Your Shin Megami Tensei resume

[Hyro-Sama]

So buying even though I own Golden (physical and digital) and the physical PS2 game. <3

Same here. #SMTfanboi4lyfe

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Bortz, it's funny how you mention being a Dragon Quest/Warrior Monsters fan and not knowing about this. I probably wouldn't like the MegaTen franchise nearly as much as I do if it weren't for my experience playing Dragon Warrior Monsters with the monsters, fusing, and whatnot. I've played every PS2-era and beyond MegaTen game, and I'm in love. I too started out with Devil Survivor (except this was years ago so it was the DS version, but I've since beaten the new one). I came upon the franchise the same way that weavile001 did. I had just got my DS flashcard, and went to Nintendo.com to look at all of the DS games, and wrote down the names of the ones that looked or sounded cool. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor was one long-ass name, but Devil Survivor sounded awesome so I went ahead and played it, and I have never looked back. I'm really excited about the games that are coming out this year and the ones that are coming out (hopefully early) next year. Persona 5? Bring it on!

 

[FireEmblemGuy]

I've always felt like Persona games are as much SMT games as any other SMT spinoff, although Persona 4's spinoffs have me questioning that logic. Certainly there are key differences, such as the nature of the allies and enemies, or the lack of law/chaos/neutral routes (although P4G kind of brought that back, and at least the first Persona had a secondary route), and I wouldn't try claiming they have any real impact on mainline SMT canon, but I don't hate on them for not being 'real' SMT games. I'm still going to separate them to make the big list below easier to read.

So, my 'resume':

Spoiler

SMT games I've bought:
SMT (iOS)
SMT 3: Nocturne (PS2)
SMT IV (3DS)
SMT: Devil Survivor Overclocked (3DS)
SMT: Devil Summoner: Raidou 1 (PS2 Classics version; rather, I'll buy it once my internet's working properly again)
SMT: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (3DS)
SMT: Digital Devil Saga 1 (PS2)

SMT games I've played but never bought:
SMT (SNES)
SMT II (SNES)
SMT: Devil Survivor (DS)
SMT: Devil Survivor 2 (DS)
SMT: Strange Journey (DS)

Persona games I've bought:
Persona (PSP digital)
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP LE, and digital after I bought my Vita)
Persona 2: Eternal Punishment (PSX Classics version)
Persona 3 FES (PS2 Classics version)
Persona 3 Portable (PSP digital)
Persona 4 Golden (Vita physical copy; sold it and bought the digital version later with some of my fat Vita Referral Program stacks)
Persona 4 Arena (PS3 hard copy with soundtrack)

Persona games I've played but never bought:
Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSX)
Persona 4 (PS2; might buy the digital version once it gets a $5 sale, just to do a playthrough without the Golden changes)

SMT/Persona games I'm waiting on:
Shin Megami Tensei x Fire Emblem, obviously
Persona Q
Persona 5
Confirmation that SMT II and if... (mostly if...) are also getting iOS localizations

I've always been a sucker for JRPGs, especially monster collecting ones; good stories and path splits add a lot too, so I never had much trouble getting into the SMT series. The exception is the Devi Survivor series - despite being a mix of a visual novel, JRPG, and SRPG, I could never really get into either of them, and I found the stories focused too much on individual characters and not enough on what's actually going on.

Also, Dragon Warrior Monsters for the GBC was probably one of the best games on the system, and 2 was pretty great even if it did opt for a more traditional experience in terms of world exploration. It's a shame that the Joker series was so terrible, and that the 3DS remakes are following up on them instead of returning to their roots. I'm just hoping the PSX 1&2 remake translation eventually gets finished.

 

[CompassNorth]

what? the New boss battle theme is one of the best SMT´s battle themes

Difference of opinion since it's honestly one of the worst boss battle themes I've heard along with the Blue Dragon one and the biggest complaint from people was the awful OST.

SMT4 has been lots of fun, the reason I stopped playing for now is because I got frustrated when I got down into Tokyo and had no good way of navigating the map. The battles and the intense strategy needed to make it around alive is fantastic. I demon artwork is fantasic and the battle animations are great. Not to mention the killer soundtrack. But it is hard. The game is not forgiving at all.

