The Shin Megami Everything Thread

[BulletMagnet]

Also, in case anyone hadn't already heard (or had any doubts in the first place), all of that Persona stuff we've been hearing about for awhile is US-bound.

[cj iwakura]

Am I crazy for thinking SMT1 is bigger news? The Persona stuff was a foregone conclusion(and didn't even get an email!), but SMT1... un. real.


Also, yeah, this is a new translation. Not Aeon Genesis'.

[Pretas]

So the 360 version of P4A Ultimax will be exclusive to the West. Interesting.

[BryanM]

I'm shocked Q is coming this year. That's like, they're translating it while they're making it. Like White People matter. Craaazy.

[cj iwakura]

So I have to ask, rather than commit to a pricey iOS purchase: is emulation a thing? Is there a chance someone could rip the GBA software and make it playable via an emulator?

[MX7]

No idea about emulation. Might be tricky extracting the script if it's been properly optimised (now has a touch screen interface and used the PSX version soundtrack, blimey), but I also suspect it could just be a simple script dump job to make life as easy as possible. As far as it being 'pricey' goes, remember it's only $7.99. That's a super cheap round of drinks for two people. Definitely not a commitment to stress about

Personally, suspected ease of porting aside (given that there's already an iOS version up and running), I think a Steam release of the PSX version would have been ideal. I just don't see IOS and intrinsically hardcore western SMT fans occupying that sweet spot on a Venn diagram. Of course if I was was wishing for anything it would be a remake of SMT1 & 2 using the Etrian Odyssey IV/ Persona Q engine. After Soul Hackers getting a boxed Western release I started to believe anything could happen...

[M.Knight]

The SMT1 localization also intrigued me. Seeing Atlus USA put some effort in this game is a good sign. If it is the first step to a hypothetical SMT1&2 remake for the 3DS, then let's hope this release suceeds.
I played quite a bit of SMT1 with the fantranslation and liked it but the UI and the random encounter rate made me lose interest, which is a shame.

[Mortificator]

The idea of SMT1 is way better than the reality. Most of what was good about that game was reused in Nocturne.

[cj iwakura]

No idea about emulation. Might be tricky extracting the script if it's been properly optimised (now has a touch screen interface and used the PSX version soundtrack, blimey), but I also suspect it could just be a simple script dump job to make life as easy as possible. As far as it being 'pricey' goes, remember it's only $7.99. That's a super cheap round of drinks for two people. Definitely not a commitment to stress about

Pricey in that I don't own an iOS device. I'd be getting one JUST for this game.
(I've done stupider things...)

The SMT1 localization also intrigued me. Seeing Atlus USA put some effort in this game is a good sign. If it is the first step to a hypothetical SMT1&2 remake for the 3DS, then let's hope this release suceeds.
I played quite a bit of SMT1 with the fantranslation and liked it but the UI and the random encounter rate made me lose interest, which is a shame.

The remake fixes a lot of that. I think it has a fantastic story, one of the best in SMT history.

[MX7]

Oh, I assumed you had an iDevice (urgh horrible phrase). Well, in that case yes it would be a pretty hefty commitment. I wouldn't really recommend one to anyone, especially now rival brands have surpassed the functionality for much cheaper. I've been considering switching for a while. Still there's that annoying thing with the odd exclusive app...

While I resorted to using save states and speeding up the emulation to facilitate grinding, I felt SMT1 was definitely a worthwhile game to play to completion. There's an almost unparalleled sense of hopelessness that Nocturne never matched. Also the music is amazing.

CJ, you seem to be something of a Megaten expert. Would you mind relaying the main differences between the SFC original and the GBA remake? It would be awesome to know exactly what we're in for

[BryanM]

Yeah, emulation is going to be a no-go. The iBlah platform might have some rudimentary emulation support on macintoshes. Inserting the new script into the GBA version is extraordinarily unlikely; you'd need an exceptionally masochistic sperglord for something with so little glory in it.

