Topic: Shin Megami Tensei Discussion Thread

The SMT games don't seem to get enough love on this site, so I thought I'd put out a thread to allow fans and newcomers to talk about their favorite games in the series, talk about the new ones coming up, ask questions, etc. So, as the thread implies, discuss away!

I'm actually sort of a newcomer to the series, though I have friends who swear by 'em, and always talk about how it's their favorite RPGs and whatnot. The only game I've played extensively is the original Shin Megami Tensei via an emulator. It's pretty good, got an interesting story and great gameplay. It is a bit dated, though, and save points are few and far between. I hope they update it someday, along with SMT2, and actually release it outside of Japan this time.

I've also played a bit of Shin Megami Tensei 2 and Persona 2: Innocent Sin. While I've only played SMT2 for about an hour, I can already say that it's one of the most absurd and confusing games I've ever played. It's been non-stop craziness so far, leaving me an abundance of unanswered questions: why is everyone acting like I know everything already? Why am I in the future? What the hell is my occupation supposed to be? A boxer? A professional VR player? Why is that gym teacher hitting on me? Why is Steven Hawkings inside of a Virtual reality program? And why is he giving me a program that'll allow me to summon demons from the underworld?(I love what he says, to - "I don't know who you are, but I have a feeling you might somehow be able to save the world) Can anyone say "Dues Ex Machina"? And that's all in the first hour.@.@

As for Persona 2: Innocent Sin, I have to say, the story in that game is fantastic from what I've played of it(about 3 or 4 hours, felt longer for some reason). I know it's Japan only, but there is a great English patch out there, so if anyone is interested, I'd highly recommend any fan of the series should try to find some way to play it. There's no doubt they would love it - absurd, yet awesome storyline, interesting themes, and quirky characters and dialogue abound! Talking with the demos is pretty interesting, too, and it's always cool to see how every conversation plays out, since it usually ends with hilarious results.

Anyways, I'm really digging the series so far. I've already got SMT If... and Nocturne waiting in the wings, and I'm planning on pre-ordering the new one for the DS. And hopefully if I get a job, I'll grab some others before they get too rare, especially Persona 4.

Shin Megami Tensei has become my favorite JRPG series. I still like Dragon Quest (my 2nd favorite now) though. I enjoyed Final Fantasy but realized the series was going downhill once VII came out and then totally jumped the shark with X and all following installments. I still will play FFXIII but before, I would buy a new FF game day one. Now I just plan to rent it. It seemed to me that the Teen rated JRPGs weren't delivering like they were in the PS1 era. I still got enjoyment out of them but not as much as I used to. Personally I would love Square-Enix to stop pimping the FF and take a year and get development teams to work on a new Chrono, Mana, Grandia, or Vagrant Story sequel but we don't live in a fair world, lol. That's about as likely as Kojima stopping his milking of Metal Gear to make Zone of the Enders 3 (not crappy GBA strategy games).

Anyways, I gave up on JRPGs for awhile after the PS1 era until I ended up trying SMTIII: Nocturne and that immediately became my favorite JRPG on the PS2. SMT doesn't pander to you or hold your hand. I missed the difficulty in RPGs and Nocturne opened the SMT world to me.

SMT is the rare series where the spin-off titles are equal to or even greater than the main series (Persona, If..., Digital Devil Saga, etc.). So far I've played all the SMT games (minus the DS ones) and enjoyed them all (even the old SNES titles that I had to play on my PC with an emulator because there is practically no other way to play those two). I enjoy Persona just as much as the main series. Persona 3 is probably my favorite in that series and both Digital Devil Saga games are great. Devil Summoner is worth checking out as well. Atlus has since become my favorite developer/publisher out of Japan for RPGs. They replaced Square-Enix (even thought I like Dragon Quest, we all know that series was and still is 100% Game Arts and Enix's doing) after the PS1 era for me.

The soundtracks are top notch. Varied styles, vocal tracks, and upbeat pieces that make you want to play the game further. Final Fantasy music is great too but the overtones and mood never change. I was surprised when I popped in Nocturne and heard the music style. It was like when I played Grandia and Grandia II for the first time and liked how lighthearted and upbeat the music was, even when the world was in peril. Both gave me something different instead of the overplayed "epic" scores that seem to be used for every single mainstream JRPG.

I'm planning on getting a DSi XL when it comes out and Strange Journey was a big part in making that decision. Devil Survivor as well. The writing in SMT games is top notch (though cheesy at times which is nice knowing the developers can have a little fun with their ideas) and hilarious so I'm hoping that translates to the DS well. I could say a lot more good things about the series but I'll just end and say that I'm waiting for Persona 5 on the PS3 or another console game from the main series .

_{Yay! One fan! And he's capable of writing larger walls-o-texts than me! I deem this thread a success!:thumbs-up:}

@Kehvoki

Wow, all of them? Really? I mean, that I'm doubting you or anything, but there are a lot of SMT games. Did you also include the Megami Tensei games for the NES and spin-off games such as the Majin Tensei, The Demikids games, SMT: NINE, SMT: Imagine Online, ect.? Or did you just include all the main ones and every one that game out in the U.S.? And aren't all of then kinda long and rather hard?

Anyways, I'd definitely agree that the SMT franchise can be a great way to cure "Jaded Gamer" syndrome, since each game is such a refreshing change of pace over the bog-standard JRPG experience.(though I certainly can't agree with your thoughts on Square-Enix, despite understanding where you're coming from, but that's a topic for another thread...also, Grandia belongs to Gamearts, who are making a new Grandia game. It's just that it's an MMO)

What's so great about Digital Devil Saga anyways? Not to sound harsh, it's just that I don't know much about it, and from what I've seen and heard, it doesn't seem that interesting. I guess what I'm asking is for you to "sell it to me", if you catch my drift.

Devil Summoner is definitely a game I'm interested in, if only for its setting. Unfortunately, it seems to be the most expensive right now, so I may have to pass on it in the end. Persona 3 is a game I intend to get because it's the most popular, and will likely become the most expensive, but asside from that, I can't say it interests me at all. Persona 4 is another story entirely, and it's definitely top of my list. Everything about it screams awesome!

Getting a DSi is definitely a good idea, Devil Survivor seems pretty awesome, and there are a lot of other great and Unique RPGs that might pique your interest as well.

BUMP

Okay, I just pre-ordered Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey. Unfortunately, it's gonna arrive a little after my birthday, but whatever. I wonder, should I play SMT1 or Nocturne to celebrate/prepare myself?

At first I thought Mickeymac was back (seeing as how this thread has so few posts), but then I realized someone was just reviving a really old thread...

Please use the Atlus Fan Thread. Link in my sig. But thank you for reminding me to get rid of the rest of my Watched topics.

Mickeymac is back sort of.

Nooooo. I thought you were back. D: C'mon stay.