Skyblade
makes posts you should read while listening to the Jurassic Park theme

Well, we'll see. If I get a Wii U, I'll probably get the game and give it a fair go, though I can't say the heavy idol theme is kind of off-putting for me.

So I'll just sit here and wait for SMT IV:Final to come out, as well as Persona 5, but I still need a PS4 for that one.

Holy crap

True But that's what I like about it. That, and most games are pretty self-contained, but it's nice to know they are connected in some way.

Which makes me even sadder that #FE looks like it has nothing to do with MegaTen

No. They are within one multiverse, but different universes. It's possible that IV follows up on Strange Journey's neutral ending, but that's still just a theory. Nocturne is pretty much its own beast altogether, but it introduces the Amala network, which explains that the games do indeed connect together. SMTIV kind of makes it even more canon with its confirmation of multiple timelines.

There's one sequel chain that we know for sure happened.

SMT I -> SMT II -> Raidou Kuzunoha goes back to the past to prevent the apocalypse -> Raidou Kuzunoha and the Soulless Army -> Raidou Kuzunoha and King Abaddon -> one ending leads back to the SMT I timeline; while the other leads into SMT if..., and from if... you get the Devil Summoner and Persona series.

They are that. The Persona series is actually canon to the SMT multiverse, except it's a split timeline from the main series where the apocalypse never happened.

The demons in SMT come from the Amala network - that is a plane that is actually the center of the entire SMT multiverse, so even though there are no more humans in the Nocturne world, the demons come from there. Amala is also built on the human collective, but it's actually built from the unconscious of people from the entire thing, which explains why some demons reference people and events that did not happen in the particular timeline you are playing.

On a lighter not, look! I'm Beast now

Sorry. Accidental double post.

Demons exist because humans exist. They're a force that is born off the collective unconscious, which is why they take the forms people have thought of. This is what Kaneko and the others mean when they say that God is not the ultimate adversary of the SMT multiverse. His nature is the way it is because that's what humans in the game world want - a vengeful judge with no mercy for sinners. This makes him the Old Testament God in this universe, true, but not the creator deity. In that way, humans are the real monsters of the SMT multiverse. Demons are only representations of aspect of humanity, which is why the have static alignments, with each alignment having a most powerful representative, whereas humans have always been shown in the games to be unique in that they are capable of change.

Still, I understand why you don't like it. Hope this just clears out a bit why I find it so fascinating, though.

Because, by virtue of the explanation the games give for demons, he isn't exactly our God, and more like a representation, or rather an exaggeration, of certain traits of humanity.

I like the games for that - they're an interesting insight into humanity, their vices, their virtues, and ideals. While I may not agree with every answer they present, I really appreciate that there is a series out there that really goes there and tries to deal with this topic in a unique way, on top of having very satisfying gameplay and not just relying purely on that to get sales. Plus, all the myths are researched in a stupidly in-depth way, which really helps the theme of looking at the different facets of humanity all the stronger.

All details are in the thread but I should clarify: we're talking imaginary gifts. Like funny GIFs, images of what you would give them, etc. In no way is money involved!

You can see various examples of past Secret Santa gifts in the thread, so you should give them a gander!