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Persona 4: Arena |OT| Midnight's Just Around The Corner

h3ro

Member
Skipped BB CSEX but I'll be picking this one up a little bit after launch. No time to play right now, but I love me some ASW.

Come now he can't be worse than certain other Low/Bottom tier characters in other FGs!

Hsein-Ko'd.
 

Jawmuncher

Member
I'm hoping this hits the vita at some point.
BlazBlue on the vita was just flawless there, aside from no arcade stick.
But it's portable so that complaint is kinda invalid.
 
Gonna be hard for me to play this without spoiling parts of P4 for myself. Damn you, P4G, for coming out after P4A. Anywho, Schadenfreude - PS3 - Xeref - ?/?
 

Lyte Edge

All I got for the Vernal Equinox was this stupid tag
Impressions from the other thread:

BXe4wl.jpg


Got Persona 4 Arena. Brief impressions after a few hours of messing around, mostly-online:

-I'm not normally one to talk about this, but wow- this game has some great presentation. It really keeps the feel of the recent Persona games and has some familiar P3/P4 music on the menu screen.

-Lesson mode is a great tutorial for new players and there is ZERO load time going from one lesson to the next!

-There's not as much going on when playing on certain stages, but P4 Arena is easily Arc's best-looking 2D fighter to date- beautiful, clean sprites and bright, detailed backgrounds. I love the P4 main character's theme music, too. Wish more stage BGMs had vocals!

-Still not too sure what to make of the game play just yet. It almost feels too simplistic at times, especially compared to BlazBlue. It's fun, but it also feels too "easy" when you can just press the light attack button and watch your character do an auto-combo-into-super automatically if you have the meter available. But there's plenty of game play features and obviously if this game didn't have real depth, it wouldn't be so popular in J-arcades.

-That said, I think this game is going to be much, much easier for people to get into than some of the other Arc fighting games. Most of the characters' moves are also just quarter-circle motions and charge moves...nothing really more complex than that.

-I've only played against Japanese players online, so that's left me kind of locked into playing ranked matches-- almost every player match room was set to not accept lower-bar connections and everyone shows up with 0 bars, as I'm sure I show to them. Most of the matches I've played have been on the same level as BlazBlue and Arcana Heart 3...very, very good connection quality, and again that's with the connection bar showing as ZERO! There's no pre-fight sync-slowdown that I'm seeing though...you pretty much know right away if the connection quality is going to be good or not.

-Arcade mode has some brief story and dialogue sequences between the characters. Tried Story Mode briefly and it really feels like a different game. Very much like a visual novel...if it's true that this mode has 30-40 hours of content, I can definitely see it appealing to non-fighting game playing Persona 4 fans. It really is a direct-sequel to P4, taking place two months later. I'm staying away from this mode until I play P4 on Vita.

And this guy is my favorite character:

tumblr_m7qum1JNlH1qecwmho1_400.gif


Teddie is just fun as hell to play as!
 

Fersis

It is illegal to Tag Fish in Tag Fishing Sanctuaries by law 38.36 of the GAF Wildlife Act
Does it have a command list? I want to support it but.. NO COMMAND LIST NO BUY!
 

QisTopTier

XisBannedTier
Does it have a command list? I want to support it but.. NO COMMAND LIST NO BUY!

o_O weirdest thing in the world to not buy a game for, but yes it does I believe. It has full on trail modes for characters and such. Arksys games have had Command list in game since ggxx
 

Parakeetman

No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Impressions from the other thread:

BXe4wl.jpg

-Still not too sure what to make of the game play just yet. It almost feels too simplistic at times, especially compared to BlazBlue. It's fun, but it also feels too "easy" when you can just press the light attack button and watch your character do an auto-combo-into-super automatically if you have the meter available. But there's plenty of game play features and obviously if this game didn't have real depth, it wouldn't be so popular in J-arcades.

-That said, I think this game is going to be much, much easier for people to get into than some of the other Arc fighting games. Most of the characters' moves are also just quarter-circle motions and charge moves...nothing really more complex than that.

Yeah I agree with your notions about how you talk about the fighting system being simplistic. Really was hoping for something more "orthodox" since yeah the auto combo shit, dont dig that at all. I can see the game losing interest for the exact reasons.

But at the same time it is a good game, though whats odd is how complex the whole counter system and other features are I dont get why they tried to make it more casual.
 

alstein

Member
Yeah I agree with your notions about how you talk about the fighting system being simplistic. Really was hoping for something more "orthodox" since yeah the auto combo shit, dont dig that at all. I can see the game losing interest for the exact reasons.

But at the same time it is a good game, though whats odd is how complex the whole counter system and other features are I dont get why they tried to make it more casual.

I think it's going to have the opposite effect- it will bring people in, and the game with its other features should have enough strategic depth to keep people around.

