drtomoe123
Member
Yep, they do, which is why a lot of people recommend not doing them until you're locked in a path if you're trying to get Neutral.
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Shin Megami Tensei IV |OT| The Dark Souls of Persona
- Thread starter Volcynika
- Start date
Yep, they do, which is why a lot of people recommend not doing them until you're locked in a path if you're trying to get Neutral.
Trojita
Rapid Response Threadmaker
SpaceBridge
Member
How do you get to Shibuya?
I spent more than 10 hours looking for "Samurai and Hunters United" quest. I finally found it!
I visited all the places accessible to me and I had my share of "awww" (Burroughs). To think it was that close...
Now I'm ridiculously over leveled because I wondered aimlessly while I was looking for the quest.
At least Tokyo's map is engraved in my mind now.
Explore.
I visited all the places accessible to me and I had my share of "awww" (Burroughs). To think it was that close...
Now I'm ridiculously over leveled because I wondered aimlessly while I was looking for the quest.
At least Tokyo's map is engraved in my mind now.
It's south-east from Shinjuku.
Explore.
drtomoe123
Member
Certain challenge quests have an effect on your alignment, so a lot of people recommend not doing the quests early in the game just to make alignment more simple. I personally did practically every quest in the first half of the game and I still managed to get Neutral, but alignment is just a little bit easier to keep track of if you haven't done a lot of quests.
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
Just started last night. My first SMT game (playing Person 4 now though). It's harder than Persona 4 for sure. The training dungeon I died 3 times because I ran out of health potions and most teams of demons can kill you in two back to back hits.
Elaugaufein
Member
It seems similar to most SMTs. There are "personalities" but even the best answer for a personality is more like 75% chance of good reaction than 100%.
I've noticed it feels a lot more random but I think its because an enemy demon getting a free turn can result in a TPK since there's no real defense apart from resistances, buffs/debuffs (status effects also work on non-bosses).
SpaceBridge
Member
Demonlingual.
Finally made it to
the games really does start to open up once you get there and there seems like a ton of things to do.
I know I'm still relatively early in the game, but I'm liking some of the more interesting aspects of the current plot and the overall 'wtf' moments my rag tag team is having over
Yeah, P4G was easy as pie in comparison to SMTIV. You'd at least be a bit better prepared coming from Nocturne.
Tokyo and am now running around the Ueno district.
I know I'm still relatively early in the game, but I'm liking some of the more interesting aspects of the current plot and the overall 'wtf' moments my rag tag team is having over
what could be considered modern life in relation to what they are used to in Mikado.
Yeah, P4G was easy as pie in comparison to SMTIV. You'd at least be a bit better prepared coming from Nocturne.
Elaugaufein
Member
It's hard to qualify the difficulty of SMT IV since its so swingy. I can get wiped out in one turn if a normal demon in an area gets the first strike but I can also wipe out a boss without losing a single demon if I know its weakness coming in.
Yeah P4G was pretty easy because the change to hands meant that you got XP like it was candy. Playing on normal and getting all the stuff for the shop unlocks resulted in me constantly not having enough money to buy the best equipment I unlocked but being level 99 by the end of December.
Thoroughly in love with the game, despite so many weird design choices.
The one that really bothers me though is the Tokyo map. Its indecipherable and completely useless. It's on a touch screen for god's sake let us interact with it and get location descriptions. As well I'm kind of peeved that the DLC armor is still the best one, for my build at least, after 26 hours of play.
Also I find I am doing a lot less Demon fusing than other titles, especially coming off of Soul Hackers, because recruiting is more difficult/unpredictable and the compendium price for some is crazy high, generally because most I have are through fusion and come in with a ton of skills and high level ones which I guess really jack up their base price.
Combat's weird too, I like that it rewards you for being prepared, but at the same time, its all about being the first to attack and exploiting weaknesses before they even get a chance to attack you. Most boss battles, even when they're lvl 75 and I'm lvl 26, only last like 3 rounds. As well I've found little reason to use status or buffs/debuffs skills since again most battles last 1 round if I can have all 4 party members exploit a weakness.
Unless things start to get a lot harder, I just finished the Government Building Quest, I don't feel like I will be changing my strategy all that much. Also I never use physical demons, magic, magic, magic. All day long, I should probably buy the Demon Mag stat boost in the App list.
The one that really bothers me though is the Tokyo map. Its indecipherable and completely useless. It's on a touch screen for god's sake let us interact with it and get location descriptions. As well I'm kind of peeved that the DLC armor is still the best one, for my build at least, after 26 hours of play.