Oh, I assumed you had an iDevice (urgh horrible phrase).

We call them iPoos around here.

[cj iwakura]

CJ, you seem to be something of a Megaten expert. Would you mind relaying the main differences between the SFC original and the GBA remake? It would be awesome to know exactly what we're in for

The GBA remake is basically an update of the PS1 version which is basically the definitive.

The music was remixed, for better or for worse, but I really prefer the SFC sound:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQuNC_ZvjDc

The PS1 version's still good, though.

Beyond that, everything else is worlds better. The backgrounds have more detail, the UI was updated, and I think they cut down on the ridiculous random battle rate too.

(SFC)

(GBA)

[MX7]

Excellent, thanks! I think I prefer the SFC version's backgrounds but I've played it through twice now. Change will be good.

[cj iwakura]

Started it up last night, got an itouch Gen for it.

Graphics and music are great. I prefer some of the original arrangements, but still, it's SMT1.

The script feels more professional, fleshed out. There are some touches that aren't in the new script, namely



but it's possible that was an AG embellishment.

Negotiation HATES me in this version.

[Mero]

This isn't the time to be dead

3 years later than everyone else I just cleared Catherine on normal. Very good game, I've unlocked two of the Babel stages so I'll take a crack at them next. At a push I might be able to unlock the third Babel stage but no way will I be able to unlock all 4.

Main game nightmare stages were mostly tricky at first but not that hard after a few retries to work out what you're doing. Clock Tower 2 was the stage that took me the longest, over 3 hours before I beat it and I had to use the double-jump power up right at the end or I wouldn't have made it. Empirios 3 was also a real motherfucker, for most stages I retried them from the beginning but on that stage I had to use the checkpoints or it would have taken forever.

I got the ending where she tells him it's over and then he falls asleep at the table, which I assume is the bad ending but it's hard to tell because the achievements on my US version are all in Japanese.

Anyway, great stuff, would recommend.

[cave hermit]

I preordered Ultimax for my 360 yesterday; looking forward to those pre-order bonuses.
I'm hoping that I can jump into Ultimax's story mode without knowing about the plot for the first game (I didn't beat Persona 4 until a few months ago), but I suppose barring that I still get a good fighting game.

Also I'd like to try out one of the main SMT games sometime; what would be a good starting point?

[Squire Grooktook]

Very difficult, but Nocturne is the quintessential SMT game imo. A must play.

SMT IV might be a good intro after Persona maybe, it's a bit more character driven than the usual atmosphere of oppressive loneliness and isolation of the mainline series.

[Blinge]

This isn't the time to be dead

3 years later than everyone else I just cleared Catherine on normal. Very good game, I've unlocked two of the Babel stages so I'll take a crack at them next.

Did you beat Repunzel? I'm playing the game from time to time, haven't finished the main story and am getting nowhere with Repunzel!

[Mero]

Did you beat Repunzel? I

No, I was atrocious on Rapunzel, furthest I got was stage 8 I think. Early on I wasted too many of my credits by trying to do it right from the beginning every time, and hardly ever used my undoes either which was stupid.

I was watching a few vids of Rapunzel on youtube just yesterday actually, might be worth you checking some of them out if you're stuck. There's a hell of a lot of stages, 64 in total.

Btw anyone know if the Babel stages have an end or do they just go on until you get killed? I've been playing the first one(Altar) for a while and once I get up to about step 100 the difficulty just seems to go through the roof. Highest I've been so far is step 116.

[iconoclast]

The Babel stages have an end. I believe they are shorter and easier if you play them in co-op, so you might want to give that a try if you get stuck (even if you have to control both characters by yourself).

[Mero]

Ok thanks, I'll have to borrow a spare pad off someone and try it out.

[Chaos Phoenixma]

I don't remember the exact number of steps.

The final Babel stage, Axis Mundi, is broken in any release that isn't the Japanese one. That one is not possible solo and must be done on co-op mode. The other 3 work as they're supposed to in single player.

