Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Review – The Best Of Both Worlds

The original Persona 4 Arena proved itself as a competent
and absorbing fighting game on its own terms, but it did not forget what fans
love about the franchise. This included an expansive, visual novel-inspired
story mode that fleshed out some of the characters and added new mysteries for
the Persona gang to solve. Persona 4 Arena Ultimax stays true to this
tradition, adding new character backstories for Persona initiates and more
complex fighters for hardcore fighters. Atlus and Arc System Works both do what
they do best and once again the result is a solid fighter that appeals to a
variety of skill levels. Even more impressive is that the two have crafted an
outstanding sequel to Persona 4 Arena and not merely an expansion.

Story mode has the most new content. It picks up right where
Persona 4 Arena ended, featuring a new adversary along with some fresh faces. The
mode isn't a one-time affair, either. You can play through it from the
perspective of the Persona 3 or Persona 4 casts, and after that you can do more
to unlock a true ending. This mode is a fan's delight as it showcases how
characters have grown, what they've been up to, and what problems they're still
facing. The Persona 4 arc falls a little flat (after all, we just spent the
past game with them), but the Persona 3 branch is way more exciting as it takes
the characters in interesting directions. Who would have thought Yukari would
be donning pink attire to star in a show similar to the Power Rangers, or that Ken would actually turn out to be a soccer
stud? That being said, those who have little interest in these intricate
details should avoid this mode. Some chapters are all text, without any fighting
at all.

Arcade mode lets you get in the ring faster, presenting all
the information without all the longwinded character moments. Golden Arena,
another mode, plays off the franchise's RPG roots. Here, you select a partner
and improve your social link with them as you take on a battle during each
floor of a dungeon. During your trek, you level up, unlock skill points to
improve attributes, and gain new skills - like the ability to heal or unleash a
status effect. This mode is more fun than I expected; the dungeons have at
least 50 battles, and the challenge and character-building kept me hooked. Of
course, most people will find longevity in the game by going online for some
human competition, continually striving to improve their record.

With combo-heavy encounters that borrow from the Persona
series' focus on exploiting weaknesses, combat is well-balanced. Weak attacks
are fast, but don't pack a punch. Strong attacks are powerful, but leave you
vulnerable to counterattacks. Every type of block you can do also has one
setback. For instance, a crouching block can't defend against jumping attacks, and
nothing can defend against the powerful "all-out attack." Skills, like adding a
lightning attack, also up the ante; however, you must pick the most opportune
time to tap into their power.

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Mastering the more advanced mechanics takes practice, but
those who only want to learn the basics can still have success. Arc System
Works crafted a system that is both simple and complex. Advanced players will
want to master detailed combos that require more memorization and button
presses. These demand mixing up the weak and strong attacks that combo into a skill.
Casual players shouldn't feel left in the dust, though. Ultimax provides the
ability to form simple auto-combos by pressing a single button repeatedly.

The game lets you decide how much you want to invest in it and
doesn't punish those who don't want to get into the nitty gritty. When I first
started, I wanted to hop right into battle and beat story mode. After, I picked
three different characters to master and progressively grasped more advanced
combos and movesets. Everything became more natural and second-nature the more
I played, and thanks to the tutorial mode (accessible at any time), progressing
at your own pace is easy.

Ultimax also delivers with new fighters that have some
creative and fun skills. Junpei (now a little league coach) uses a bat, and
every time he takes a swing that connects with his enemy, he gets a runner on
base. As he scores runs, he gets more powerful. Rise's skills are just as
fitting; the pop idol uses a microphone and musical notes to damage enemies,
and her super move mimics the Dance Dance Revolution games. I appreciate these
quirks, since they make the characters feel unique - and not like were just
shoehorned in to increase the roster size.

Atlus and Arc System Works have succeeded in creating
another solid fighting game. Ultimax makes small tweaks to the fighting system,
but it also keeps things fresh with new characters, an intriguing story mode
that Persona fans will adore, and plenty of modes to keep you busy. None of
Persona's essence is sacrificed to make a fighting game. It still has a deeper
message, if you're ready to read through it all. If not, you have fun gameplay
to master, which is more than enough reason to step back into the ring.  

Where Should Newcomers Begin?

Persona fans who have never touched a fighting game can still join in the melee. The easy story mode accommodates these players best, and also has lengthy character diatribes. The narrative picks up right where the last game left off, throwing the characters in a new fighting tournament. Prior events are re-hashed, so you won’t be lost if you didn’t play the original.