I have to admit myself, I like role-playing games, especially those with a lot of replay-ability and character customization such as the likes of Pokemon, Etrian Odyssey, and a whole lot recently, Monster Hunter. However, none of these (except Monster Hunter, lolz) pale in comparison to that of the very obscure series known as Shin Megami Tensei. Practically, I am not somehow fond of the many elements found in the game (such as the heavy use of religious elements and the fact that God is the antagonist of the majority of its installments, which can be considered VEEEERY offensive towards certain people), but nevertheless, the game mechanics are very well-established.
However, instead of complaining about its negative impact towards people, I will make a Reader's Review about it...
...... In case you're wondering. :)
That being said, here's my Reader's Review of Shin Megami Tensei IV.
Title: Shin Megami Tensei IV
Date Released: May 13,2013 (Japan), July 16, 2013 (US), October 30, 2014 (Europe)
Company: Atlus
Genre: RPG
Platform: Nintendo 3DS family of handhelds
ESRB Rating: Mature
Brief Background: Originally released in Japanese waters in May 2013, it was considered to be the fifth installment of the Shin Megami Tensei metaseries (I am saying metaseries because that the series has spawned numerous spin-offs in the process). The development of the game itself took place after the development of another Shin Megami Tensei title; Strange Journey for the DS. The latter was dubbed to be the original "Shin Megami Tensei IV" but was changed due to probable confusion for the Western market, but despite this, the success of the previous games became the strong basis for another SMT title to be released on the West. The game is also known for its extensive character customization, great replay-value, and grueling difficulty.
What do you do here?
You take the role of a young Samurai (the default name being Flynn) as you are chosen to shape the destiny of mankind while defending the medieval-like Eastern Kingdom of Mikado. From there, you are introduced to certain key characters such as Jonathan the gentle Luxuror Samurai, Walter, a cool yet brash Casualry, and Isabeau, a self-assertive and quite Samurai; all of them which affect the ideals and choices that you make as the story progresses. Also, certain decisions that you make in-game will affect the fates of these individuals and overall, mankind. Along the way, you can encounter monsters throughout dungeons underneath Mikado which will force yourself to ally with as you unravel the secrets of Mikado's depths.
What makes the game interesting?
The series itself is known for the aforementioned awesome amounts of replay-value and the amount of freedom that you do in this game. While the game focuses on a more linear type of story progression, there are some hefty amount of side-quests that you can do throughout the game; all of which can be accessed at any time throughout. Some side-quests can be accessed via in-app purchases, which contains a very nice amount of content, such as additional boss battles and bonus equipment. The series itself is known for having multiple endings depending on the choices that you make, which is very engaging and a very interesting way to revisit the game multiple times to experiment a different set of choices; all of which are very interesting at some point. Another series' staple that I like is the way that you talk to "demons", being considered to be an integral part of the game. You can talk to these monsters to either give you money, heal your party, or convince them to join your cause. The catch though is that ALL of these monsters have interesting personalities; which may clash towards your ideals and choices, affecting the overall impact of a negotiation; do it right and you got yourself in a very favorable situation, do it wrong and... well you get the idea.
What are the flaws that I found in this game?
The only thing I could consider a major flaw in this game is the VERY TOUGH difficulty curve of the game, which starts from the very beginning of the game! The feeling is like "ready to take the game on? Well TOO BAD! Because we're sending a barrage of enemies that will instantly destroy you and make you walk away from the game for good!". It feels that you've been cheated at some point, giving you little to no chance of fighting back, which leads to my next point, and that being the enemy AI being aggressive... too aggressive. The enemy always feels intimidating in every way, unleashing a barrage of attacks that comes to a point where it's starting to become cheap and unfair. Heck, even simple grunt enemies will destroy you in a couple of hits (unless you have the Fellow Difficulty on). This makes the game very fulfilling to complete, however, as the challenges themselves have its own rewards... if only you survive, that is.
How controversial this game had become throughout the years?
There are countless controversies regarding the series itself as a whole, especially the aforementioned religious references seen in the monster designs as well as their real-life references, which is a VERY sensitive topic both in and out of the gaming community. As a fan of the series, I kind of find it unsettling that such issues have gone out of hand for Atlus, and while the impact itself is not that large, the lasting effect towards gamers' morality may cause some severe long-term damage on their perspective towards everything spiritual. While I understand the risks of playing these kinds of games, it doesn't change the fact that it has subsequently became a hit for RPG enthusiasts due to its deep combat system, interesting concepts of enemy negotiation and recruitment, and an interactive story; making it one of the greatest RPG franchises ever created. On another note, don't get me started with the whole "Shin Megami Tensei copies Pokemon" thing. It's a discussion that I DON'T want to tackle.
Can you recommend this game?
RPG fans? This is a no-brainer. Playing at least a single Shin Megami Tensei title is a starting point for appreciating the series' awesome ideas. However, if you're not a fan of games of gruesome difficulty and you're not used on seeing religious references and imagery on video games, then I suggest you stay away and find something else... Pokemon, I guess?
Overall rating: 8.8/10
Solid gameplay mechanics and unique approach to the formula lead its way to become a competent title against Pokemon, a different game with the same framework of monster collecting. However, without the hassle of having separate versions, the collecting aspect of this particular series is more spot-on and more intuitive than the Pokemon games, but it doesn't have the same rewarding experience as that of the aforementioned title. Nevertheless, this and Pokemon are two different games and comparing these two games do not make any more sense. If you want a game that is NOT Pokemon, but has that same feel and aspect, then Shin Megami Tensei IV may scratch that monster collecting itch.
--END OF REVIEW--
