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Topic: The Megami Tensei Thread

Posts 1,341 to 1,353 of 1,353

Maxenmus

Finally got around to watch the announcement trailer of Soul Hackers 2. Oh boy. Where do I even start with what's wrong with it?

First off, yeah, definitely Persona vibes there. I like Persona games for what they are, but I'm also glad SMT titles did their own thing prior to SMT V and gave me a very distinct atmosphere of mysticism that feels different from Persona games' highschool setting. Soul Hackers 2, however, looks like Persona 5.5. Similar visual style, similar secret organization bound together to save the world, obligatory cute mascot to appeal to a younger audience perhaps. All red flags in my book. I'm almost surprised they didn't just throw in Persona 5 costumes- oh wait, they did... in the DLCs.

It's a shame it isn't released on Switch, but I think Switch gamers got the better end of the deal, seeing how disappointing this game might already be from the trailer alone. You guys would probably be better off skipping this particular SMT title and just stick to the 3DS titles if you're a new SMT fan. I made the awful mistake of pre-ordering this on Steam just because it has the "Soul Hackers" brand name to it (the first Soul Hackers had great reviews). I avoided watching the trailer because I didn't want to spoil myself the story, but oh boy, what a big mistake that was.

I mean, I get it, Atlus. Persona 5 sold (extraordinarily) well, so you thought, "Let's cash in on this cow as much as possible by making every SMT title a Persona-ish game from now on." It's how business works. But I guess I'm just having a hard time picturing this to be the same company that consistently released great SMT titles during its DS and 3DS era (minus Apocalypse). What happened to the team that made Devil Survivor? What happened to genuine innovation? That spark of creative spirit to explore new grounds like Catherine?

I can't believe that for the Shin Megami Tensei 30th anniversary (the first SMT was released in 1992), we're going to get a cel-shaded rehash of Persona 5. It just feels like a slap to the face. So much for a remaster/remake of SMT I and II. Guess it's back to the N64 we go, for those of us who have yet to play the first two SMTs.

Edited on by Maxenmus

Maxenmus

Switch Friend Code: SW-7926-2339-9775 | 3DS Friend Code: 3539-9678-8621 | My Nintendo: Flare | Nintendo Network ID: OriusPrime

VoidofLight

I just got into playing SMT IV, and I really really enjoy it. I enjoy it more than I enjoyed Shin Megami Tensei V. The world and the characters just grip me waaay more than the world and characters in V, and the story actually exists here which is also pretty nice. I'm like around 6 hours into it, and just got to the first boss of the game despite that. It's totally wrecking me, but I don't really think that has to do with my team, as much as it has to do with the RNG in the fight itself.

"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."

Pizzamorg

I got about 15 hours into Soul Hackers 2 and those hours really flew by, but by that point I'd really had enough and haven't touched it for a good week or so. I dunno whether it's just because I am playing it beside a game like Yakuza Like a Dragon which is also a turn based JRPG, but one that is exceptional in so many areas, but SH2 just feels like the most basic, cookie cutter kind of JRPG we got in the early to mid 00s, that somehow time jumped two decades to the present day.

There doesn't have to be anything wrong with that inherently I guess. It feels like the JRPG is a dying breed which needs protecting. But after a while, this game became just got so tedious to me. Especially as they have simplified all of the SMT systems it uses to the point where they are so trivial they may as well not even be included.

And like I say, playing this alongside LAD just makes Soul Hackers 2 feel even weaker. From LAD's rich open world design full of things to discover to SH2s almost visual novel style world. From LAD's brilliant use of smoke and mirrors to modernise turn based JRPG combat, then back to SH2s most basic of JRPG turn based combat with lazy, boring, environments and attack animations. The fights just have no flow, either, it is like a worse version of Pokemon where you either do massive damage by hitting elements Demons are weak to, or just doing absolutely no damage at all if you aren't doing the right type match up. It just makes combat brainless, as you are just matching elements, there is never a reason to think or use any strategy. I was actually playing SH2 on hard just to try and feel something. Yes, me, playing an Atlus game on Hard. Should tell you everything.

Soul Hackers 2 feels like Soulless Hackers 2 instead.

I will never emotionally recover from Phantom Liberty.

VoidofLight

I still can't beat this boss. Was trying to beat the Minotaur in IV, but the RNG itself keeps screwing me over. The last attempt I had was going well until Walter decided to take his turn, and casted Agi, which buffed the Minotaur and caused it to destroy me in a few hits.

"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."

Alex90

@Maxenmus I wish I could upvote your comment. You write what every hardcore Megami Tensei fan is feeling right now. Everything is Persona, even spin-offs of MegaTen...

Edited on by Alex90

Playing
(Via Steam/Steam Play):
Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne HD Remaster
Disciples III Reincarnation

Ralizah

@VoidofLight Did you ever beat the Minotaur?

SMT IV is an AWESOME game hampered by a few issues, and the dumb companion AI (and inability to choose your partner in battle) is one of them. Walter messing you over in that battle is so infamous now that it has effectively become a meme in the community.

Apocalypse is also an awesome sequel, and fixes just about every issue I had with the base game. It's also probably the most story-heavy game in the series, and the characters are all, like, normal people, and not insane alignment reps.

