SMT IV:
I like that Charon is basically your punishment for not saving consistently and being too reckless at the same time. I like it way more than "oh you didn't save? Replay it all" combined with main character death = game over.
The thing is, it's more the fact that you should never meet Charon (Save anywhere) Unless you are going after the fiends, and before you ask. Yes, I found all the fiends, all of them all 1/256 chance of locating them...