Persona 4 Arena

 Xbox 360
User Score
4.7

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 242 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 99 out of 242
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 242
  3. Negative: 136 out of 242
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  1. jdizzy
    May 6, 2014
    8
    Pretty good game for otaku and hardcores alike. Pretty good story and surprisingly well for an rpg-turned-fighting game. Visuals are nice but a bit pixel-y and the combos are slick, so slick that even casuals enjoy it. It's an amalgam of a visual novel and a fighting game so that means you better be able to stand mountains of text. There's instant death moves but the button command is longPretty good game for otaku and hardcores alike. Pretty good story and surprisingly well for an rpg-turned-fighting game. Visuals are nice but a bit pixel-y and the combos are slick, so slick that even casuals enjoy it. It's an amalgam of a visual novel and a fighting game so that means you better be able to stand mountains of text. There's instant death moves but the button command is long and highly technical so it turns into a risk/reward desperation move that you're able to only use once per match. "Senpai better notice me before I crack his skull open!"… Expand
  2. Xplocion
    Nov 8, 2019
    9
    The good: they create a new and original character that unites the stories of Persona 3 and Persona 4 in a coherent way (the characters of Persona 3 look older). Game of fights 1 vs 1 rely on their People (like Summons very much like Jojo Bizzarre). Pumps are allowed only by pressing X for newbies and less graceful (easy to play, hard to master). The story mode is immersive enough to getThe good: they create a new and original character that unites the stories of Persona 3 and Persona 4 in a coherent way (the characters of Persona 3 look older). Game of fights 1 vs 1 rely on their People (like Summons very much like Jojo Bizzarre). Pumps are allowed only by pressing X for newbies and less graceful (easy to play, hard to master). The story mode is immersive enough to get you to know all the characters and how they interact with each other. It is backward compatible with Xbox One and One X. The animations are very fluid and there is a huge saturation of things that happen and jump to the screen during fights. The gallery of illustrations, drawings, videos and situations that you are unlocking in the story mode gives us very cool images some to put in the background or to make gamerpics or avatar. There are no clone characters between them, they are all different (although they all have their Shadow version in this game they play the same just as it is the same character but distorted) and although Labrys has Shadow Labrys the fact that his Person is different (Ariadne / Asterius) changes its playability.

    The bad: The characters were not leveled correctly and there are some very broken (character leveling reached Person 4: Ultimax Arena which is a sequel which is not backward compatible). If you do not play the story mode or have not played the previous games you may miss references and relationships between them. It came out in 2012 already in the prelude to the end of the generation and is one of the games that many people missed.

    Lo Meh !: The intro suggests a certain division of characters as good and bad when this is not the case (that's why you have to play the story mode). There is a song that stands out of all and will be hammering your ear all the time, during the practice of movements, training and combo challenge (Yu Nurakami Theme / Reach out to the truth)     … Expand
  3. Arrestedevelopr
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    Easy for beginners and a lot of depth for fighting game aficionados. Persona 4 Arena is basically two games in one. The Story mode is a lengthy digital novel for each character with 8 or so 1 round matches breaking them up while arcade mode is what most people would assume a normal fighting game would be. I'd say it's a must buy for any Persona 4 fan since it's not only a great chanceEasy for beginners and a lot of depth for fighting game aficionados. Persona 4 Arena is basically two games in one. The Story mode is a lengthy digital novel for each character with 8 or so 1 round matches breaking them up while arcade mode is what most people would assume a normal fighting game would be. I'd say it's a must buy for any Persona 4 fan since it's not only a great chance to catch up with the Investigation Team but it seems to be filling in and setting up for the next Persona game.… Expand
  4. BloodBurger
    Aug 7, 2012
    9
    Persona 4 Arena is an amazing 2D fighting game. The graphics are superb, the sound and music is the best I've heard since Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike, and the gameplay is super solid...

