Quote Originally Posted by Formalhaut View Post
I've heard of the series before, but never actually seen screenshots. So is it basically: demons run amok, save the day? Or am I grossly oversimplifying the story?
The plots of the game vary but basically the plots of the main game entail characters from modern day Tokyo learning about a secret war between the forces of Law and Chaos which is represented by religious and mythological figures, many of whom you can actually recruit. The gameplay is basically adult Pokemon where instead of collecting all the Fire Type, you're collecting the angelic host or Hindhu gods. Shiva is usually a total game breaker I might add.

The game's plot is focused more on exploring the themes of chaos, order and human nature. The plot's tend to be more subtle but you often get presented with pretty nasty choices like performing genocide to an entire race, collaborating with forces who keep the peace by doing absolutely horrible things behind the scenes or trying to help people only to learn to late the real circumstances of their problem. Really interesting is how often the series mixes in actual myth, legends and religious stories into the plot and side missions. It's a pretty meta series.

Anyway, it sounds interesting. So Fynn, if you say IV is the best starting point, does that mean they are unrelated to each other in the series?
Fynn pretty much nailed this though SMTIII and the Raidou games of Devil Summoner hint that every game is connected via parallel timelines and worlds. So certain things do kind of cross over into other games but their more of a shout out fan service than some overarching plot that has to be followed.

Quote Originally Posted by ToriJ View Post
Lilith's hair is red, dammit! Red!

*flips trout over minor detail*
I don't think I get the reference...

Quote Originally Posted by Pumpkin View Post
So there were two things I noticed when watching LPs, reviews, and trailer that concerned me

Drab, dark setting
Demon characters

Your review pushes it further that way. Sorry, Fynn, I know you want me to be interested but I'm really really not.

I played a game called Digital Devil Saga and if I had to pick an all time least favourite game, that would be it. The setting was bleak, the character art was hideous (to me) and the effin demon characters gave me so many nightmare. I have never hated a game with the same fiery passion I hate that game, a passion that makes me want to buy every copy I can find just to smash it and burn it and scream and cry all at the same time

This series and the Persona games remind me so much of that
That's a shame and sadly I feel SMTIV does make a strong case for being one of the darkest entries in the series, especially when you get to Reverse Hills which made even Lilith and Lucifer go "That's smurfed up.". It's a good series but if you don't like dark and bleak atmosphere, then you probably won't ever like the franchise. Though I do feel Devil Summoner and Persona fall more into the cheery side of things. Maybe you should check out DemiKids instead? It's the SMT games that are targeted towards actual youth and is close to being a blatant rip-off of Pokemon and Digimon in structure and setting.

***************************************************************************************************
As for the choice, I really enjoyed SMTIV, despite some of it's flaws I felt it was an excellent game and it's currently my favorite game on the 3DS though it wasn't good enough to dethrone Nocturne in my eyes it did make me hunger for more MegaTen and I still pop it in and play some more. The DLC bosses are brutal and finishing the Compendium can be very difficult especially since accidental fusions (which are the only way to make demons of two different class) are a near act of god to happen. I also agree that I really like the characters and the game's plot. There was more focus on making neutral not feel like the best choice and I absolutely love how the game forces you to actually explore and talk to people if you ever want to know what's up with Tokyo and the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado instead of just having some character sit you down and explain it all to you. It made exploring the world feel more organic.