Anyone else into the SMT series (of which Persona is a spinoff)?

[JUSA]

I own so many of these games, yet I've played so few.

First up: SMTV-Vengeance is coming out soon, middle of June. I played the OG version until about the 3rd area and put it aside. Hate to say, "bored of it" but kind of that. Yet, I will probably pick up SMTV/V here in a month and give it a whirl (especially since it's available now on PC; Hello Steam Deck).

Anyone into this series, persona or any of the various Devil spinoffs? What's the consensus here?

I think the only game in the entire series and spinoffs I've completed would be Devil Survivor Overclocked, which I just wrapped. I think I finally got the hang of combining demons and made it work pretty well. Game was fairly difficult but allowed for easy grinding to power your way through difficulty spikes, which I appreciate.

[OptimusTrajan]

Yep.

SMT 4 is my favorite all around.

[obmas]

I honestly cant stand the boring generic repetitive dungeons in these kind of games. And I'm a jrpg nerd

[BasedKun]

I got SMT Apocalypse for the 3DS, but haven’t had a chance to play 5 yet. Have the newer games been localized by Katrina Leonoudakis, by any chance?

[OptimusTrajan]

I got SMT Apocalypse for the 3DS, but haven’t had a chance to play 5 yet. Have the newer games been localized by Katrina Leonoudakis, by any chance?

Play 4 before Apocalypse/Final.

[JUSA]

Yep.

SMT 4 is my favorite all around.

I am gearing up for V:V. I started replaying it, I forgot how much fun and how solid the gameplay is. I am wondering, though... should I just wait until June 14th and pick up IV? I've never played it and heard it was so good, but the smirk nonsense kind of put me off. I have physicals of both IV and IV:A. I tried out Apocalypse, but nothing made much sense not being familiar w/ IV.

[JUSA]

Play 4 before Apocalypse/Final.

Just booted this one up (IV, not IV:A). Last playthrough, I'd barely scratched it and had not finished the tutorial. I don't know. I recall not liking the camera and controls, which 3ds does limit in both... but like most games, once you play them and get used to them, things seem to be much clearer.

Mind is also more open about absorbing the world and setting. Sometimes, I dive into a game and just want to get over all the setting and get right to the gameplay. I think I'm more sold on the themes and worlds of the SMT series now, having played a bit more and beyond just dabbling w Persona IV. Obviously, this change is engaging me far more than my initial breezeby playthrough.

[JUSA]

Yep.

SMT 4 is my favorite all around.

Mini-review, from the 3 hours in perspecitve:

- I can see why this is some people's favorite SMT. Certain beats, it just nails it (and from what I understand, these aspects will only get better). Having played enough SMT, I can see the groundwork they're laying with a couple characters, law/peace Vs chaos/freedom being so integral to this series as a whole.
- Music and atmosphere early on are awesome
- Press turn mechanics work for the most part (will discuss smirking in the cons...)
- Overall it's very fun

There are problems though -- which make me think this game is very ripe for a remake/remaster/revisit -- it could use that even if it wasn't a hidden gem stuck on the 3ds (which it is), but beyond it deserving more exposure to a wider audience, the mechanics can be frustrating. Smirking is bullchit and either trivializes encounters or makes them nigh-impossible. I understand IV:Apocalypose fixed this.

Another issue I am having is the same one that made me prematurely drop this title years back -- the limitations of the hardware. It's hard to move around using the goofy 3ds knubstick, monsters need to be pre-engaged by striking them but that is often very difficult. It's hard because the controls are clunky, you easily get snuck up on in new areas where you don't know spawn spots and the striking to pre-engage to your favor is slow and with fast zooming monsters, hard to get off. Real hard and losing that and the demon team going first can wreck you easily.

Would love to see this on a modern console, better controls, adapting the improved mechanics from IV:A and somehow keeping the story, tone and atmosphere in tact. I don't know what art style should be used. There is so much charm in these 2d sprites, which I think works towards the game's solid setting. Using the same 3D models they used w/ SMTV or Soul Hackers 2 would certainly work -- but the game might suffer for it.