Also I find I am doing a lot less Demon fusing than other titles, especially coming off of Soul Hackers, because recruiting is more difficult/unpredictable and the compendium price for some is crazy high, generally because most I have are through fusion and come in with a ton of skills and high level ones which I guess really jack up their base price.
Combat's weird too, I like that it rewards you for being prepared, but at the same time, its all about being the first to attack and exploiting weaknesses before they even get a chance to attack you. Most boss battles, even when they're lvl 75 and I'm lvl 26, only last like 3 rounds. As well I've found little reason to use status or buffs/debuffs skills since again most battles last 1 round if I can have all 4 party members exploit a weakness.
Unless things start to get a lot harder, I just finished the Government Building Quest, I don't feel like I will be changing my strategy all that much. Also I never use physical demons, magic, magic, magic. All day long, I should probably buy the Demon Mag stat boost in the App list.
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
I have found this out now. I'm loving Persona 4 and doing well in it now that I know the systems. Starting SMTIV last night I died multiple times in the training area due to lack of potions and 2 shot kills. 
Elaugaufein
Member
Nothing critical.The game stands on its own.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
Just finished
and I'm finally starting to get armor that outpaces the White Samurai DLC suit. I'm kind of going to miss that outfit, since I've had it for about 24 hours of gameplay.
My character now looks like a football player in an Athenian war helmet.
Kagome Tower
My character now looks like a football player in an Athenian war helmet.
thetrin
Hail, peons, for I have come as ambassador from the great and bountiful Blueberry Butt Explosion
Having worked in localization now, I can totally see how it could have gone unnoticed.
Jinfash
needs 2 extra inches
The search function in this game is incredible. Case in point: I'm trying to fuse a Kanbari for a side quest, and learn it's a special fusion of three demons, two which I don't currently possess in my roster. So I decide to search > specify the fused target > include compendium > 70 search results > sort by price (ascending). BAM! got my demon for 1700 macca in just a few seconds.
I have a theory regarding the link between the 2 games. *SJ/SMTII spoilers*
This game is probably the sequel to the neutral ending in SJ, where YHVH is resurrected (Demiurge) and he made the angel's realm to get his revenge.
But it's more likely to be a sequel to SMTII's law ending where the elite mankind cut themselves off in Eden from the apocalyptic world after defeating YHVH.
But it's more likely to be a sequel to SMTII's law ending where the elite mankind cut themselves off in Eden from the apocalyptic world after defeating YHVH.
It's only speculations, I didn't beat the game yet.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
The ability to fuse directly out of the compendium is pretty great. Saves a ton of money in the long run, especially for huge multi-fusions.
Basileus777
Member
It's a real game changer. The flexibility and convenience of search and the compendium is going to make going back to earlier games a pain.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
The military base isn't in Ueno. There's a river south of the town that has a crossing point you can access. If you go there, then talk to everyone in the bar back in town, you should get a quest that will eventually allow you to leave Ueno Region.
So, am I stuck with a certain alignment?
Massive late game-ish ( i think?) spoilers:
Massive late game-ish ( i think?) spoilers:
Sided with Walter to not kill Lilith, and just arrived beyond the expanse. Am I stuck in the Chaos route? I'm going for Neutral. Both the chaos and law ideologies are way too rigid for me, as with every SMT game.
mugurumakensei
Member
No.
You are however very close to being locked. Save and make sure you are still oscillating before leaving the expanse.
PlanetSmasher
Banned
GeekyDad
Member
That pretty much sums up how I feel. I don't agree with all your points, but yeah, the map and other choices are quirky. Game is just so good, though. So much greatness going on.
How are you specifying the fused target if it's not a demon you've had yet? They don't show up in the list for me?
Phew. Excellent, thank you!
You can specify the race if you already got a demon of that family.
That's sufficient in 99% of situations.
Really. Normal hordes have stats. Quest hordes don't.
Jinfash
needs 2 extra inches
I'm not specifying the target that's requested by the quest (since I never came across it), but I specified one of its ingredients. I think the target list contains every demon in your compendium and every demon you've fought but never acquired. I say this because I was missing Preta and Mou-Ryo, two demons I fought before but never talked into joining. they weren't available in the compendium list but were listed in that target field.
ForteanMan
Member
Based on some recommendations from a few pages back, I upgraded the Scout part of my app up to the I think it's called Expert Scout level? Anyway first time I went to negotiate with a demon, not only did things seem to go more smoothly, but he also brought along a friend, gave me a gift, and I also got 2,000 macca from him. Well worth the App points if you have any extra ones floating around, I think.
