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[Shin Megami Tensei/Persona]: the Strange Journey is underway. Suit up!

cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm RegentBears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
edited April 2010 in Games and Technology
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Death's vastness holds no peace. So take death into your own hands.

Beware ye who enter, for here there be demons.


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As long as console RPGs have existed, Japan has been dominated by the likes of Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. But somewhere, just outside of the mainstream, lies the Megami Tensei series. Filled with dark stories about the nature of reality, technology, religion and humanity, the Megami Tensei storylines have been a bit too obtuse, and the gameplay a little bit too hardcore, to really attract the typical RPG fan. But the series - mostly relegated to Japan until recently - has created a cult following known as Megatennists, who devote themselves to one of video gaming's most expansive series.


The Shin Megami Tensei games, or SMT for short, have a long history stretching way back to the Famicom days. Most of those never came out here.


But a lot of awesome ones did.

In shameless duplication of the Final Fantasy Thread, I'll likely be picking out some of the choice SMT games from both sides of the globe and highlighting them in the near future.

Most of them are extremely rare, but almost all are worth having.


Until then, feel free to discuss some recent developments:

Persona 3 Portable

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Everyone's favorite School/Shadow/Suicide simulator, Persona 3, goes portable.

Or has gone. We're waiting for news on the US version. I give it a few months, tops.


Persona 3 Portable includes a new female protagonist, more Persona(namely a female Orpheus[Eurydice?]), and most likely new social links.

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The interface has been slightly(okay, drastically) modified for P3P. Instead of moving around freely, most everything done outside of Tartarus will be done with menus.

Also, P3F will include a shiny pink interface, as opposed to P3M's dominate blue.

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Whether or not the changes are to your liking, the new OP is all kinds of hot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MRkM-fM7wg



Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

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http://www.atlus.com/strangejourney/


Going back to basics, this is the first 'mainline'(re: not a sidestory) SMT game made since Nocturne, which was considered the third.

Massive first person dungeons, and lots of demons to befriend and recruit.

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It's basically SMT: Etrian Odyssey, even using the map engine of that other Atlus series(but with automap, unfortunately).

Everyone's favorite composer, Shoji Meguro, is doing the music for this too, and it seems to be decidedly darker than usual, even for him:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjVbmXuK6V8

Produced and designed by series mainstay designer Kazuma Kaneko, Strange Journey promises to be an exploration of humanity's place in the universe as they try to protect the antarctic from demons and cryptic blonde women who are most certainly not fallen angels and always worthy of your trust.

(March 2010)


Recent releases:

Persona

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Dream of butterfly, or is life a dream?


The classic that started it all. Old-school dungeon crawls and high school drama. If you don't like lots of random battles and huge maps, this might not be for you. The story is still enjoyable if nothing else.


Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor

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A nice side story experiment blending turn-based combat with strategic movement.

The art design leaves something to be desired, but it's certainly unique, and has a much better story than expected.

Specialized.Extra.Excellent.Stuff.

View or face execution.
It seems the plans with us were just on the level of buying a plane ticket.

Best live rendition ever.

Still aching, still breaking.

The whole concert is on youtube. Make with the watching, it's wonderful.

Trippy:

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So You Want To Be A Devil Buster?

Get Training!
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Gaians tell it like it is.
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Who says Messians are all bad?

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Though to be fair, SMT's God is kind of a jerk.


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Yes. Yes I would.


The Demons of the Goetia have had enough, and they're going to take what's theirs.

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Or at least pose dramatically.


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Awm nom nom.


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Damn skippy, comrade.


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Been there, slain that.



Got more? Post it! Could use some P4 comedy. Where's that daisy stuff?



So until Persona 5 hits the PS3, 360, Wii, or some combination of the three,

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Wait, shoot.


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cj iwakura on
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Posts

  • Zephyr_FateZephyr_Fate Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    YEAYNEOTYTRHEWNENEWTHREAD

    Zephyr_Fate on
  • LoveIsUnityLoveIsUnity Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I love the shiny new thread, which is making it abundantly clear I need a PSP.

    LoveIsUnity on
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  • GilderGilder Aw snap Macaroni PartyRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    So cj you're going to fight Satan next, correct? It's nowhere near as bad as Demifiend.

    Gilder on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Oh yes. I mostly wanted that fight done because I could not restart DDS2 without a clean conscience until he was ash.