@Maxenmus SH2 is the first Atlus JRPG I've not purchased at launch since 2014, lol. I'm sure it's fine, but it does look very disappointing compared to mainline, and is tonally a bit too Persona-inspired for my liking.

BTW, if you don't mind emulating stuff on PC, there's now an unofficial localization of the PS1 version of SMT I, which is the best way to experience that game. The GBA port, which also enjoyed a fan translation, is also great.

Still stuck with the SNES version of SMT II if you can't read Japanese, however.

Edited on by Ralizah

Currently Playing: Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re- Boot Camp (NS)

VoidofLight

@Alex90 Shin Megami Tensei V wasn't really that close to Persona. It still played like a normal SMT game. Wasn't a very good one grant it, especially given the game that came before it on 3DS, but it's still SMT.

"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."

VoidofLight

@Ralizah Yeah, I beat Minotaur. Now I'm onto Medusa, and that boss is basically just the sequel to Minotaur. I heard after you beat her though, the game is primarily just smooth sailing from there.

"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."

Maxenmus

Alex90 wrote:

@Maxenmus I wish I could upvote your comment. You write what every hardcore Megami Tensei fan is feeling right now. Everything is Persona, even spin-offs of MegaTen...

One of my biggest annoyances is that we even need to have such a conversation about the difference between Persona and SMT when they spun off from the same Megaten franchise. It's like I can't enjoy SMT games anymore without feeling how Persona games have overshadowed the production of SMT games because Atlus clearly favors the former over the latter due to their popularity.

Ralizah wrote:

SH2 is the first Atlus JRPG I've not purchased at launch since 2014, lol. I'm sure it's fine, but it does look very disappointing compared to mainline, and is tonally a bit too Persona-inspired for my liking.

BTW, if you don't mind emulating stuff on PC, there's now an unofficial localization of the PS1 version of SMT I, which is the best way to experience that game. The GBA port, which also enjoyed a fan translation, is also great.

Still stuck with the SNES version of SMT II if you can't read Japanese, however.

I've given up on SMT to be honest after I got stuck with Devil Survivor: Overclocked. It proved too challenging for me and I just got frustrated and gave up on the 7th Day (Atsuro's Route and the fight against the Founder). I'm probably not going to revisit SMT for a long time (as in forever), seeing as I've sold all my SMT 3DS games for $400 (a nice return). The only thing I couldn't sell was Soul Hackers 2, a digital game bought on Steam (yet another reason why digital games suck).

Which makes my remarks in this very same post about my frustration towards Persona/SMT games kinda redundant now that I remember I've sold my SMT games. I have nothing to do with this tedious franchise anymore, so sayonara, Atlus. Good luck with your Persona-milking.

Edited on by Maxenmus

Maxenmus

Switch Friend Code: SW-7926-2339-9775 | 3DS Friend Code: 3539-9678-8621 | My Nintendo: Flare | Nintendo Network ID: OriusPrime

Ralizah

@VoidofLight I struggled a lot with Minotaur because of how often he rolled me with strings of critical hits, but never had many issues with Medusa. But yeah, Naraku is, by far, the hardest part of the game. Later bosses are obviously technically harder, but you have WAY more options to deal with them, so they end up feeling much more approachable.

It's a pity, because I imagine the hardcore difficulty early on probably turns a lot of people off.

Another thing Apocalypse does better. That game starts easy and ends with probably the hardest final boss I've fought in the series to date. Really smooth difficulty scaling.

SMT IV is great, though. The story is surprisingly shocking at points, and it has probably the best traditional characterizations in the series. The alignment reps felt much more natural here than they do in III and V.

Edited on by Ralizah

Currently Playing: Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re- Boot Camp (NS)

VoidofLight

@Ralizah The story so far has gripped me far more than SMT V. It doesn't feel as repetitive, and the world which they set up seems extremely interesting. There's so many minor details that just make it for me, especially within the original soundtrack. I don't get what went wrong with SMT V.

"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."

Ralizah

@VoidofLight Nothing went wrong with V (well, apart from the flat narrative elements, which is far from a deal breaker for me). It's just not a traditional SMT game, opting to emphasize exploration across its various sandbox environments and an increased focus on the demons themselves, like in Nocturne.

It is interesting how you don't seem to care for V's soundtrack, but like the one in IV, considering both games shared the same composer. You can actually hear echoes of IV's soundtrack in various tracks throughout V. I heavily prefer Kozuka's compositions in IV, Apocalypse, and V to the music in previous games in the series, even though the popular take is to worship at the shrine of Meguro.

I agree that IV has great music. The OST is probably my favorite in the series.

SMT IV takes heavy inspiration from the SNES duology, which were fairly story-heavy. If you don't know how SMT IV's story evolves past Naraku, then you're in for some cool surprises

Edited on by Ralizah

Currently Playing: Advance Wars 1 + 2: Re- Boot Camp (NS)

VoidofLight

@Ralizah Yeah, V's music is made by the same composer, and I like that aspect of V a lot, but IV has just a ton of cool details going for it. Like, the songs that play in the castle city are midi arrangements, while most of the other songs utilize actual instruments.

"It is fate. Many have tried, yet none have ever managed to escape it's flow."

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