[OptimusTrajan]

I am gearing up for V:V. I started replaying it, I forgot how much fun and how solid the gameplay is. I am wondering, though... should I just wait until June 14th and pick up IV? I've never played it and heard it was so good, but the smirk nonsense kind of put me off. I have physicals of both IV and IV:A. I tried out Apocalypse, but nothing made much sense not being familiar w/ IV.

If you plan on playing 5 right away then yeah don't get stuck in the middle of the game.

I'll have to put P3R aside to play it myself, but I'm only going to play the new story first. But then a week later we have the Elden Ring DLC so fuark.

Just booted this one up (IV, not IV:A). Last playthrough, I'd barely scratched it and had not finished the tutorial. I don't know. I recall not liking the camera and controls, which 3ds does limit in both... but like most games, once you play them and get used to them, things seem to be much clearer.

Mind is also more open about absorbing the world and setting. Sometimes, I dive into a game and just want to get over all the setting and get right to the gameplay. I think I'm more sold on the themes and worlds of the SMT series now, having played a bit more and beyond just dabbling w Persona IV. Obviously, this change is engaging me far more than my initial breezeby playthrough.

World building in SMT IV is really good. Once you get past the skill check boss the game actually begins.

Mini-review, from the 3 hours in perspecitve:

- I can see why this is some people's favorite SMT. Certain beats, it just nails it (and from what I understand, these aspects will only get better). Having played enough SMT, I can see the groundwork they're laying with a couple characters, law/peace Vs chaos/freedom being so integral to this series as a whole.
- Music and atmosphere early on are awesome
- Press turn mechanics work for the most part (will discuss smirking in the cons...)
- Overall it's very fun

There are problems though -- which make me think this game is very ripe for a remake/remaster/revisit -- it could use that even if it wasn't a hidden gem stuck on the 3ds (which it is), but beyond it deserving more exposure to a wider audience, the mechanics can be frustrating. Smirking is bullchit and either trivializes encounters or makes them nigh-impossible. I understand IV:Apocalypose fixed this.

Another issue I am having is the same one that made me prematurely drop this title years back -- the limitations of the hardware. It's hard to move around using the goofy 3ds knubstick, monsters need to be pre-engaged by striking them but that is often very difficult. It's hard because the controls are clunky, you easily get snuck up on in new areas where you don't know spawn spots and the striking to pre-engage to your favor is slow and with fast zooming monsters, hard to get off. Real hard and losing that and the demon team going first can wreck you easily.

Would love to see this on a modern console, better controls, adapting the improved mechanics from IV:A and somehow keeping the story, tone and atmosphere in tact. I don't know what art style should be used. There is so much charm in these 2d sprites, which I think works towards the game's solid setting. Using the same 3D models they used w/ SMTV or Soul Hackers 2 would certainly work -- but the game might suffer for it.

Yeah press turn is kinda BS, but I don't remember it being that bad. In Apocalypse/Final I got smirk almost every 3 fights. Game was super easy though.

Yeah 3ds controls suck. I think you can use the L and R buttons to turn though. Or just emulate it I guess.

Rumor is there is a remake of 4 in the works. Probably won't be to the level of P3, but more so than the SMT3 remaster.

[JUSA]

Rumor is there is a remake of 4 in the works. Probably won't be to the level of P3, but more so than the SMT3 remaster.

What's your take on SMT3 remaster, if any? I booted it up recently, got through the (rather quick) tutorial, was kind of figuring it out -- but the random encounters kind of turned me off. Not even sure if it's worse or more frequent than in IV or V, where you can fairly easily avoid many encounters (esp 5)... but once I literally took about 5 steps and immediately hit another random encounter and I just kind of shelved it for something else.

I've heard good things about it, the story, it being the genesis of the Press Turn combat (which I like a lot) and such. I think there are even Demon abilities that slow encounter rate down. Just... so many games, so little time.

[Deathstroke]

I have only played V. And i loved it. Played it on switch. If it’s good on other systems I’d be willing to listen. The Snits is a very busy man these days. So like his meals, his jrpg obsession must go on mobile. I never played the OG’s. At least not that I can remember.

Based Turn based combat is based af btw.

[JUSA]

I have only played V. And i loved it. Played it on switch. If it’s good on other systems I’d be willing to listen. The Snits is a very busy man these days. So like his meals, his jrpg obsession must go on mobile. I never played the OG’s. At least not that I can remember.