I did Altar and Menhir whenever I played the game on 360. I never did manage the Obelisk or Axis Mundi even in co-op mode.

I don't remember how far I got into Rapunzel before I used guides to get through it. It does have a lot of content and would be quite difficult to figure out on your own. I only fully played the first 64 stages of it and didn't bother to finish the second set of 64.

[BryanM]

Been playing this new exciting game called "Persona 3: FES".

Made a really weird face when I realized the damage boost skill increased your damage by about 25% for three turns. In other words, 25% less effective than just performing an attack. Made me appreciate the token effort of variety Pokemon offers with guys that're walls that grind down the opponent, or baton passers... while by the endgame here it's like "this is the fire guy, this is the ice lady, here's the guy that poops almighty spells, the guy with the best resist line...."

Aside from presentation, these games could be way more interesting. Specifically, mechanically. It's neat how they incentivize you to use a large variety of guys as you go through the game, but being limited to a handful of dudes by the end game seems like such a waste.

Also it makes me giggle thinking about grandfathered-in "your hero dies, it's game over" mechanic. It makes sense in the games where your allies were a pile of demon mercenaries in it for your money, but here... It's goofy to think that your best friend Junpei would drop what he's doing and decide to eat you.

[ryu]

Oh I knew we had this kind of thread! Wasn't able to find it before I posted about Strange Journey in the thread for non-shm,up gaming.

Made a really weird face when I realized the damage boost skill increased your damage by about 25% for three turns. In other words, 25% less effective than just performing an attack.

You mean Tarukaja? I think in vanilla SMT you only have enhancement spells that are directed at the entire party, so you definitely have a point. Sometimes you might find yourself in a situation where you can make use of Tarukaja though. Like in a scenario where a character with Tarukaja can't do much against the enemy because its resistent to the characters attacks, so they can at least increase the damage of another party member who can deal damage to the enemy's weak spot. But really, the point is to use the party-wide buff together with a debuff that reduces the enemy's defense. That's when these things get useful.

while by the endgame here it's like "this is the fire guy, this is the ice lady, here's the guy that poops almighty spells, the guy with the best resist line...."

Have you tried fusion yet? You can do a lot with the system in P3FES. It starts to get somewhat restricted in P4 though.

[BryanM]

Ye I do the chain game and the "select the guys, see what the dice determine you've inherited, cancel and select them again for five minutes or hours" thing. (Thank the lord inheritance is now "just pick what you want" as of SMT4.) It's just most effective to have one or two direct attacks and then the rest be passives.

The guy with the gun that deals only 120 damage a hit killing people in cut scenes bothers me. So much! At least let him use his psychic monster death machine to do the kill. Bleugh.

[KAI]

WOW! this actually looks good.
Persona 5 Trailer

[Blackbird]

The new PS5 trailer is pretty damn slick =D. From the looks of it, it should be out pretty soon. The abundance of ingame footage in the trailer makes me think that the game is already pretty much finished, and they are just going through the pre-launch hype cycle at this point.

[BulletMagnet]

It's a bit weird to think that it'll be the first new "main" Persona game to appear on anything newer than a PS2.

[Pretas]

It's a bit weird to think that it'll be the first new "main" Persona game to appear on anything newer than a PS2.

Also, only the second HD game developed by an internal Atlus studio. Catherine being the first.

All the Persona RPGs after 2 are total cack, and P5 doesn't look to be making any attempts at remedying that because the series sells too well to the teenage weeaboo demographic now. I'll be keeping an eye on it even though I strongly doubt I will pick it up. I was expecting a Catherine 2 to materialize last gen, but no such luck. Sadly, it may have been because support for the GameBryo engine ended around the time Catherine released.

[Formless God]

Stages are looking good. Please don't be procedurally generated.
I was hoping they'd ditch the shitty combat for Press Turn already. I don't see One More, but All-out attacks were still there.
Where is fusion?

UI is sex and Meguro isn't shitting himself this time, yay.

All the Persona RPGs after 1 are total cack

ftfy