    Check out my full video review for all the details - http://youtu.be/bTLGhbk5KQE
  5. TheRedboy
    Aug 28, 2013
    8
    I was weary about this game before playing it, but it did not disappoint.
    The combat is solid, and fairly well balanced. The only thing that got me was how incredibly long some of the story mode intros were. Some characters took like 15 minutes to get through their intros to the actual fighting.
  6. Kenmei
    Aug 8, 2012
    9
    Persona fans, don't let the fact that this is a fighter scare you away. I was hesitant at first to buy this but any Persona fan will love this, mainly because of the lengthy story mode here that basically completes the Persona 4 storyline. I'm not a fighting game fan by any means but the fact that this game adds more to one of the best series in gaming right now made this a fairly easyPersona fans, don't let the fact that this is a fighter scare you away. I was hesitant at first to buy this but any Persona fan will love this, mainly because of the lengthy story mode here that basically completes the Persona 4 storyline. I'm not a fighting game fan by any means but the fact that this game adds more to one of the best series in gaming right now made this a fairly easy purchase in the end for me. Up front, this is not a simple fighter. It's easily one of the more complex fighters out there, which is not surprising since it's from the makers of Blazblue and Guilty Gear. Fortunately, you won't have to worry about ultra cheap computer A.I. in the story mode as even with the characters you might not be able to initially grasp, the battles there are pretty easy. However, if you want to delve deeper into the gameplay here, you'll find a refreshingly hardcore system here with plenty of different reversals, counters, and every type of air attack/defence you can think of, which makes it a good purchase for fighting game fans out there, especially fans of Blazblue, like I said earlier. It's not perfect by any means, mainly for the fact that if you want to get even halfway decent at the game, you'll need to put in many hours in training mode to learn the many different aspects of the game. But, for those fans of the Persona series who may feel like you won't get enough out of this game because it's a fighter, you'll be plenty pleased by lengthy story mode, which will span upwards of 20-30 hours when all is said and done. So it was an easy buy for me and I don't particularly like fighting games but love the Persona series. If your a person who likes fighting games and likes the Persona series, then this game will consume you for days and weeks to come. This will easily tide me over till Persona 4: Golden comes out later this year with updated everything and it's nice to see some, not all, of the characters from Persona 3 get some love here too, even if they kinda ruined some of the characters and how I thought they would develop after all these years. But buy it if you like either fighting games or the Persona series and, if you like both, then buy a few copies to share with friends.… Expand
  7. mynameisnathan
    Mar 28, 2013
    9
    A very cool fighter that Persona 4 fans would appreciate playing and being able to control the characters they love in an intense fighting game. Me personally i prefer the RPG Persona 4 to the fighting game Persona 4. But anyone who enjoyed Persona 4 should give this game a try. The controls are as equally as satisfying of a fighting game as Street Fighter or Blaz Blue. Only flaws is thatA very cool fighter that Persona 4 fans would appreciate playing and being able to control the characters they love in an intense fighting game. Me personally i prefer the RPG Persona 4 to the fighting game Persona 4. But anyone who enjoyed Persona 4 should give this game a try. The controls are as equally as satisfying of a fighting game as Street Fighter or Blaz Blue. Only flaws is that it didn't have as many characters as you would want.… Expand
  8. Genevaman
    May 12, 2014
    9
    A fantastic 2-D fighter that's perfect for newcomers to the genre. The relatively low entry level belies rewarding combat and an incredibly balanced roster of characters. The game itself oozes style and features the trademark narrative strengths of previous entries of the Megami Tensei series in a surprisingly engaging story mode. Diverse fighting styles and online play give the gameA fantastic 2-D fighter that's perfect for newcomers to the genre. The relatively low entry level belies rewarding combat and an incredibly balanced roster of characters. The game itself oozes style and features the trademark narrative strengths of previous entries of the Megami Tensei series in a surprisingly engaging story mode. Diverse fighting styles and online play give the game plenty of replay value. Arguably the most satisfying game of its kind for me since Third Strike.… Expand
  9. naxmax9
    Nov 27, 2013
    10
    Good game loved it to bits it's so fun and exciting every minute loved the arcade and the story mode and I loved Labryes and they brought back old characters can't wait till the new one comes out
  10. Vandral007
    Nov 27, 2012
    8
    This has truly been a great year for fighters, but in my mind Persona 4 Arena stands out as one of the best. It controls silky smooth, effortlessly integrates the Persona feel into a bunch of great fighting mechanics, which in itself is something of an achievement. Great story, great characters, great fighter. My only real complaint was the online lag I occassionally had to sufferThis has truly been a great year for fighters, but in my mind Persona 4 Arena stands out as one of the best. It controls silky smooth, effortlessly integrates the Persona feel into a bunch of great fighting mechanics, which in itself is something of an achievement. Great story, great characters, great fighter. My only real complaint was the online lag I occassionally had to suffer through. I just wish that this game had more of a fanbase.… Expand
  11. ECB19
    Dec 6, 2018
    6
    It's not a bad game,
    but they could have included more content, because the duration is very short. although it is true that not everything means content.
    Persona 4 arena was fun in online games, also in arcade and history mode.
    but I'm going sad because there are enough dlc.
  12. Shimmeywill
    Feb 19, 2020
    6
    Fine enough fighting game regarding presentation. The feel and combos are pretty middling and it makes for an overall average fighting game.
  13. neomoonsevin
    Sep 10, 2023
    8
    Great game the combo structure is ok but I prefer blazblue collaboration of this series

Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
82
#82 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 7, 2013
    87
    The younger brother of Persona 4 is fast and furious when it needs to be, but understands to calm down in order to tell a story. And the story itself is surprisingly good. [Aug 2013]
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    May 28, 2013
    80
    Vibrant and vivacious violence. [June 2013, p.91]
  3. GameOver.gr
    May 24, 2013
    80
    Although P4 Arena's target audience are fans of the Shin Megami Tensei Persona franchise, Arc Systems Works did a great job that is capable of attracting new people.
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