I think this game could be the SF4 of anime fighters for this reason- with it drawing a ton of people in , but getting a small crowd of haters who will stick to GG when that comes out.
 

TGMIII

Member
So we got a date?

They said they hope to get it out by August 31st but they still don't have a solid date so I'm just going to assume it will be September.

As for the auto combos they're no where near optimal damage and you take a chunk of health into blue health for using it. Anyone who's decent won't be using it ever unless it's going to kill and they want something easy.
 
I'm so garbage at fighting games but I keep buying them. This will be no exception. Hopefully auto-combos and a story with good characters will keep me going.
 

Parakeetman

No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
I think it's going to have the opposite effect- it will bring people in, and the game with its other features should have enough strategic depth to keep people around.

I think this game could be the SF4 of anime fighters for this reason- with it drawing a ton of people in , but getting a small crowd of haters who will stick to GG when that comes out.

I wouldnt mind it as much as if they had an option to turn off the auto combo system, but unfortunately it does not exist. Since it doesnt feel as skill based when there is such a system in place, which takes away the feeling of an accomplishment with a victory.
 

QisTopTier

XisBannedTier
He's objectively considered the worst playable character. I don't know how you could misunderstand that :)

Worst in an aksys game doesn't mean much unless they are bad enough to be in their own tier

Edit: FUCK I double posted... I need sleep
 
I wouldnt mind it as much as if they had an option to turn off the auto combo system, but unfortunately it does not exist. Since it doesnt feel as skill based when there is such a system in place, which takes away the feeling of an accomplishment with a victory.

I for one enjoy fighting games more when the focus is not "who can do the best combo" but "who can figure out their opponent to get that first hit".

It might not give you 10 more years (if you ignore the years till the PAL release), but given there are already strong games in every category, it seems like a good approach to me.

As for Kanji, I think he is just considered the worst because he has bad match ups due to his speed and mobility. Other than that he can compete just fine.
 

Fersis

It is illegal to Tag Fish in Tag Fishing Sanctuaries by law 38.36 of the GAF Wildlife Act
Im jokin' about the folks that went berserk on Skullgirls for not having a command list. :3

And yeah this is gonna be my first anime fighter!

o_O weirdest thing in the world to not buy a game for, but yes it does I believe. It has full on trail modes for characters and such. Arksys games have had Command list in game since ggxx
People actually said stuff like that. For realz.
 

QisTopTier

XisBannedTier
Im jokin' about the folks that went berserk on Skullgirls for not having a command list. :3

And yeah this is gonna be my first anime fighter!


People actually said stuff like that. For realz.

Skullgirls is an animu fighter It's a guilty gear/ marvel hybrid :p
 

Fersis

It is illegal to Tag Fish in Tag Fishing Sanctuaries by law 38.36 of the GAF Wildlife Act
Skullgirls is an animu fighter It's a guilty gear/ marvel hybrid :p
Never bought skullgirls and bluerei convinced me of buying this one.
YO ANIME! (I know nothing about the franchise or the arcade release though)
 

BadWolf

Member
Guess this whole easy combo/learning thing might be why its so popular in Japan right now, iirc its really popular among female players as well.

Can't see anything wrong with that, it shouldn't always be about execution.

Making the genre more accessible is a great thing, just gotta make sure it doesn't feel dumbed down in the process.
 

QisTopTier

XisBannedTier
Never bought skullgirls and bluerei convinced me of buying this one.
YO ANIME! (I know nothing about the franchise or the arcade release though)

Oh well wth o.o/ Psh if you enjoy this you better pick up GGXXX when ever it comes out in the future

2014/15 winter most likely lol
 

Cowie

Member
Guess this whole easy combo/learning thing might be why its so popular in Japan right now, iirc its really popular among female players as well.

Can't see anything wrong with that, it shouldn't always be about execution.

Making the genre more accessible is a great thing, just gotta make sure it doesn't feel dumbed down in the process.

Anecdotally, I saw a fair number of girls playing this in arcades during my trip -- and a whole lotta Yosuke goin on.
 

Parakeetman

No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
Guess this whole easy combo/learning thing might be why its so popular in Japan right now, iirc its really popular among female players as well.

Can't see anything wrong with that, it shouldn't always be about execution.

Making the genre more accessible is a great thing, just gotta make sure it doesn't feel dumbed down in the process.

Well what it feels like on occasion to me at times is "monkey combat" is what a friend and I would call it, where button bashing is a way to victory. I had just wished for the console version there was an option to have the auto combo feature turned off for those who want to have a more "pure" type of fighting game experience.

Im all for more folks getting into it and makes sense for this game since a lot of the fans come from an RPG series not fighting game, but at the same time for the home version extra options just for the fighting game fans too would not have hurt the product.

