Persona 4 Arena Ultimax

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. CGMagazine
    Mar 23, 2022
    70
    Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a par for the course port of a surprisingly deep and well-realized fighter that, despite being a spin-off title, knocks out the competition, even nearly a decade later.
  2. CD-Action
    Apr 14, 2022
    60
    Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is still a very good fighting game, but this new version is not even a remaster. It’s a simple port that further exposes weaknesses of the original game’s aged graphics (forget about a dedicated PS5 version, by the way). Putting a heavy emphasis on the story is not a problem per se, but the way P4AU tells it doesn’t fit the genre and will confuse those not acquainted with the main Persona series.
  3. TheGamer
    Mar 10, 2022
    60
    Ultimately, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax doesn’t seem to quite know who it’s for. It should be aimed at Persona fans, but the steep learning curve and lack of fan service elements lean away from that idea. As a fighting game, it doesn’t seem that compelling either, and asks for heavy investment in a story that’s relatively light on gameplay. It will find some fans, but it doesn’t look likely to pick up many outsiders. But hey, at least it has rollback netcode now.

Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Best PS4 Game of 2022
15
#15 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2022

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 26
  3. Negative: 7 out of 26
  1. Jt0429
    Mar 18, 2022
    8
    Good-
    So much content it's insane. The visuals and soundtrack are superb. The controls are tight and easy to master. The transition of the    Good-
    So much content it's insane. The visuals and soundtrack are superb. The controls are tight and easy to master. The transition of the Persona universe into a fighting game is done really well. The combat is satisfying and really fun. The rollback netcode is also something that should be praised.

    Bad-
    The story, wrting, and characterization is absolutely awful. This basically makes a good chunk of the content bad and a chore to get through. Persona 3 and 4 are some of the best experiences I have had in gaming and this game does none of those characters any justice. What makes it worse is the game shoves it in your face all the time and it gets annoying.

    Thoughts-
    Like many, I hope that one day, we get a Persona 5 Arena game, one that allows the all star casts of Persona 3 and 4 to duke it out with the Phantom Thieves. And judging by the way that Atlus has handled narrative in Persona 5 spin offs so far, either 5 Arena won’t be saddled with an elaborate story mode, or if it is, it will be actually well written for a change. If and when it happens, we will have a hopefully superior product to rally around – but until it does, if it ever does, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax on PS4, Steam, and Switch represents the definitive Persona fighting game experience. Anyone looking for a chance to duke it out with their favorite characters, some great fan service for Persona 3 and 4 lovers, or just a great fighting game, is going to enjoy what’s on offer here.    … Full Review »
  2. Xplocion
    Mar 25, 2022
    7
    The good
    Relaunch of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax for the current generation (remember that this game was one of the last games of the Xbox    The good
    Relaunch of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax for the current generation (remember that this game was one of the last games of the Xbox 360/PS3 generation). Intermediate story scenes, some gallery images and intro animation have been rescaled (the rest of the game has not). The story revolves around Labrys and picks up right where it left off in Persona 4 Arena (in Mayonaka TV, or normal P4A), with Labrys being the bridge to unite two generations of "chosen children" from Persona 3 and Persona 4 in one adventure. where they beat each other up. The chosen ones from Persona 3 are already younger adults and the ones from Persona 4 are high school teenagers. Margarette, Adachi and Marie are already in the base game, you don't need to pay for the DLC.

    The bad
    It's the same game that we saw in 2014 on Xbox 360/PS3, a soulless relaunch (although it is true that the game pushed the Xbox 360 and PS3 to the limit listening to the heat sinks and air extractors with all that blink-blink , transparencies and effects on screen). If you feel lost in the story or you don't click to connect with the characters you may leave it very quickly. If your thing is not to read or enter the story mode to get into the lore and you don't want to revisit Persona 3, Persona 4 (Normal), Persona 4: Golden, Persona 4 Arena (Normal) this is not your game as beautiful as it looks or for more anime aesthetics it has. The Mizoguchi (or something like that) gargantuan final boss we had already seen him be reused in Blazblue Chronophantasm as "the legendary beast" feels more like a skin to see him again.

    Lo Meh!:
    I hope and the online of this game does not die soon as in its Xbox 360/PS3 versions, here there is no excuse for generational change. Hopefully they will be encouraged to release the game on Xbox Series, which at the time was on 360, both this and its previous game, even in Persona 4 Arena (normal) is backward compatible and the Ultimax is not. The minimum effort of Arc System works in this game is noticeable    … Full Review »
  3. Mexicancritic22
    Mar 20, 2022
    10
    Even though i would like to get a new persona game i can not complain of getting new ports of diffrent games on new consoles and this game hasEven though i would like to get a new persona game i can not complain of getting new ports of diffrent games on new consoles and this game has amazing combat mechanic's that Newcomers can understand and excellent music form both series and a story thats not bad a seriously reccomend this game and don't pay attention to what other people say in early reviews… Full Review »
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