Persona 4 Arena Review

Game Reviewed: Persona 4 Arena

Release Date: August 7th, 2012

Developer: Arc System Works, Atlus

Publisher: Atlus

Platform: [Reviewed: Xbox 360], PlayStation 3

Genre: Fighting

Rated: T for Teen

What the hell can one say about Persona 4 Arena. Plenty; with not much of it being considered bad. Atlus, in conjunction with Arc System Works have created a rather fun and exciting “anime style” fighting game. Most gamers probably already had an idea of what to expect knowing Arc System Works as the developers behind Guilty Gear and BlazBlue.

Persona 4 Arena is a fast paced phenomenon. Throughout the development, we’ve honestly overlooked what to expect from Person 4 Arena, but we’re grateful to have not rolled past it upon release. It’s one of the gems in the anime world that will stretch even further through competition.

The meat of this game is the combat that takes place in the Arcade, Versus and Network Modes. It’s something to remember with its vast array of colors, unique set of fighters, awesome personas and overall gameplay.

Graphically Persona 4 Arena looks like something visually pulled right out of a comic book. If I could give an example, I’d rush straight over to SEGA’s Comix Zone.

P4A plays like an insane 2 on 2 competition. It’s you and your shadow which is also known as your persona. Persona is considered to be your manifestation and assist during battle. Be mindful, during rounds you can temporarily lose your persona, making you more vulnerable.

What I can respect even more is that the game caters to your preferred fighting style. If you’re a novice wanting to button mash your way to a victory, go right ahead.  If you want have a competitive edge, do so by engaging in the Lesson Mode and perfecting in the Challenge Mode. From there, nothing more can stand in your way.

There’s also a story mode that tags along in Persona 4 Arena. Generally the game introduces you to only four selectable characters. As you complete a player’s story, you’ll begin to unlock other characters. Most of the stories in P4A are intriguing, yet a bit forceful in viewing. What I mean by this is that there’s plenty of dialogue that becomes after a while overbearing between each fight. There’s options to speed the process if you want to read, or you can simply skip through.

I can’t say for sure if the story ties into previous installments, but I can confirm it’s not needed to understand the direction of P4A.

The soundtrack for Persona 4 Arena sets a matched level of adrenaline as the game itself.  No matter if you’re browsing menus or starting the star studded fighting modes, you’re sure to enjoy every track in the OST.

Overall Persona 4 Arena deserves the recognition  of being a high quality fighting game. No it’s not Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat, but rather its own unique title. And once you press start, it’s hard to step away from your console.

The Scores

Gameplay: 4.5/5

Visuals: 4.5/5

Audio: 4.75/5

Controls: 4.5/5

Value: 4.25/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5