Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

A perfect realization of what the Persona universe should feel like as a fighting game.

The combat remains some of the best and most intricate Arc System Works has composed to date. [Issue#250, p.64]

A top-tier fighter in spite of the best efforts of its lame protagonist.

I’d wholeheartedly suggest checking Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, whether you’re a Persona fan, or have enjoyed other Arc System Works fighters in the past.

It looks and plays great, it’s easy to dive into for beginners, and rewarding to learn for veterans.

Ultimax is a great fighting game, with different characters and balanced gameplay. Atlus has managed to create a game that is a challenge for seasoned players and a nice way to start for novice ones.

Being a Persona spin-off is almost incidental to what remains one of the best new one-on-one fighters of the outgoing generation.

A fantastic fighting game package.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a worthy successor with enough gameplay differences to justify a purchase for those who have the original.

It’s the style that shines through, though. I said it when Persona 4 Arena came out and it stands true for Ultimax; Persona 4 Arena is the most stylish fighting game ever, and a gem of the genre to boot, thanks to its combination of appealing and genuinly cool aesthetics with ocean deep gameplay.

Whether this is their way of trying to make the avid fans of the series who imported the JPN version of the game double dip in order to play with their friends or just a minor bug is unclear, but it’s a shame nonetheless. Still, even with the issue of compatibility of different region copies of the game, P4U2 sets a high standard for how to do a sequel to a fighting game right.

Pretty much everything a fan could ask for. It's a satisfying, high-octane fighter that's synchronously accessible and fathomless.

Whether you're playing with friends at home, emulating the arcade experience online, getting intimate with the single player story, taking fighting lessons from the computer, or grinding experience, this is the entire package. It's enough to make even the game's cheesiest, oft-repeated line golden: "Bring on the ring" indeed.

Whether you’re in it for the fights or the characters, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax shouldn’t just be on your mind, it should be in your hands.

Ultimax could have slammed the gas pedal in one direction and been fine, instead it takes its time to stop and make sure the view is great, too.

Ultimax is a half-step in the same vein as Super Street Fighter IV or Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. But it’s a step that plants itself firmly and confidently. Practically everything new in Ultimax is outstanding and the core it’s built on is just as robust and exhilarating as it was two years ago. What could have been a meager effort to re-engage idle players is instead a triumphant rebirth. It’s time to enter the ring.

Aside from a really frustrating online experience, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax delivers a compelling story, which is an odd thing to say about a fighting game. The balanced roster and additional characters definitely make a strong case for why you need to pick up this game. If you've got an itch for a solid 2D fighter, look no further.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax comes a little too late in Europe but it's an all around excellent beat'em up nevertheless with a huge amount of content for fans of the genre and brand lovers.

Persona 4 Arena was a fine spin-off and this new iteration continues the trend with more depth and a longer story mode, that, however, lacks a bit of gameplay action. Newcomers are strongly advised to start with the previous one, by the way.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a big improvement to its predecessor and so far one of the most beautiful 2D-fighters ever released. The somewhat boring dialogues doesn't change the fact that Ultimax is a challenging and exciting fighting game.

There's a ton of content to be enjoyed, and the gameplay offers enough depth even for the hardcore beat'em up fans.

Another excellent job done by the ARC System Works capable hands. A great example of how to do a great spin-off of an already consolidated franchise.

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.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax does everything a good fighting game sequel should. It adds new characters, modes, and other changes that improve the experience. The story is a bit long, but it features plenty of fan-service for devoted followers of the series.

With extra characters, some good improvement in the combat system and new game modes, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a more than welcome return in the series.

With a very good Persona 4 Arena, the Ultimax follow-up was bound to be quite a hit too. The 2D graphics are still state of the art, the content is overflowing, and the few tune-ups made to the gameplay makes for a very immersive experience.

There's not even the slightest whiff of cash-in here. Greatly expanded and built upon. Ultimax indeed. [Christmas 2014, p73]

Transcending what the already good Persona 4 Arena was, Ultimax nearly appears as a god tier amongst the fighting games to date. Attractive, compelling, time consuming. What else?

Ultimax is practically a fandom fortress. It could be savory or bitter; that depends on the player's palette.

Taken as a whole, however, P4AU is a great package. The fighting is solid, there's a lot to keep you occupied in both single-player and multiplayer modes, and the new characters and additions refine a game that was already impressive to begin with.

Fans looking for a compelling plot that will help reinforce and enhance the Persona fiction will unfortunately have to look elsewhere as the story mode drags its feet far too often. Regardless, the core mechanics of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax will have you immersed, but only if you’re willing to put in the hours to master it.

It is a bit too complex at times, with dozens of different systems at your fingertips, but the developer has added some training wheels for new players. If you're a big Persona fan or hunting for a new 2D fighter, Ultimax is for you.

The sixty dollar price tag is a bit much to take, especially if you already spent sixty dollars on the original two years ago, but if Persona 4 Arena has been a staple in your fighting game library, Ultimax gives you more than enough content to satisfy you for another two years, and hopefully with patches and DLC it will get even better.

Newcomers will like Persona 4 Arena Ultimax for being the most complete edition of the game.

Persona 4 Arena Ultimax offers good gameplay mechanics, interesting characters and exciting combat moments. A nice range of modes to improve our style that, unfortunately, seems quite hard to be used in an empty online mode.

Those interested in Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax for the fighting will be satisfied with what's on offer, but narrative fans curious about what happens to the gang before the next official Persona RPG debuts will likely feel burned. The story side is a tedious, thudding disappointment compared to the stellar stuff the series usually delivers.