
The roster also leads to a number of different fighting styles, and each character also has a shadow version of themselves to lend an extra bit of depth. For those that scoff at this, they will be pleased to find that the mechanics and they can spend plenty of time mastering more detailed combinations. Auto-combos enable players to tap one button and still feel like a combat king. This is not a bare bones fighting game, despite being easy to pick up and play. It’s a good thing then, that the characters are also a joy to fight with and all have their own advantages and disadvantages. In fact, those that are more interested in just spending time with the characters can opt to skip the battles entirely.

Those who haven’t spent significant time with the characters may not be overly interested in their stories but longtime fans will be very satisfied. Seeing what everyone has been up to – especially Ken, Yukari and Junpei, who enter the fray this time – is great and watching them all interact is the best part of the story mode. The story consists of two different episodes, which follow both casts. For those content to wait, the story doesn’t compare to the RPG’s that it is based on, but the main joy comes from checking in with the delightful cast from both Persona 3 and 4. Those looking to get into the action straight away may want to investigate the Arcade Mode, as it takes some time for the actual gameplay to start. Oh, once every now and then you actually get to fight as well!

It plays out like a visual novel, static backgrounds with character portraits outlining the action, with the occasional anime cut scene sprinkled in. Those who are used to story modes of fighters being a couple of short nonsensical vignettes in between carnage, followed with a short ending cinematic may be overwhelmed by the story and presentation. The story mode will be the main draw card for pre-existing fans, while also representing a possible stumbling block for entrants into the series.

What we have here is an all-new story, an expanded roster and finely tuned fight mechanics that more than justify its release.
#Persona 4 arena ultimax ps vita update
Persona 4 Arena Ultimax is billed as a sequel/update to the unexpectedly successful Persona 4 Arena, although the update label is doing it a disservice.
#Persona 4 arena ultimax ps vita series
Who is Persona 4 Arena Ultimax designed for? Is it for fans of the Persona series and its brand of quirky characters, dense narrative, grueling yet rewarding battle system and dating sim mechanics? Or is it for fans of hardcore fighting games, those that reward endless hours mastering precise button combinations, repeated over and over until your fingers are bloody stumps of satisfaction from pulling off that finishing move? The answer is, of course, both and can even be extended to general fans of gaming, although the aforementioned groups will get the biggest kick out of it.