One thing for sure is that overall its a great product with a lot of content and far worth its weight in gold so to speak.

While at the same time we will speak up about what we think could have made the title better at the same time. Game is most def worthy of being part of the persona series :D
 

TGMIII

Member
Well what it feels like on occasion to me at times is "monkey combat" is what a friend and I would call it, where button bashing is a way to victory.

I had just wished for the console version there was an option to have the auto combo feature turned off for those who want to have a more "pure" type of fighting game experience.

How much JP arcade footage have you watched? You're way too fixed on the auto combos being an easy win, apparently. You spend 50 meter and gain blue health for a sub-optimal combo where someone else could make the 50 meter go much further. You're not going to lose to someone mashing auto combo if you're better than that person.
 

QisTopTier

XisBannedTier
Meh, Skullgirls is pretty overrated IMO. Great ideas, mediocre execution and conclusion.

Not sure why people keep dragging that into these kinds of topics online.

It can't be overrated still, it's rarely talked about these days. They fucked up majorly with the combo system. They fixed that though thankfully.

It gets "dragged" into these key of topics because gameplay elements can be compared to.
 

Parakeetman

No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
How much JP arcade footage have you watched? You're way too fixed on the auto combos being an easy win, apparently. You spend 50 meter and gain blue health for a sub-optimal combo where someone else could make the 50 meter go much further. You're not going to lose to someone mashing auto combo if you're better than that person.

I dont need to watch footage since takes 10 mins to get to an arcade and watch people play, which is a waste of time considering I have had the game since yesterday anyways and been playing it. Its always easy to watch high level players and think a game is deep, but at the same time one must realize that high tier players are not the common stock.

I want the option to turn it off, since its an irritation for me having it on.

The term Ive used "Monkey Combat" is being used broadly and to basically describe the auto-combo system, which is exactly what it is. Press button to feel like a badass. Great and fine, but give me an option to turn that shit off if I dont want it on my character. I really could care less if someone else is using it. But having played the game for hours yesterday and some today the constant irritation of it being stuck with it on bugs me.

In short a lot of the irks comes from being from the more traditional fighting game background. Where it was you having to pull off the combos on your own and such, same with moves. Granted the auto-combo only does a single combo w/can go into a super, still dont really like it. As said before unless you are some godly player that knows everything about the game, just the fact that its on to me anyways takes away part of the sense of accomplishment when you win. Since as an average player there will be times when you use it, even if you dont mean to.
 

QisTopTier

XisBannedTier
I dont need to watch footage since takes 10 mins to get to an arcade and watch people play, which is a waste of time considering I have had the game since yesterday anyways and been playing it. Its always easy to watch high level players and think a game is deep, but at the same time one must realize that high tier players are not the common stock.

I want the option to turn it off, since its an irritation for me having it on.

The term Ive used "Monkey Combat" is being used broadly and to basically describe the auto-combo system, which is exactly what it is. Press button to feel like a badass. Great and fine, but give me an option to turn that shit off if I dont want it on my character. I really could care less if someone else is using it. But having played the game for hours yesterday and some today the constant irritation of it being stuck with it on bugs me.

I... don't get it? Just don't use them then. Are you somehow mashing and activating them?
 

Parakeetman

No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
I... don't get it? Just don't use them then. Are you somehow mashing and activating them?

Its pretty simple to activate since its just pressing the weak attack button over and over while standing.

I basically dont use it for the most part, but like I said just the fact that its on for myself is what irritates me. The auto combo system was literally the first thing I saw which irritated me with the game and why I was searching for an option to turn it off, thinking it was some sort of "crutch" meant for new players, which I have no problem. But at least had thought they would have had the insight to have left an option to totally turn the shit off for a player if they so choose.

Im the type of person that hates "crutches" in games and will turn all that shit literally off if there is the opportunity to do so. Thats also where a lot of this disdain for the auto combo system comes from. Its more of a personal thing, from a design standpoint it makes perfect sense why its in the game as I had mentioned before.

On a side note I wonder what happens for players who have the Famitsu DLC colors and those who dont when they pair off? Am guessing it will display fine and let folks play. But just thought about that now, while inputting the code.

DEAR GOD is the DLC expensive. Seriously? They couldnt have left this stuff in as unlocks with the game? The glasses especially considering this is Persona 4 we are talking about...
The Navigator voices thanks to RyogaSaotome are unlockable in game. This has been confirmed, just re-checked the store and its listed there under the description as a disclaimer.

They're also unlockable in-game, just in case anybody didn't know.