Keeping in mind of course that I've already maxed out my MC's skill slot, have all of the demons skill slots, and also have the whole team MP heal app as well. So the Scout thing was the last thing I was worried about originally, but looking back on it, I kind of wish I had done it as soon as I was able to.
Keeping in mind of course that I've already maxed out my MC's skill slot, have all of the demons skill slots, and also have the whole team MP heal app as well. So the Scout thing was the last thing I was worried about originally, but looking back on it, I kind of wish I had done it as soon as I was able to.
GeekyDad
Member
Yeah, that's what I meant, actually. So, it will allow you to search for a demon even if you've only come across it in battle but haven't actually scouted it yet? Very cool.
Riposte
Member
Sometimes I feel like the game was specifically designed around save anywhere. That's not good design, even if a series is known for that kind of thing. The game is pretty neat otherwise, but the developers making it highly random (and exploitable) with manual saves takes it down a few notches.
mugurumakensei
Member
Imagine you were in a post apocalyptic world where demons exist. Would it really be likely human durability could withstand lots of hits from demons? It seems likely that if a demon got the jump on you that they would win more often than not. It's unfair but that's the way it is. In that regard, SMT's unfairness is far more realistic in its setting than other games in the series.
Why some gamers today don't get the concept of trial and error?
That makes me sad
To me it isn't a rewarding gameplay style. I'd rather beat an encounter because I put together a well compositioned team that is ready for most situations, then have to fight a boss, learn its weakness, and then reload to go scrounge up a team that all can cast Bufu (or resists its attacks or whatever).
decoyplatypus
Member
I just cleared three different Ikebukuro domains in a little over an hour. My team has really come together. After a long stretch where my stock of front-line-capable demons was only five or six deep, I now have nine demons that can cover just about any situation. There's a physical set with good resistances that can absorb a boss's first blows while I debuff him. There are magic attackers of every kind. And there's a nice back bench of healers that allow me to go a long time without returning to a Hunter's Association or the barracks. With the stock expansions, I've also got plenty of fusion fodder at any time.
That SMT magic.
That SMT magic.
I just go in with a bit of everything, see what works then switch on the fly. Most times it works, sometimes I get crushed. I wish you could swap out bullet ammo though.
Strange Journey has been my only exposure to SMT so far. How does this game compare to that?
I got a couple of floors into SJ, but got distracted and never got around to playing it again. I really enjoying what I played of it, though. The dungeon crawling was solid, and I really loved the demon-fusion customization thing.
I got a couple of floors into SJ, but got distracted and never got around to playing it again. I really enjoying what I played of it, though. The dungeon crawling was solid, and I really loved the demon-fusion customization thing.
So far the maps aren't as giant as strange journey. The battles are much quicker paced in both directions. Demon fusion has some added functionality, you can search for demons, skills, etc
decoyplatypus
Member
That's a silly argument. Human vulnerability in SMT4 might be consistent with SMT4's world, but we have no way of saying whether it's more or less realistic than other SMT games--and certainly no way of comparing it to a hypothetical "realistic" post-apocalyptic world where demons exist.
Besides which, good game design should come before "realism." There are plenty of ways to integrate human vulnerability into the game design without arbitrarily killing the player because he/she had the misfortune of being back-attacked.
Why some gamers today don't get the concept of trial and error?
That makes me sad
Trial and error is when you meet a boss, and it abuses your weaknesses and forces you to adapt. The back attacks in SMT4 are something else entirely. There is no "error" to speak of in most of them. The player was simply unlucky. As you advance, you can build up a good enough supply of resistances and assemble a party that can absorb a back attack (because at least one member will reflect/drain/nullify each kind of attack), but in the early going there is simply nothing you can do.
As much as I love SMT4, the complaints about back attacks are valid.
CornBurrito
Member
Why some gamers today don't get the concept of trial and error?
That makes me sad
How does understanding the concept make it any less shitty? "Here guess this bosses weaknesses and what attack types it uses."
It robs you of any skill. Teambuilding? Nope doesn't matter early game. Just get the element the boss is weak to and you win. Making logical inferences as to the bosses weaknesses? Nope. At least they seem random.
Beating the bosses thus far in this game feels less about skill of any sort, and more a combination of having to happen to have the right element on hand, and AI Roulette in them not critting.
You may think that sounds wonderful, but it isn't hard to understand why people don't enjoy it.