SMT IV Apocalypse Shocked Me For SO Many Reasons...

This gaaaaaame was a game... Honestly if you want my full thoughts on the game, I had a big long rant in the finale stream on my VOD channel. But yeah, TLDW: you can tell this game was made by almost completely different people and as a result created some pros for combat and QoL things, but a lot of cons in terms of story and overall experience for me. I think we can ALL agree the final dungeon is complete ass. -_-
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[@JuliusKingsleyXIII]

"I'm gonna do every chaos gremlin option because there is no real choice" Oh god, I can see exactly how this ends already.

[@alsaiduq4363]

SMT4A exist because while making a "Royal version" of SMT4, the project got too big. Also part of 4's dev team wanted to make a game where "Girl say nice things to you" while other wanted to make more like typical SMT. "Team A" , the team of most older devs , got to try their vision on 4 then "Team B" , the "new blood", got their time in the sun with 4A. Thats why the game are so different tone wise. So yeah Its from a interview btw

[@Windermed]

Well said Alcor

[@chaolihai-innit]

Wow holy shit, the boomers were right for once.

[@digimonlover1632]

@@chaolihai-innitNah not really.

[@chaolihai-innit]

@@digimonlover1632Yes really. As much as I like Apocalypse, the tone and story are completely fucked up. And the dialogue is some of the worst I've ever seen.

[@jadendobson9614]

​@@chaolihai-innitThe existence of smt3/smt5 characters and story are the complete antithesis to the "boomers were right" idea though. Poor execution doesn't equal poor concept.

[@patrickloureiro351]

SMT IV APOC is a game where you can feel the dev team getting into screaming matches over what direction the game should go in. The gameplay is aces but the story and it's tone is all over the place, which is a shame because it has some cool moments and ideas. Also whoever designed the final dungeon should be tried by the U.N.

[@funninoriginal6054]

I feel like they were trying waaaaay to hard to make a more Persona-like story work in the framework of smt but this just dosen't work. SMT is at is best when you're forced to make hard decisions based on your actions and beliefs while trying to survive insurmountable odds, and this game is like... The opposite of it

[@alsaiduq4363]

Its actually something that one part of SMT4 teams wanted to make. TeamA , older devs wanted to make classic SMT. While team b , wanted to make a game where "girl nice things to you". Then when working a enchanced version for 4 , got too big and became 4A.

[@PervertedNovaxc3]

@@alsaiduq4363 I was about to mention the same thing. I remember Larrue(I think it was him) shared that bit of info and it REALLY makes sense.

[@blackorcshagrat8587]

@@charnalk5572 The one major flaw of Eirikr. He provides a lot of good information, but if there's anything he dislikes, he will make every moment of his game review let everyone know he dislikes it.

[@PixeIated]

​@@funninoriginal6054im running a gun build on this game rn Bottom line is Partner attacks are carrying fights where they're immune to gun I got 3 healers, all with rakunda, dekunda and rakakaja rn One has makarakarn and im tryna get tetrarakarn

[@seth7726]

I will forgive each and ervery of this game's shortcomings just because the Stephen DLC fight has to be the best SMT fanservice we have gotten since all time. I hope Crystaahl gives it a chance someday although she would not recognize 1 and 2 chad protags.

[@rdii861]

Because she doesn't know the Giga chads that are "The Hero" & Aleph, yea I don't think she'll really enjoy the DLC. 😅 She doesn't have to play SMTs 1 & 2, just read it up.. but still that would take A LOT of digging & reading.

[@andrewwillcockson8120]

The scariest part of the franchise when the wheelchair man stands up

[@WoobertAIO]

@@rdii861 wym, SMT 1 & 2 are up there with 4 in storytelling

[@Acier25997]

That feeling when you realize Krishnas silky smooth voice is Kaneshiro's from P5...

[@firepuppies4086]

Also Okuyasu and Vanilla Ice. Granted he with Kaneshiro... Yeah you hear both his Krishna and Okuyasu at different points

[@radlee13]

I feel like one of the main problems with the characters is most of the characters don't act like they've lived their whole lives fending off demons. Except Navarre who's probably the least likely to become demon chow

[@porkadillo9752]

Yeah there's a significant tonal gap between a lot of the NPCs in this game and the NPCs in IV.

[@floris1111]

Uhhh, they're kids? Nozomi, Toki and Gaston are the only ones that actually fought demons and they act like it?

