The Shin Megami Everything Thread

[Chaos Phoenixma]

I started the game again earlier. On Easy mode since I was trying Normal the last time I played. Whether I'll up it to Normal after finishing easy, not sure yet.

[Rebel Ninja]

Persona 4: Golden is getting a US release this fall.

http://www.siliconera.com/2012/05/02/pe ... this-fall/

[cj iwakura]

Would much rather have EP localized. I own both already, but EP's additions are more substantial than P4G's, imo.

[Op Intensify]

Looks like Atlus passed on a US release for Eternal Punishment PSP. We would have heard about it by now. Bummer, but at least I already own the PS1 version.

Worrisome news...The 360 version of P4U/P4A has been confirmed to have crippling online lag not present on the PS3. Thankfully Atlus has already acknowledged this. With any luck, it should be patched in time for the US release. Blazblue CS and KOF XIII both went through similar rough spots in their netcode during their first weeks, which were more or less fixed.

[CMoon]

Since this is the closes thing to a SMT thread; rumor has it Digital Devil Saga is getting a PSN release.

[BulletMagnet]

Looks like Atlus passed on a US release for Eternal Punishment PSP. We would have heard about it by now.

If it ever does come here now it'll almost certainly be digital-only or nothing...we're lucky enough that they stuck with the system long enough to get Gungnir and Growlanser over. A shame, as the PSP is getting the late-era PS2 treatment in Japan.

[sjewkestheloon]

I would be more than happy if it got a digital release. Would be great to have access to all of the Persona games on one portable.

cMoon, is DDS good then? I have the first part but not picked the second one up yet. I plan on clearing a few more games before I start and probably will buy the second part before I start the first as I have heard that they directly run on from one another.

[CMoon]

cMoon, is DDS good then? I have the first part but not picked the second one up yet. I plan on clearing a few more games before I start and probably will buy the second part before I start the first as I have heard that they directly run on from one another.

8 hours into DDS1 and I'm hooked. DDS drops demon fusion and recruitment which means you don't have to spend a lot of time planning ahead. Most other gameplay elements remain the same from Nocturne--just minus the planning time. If you like the SMT games at all, this is pure gold (though I worry fusion will be replaced by simple grinding), and if you haven't, I think DDS would be an awesome introduction to the SMT universe (versus persona 3 & 4 which for me were a turn-off from the series.)

Anyway, I personally like having an option to Nocturne's absurd complexity. Like having the algebra-based Physics class for us dummies.

[cj iwakura]

DDS is wonderful, and the first has one of the best melodic OSTs ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf1adbrVFXY

[CMoon]

Difficulty is definitely ramping up. Very easy for a fight to get out of control if I don't shut down mobs the first round. Just got Gale and am trying to round him out physically (and with his opposing element), but its hard to risk hunt attacks since even single monsters are extremely aggressive and can curse/poison/sleep the party easily. Definitely a rewarding game, but sometimes the difficulty can just shift in a way that you're not ready for.

[cj iwakura]

Brace yourself, it gets harder.

[sjewkestheloon]

I have only fiished P4 so far but I am playig through P3P and I have started Nocturne. I stopped playing Nocturne because of a co-op title I was playing with friends on the 360 and I wanted to devote all of my attention to it. Very interesting game that I will probably go back to when I have played through DQ8.

I am surprised that you didn't like Persona 3 or 4 CMoon. I find them refreshing for the fantastic character development, unique setting and excellent combat mechanics. For the first time in an age I actually cared about the characters in a computer game, at least in 4.

[Op Intensify]

For the first time in an age I actually cared about the characters in a computer game

I guess you didn't play Mother 3.

Why Persona 3 is a sucky waste of time. Yeah, I know, Icy, but this wasn't written by him.

[Op Intensify]

A patch is already on the way for P4U's 360 netcode.

Anyone interested in playing on XBL once it's out? Arc is one of the very few JPN developers who have remained committed to the 360 all this time. I'd guess it's because it's the most arcade-perfect system for playing Type-X2 games, since they're both based on Windows XP.

[sjewkestheloon]

For the first time in an age I actually cared about the characters in a computer game

I guess you didn't play Mother 3.

Why Persona 3 is a sucky waste of time. Yeah, I know, Icy, but this wasn't written by him.

Nope haven't played any of the Mother games, I am hoping for a UK release at some point of the trilogy.

As for that review, it is fairly obvious that the Persona games are polarising in their appeal. It is undeniable that they have a large amount of 'down time' if you are not enjoying that particular aspect of the games but I actually enjoy both the social and the dungeon sections of the games equally. The only complaint I found myself violently nodding along to was the lack of party control which thankfully I have avoided by playing P3P.