    Now I'll go say hi to Angel and then kill her in two turns.

    cj iwakura on
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  • TeriferinTeriferin Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Huzzah! I beat P4!

    I might try an all SLinks+Margaret Curb Stomp (I've heard she isn't as brutal as other SMT bonus bosses) run after Christmas, if I don't get too caught up in other games.

    Also: I really love that Strange Journey battle music. I have pre-ordered the game on the strength of that video alone.

    Teriferin on
    teriferin#1625
  • ElendilElendil Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Maya!

    Elendil on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    IMG_6240.jpg
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    There is something very unsettling about this.

    Like: you've won, but have you really?


    The music doesn't help.

    cj iwakura on
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  • Zephyr_FateZephyr_Fate Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    He's the Demifiend. He's literally the strongest protagonist ever created in a videogame. Of course his 'dying message' will be that you didn't do jack shit to him.

    Zephyr_Fate on
  • ElendilElendil Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    That's the Demifiend deciding you're not worth the piddly experience he'd get from killing you.

    It is the greatest compliment you will ever receive.

    Elendil on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I think I got more XP from killing an Omoikane than I did from him.

    Though he was nice enough to leave a Soma.

    cj iwakura on
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  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    And I'd like to note, during the course of The Red Star Strategy, that even fully Debilitated and Double Sukukaja'd

    Hitoshura still managed to get two criticals, and make his demons fully negate everything. And one of them was out of MP.

    Even a decapitated wolf can still bite your head off.

    cj iwakura on
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  • l337CrappyJackl337CrappyJack Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I just want to say that I will not be able to feel joy in this world until they announce a localization of P3P.

    l337CrappyJack on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I have a Mantra Mystery to solve before I (really) finish DDS1.

    Heat has an extra mantra that's only on his grid: Monotheist, Ultimate Guard Skill, teaches Null Attack(nulls everything but Almighty).

    Where the heck did it come from? Serph almost has a maxed grid, and he doesn't have access to it.

    cj iwakura on
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  • ElendilElendil Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    cj iwakura wrote: »
    I have a Mantra Mystery to solve before I (really) finish DDS1.

    Heat has an extra mantra that's only on his grid: Monotheist, Ultimate Guard Skill, teaches Null Attack(nulls everything but Almighty).

    Where the heck did it come from? Serph almost has a maxed grid, and he doesn't have access to it.

    monotheist is unlocked by reaching the end paths of, if I remember right, the big three just below it

    Elendil on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I found it, it's from learning all six elementals. One of the two Serph hadn't learned yet is Mazandyne.

    May as well go the full nine and max that out too.

    cj iwakura on
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  • langfor6langfor6 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    You beat him huh? Way to go.
    TOO BAD YOU CHEATED

    Kidding. I quit Nocturne on hard before I even made it to Matador.

    langfor6 on
  • YggiDeeYggiDee The World Ends With You Shill Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I'm waiting for Atlus to put in a bonus boss fight that is literally unbeatable, and sit back and watch how long it takes the hapless players to figure it out.

    Like, imagine the Demifiend fight, but he heals every time he gets below a certain hp percentage.

    Dry out all his MP?

    Gaea Rage. ...Maybe twice.

    Survive that, and actually kill him for real?

    Disc freezes. Perhaps your saved games are corrupted.

    To be fair, this is a monstrously, hideously wrong thing to do a player, any player. But this is Shin Megami Tensei, who teaches us futility of man; and this is Atlus, the company whose cruel masters are physically fueled by our despair.

    I can almost, almost see it.

    YggiDee on
  • GilderGilder Aw snap Macaroni PartyRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    That will be the Igor fight. Because Igor is impossible to beat. He keeps Elizabeth in check.

    Gilder on
  • langfor6langfor6 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Corrupting your saves is a bit much.

    I like it.

    langfor6 on
  • PureauthorPureauthor Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I wonder what bonus fights there are in SJ.

    Pureauthor on
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  • ElendilElendil Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Demifrost.

    Elendil on
  • JouleJoule Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Props to cj.

    When you take on Satan, don't miscount his hp refill mark by 1000 like I did unless you want some maddening handicap. I only realized it after I beat him.

    Joule on
  • LoveIsUnityLoveIsUnity Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Elendil wrote: »
    Demifrost.

    I hate you because now I want this to happen.

    LoveIsUnity on
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  • Chrono HelixChrono Helix Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    That Heartbeat, Heartbreak vid makes it seem she can't remember whether it's supposed to be 'heartbeat', 'heartache' or 'heartbreak'.

