Atlus’ Persona franchise is filled with some of the best JRPG games to ever grace the genre, but outside the core series, there’s a delightful amount of spin-off titles on offer.
These spin-off games have helped to expand each of the titles' lore while giving fans new gaming experiences.
This is mainly because the world of Persona is so accessible and loved by fans it can easily fit any gaming genre, the series has seen its characters feature in rhythm dance games, dungeon crawlers, Musou action and more.
One of the standout spinoffs was Atlus and Arc System Works fighter Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, which is finally making a comeback on current-gen consoles.
The original Persona 4 Arena was a 2D fighter that featured the major characters from the Persona 3 and 4 JRPGs.
It was the first non-JRPG game in the Persona franchise that also acted as a sequel to the previous games. It was followed by Persona 4 Arena Ultimax which featured new characters, modes, and systems.
The game was praised for its vibrant anime visuals, fast-paced gameplay and providing a great end to the story.
Persona has gained so many new fans since Persona 5 was released, so this is a great way to get news fans accustomed to the previous characters and games.
Persona 4 Arena takes place two months after Persona 4 and two years after Persona 3.
The story sees the main characters reunited for Golden Week in Inaba and somehow the Midnight Channel has also returned, broadcasting a mysterious tournament called the P-1 Grand Prix.
When a few of the investigation team go missing, the heroes once again dive into the TV world to figure out what is happening.
During their endeavours, they meet some characters from Persona 3 who also have been dragged into this tournament.
Ultimax picks up after the cliffhanger in Arena, which sees the rest of the cast from both games return for an intense battle with Sho Minazuki who brings the tournament to the real world.
The story may not feature all the intricacies and details featured in the JRPG’s but it is a bittersweet finale that should give closure to the fans of both games.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a gorgeous 2D that features Arc System Works slick signature sprite style merged with Personas punchy anime designs.
The game has aged well and now features anti-aliasing allowing it to look and run much smoother than its original release.
The entire world of Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is vibrant and fun with so much intricate detail being paid to each of its characters.
Attack animations radiate so much personality especially when you unleash their ultimate attacks. The soundtrack hosts a great variety of different tunes from previous Persona games to accompany the high-speed combat.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax has dual audio with both Japanese and English being available. The stellar vocal performances for each character sound amazing during battles as well as cutscenes.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax has a great selection of offline modes which all offer different experiences. The story mode is divided into three parts that include Episode I: P-1 which tells the story of the first Arena game.
Episode II: P-1 is the follow-up story in Ultimax and this version of the game will include the DLC story Episode III: Adachi.
There is also an extra episode that tells the story from the perspective of the Persona 3 cast.
There is so much here for players to get stuck into and the fantastic inclusion of the DLC is just an added bonus elevating the overall experience.
The Golden Arena mode is a unique addition to the game that utilises RPG elements.
Players will be able to earn points that can be used to level up their characters, increase various stats and unlock new skills.
Players will also be able to select a partner to support them during battle and deepen their social link.
Doing so will grant them support skills they can use to give you the edge in battle. This is an excellent mode that grants players an RPG-like experience which just increases the overall replay value of the game.
Other modes include Arcade, Score Attack, which are pretty self-explanatory. Players will be able to learn the fighting mechanics in three different modes, Training, Lessons and Challenge mode.
These are great non-repetitive ways for players to master the control system.
Aside from Vs mode players will be able to duke it out online as well. I wasn’t able to test Nintendo Switches online mode during this review.
However by now most fans would be aware the Nintendo Switch version will not receive Rollback Netcode, this probably won’t affect casual players, but seems like a big miss if the developers are looking to attract competitive players to the Switch version.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax includes twenty-two characters with some of them featuring Shadow versions.
These Shadow versions come equipped with different combos and slight variations of moves making them essentially separate characters.
This is a great way to bolster the roster without feeling too repetitive. This results in a huge cast of characters catering towards different play styles.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a four-button fighter with two buttons being used for human attacks and two for your Persona attacks.
Each of these attacks come in light and heavy forms that players can link together to perform combos.
The game features several different ways to execute efficient moves and special attacks.
Once players take part in the Lesson mode they will realise this game has so much depth within it, from learning how to master your Awakened state, the various counters, P and S combo systems and more.
It's still an accessible fighter that players can pick up and play but it also has the massive depth that will please the competitive scene.
Verdict
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is a grand return for a fighter that has aged really well. Atlus has done a fantastic job at porting this game over even with the omission of the rollback netcode.
The level of complexity within the combat and endless amount of content will ensure that Persona 4 Arena Ultimax's second spot in the limelight will last until the next Persona fighter is hopefully released.
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is out now for the Nintendo Switch, Playstation 4 and PC