Don't worry the game will become easier early-mid game where you'll be one shotting random enemies which sucks the fun.
It's my biggest complaint with the game, normally games get harder as you progress through them, SMT4 gets easier.
It's considered to be the weakest in the series by many.

 

[The Catboy]

I have played and own.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Shin Megami Tensei IV
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army (played don't own yet)
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon (played don't own yet)
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Persona 3 FES
Persona 4
Devil Summoner Soul Hackers
Devil Survivor (original, Overclocked, played two, but only as ROM)
And that's my list so far I am still playing and adding to it.

 

[xXdeltaXx]

Persona 4 Golden: maybe 20 hours in?
Persona 3 FES: playing it with a friend, so progress is slow. Under 5 hours, I think.

I haven't played classic SMT but I love Persona.

 

[Luckkill4u]

For most of my gaming life, I was unaware of the glory that is the SMT universe. When I got my 3DS I had been waiting to play Devil Survivor. I knew there was a DS versoin of the game, but since I already knew I wanted to play it and there was an upgraded port coming, I just waited. Man. I didnt know what I was missing. After that I decided to get SMT4 because I was told there were tons of demons to collect and fuse. If you guys can recall, I am one of the bigger Dragon Quest Monsters fans around here, because monster collecting is my jam The SMT games have excellent stories and fantastic demon design.

So what have games have you played in the SMT universe? and what side of the Persona/SMT skism do you fall on? I guess this is kinda a big rift between players.

My resume is rather unimpressive, having only ever played 3 and not beaten any of them:

SMT: Devil Survivor Overclocked (3DS) unfinished, i think I am on day 5 around noon.
SMT:4 about 20 hours in, not too far, just found the black samurai's hideout.
Persona 3 Portable: 26 hours in, mid june, floor 59 of Tartarus I think.

List the games you played, how far you got, and what you think of them.

I just finished SMT 4 less than a week ago and the ENTIRE game blew my mind! It took me around 80 Hours to finish it and New Game+ should make an extra 40 Hour Play through. I think the game changes depending on what choices you make. My favourite part of the game is the difficulty and the Boss's, but unfortunately I found the last boss way too easy. That could be because most of my demons were level 75+. The game can get kinda sad at times at the end but that's probably because of a few bad choices I have made.

One of my favorite things about MegaTen games is that the game and the demons are based off many religions and myths. It can really make your head spin at times and I like that!

I'm still playing SMT 3 Nocturne but damn that game is unforgiving....

 

[BORTZ]

80 hours in one week lol I have a full time job lol

 

[Pedeadstrian]

80 hours in one week lol I have a full time job lol

The main series and Persona MegaTen games can get pretty lengthy. Some of them, like SMTIV or Devil Survivor Overclocked have more routes to play through (SMTIV not as much though), and that just increases the play time even more. I just wish Overclocked had a "skip read messages" function like a lot of visual novels have, because I don't wanna read messages several times over because of the several playthroughs.

 

[linuxGuru]

Games I've beaten:
Persona 1 psp
Persona 3 portable
Persona 4 golden

I am currently playing Devil Survivor Overclocked. I'm close to the end of day 5.

 

[Marth16]

Played:
SMT I & II & III
Persona 2 & 3
Devil Survivor I(overclocked) & II
Devil Summoner: Soul Hacker

Finished:
Devil Survivor I, several times actually

 

[FailName]

I've put considerable time (>5 hours or so) into into Persona 1, 2IS, 3, Nocturne, Strange Journey, and Devil Survivor, but I've only finished Persona 2 IS, 3, and SJ.

Since I haven't seen them mentioned at all in this thread, what do you guys think of the Last Bible spin off series? I've tried about 10 minutes of both the officially translated first one and the fan translated second, and if I ever play more of them, I probably would skip the first one because of the less responsive (if I try to stop or turn, I always take one extra step in the direction I was going before) and slower movement.