    Chrono Helix on
  • JONJONAUGJONJONAUG Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Satan's a lot easier. All you need to beat him is a calculator and a lot of patience.

    JONJONAUG on
  • PunkBoyPunkBoy Thank you! And thank you again! Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Needs more Hades.
    20090106_0036_37.jpg?t=1259135279

    PunkBoy on
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  • WotanAnubisWotanAnubis Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    People still play Imagine?

    WotanAnubis on
  • PunkBoyPunkBoy Thank you! And thank you again! Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I think cj was the last of us to play. I don't think any of us play it anymore.

    PunkBoy on
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  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    So the series needs to move from the PSP to a platform I actually own.

    Xagarath on
  • PureauthorPureauthor Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I'm pretty certain that altering the Set defined as 'Systems that you own' would result in less bother for everyone concerned, really.

    Pureauthor on
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  • CherrnCherrn Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Man, Strange Journey sounds so cool. But I don't even have the will or patience to beat Final Fantasy games these days, so I'll likely never get further than a couple of hours in. Raagh, I always feel like going out and buying every SMT game there is, simply because I dig the concepts and art design so much, but I know I'm never actually going to play them.

    Edit:

    Maybe this is one of those times where I should actually invest in a strategy guide? Assuming they release an English one for Strange Journey.

    Cherrn on
    All creature will die and all the things will be broken. That's the law of samurai.
  • vagrant_windsvagrant_winds Overworked Mysterious Eldritch Horror Hunter XX Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I don't know why anyone that likes Japanese games wouldn't have both a DS and PSP at this point -- that's where all the good Japanese games have gone en masse. And they're much cheaper than the home consoles.

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  • SlayerVinSlayerVin Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Congrats cj. I still have to get around to beating him... My motivation has diminished significantly though. Your victory over him has spurred me on a little, but I won't be home now for about 5 days, by which point I'll probably not care again. Getting him into red then getting gaea raged was disheartening...

    SlayerVin on
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  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    PunkBoy wrote: »
    Needs more Hades.
    20090106_0036_37.jpg?t=1259135279

    I was looking for that.


    And I don't play it anymore either, but it still had moments. None of them found in the senseless neverending level grind.

    Shame they'll probably never finish the story. All they care about is introducing new fashions.

    cj iwakura on
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  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    So DDS2 on Hard Mode. What do I have to look forward to? So far I haven't died in a tutorial battle, so it can't be as bad as Nocturne's.

    And I'm doing import data, not second cycle. I still get to fight Satan as long as it's on Hard, right?


    Also, DDS2 is 2 for 2.

    Best intro:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58XNkJ7RRmE
    (This sounds amazing on a good sound system, by the by)


    And best battle music.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVFXMb7vibM

    cj iwakura on
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  • WotanAnubisWotanAnubis Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    You know, I always found it interesting how the music in DDS1 had this... how to put this... very natural, moody rock kind of feel to it and that DDS2's had a more sterile, electronic sound overall.

    You know... considering the premise of the games and their locations.

    Also, I like DDS1's intro better than 2's. Partially because I prefer Pray over Another World (I'm assuming it's called) and partially because in 1's intro the images and music are more in harmony with each other than in 2's admittedly flashier one.

    WotanAnubis on
  • cj iwakuracj iwakura The Rhythm Regent Bears The Name FreedomRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I didn't recall liking DDS1's OST much the first time around, but I really enjoyed it the second time. The ambient tracks outside all the HQs were all great, especially Manipura's.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi6ohqD7cVI


    Going after the uber bosses is my main reason, but it's also because I haven't played these games in a long time, and they're worth it.

    cj iwakura on
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  • Zephyr_FateZephyr_Fate Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    DDS2 Hard Mode is no harder than DDS1, honestly. There are some bosses that will rip you a new one, but because of how the Mantra Grid is set up in DDS2, you can get skills you want with less hassle.

    Zephyr_Fate on
  • LoveIsUnityLoveIsUnity Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Since we're pulling up youtube videos of songs from DDS, I feel obliged to include this, which is my favorite. (No, Gilder, you can't convince me otherwise.)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUQvRA0Lf-E

    LoveIsUnity on
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  • GilderGilder Aw snap Macaroni PartyRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Only people who like Svadisthana are cool.

    Gilder on
This discussion has been closed.