Based Turn based combat is based af btw.

I just shelved a second playthrough (and barely at that) of SMT5 -- mainly because I realized it would not have a carry over save and I'd be starting over come June 15th. As I was playing, I had forgotten how much fun the game was and how just spot-on the combat was. Something about these games, they also kind of become easier once you wrap your head around managing the Demons. I struggled a little, my conventional thinking was always looking at them as party members and trying to grow them over time.

It works better once you see them as disposable fodder, only kept around as long as they remain useful and fused to make something greater as soon as possible.

Do you have a 3DS or access to emulator? I'm having a blast with IV which OptimusTrajan just told me I only now really even started the game (there is a major roadblock Boss and once you get past it, everything about the game lore-wise is turned upside down). I was loving it prior to the big twist, so if it only gets better, that's going to be very good. I just checked eBay, you can get a used SMT4 for $20 -- which is just a steal.

Just know: It is a 3ds game: 3ds graphics and 3ds controls and hardware and all the limitations that come with that... but damn, a lot of fun here and the 2D sprite animations and art are both timeless and gorgeous, the music is ****ing great (and thoughtful, I noticed the score changes once a big reveal happens in the story, the background music for some of the old zones *changes* to reflect the new status quo, just a crazy detail)... and I don't think you can go wrong. I price games more in the Time over the dollar amount, I have more money than time these days, so **** the $20 eBay cost for a second and my question is: Is this game worth my time to put into it? I ask that whether it's this, PS5:V, Persona Tactica, PS3R or any game I might be looking at.

So far, this one is.

[OptimusTrajan]

What's your take on SMT3 remaster, if any? I booted it up recently, got through the (rather quick) tutorial, was kind of figuring it out -- but the random encounters kind of turned me off. Not even sure if it's worse or more frequent than in IV or V, where you can fairly easily avoid many encounters (esp 5)... but once I literally took about 5 steps and immediately hit another random encounter and I just kind of shelved it for something else.

I've heard good things about it, the story, it being the genesis of the Press Turn combat (which I like a lot) and such. I think there are even Demon abilities that slow encounter rate down. Just... so many games, so little time.

It's probably rated so highly due to nostalgia. Random encounters are annoying. It's a good game, but 4 and 5 are much better.

The remaster is pretty lazily done. No real point in playing it vs an emulator tbh.

[naaboo]

SMT 5 on my wishlist,

haven't finished a single game

"this time will be different"

das it meng.

considering playing the phone app game in the meantime

[JUSA]

Update:

1. Speaking on my playthrough of SMT4, looks like on the 18th I was 3 hours into this game. Right now sitting at about 38 hours into it. I am not sure how close to wrapping this one I am, I feel like I'm at least halfway through... some big revelations, lots of fun gameplay. Game is very good and I'm enjoying it a lot. I am not a fan of the controls or camera still... you're also very slow with your swing to pre-engage monsters, which is not always easy to do. Whatever, though. I've committed I believe to the Chaos route, which I guess means I'll destroy the world by the end of the game.

2. Very much looking forward to SMT5:Vengeance coming out in a couple of weeks. Will be good to dust off the old steam deck and play this game properly with close to 60 fps. I also think I've played enough SMT that I 'get the hang of it' better now. Grabbing demons, smashing them together, using their new forms as fodder for the next bigger and better demon.

Having the hang of it, you have a lot of fun mechanics at play with these games:
1. engaging combats with the press/turn system
2. Encounters are a mix: sometimes combat and other times the amusing Demon Negotiation system, which is pure stupid luck, but it is a refreshing change now and again and so many stupid conversations happen, you can not help but laugh at most of them
3. Building and fusing demons is it's own sub-system
4. Building your MC, whether it's with equipment or the abilities you purchase (in 5 the 'miracles', in 4 it's apps for your demon summoning program)
5. Usually have some kind of open world to explore, with dungeons and towns and such

... overall, I've really grown to be a fan of these games. A lot going on, very fun and it does offer a different experience than the Persona games.

[broseidon]

Super excited for V. Only played it briefly on the switch so will be basically all new to me.

Nocturne and DDS are some of my favorites. Digital Devil Saga is amazing if you don't mind a PS2 game