 

[Naridar]

Here's my "resume":

- 2 full playthroughs of both Persona 4 and SMT Strange journey. Both are great, though I personally dislike the Calendar system in P4 (or any system that limits the time you can spend on a game in general - here's looking at you, Majora's mask and Lightning returns!) and some of the more tedious sectors (Eridanus and Grus) in Strange Journey.
- Completed Devil Survivor 1 - a bit too dumbed down (no items, no equipment, skills and elements are very limited compared to other SMT games)
- Stopped on day 3 of Devil Survivor 2, waiting for Break Record - same issues but I hope it becomes more complex
- About halfway through SMT4 (just finished Roppongi hills underground) - awesome, though the new fusion system takes some time getting used to (I miss getting rid of junk demons easily ). Multiple difficulty levels are especially great and are balanced well.
- Tried SMT1 and 2 english - I'm holding out for a translation of the Android versions, the SNES ones are too clunky (or will someone port the english patch to the Advance versions - pretty please?)
- Around Lv15 in Nocturne - I intend on finishing it someday
- Maribel base in DDS1 - same
- 2 hours into Persona 3 Portable - worse than 4, not being able to control characters directly is too big of a hurdle for me to try FES
- 4 hours into Persona 2 Innocent Sin PSP - Good so far, lack of fusion is odd, but story and characters are great
- Tried Persona 1 - aged and clunky, it never gripped me.
- I have Soul Hackers on my Gateway, but I want to finish SMT4 first.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Here's my "resume":

- 2 full playthroughs of both Persona 4 and SMT Strange journey. Both are great, though I personally dislike the Calendar system in P4 (or any system that limits the time you can spend on a game in general - here's looking at you, Majora's mask and Lightning returns!)

It's funny how you mention not liking the passage of time in P4 and Lightning Returns. I hated Lightning Returns for it, and never actually getting past the part where you infiltrate the zealots' hideout. I absolutely loved Persona 4, though. I think the reason why I feel different for the two games is that in LR, time is constantly moving, whereas in Persona 4 I can go through every nook and cranny of the town and dungeons, and time won't advance unless I leave a dungeon or start some kind of event.

 

[BORTZ]

I finished Persona 3 and started Persona 4, in anticipation of 5. The ending of 3 was pretty rough, as most of you have seen my other thread.

Something I have noticed in contrast to the Dragon Quest Monsters games are the "relationships" or whatever you want to call them that you form with your monsters as opposed the the almost lack of with the demons.

While playing the Monsters' series, I noticed that I would end up getting attached to a monster and not want to syth them with anyone else I had an odd style of play. Since you could usually be carrying around 3 monsters at a time, I would have the prized monster, usually my best of the best. A heavy tank with fantastic overall stats and skills, capable of taking a huge beating and carrying the team. My second would usually be a pretty dang good second, with healing skills and other attacks. My third was the whore bloodline, used to augement my tank or secondary monster, or being breed with stray monsters I would catch. Eventually the goal was to make a good enough 3rd string monster to breed into my other two... anyways I digress. I had bond with those monsters or bloodlines. That time spend leveling them up, picking skills, etc all mattered. You could royally screw yourself if you weren't careful with your breeding.

But with the SMT games... I never got that feeling. I would get a demon that had the stats and resistance table i needed, and then dump the skills into the slots. Much more of a utilitarian use of demons, instead of the more careful care I had with my monsters.

Just something I noticed, nothing more.

 

[emigre]

But with the SMT games... I never got that feeling. I would get a demon that had the stats and resistance table i needed, and then dump the skills into the slots. Much more of a utilitarian use of demons, instead of the more careful care I had with my monsters.

Just something I noticed, nothing more.

They're demons. They're meant to be used and abused.

Just like my girlfriend

 

[BORTZ]

They're demons. They're meant to be used and abused.

Just like my girlfriend

Yeah I actually had thought about it that way too. It says alot about the series' messages that it comes off that way.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

But with the SMT games... I never got that feeling. I would get a demon that had the stats and resistance table i needed, and then dump the skills into the slots. Much more of a utilitarian use of demons, instead of the more careful care I had with my monsters.

Just something I noticed, nothing more.

While I felt the same way about demons most of the time, in some games I did have the same feeling you did with your DQ/DW monsters. The only problem is that while it's technically possible to take a demon from level 1 to 99, it gets exponentially harder to level them. Like emigre says, they're designed to be used then tossed out. They don't want you to make one good demon then stick with it for half the game.

 

[sarkwalvein]

Spoiler

But Bugaboo and Jimenez were so close... They really were in sync almost like one entity.

 

[Pedeadstrian]

Spoiler

But Bugaboo and Jimenez were so close... They really were in sync almost like one entity.

He means the player and demons, not character and demons.