Persona 4 Arena: Official Design Works Gets North American Publisher
UDON comes through again.
Persona 4 Arena
Players: 1-2 Players Offline, 1-2 Online Players
Publisher: Atlus
Genres: Fighting
Publisher: Atlus
Genres: Fighting
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Developer: Arc System Works
MSRP: $59.99
Developer: Arc System Works
MSRP: $59.99
Developed in collaboration with genre masters Arc System Works, Persona 4 Arena uses gorgeous, hand-drawn, high definition 2D anime-style fighters and colorful, over-the-top special effects to bring to life a roster of fighters from the critically-acclaimed, highly popular Persona 3 and Persona 4. Backed up by an original, hardcore fighting engine from one of the most respected 2D fighting game developers in the industry, Persona 4 Arena represents the biggest, most noteworthy expansion of the esteemed series to date.
Persona 4 Arena Review
Posted By Austin Yorski about 9 months, 1 week ago
Unlimited powaaa!!!!
An arcade mode presents a truncated version of the main plot for those too impatient to wade through a couple dozen hours of text, albeit with significantly more challenge. A challenge mode provides both further distraction and a great avenue for learning more advanced techniques and combos. There are also galleries, theater mode, and more for your casual perusal. I’ll admit that I spent a good bit of time sifting through art, the soundtrack, and even the animated cutscenes, which are rare but beautiful. All in all, this is a feature-rich package that puts other genre offerings to shame.
As you may have heard, the Xbox 360 version of the game is in need of a netcode patch. I played it on PS3 though, and it ran buttery smooth. With no exaggeration, I can say that this was the single best online experience I’ve ever had with a fighting game. It’s true that its functionality is a bit limited–only 8 players to a lobby, ranked matches, replay saves, and a few other features–but it was more than enough for my needs. Hopefully the patch will bring the 360 version into line with the version I played, because it would be a shame for those without access to Sony’s console to miss out.
Chie decided it was too dangerous to play musical chairs with him.
In related news, there is “Day 1″ DLC for Arena, but it is strictly cosmetic in nature. Atlus has confirmed that no downloadable fighters are in the works, so you can feel confident in picking up this on disc without having to worry about being nickel-and-dimed later.
The only legitimate gripe I have with this piece of software is one that is almost entirely subjective. Atlus faithful know that Chie and Teddie have new voice actors for this game, as well as in the upcoming The Golden. Unfortunately (and personally), I found Erin Fitzgerald and Sam Riegel’s work to be underwhelming at best. Although my issues with Teddie are well documented on BT, this isn’t the first time I’ve taken umbrage with Riegel, whom I singled out as a sore spot in my Amazing Spider-Man review. Newcomer Labrys also has a bizarre Long Island accent, but that’s an even more hit-and-miss case of taste. I warmed up to it, but I know more than a few players will find it out of place.
Persona 3 is the better than 4. There, I said it.
With that said, there’s really only one question left: What about gamers unfamiliar with the source material and the fighting game genre? Well, the bright side is that pretty much everything you need to know about Persona 4 is reiterated in Arena. It’s not the same as playing it yourself, but you’ll get enough broad-stroke characterization and backstory to make story mode enjoyable. RPG fans intimidated by the world of fighters should take heart as well–between the tutorial mode and the auto-combo system, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting your money’s worth here. It’s just up to you if you want to spend the time to really dig into the meat of the engine and up your game. Your gameplay experience may be incrementally less rich if you are unfamiliar with Atlus and Arc’s previous titles, but even the greenest scrub should give Arena a shot.
I try not to be hyperbolic with my write-ups. The most important function of a review is to provide consumers with information that they can use to make informed purchasing decisions. However, I can’t help but say that you need this game in your life. Persona 4 Arena easily earns a spot in the highest echelons of fighting games–it is perhaps even the best anime fighter ever made. It’s almost a shame that Arc System Works is moving onto BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma, as I’d love to see a full sequel incorporating characters and demons from other MegaTen games. Who wouldn’t want to main Cthulhu?
A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes and played for about 20 hours. The title was played on PS3, but is also available on Xbox 360.
Also, follow me on Twitter @austinyorski (please).
9/10
Persona 4 Arena Review
I love this game. I still hate Teddie.
Sage Reviews - Persona 4: Arena
As derivative as it is excellent.
Shinkara: Persona 4 Arena
The dream team of Atlus and Arc System Works have come together to create the dazzling spectacle Persona 4 Arena. Does it manage to please both RPG and fighting game fans? Taylor lets you know in this episode of Shinkara!Pages : Page 1 Page 2
Shinkara: Persona 4 Arena
The dream team of Atlus and Arc System Works have come together to create the dazzling spectacle Persona 4 Arena. Does it manage to please both RPG and fighting game fans? Taylor lets you know in this episode of Shinkara!
The Last of Persona 4 Arena's Move Vids Unleashed! Elizabeth, Labrys, Teddie, and Shadow Labrys Revealed
With two weeks till one of Blistered Thumbs’ most anticipated fighting games comes out, Atlus USA releases the last move vids.