Cosmetic (DLC only)
Color Variety Pack 1-4 250 Yen Each
All Color Variety Packs - 800 Yen
Glasses Pack 1-4 - 250 Yen Each
All Glasses Pack - 800 Yen

Which Numbered Packs Contain What. For single purchasers
Color / Glasses Pack 1 - Yu, Yukiko, Kuma
Color / Glasses Pack 2 - Chie, Naoto, Akihiko
Color / Glasses Pack 3 - Yosuke, Aigis, Labrys
Color / Glasses Pack 4 - Kanji, Mitsuru, Elizabeth, Shadow Labrys

Navigator Voice (These are able to be unlocked from playing through normally also)
Kuma - 300 Yen
Yosuke - 500 Yen
Mitsuru - 400 Yen
Fuuka - 500 Yen
Nanako - 500 Yen

Total for all DLC - 4200 Yen / Almost 70% of the cost of the game itself right there...
 

TGMIII

Member
I don't like the idea of the auto combo either but I can deal with it since it's pretty weak in comparison to the other options I have, the single time I could see myself using it is when it's going to kill and they're going to have to be next to dead anyway for it to kill them so at that point it doesn't matter what combo I use.

I don't even disagree with having an option to turn it off, like auto super jump in UMVC3, but I don't understand why you keep saying it "takes away part of the sense of accomplishment" when you can choose not to use it and if someone who uses it constantly beats you then you didn't deserve to win in the first place.

I'm not trying to insult you in anyway with what I'm saying, this is just coming from someone that does play fighting game competitively and is just how I would think. I could also be misunderstanding what you're saying so correct me if I am. If your point is that you just don't like it then I can see that and agree with you in some regards.
 

.la1n

Member
I'll be there day one with a brand new fighting stick.

PSN is in my profile for anyone that wants to add me.
 

Snakeyes

Member
Im the type of person that hates "crutches" in games and will turn all that shit literally off if there is the opportunity to do so. Thats also where a lot of this disdain for the auto combo system comes from. Its more of a personal thing, from a design standpoint it makes perfect sense why its in the game as I had mentioned before.
But it's not like the crutch in this game affects your playstyle even if you don't want to use it like say, SF4's input shortcuts. I don't get it.
 

Kadey

Mrs. Harvey
Will pick up and play this game as I do AE. And yeah just because it's Persona.

Will have GAF lobbies too on my stream. I tend to play a lot of characters so I'll probably be messing around with the whole cast as they all look interesting to play.
 

B00TE

Member
I was fighting with myself over which version of the game I'd get, but I guess this settles it. I'll play it safe and get the PS3 version.

I might do the same but since there's still about a week and a half to go, I'll wait and see if it's patched or if it gets better.
 

Parakeetman

No one wants a throne you've been sitting on!
But it's not like the crutch in this game affects your playstyle even if you don't want to use it like say, SF4's input shortcuts. I don't get it.

The issue is you can turn off shortcuts, which I do in the keyconfig. You cant turn off Auto Combo hence my massive irritation with it. Again Im not saying I want it off for everyone. But Id like the option to turn it off for myself.

I don't like the idea of the auto combo either but I can deal with it since it's pretty weak in comparison to the other options I have, the single time I could see myself using it is when it's going to kill and they're going to have to be next to dead anyway for it to kill them so at that point it doesn't matter what combo I use.

I don't even disagree with having an option to turn it off, like auto super jump in UMVC3, but I don't understand why you keep saying it "takes away part of the sense of accomplishment" when you can choose not to use it and if someone who uses it constantly beats you then you didn't deserve to win in the first place.

I'm not trying to insult you in anyway with what I'm saying, this is just coming from someone that does play fighting game competitively and is just how I would think. I could also be misunderstanding what you're saying so correct me if I am. If your point is that you just don't like it then I can see that and agree with you in some regards.

The whole taking away the sense of accomplishment once again is the feeling I get with the fact that the damned thing is turned on and on the chance I do part of it by accident, which has happened on occasion as am still learning the game and getting accustomed to characters it irritates me knowing that there is an "easy button" function active and that I had used it by mistake. This really boils down to a personal preference / pride thing and the fact that the devs being folks who know fighting games and competitions you would have thought they would have had at least enough sense to give players an option to turn the feature off if they wanted to do so.
 

TGMIII

Member
The issue is you can turn off shortcuts, which I do in the keyconfig. You cant turn off Auto Combo hence my massive irritation with it.

I think he means the directional input short cuts in SF4, like if you press down forward, down forward it will correct the input into a shoryuken input which can't be turned off. Not the 3 Kick, 3 punch button shortcuts.
 

Infinite

Member
The issue is you can turn off shortcuts, which I do in the keyconfig. You cant turn off Auto Combo hence my massive irritation with it. Again Im not saying I want it off for everyone. But Id like the option to turn it off for myself.

It doesn't really effect they way you play at all. Just don't use it.
 
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