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[Soulhouf]

Give me your time machine

Oops, why am I posting here? I meant Soul Hackers. I think the excitement got the best part of me -_-

Sorry.

 

[GeekyDad]

That's what I said. About the size of a DVD case!

I didn't know it came with a DVD, but if you're referring to the CD case -- based on the OST I received with Soul Hackers -- I'd say the OST case will be about the same height of the game case, making the Strategy Guide about...twice the height of that.

 

[Busaiku]

Man, I honestly don't know why someone would get this digital now.

 

[JavyOO7]

No special themed SMT IV 3DS XL like Japan will get?

Keep striking out there, NOA.

eidt: That being said I'll probably get digital. I probably won't have enough funds to get it physical on day one and by the time I want it, the first run will run dry.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Man, I honestly don't know why someone would get this digital now.

club nintendo coins

 

[randomkid]

No special themed SMT IV 3DS XL like Japan will get?

Keep striking out there, NOA.

eidt: That being said I'll probably get digital. I probably won't have enough funds to get it physical on day one and by the time I want it, the first run will run dry.

Expecting Nintendo of America to release a Shin Megami Tensei themed 3DS XL (that had a mixed reception!) is ... certainly something.

 

[Vamphuntr]

I'm glad I'm getting the book for the extra 10 bucks now. I was afraid they would cheap it out like EO4 and Soul Hackers but this is pretty neat.

 

[GeekyDad]

I'm glad I'm getting the book for the extra 10 bucks now. I was afraid they would cheap it out like EO4 and Soul Hackers but this is pretty neat.

Not sure how they cheaped out with those other two games, as 3DS games are generally (for a full adventure, anyway) about $40. We got an OST with each of those games as a bonus. Seems like they did the opposite of cheap out in both cases, and for $50, yeah, this is another good deal.

 

[cj_iwakura]

Not sure if posted, but US footage and voice acting!

Wow, really far along apparently.

Almost seems new thread worthy.

 

[Auron_Kale]

Expecting Nintendo of America to release a Shin Megami Tensei themed 3DS XL (that had a mixed reception!) is ... certainly something.

Pretty much. I personally thought the design was meh to kinda ugly, but I guess if that's the only thing keeping you from getting a 'white' 3DSXL, then honestly, the Animal Crossing one is the better 'white' system if you live in NA.

 

[Teknoman]

Wait, let me get this straight. If we preorder SMTIV, we get all this as the standard edition?

 

[Auron_Kale]

Wait, let me get this straight. If we preorder SMTIV, we get all this as the standard edition?

Yes. This is a first-press bonus edition. So regardless of where you preorder (most of the big name places will be carrying it), you will get all this awesome stuff.

 

[Teknoman]

Yes. This is a first-press bonus edition. So regardless of where you preorder (most of the big name places will be carrying it), you will get all this awesome stuff.

 

[Auron_Kale]

Jack's body is totally ready I see.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Final box with rating:

Ahh, so lovely having the final box.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I love that they kept the traditional logo. So long mandala, we hardly knew ye. (I'd be okay with it on the border, though.)

 

[ohlawd]

I wish they had the chick on the cover.

I would have been satisfied if all they did was stick her head on a corner.

 

[Sinople]

Final box with rating:
Ahh, so lovely having the final box.

I'm a bit lttp here, but they're not trying the slightest to hide who are the chaos and law heroes, are they?

 

[TurnipFritters]

I'm a bit lttp here, but they're not trying the slightest to hide who are the chaos and law heroes, are they?

still got my fingers crossed that they'll send us a curve ball and not have it break down into law hero/chaos hero.

 

[-Horizon-]

Final box with rating:



Ahh, so lovely having the final box.

Liking the looks the cover but at the same time...

I wish they had the chick on the cover.

I would have been satisfied if all they did was stick her head on a corner.

I also agree with this line of thinking

 

[ColossalLazy]

still got my fingers crossed that they'll send us a curve ball and not have it break down into law hero/chaos hero.

Well you can see some hands holding the Chaos and Law heroes as if they are being manipulated. It is more clear in the case that comes in the first press edition.

 

[Tomat]

Final box with rating:



Ahh, so lovely having the final box.

How is the "law vs chaos" alignment thing handled in the SMT games? Based on the cover alone it's super obvious who is good and bad. Does going one way or the other really change the game?

 

[cj_iwakura]

How is the "law vs chaos" alignment thing handled in the SMT games? Based on the cover alone it's super obvious who is good and bad. Does going one way or the other really change the game?