New Persona 4 Arena Screenshots Show Off Various Aspects of the Game
Take a closer look at some of the various aspects of this highly anticipated fighter.
Official Persona 4 Arena Trailer Revealed
With less than three weeks to go, Atlus unveils the official trailer for Persona 4 arena.
Atlus Confirms PS3 Version of Persona 4 Arena Will Be Region Locked
Do not make plans to import Persona 4 Arena just yet…
New Move Vids for P4 Arena! Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Aigis Bring the Pain
It’s time for three characters from Persona 3 to represent their game.
The Last of Persona 4 Arena's Move Vids Unleashed! Elizabeth, Labrys, Teddie, and Shadow Labrys Revealed
With two weeks till one of Blistered Thumbs’ most anticipated fighting games comes out, Atlus USA releases the last move vids.
New Persona 4 Arena Screenshots Show Off Various Aspects of the Game
Take a closer look at some of the various aspects of this highly anticipated fighter.
Atlus Confirms PS3 Version of Persona 4 Arena Will Be Region Locked
Do not make plans to import Persona 4 Arena just yet…
New Move Vids for P4 Arena! Mitsuru, Akihiko, and Aigis Bring the Pain
It’s time for three characters from Persona 3 to represent their game.
Move Vids for Persona 4 Arena Revealed! Time to Start Practicing!
Time for a beatdown! Atlus release the move sets for Yukiko, Naoto, Yu, Yosuke, Kanji, and Chie
Teddie and Rise Break Down Persona 4 Arena's Combat System
New tutorial explains the game’s fighting style.
Shinkara: Persona 4 Arena
Posted By Taylor Hoyt about 9 months ago
Shinkara: Persona 4 Arena
The dream team of Atlus and Arc System Works have come together to create the dazzling spectacle Persona 4 Arena. Does it manage to please both RPG and fighting game fans? Taylor lets you know in this episode of Shinkara!
Follow Taylor on Twitter: @TaylorsShelf
Original Art: Ririkuto
Opening and credit songs: Incompetech.com
Logo design: @PyreHavoc
Persona 4 Arena Review
I love this game. I still hate Teddie. Sage Reviews - Persona 4: Arena
As derivative as it is excellent. Shinkara: Persona 4 Arena
The dream team of Atlus and Arc System Works have come together to create the dazzling spectacle Persona 4 Arena. Does it manage to please both RPG and fighting game fans? Taylor lets you know in this episode of Shinkara!Pages: Page 1 - Page 2
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October 16, 2012 at 03:06am
After seeing this video I really want to play this… unfortunately Zen United still seems to have way to much trouble to cope with the scale of the project (or it’s licensors for that matter) in order to release it here in Europe.
And thanks to this beeing the only PS3 game in existence with a region-lock… *sigh* T_T
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August 18, 2012 at 10:46pm
I have to disagree with your critique of the story mode. I very much so like that, with one or two exceptions, they did not try to force fights into this just because it’s a fighting game (a problem, in my opinion, with most fighting game story modes, including MK9′s), and used them only where it made sense instead. If you’re going to have a story mode in a fighting game, the story needs to be the focus of the mode – the game has every other mode to give you all the fighting you could want, after all. By far the strongest part of P4A’s story was Labrys’ chapter, and that had only one fight at the very end – which honestly was probably the most unnecessary in the entire mode to boot, so I’d have had no problem if there were no fights in that chapter of the story.
I’d disagree with holding up Mortal Kombat 9′s story as getting much right, too. While I appreciate that it had a lot more effort put into it than most fighting game stories do, the end result was nothing but the video game equivalent of a dumb action movie with a bloated cast. Its use of cinematics, which is really all that it does different from other fighting game story modes, comes nowhere close to making up for its lack of good writing. Among fighting games, the BlazBlue series and P4A both offer much better stories than that mess.
Really, my one complaint with the story mode is that the ArcSys style of giving each character their own story to play through doesn’t work so well here. Because everyone is going through the same events (Labrys and parts of Elizabeth’s story aside), there’s a lot of repetition between the stories, especially with Yu, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko. Naoto and the P3 characters offer some variety by coming at things from a different angle and having an alternate ending, but once they’re in the TV world, the repetition is still present up until the tail end.
Beyond that though, I’d say they nailed it.
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August 19, 2012 at 04:30am
I’d have to agree with you on the story basically seeming the same, just from different perspectives. When playing through the story I mixed up the characters a lot so I didn’t see the same story 4 times in a row.
While I can definitely see people enjoying this style of story-telling, just wasn’t my cup of tea. Thanks for the discussion!
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August 18, 2012 at 09:52pm
Nice to see another Episode of ‘Shinkara’! (and on the same month as you said lol)
Ah yes P4A/U. For a game that crosses both the RPG and Fighting World, Atlus and Ark System game got it right.
I’ll admit for someone who joined the fray of fighting games of BB & MVC3, this one I was the most comfortable in. It was easy to get into and I can actually hold my ground in most online matches.