[Op Intensify]

Nope haven't played any of the Mother games, I am hoping for a UK release at some point of the trilogy.

You're going to keep hoping for that, Nintendo has left the series for dead outside Japan, Smash Bros. aside. The Mother 3 fan translation is of excellent quality and has been finished for years now, just go with that.

P3P hugely improved battles with the addition of full party control, but the downgraded "visual novel" presentation of the story scenes was a major setback. None of the Persona games can hold a candle to the better SMT games in terms of RPG mechanics, anyway.

Persona was conceived as a beginner's introduction to SMT, an appetizer to a meatier sandwich. It wasn't meant to take over as the main branch of the series, and it's a shame that it did.

[CMoon]

I am surprised that you didn't like Persona 3 or 4 CMoon.

Well I actually did invest a lot of time into both (probably 20 hours each) so dislike may be too strong, but ultimately I found gameplay problems with both. I utterly hated the lack of concern for the dungeons, and for me this carried over into mood. The fact that P4 feels more like Scooby Doo than a sci-fi apocolyptic dungeon crawler is a problem for me; it doesn't need to be a problem for other people. Regarding gameplay, some of the problems I found (coming from Nocturne) were that battles came in two forms--ones where if you new the enemies weakness you would win, and boss fights where none of your shit really worked. Perhaps much later game (20 hours is often not even half way in an smt game) this might have changed, but I found almost every fight ended in one round except for boss fights. This isn't just challenge--I'm sure both P3 & 4 get hard (I still have 4 and may play it again), but rather how the games seemed to defeat long term strategies (like sleeping enemies one round, then using mudo or something that would kill them instantly.) If you get around to playing Nocturne/DDS/Strange Journey, you may look back at P3/4 as being a little disappointing.

[MX7]

Hmmm, interesting that DDS is held in such high regard. I tried it for a while after finishing SMT1 and it didn't really interest me. Might have to give it another go.

[CMoon]

You might have been dissapointed by the lack of demon recruitment/fusion; but actually it is nice to have a break from that now and then. On the other hand the mantra system feels like a very shallow substitute since in effect you just grind until you get the skills you want.

[sjewkestheloon]

Well CMoon, all you have done there is make me want to play more SMT games

[CMoon]

Well CMoon, all you have done there is make me want to play more SMT games

EXCELLENT! That said, I think its good to take breaks from them. Too much demon fusion can make you sick of the series. I think Strange Journey was what pushed me over the edge (for a while.)

[sjewkestheloon]

Yes I can see that that might be the case, even the graphics across the ps2 games all look pretty similar.

Now that the 3ds do has been released I might ha e to get one and start looking at all those ds rpgs that I missed out on, strange journey included.

[MX7]

Yes I can see that that might be the case, even the graphics across the ps2 games all look pretty similar.

Now that the 3ds do has been released I might ha e to get one and start looking at all those ds rpgs that I missed out on, strange journey included.

You're in for a treat. Strange Journey is worth getting a DS for alone, and there are a bunch of other awesome games to get, including 3 Etrian Odyssey games.

[CMoon]

You're in for a treat. Strange Journey is worth getting a DS for alone, and there are a bunch of other awesome games to get, including 3 Etrian Odyssey games.

Oh hell yeah! EO3 is one of my favorite RPGs in a long time, though like most dungeon crawlers I never finished.

Anyone ready to leap to the defense of the Devil Survivor games? I played a bit of the first and didn't really care for it.

[sjewkestheloon]

After talking about DDS here the other day I decided to pop to my local small chain to get rid of some of my game collection that I wasn't too interested in anymore. Lo and behold there was DDS2 sat on the shelf for very little money.

Needless to say I came home happy and started the first one up straight away.

Game is fun as hell, and I am surprised at the voice acting and animation and scene quality.

[MX7]

Cool, after I get Snatcher out of the way with I'll get DDS out of the way with. How long is the first one?

[rapoon]

DDS, DDS 2 and Nocturne. ~400 hours, over 200 in Nocturne. I've never spent so much time on an RPG before.
Awesome games and if certain conditions are met in DDS, you can transfer your save file over and have
a few extras in DDS 2.

[Op Intensify]

P4U/P4A technically isn't out in the States yet, but my copy shipped today.

[Obiwanshinobi]

I believe everybody with a soft spot for Nocturne/Lucifer's Call should give Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter a try and vice versa. Vastly different gameplay, but there is a certain elusive kinship between them. The second Dragon Quarter playthrough was among the first things I did after recent troublesome health issues and currently I'm replaying Nocturne, on Hard this time around.

[Op Intensify]

but there is a certain elusive kinship between them.

Can't they just both be amazing games in their own right? We don't need to draw comparisons where there are none.