'Good' and 'bad' is relative. It's more whether you want to be a fascist or a Darwinist.


And to your question: typically?

Spoiler

Not really, no. It changes some endgame bosses and the ending, very little beyond that, typically. In SJ, you have different bosses, in SMTII, different allies; Lucifer or Satan.

 

[Tomat]

'Good' and 'bad' is relative. It's more whether you want to be a fascist or a Darwinist.


And to your question: typically?

Spoiler

Not really, no. It changes some endgame bosses and the ending, very little beyond that, typically. In SJ, you have different bosses, in SMTII, different allies; Lucifer or Satan.

Gotcha. Seems similar to how in Soul Hackers

Spoiler

it effects which demons you can and cannot summon (I think)

.

 

[Clott]

And they're getting better at their western localization output and time. So good.

The one criticsm is the lack of HD console output.

Yes, but I would take one Catherine over 3 Final Fantasy XIII games.

 

[TurnipFritters]

Yes, but I would take one Catherine over 3 Final Fantasy XIII games.

Good news!

 

[Labombadog]

I ended up pre ordering this bad boy through Amazon. Been a fan of SMT since Nocturne and don't plan on missing the first print goodies. Here is hoping that it is just as good (or better) than Nocturne after being bummed out of Strange Journey.

 

[TurnipFritters]

Since this is the SMT4 thread du jour, the Atlus Japan's twitter account is going to be tweeting nifty little features in SMT4 everyday until the release:

バトル中に悪魔合体ができると、こんなときにべんりです。　（１）バトルで「意外とボスが強い！」「MP尽きた！」→「悪魔と悪魔を合体させて新しい悪魔に…」「新しい悪魔になった！MP全快してる！よしこれで戦える！」とか。

You can fuse demons in the middle of battle (here is says that newly fused demons will have full MP, so if you may want to fuse demons in the middle of battle if they run out). In another tweet, they point out that you can also use this to free up space in your inventory when you come across a demon you want to recruit.

 

[Artemisia]

You can fuse demons in the middle of battle. In another tweet, they point out that you can also use this to free up space in your inventory when you come across a demon you want to recruit.

yaaaaass

Not having that feature in SH bothered me a bit.

 

[perfect free]

Whoa, fusing mid-battle? Hmm, that could put an interesting spin on party setups, in addition to getting your MP back.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

Final box with rating:



Ahh, so lovely having the final box.

There's a certain glee to seeing the M rating on an RPG.

 

[Busaiku]

That's pretty great.

 

[Fireblend]

That's a sexy box. So, why is the game rated M? Not like it'll affect my preorder, just that I was expecting the regular T.

Also, do you guys really think all of these preorders will contain the extra stuff? I preordered about a week ago, so I'm expecting to get in on the promo, but with the reception the game and the promo seem to be getting I wouldn't be surprised if the first pressing didn't manage to fulfill all preorders. I'd imagine that'd be a disappointment for some.

 

[Artemisia]

That's a sexy box. So, why is the game rated M? Not like it'll affect my preorder, just that I was expecting the regular T.

Regular? Aren't most SMT games rated M?

 

[cj_iwakura]

Regular? Aren't most SMT games rated M?

Most, but not all. Persona 2 got a T, as did the Devil Survivor games.

Usually it's demon designs that push it over the edge.

 

[Aeana]

That's a sexy box. So, why is the game rated M? Not like it'll affect my preorder, just that I was expecting the regular T.

Also, do you guys really think all of these preorders will contain the extra stuff? I preordered about a week ago, so I'm expecting to get in on the promo, but with the reception the game and the promo seem to be getting I wouldn't be surprised if the first pressing didn't manage to fulfill all preorders. I'd imagine that'd be a disappointment for some.

"Regular T"?

 

[FluxWaveZ]

That's a sexy box. So, why is the game rated M? Not like it'll affect my preorder, just that I was expecting the regular T.

I can't give too much of an in-depth answer because I'm not too familiar with mainline SMT, but every single mainline SMT game is rated M. Persona 3 and Persona 4 are also rated M.

The games deal with killing gods and shit.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

Since this is the SMT4 thread du jour, the Atlus Japan's twitter account is going to be tweeting nifty little features in SMT4 everyday until the release:



You can fuse demons in the middle of battle (here is says that newly fused demons will have full MP, so if you may want to fuse demons in the middle of battle if they run out). In another tweet, they point out that you can also use this to free up space in your inventory when you come across a demon you want to recruit.