As a fan of the Persona series, the change of VAs isn’t something that bothers me. Although the only thing that scares me is that the New English Teddie just reminds me of Japanese Kuma… is that even possible.
So yeah if anyone who has this on PS3, add ‘DJ_Jet89′ and maybe we can get a match together someday.
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August 18, 2012 at 09:35pm
The story mode is less a fighting game with plot and more a visual novel with fights every 20-something minutes? Just like BlazBlue then.
I like both BlazBlue and Persona, so this is a perfect mix for me.
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August 18, 2012 at 09:51pm
Yup, if you like the visual novel style of BlazBlue then you’ll love this. Plenty of it.
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August 18, 2012 at 09:23pm
And you sir got your Persona in my fighting game? Wanna fight about it?! Just kidding. Great vid Taylor.
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Shinkara: Persona 4 Arena
The dream team of Atlus and Arc System Works have come together to create the dazzling spectacle Persona 4 Arena. Does it manage to please both RPG and fighting game fans? Taylor lets you know in this episode of Shinkara!
Teddie and Rise Break Down Persona 4 Arena's Combat System
New tutorial explains the game’s fighting style.
I gotta say by far the best aspect of this game is how it blends accessibility with depth. The autocombo aspect gives everyone kind of a starting point and on top of that all specials are done with quarter-circles with supers being double quarter circles. While I myself am fairly well versed in fighting games myself it was nice to see my friends basically pick a character they like and not be restricted by things like motions and basic combos. This game is utterly fantastic in that regard.
The game looks really fun!
But i dont think it’s very consistent with the story. Since in the added ending for P4G they basically say that Yuu doesnt come back until the next summer. And all the characters get updated character designs. Other than that, the game looks really fun, and it’s probably going to be the next game i get! I wish they wouldve added the P3 MC though. you’re review was great too!
Teddie must die! If they don’t use Koromaru in this somehow they can stand to drop Teddie from the next game.
Naoto is considered low-tier, then? Meh, I’ll keep playing her anyway. Catching people with Mudoon is one of the most satisfying feelings I’ve had in a fighting game.
Fighting games are not my strength and my wrists would agree but I want to get this game, to see these characters continue their arcs beyond their main adventure, how the Persona 3 characters fit to in this and I also want see what the game will do with the umm bringing back a certain someone’s soul plot.
Needs and Adachi DLC.
Now I really can’t wait for my preorder to arrive.
I’ve actually been playing with Teddie a lot. He might be my guy =D
“Persona 3 is the better than 4. There, I said it.”
Ahahahahahaha! You’re funny Austin.
It’s totally true though. P3 beats P4 thematically.
I always found it incredibly contradictory that the underlying theme of Persona 3 is the inevitability of death and yet (just like in every other RPG ever made) by the end of it you straight-up kick death’s ass.
Yeah, fine the protagonist dies at the end, but even if someone likes the thematic elements of P3 more Persona 4 has more refined combat, better plot twists (I knew Shuji was evil THE MINUTE I laid eyes on him), and MUCH MUCH better characters (I fucking hate Ken and Shinjiro).
Oh man, P3P does Shinjiro JUSTICE. Not even kidding. As a girl you really get to connect to the main team allot more than the original. (Though Ken is still annoying and his social link can get more than a little creepy)
Also, didn’t you pay attention? You CAN’T beat Nyx, you didn’t win against Nyx Avatar, you lost, it still stood, it stills summoned Nyx. You can’t beat Nyx either, you seal away the desire for death to make Nyx go away. You don’t win by kicking ass. That fails, Ryoji wasn’t lying when he said you can’t win.
You should re-read some stuff on this site that Austin I believe wrote for P3, especially on Death.
Speaking of themes, I do like how this game’s story mode does feel like a extension to P4 story wise and character growth wise. Like the review says its nothing like the RPGs, but I’m glad it still continues each character’s story.
In terms of plot I thought that Persona 4 was better but in terms of how the story was executed it (mostly) felt like Persona 3 was executed.
Maybe I’ve missed it where you wrote it, but how many characters are there in the game? Judging from the first pic, there are only 7 characters and 4 that you can unlock, is this true?
Too few if you ask me. I know those who play games competitively don’t mind a small roster, since they pick one character and stick with him, but for me I big roster is almost as important as the basic game mechanics.
They really should have used characters from all the Persona games.
All characters are unlocked right from the start except for story mode. Where only the 4 main people are available right away.
Also it’s thirteen total characters.
Questionable voice actor choices? Can’t be worse than “human” Aigis!
I NEED YUR HALP
(Not even mentioning Fuuka. Too easy.)
I got the game on its release day and I’ve been eating it up. My only gripe is that the arcade AI is a little predictable.
Why wouldn’t Chie be jealous over Yukiko? Have you seen Yukiko? She’s like, smokin’ hot. (Agi joke)
Honestly I can’t wait for this game to come out in Europe. What I really want to know, is has anyone tried the NTSC game on a PAL PS3 to see if the region lock was actually true? I’d be interested to see how it works.