that are unusual blends of archetypes, and the Venn diagram intersection that Funky Student lives in is quite small. I learned this firsthand by growing up as a kid who was also really into hip-hop and riddles. He’s kind of a bizarro, more outgoing version of 6th grade me, so Funky Student’s my bro fo’ sho! (Did you spot him in P4A?)”

Rob Stone, QA Lead

“The fox at the shrine. *yip* That SP recovery in the TV World…”

Allie Doyon, QA Tester

“This is a nearly impossible decision, as every character big and small seems to charm me in one way or another, but I think I’ve made my choice. Melting hearts far and wide with the purest love for her local department store, it’s The Inspiring 6-Year-Old Role Model, Nanako! She’s always so kind and sweet, even when she’s home alone and has to do all the chores and cooking by herself. What a trooper! Hang in there, Nanako!”

There you have it! Hopefully you’ll all get the chance to find a character that you’ll grow fond of when you’re playing the game. Who’s your favorite NPC? Leave us a comment! Don’t forget, P4G is out today, so run out and grab your copy. And those of you who pre-ordered we hope you enjoy your DezaEgg skin (it really does look quite awesome with the P4G wallpaper).

As another ‘thank you’ to the fans, we are also excited to offer a chance for 20 lucky PS Vita owners in North America to win a copy of the game — keep your eye on @PlayStation on Twitter today for more details!