You're shitting me. How's that to work?

 

[Ridley327]

Most, but not all. Persona 2 got a T, as did the Devil Survivor games.

Usually it's demon designs that push it over the edge.

Nocturne has some pretty disturbing stuff in it, like a serial killer demon that wears the skins of its victims as a robe. That's not even touching on the thematic content, which is heavy, to say the least.

 

[TurnipFritters]

That's a sexy box. So, why is the game rated M? Not like it'll affect my preorder, just that I was expecting the regular T.

Also, do you guys really think all of these preorders will contain the extra stuff? I preordered about a week ago, so I'm expecting to get in on the promo, but with the reception the game and the promo seem to be getting I wouldn't be surprised if the first pressing didn't manage to fulfill all preorders. I'd imagine that'd be a disappointment for some.

I think that since this hype was generated several months out, they'll be prepared for all the preorders. It isn't like Fire Emblem Awakening where the hype exploded two weeks from the release date.

You're shitting me. How's that to work?

I imagine that on the player's turn, you'll be able to bring up the fusion menu. Presumably you won't be able to fuse demons that are dead or suffering from status effects.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

I think that since this hype was generated several months out, they'll be prepared for all the preorders. It isn't like Fire Emblem Awakening where the hype exploded two weeks from the release date.



I imagine that on the player's turn, you'll be able to bring up the fusion menu. Presumably you won't be able to fuse demons that are dead or suffering from status effects.

I'm talking about from a long-term balancing perspective; that's a MAJOR boon to the player reguarding front-loaded offense and long slog fights. Those two are right out, really.

 

[Aeana]

I'm talking about from a long-term balancing perspective; that's a MAJOR boon to the player reguarding front-loaded offense and long slog fights. Those two are right out, really.

It wouldn't surprise me if there was some downside to doing it in battle, kind of like how there is for fusing on the go in Soul Hackers.

 

[FStop7]

Jack's body is totally ready I see.

Hee ho!

 

[Just take it with you.]

Hee ho!

Unfortunately, he won't be able to deep freeze himself until the release date.

 

[afreaknamedpete]

I'm talking about from a long-term balancing perspective; that's a MAJOR boon to the player reguarding front-loaded offense and long slog fights. Those two are right out, really.

I'm guessing the fused demons will go straight into the stock and not the party, and you either can't fuse active party members or fusing active party members takes them out of the party. At least then the player has to waste precious turns summoning demons and whatnot - not to mention once the SMT bosses go past the "exploit weakness" stage into the "Buff spam" stage you pretty much never want to be swapping out party members.

But I'd think fusing anywhere kills some of the balance issues with the actual dungeons, especially with MP management. You'll end up saving money from not having to pay the healers and MP restoration items.

 

[CSX]

It wouldn't surprise me if there was some downside to doing it in battle, kind of like how there is for fusing on the go in Soul Hackers.

Lose all your turns i bet

 

[AtomskEater]

Fusing mid battle? I am hypedx100.
Really can't wait to see what they've done with this game. Aside from the fairly static-looking cutscenes, everything looks and sounds so darn good.

 

[SatelliteOfLove]

It wouldn't surprise me if there was some downside to doing it in battle, kind of like how there is for fusing on the go in Soul Hackers.

I'm guessing the fused demons will go straight into the stock and not the party, and you either can't fuse active party members or fusing active party members takes them out of the party. At least then the player has to waste precious turns summoning demons and whatnot - not to mention once the SMT bosses go past the "exploit weakness" stage into the "Buff spam" stage you pretty much never want to be swapping out party members.

But I'd think fusing anywhere kills some of the balance issues with the actual dungeons, especially with MP management. You'll end up saving money from not having to pay the healers and MP restoration items.

Lose all your turns i bet

I'd hope. Magnetite was an interesting restiction I'm getting a good grip on in SH; I've had to be much more conservative and jack-of-all-trades with my loadouts as up-to-date demons dying or tagging out costs more than most fights bring in. I mean, not having these is it functioning as a mere mulligan for sloppy planning that isn't exactly the razor-sharp combat the series is known for, easy or hard tuned either way.

 

[TurnipFritters]

Hmmm apparently Famitsu has a five page spread for SMT4 and a four page spread for Break Record.

And like two for New Super Etrian Sisters.

 

[Eusis]

Hmmm apparently Famitsu has a five page spread for SMT4 and a four page spread for Break Record.

And like two for New Super Etrian Sisters.

They're turning EO into a platformer!?