[@armandostockvideos8386]

Cool, she's playing more SMT games. LET'S GO FOR DIGITAL DEVIL SAGA NEXT!

[@villainreacts936]

yeessssssssssssssss

[@jellotrooper]

DIGITAL DEVIL SAGA IS PEAK MEGATEN

[@bastoncito9643]

​@@sbfh014 either of these would be great

[@villainreacts936]

@@sbfh014 considering how terrifying those maps are in strange journey i'm almost sorry for her.

[@moodypessimist5375]

The better 2 game story

[@TheOnlyGETdaD]

Hallelujah really is the we have Giorno at home of SMT

[@firepuppies4086]

Which is funnier when you realize who Nanashi shares an English voice with... And pre anime ASB Giorno is Yu in Japanese

[@swayitocarl]

If Shesha had eaten Nanashi, you would be able to be revived because your soul would be gone. Dagda even says so in the Cosmis Egg, which gives Asahi's sacrifice legitimacy. Her sacrifice mattered

[@ChrisRolands]

I love how the one connecting thread between your IV and IV:A playthroughs is basically Isabeau calling you out at the 11th hour.

[@jackcristo1628]

I think the comparisons of SMT4A and Persona just comes from the amount of dialogue. The quality of character development may be similar to SMT3 and 5 but those games devote far less time to it than SMT4A does. If someone isn't looking for character development in their game (or just aren't looking for it at the moment) 3 and 5 can work while 4A is still bloated.

[@hondshoven8477]

It also comes from the fact that their character arcs are all about accepting themselves and becoming the biggest bestest friend group. Like the good ol' meme goes, SMT was always about killing your friends while Persona is you being their unpaid psychologist. Add to that the fact that none of them talk as if they grew up and live in a world where you can be demon food at any moment and the Persona comparison is more than appropriate.

[@AnguishXA]

I think you're really doing Nocturne a disservice on character development. Most of it is inferred because it's pretty obvious that most humans thrown into an apocalyptic wasteland filled with demons would be shaped drastically by that environment. I'm not sure why people need to see more than what was shown in Nocturne to think this way.

[@jackcristo1628]

@@AnguishXAI definitely don't need to be shown more character development than what was shown in Nocturne. The point of my comment is that SMT4A *does* spend more time ostensibly showing character development, and the game doesn't wind up any better in that regard than Nocturne, so it's just a waste of time. Nocturne's character development, while basic (one development per character pretty much), is very time efficient.

[@jebusauriorets]

Honestly when i heard the "personafied" comment about asahi's character I kinda understood what they meant. There's a drastic tonal difference between persona and smt in most games and Asahi's regular perky teenage girl character (Which is not a bad thing on its own!!) clashes with the setting.

[@zomboids2100]

35:52 And now crystal knows; The pain of smt is more than just simple battles. It is also the dread of getting your macca stolen due to demons using skills or casting aliments that make you give them macca/items to them.

[@gaarafan89]

I personally really liked Apocalypse, but that final dungeon ruined any kind of replayability the game may have had

[@phillemon7664]

The final boss isn’t really replayable with how long it is on any difficulty above normal. It is the final boss fight in all of Megaten imo, I love the way it ties in the whole theme of Megaten in one battle.

[@sbfh014]

I'd personally say the last two, but yeah, teleporting mazes are not fun, especially when there's so many

[@aokyoutsuki7744]

@@sbfh014 many, large areas to tread, not easily identifiable which portals lead to where and which one is 'correct', sounds about the classic time sink braindead JRPG slot ins. sadge that this filter is literally in the endgame

[@OrionEJ]

Just learn to speedrun the last dungeon, it's not that long if you know where to go.

[@FloatingShorts]

What did you think of Strange Journey?

[@enzoforgets9456]

This is the OBJECTIVELY best design satan ever had I will die as many times as i need on this hill

[@LckD008]

Naww the monstrous alien looking design goes hard

[@KaiMCGRPS]

nah, i disagree, harlot is a better representation of the revelations beast and kaneko satan just hits different

[@sarafontanini7051]

what, not a fan of OG Satan's glorious tits?

[@Rageouz]

​@@LckD008 nah why did they slap six titties on it tho. The new one is so more badass and intimidating

[@ParadiseLordRyu]

@@KaiMCGRPSwell the beast and Satan both had 7 heads in revelation so it works

[@TheCaliMack]

It has been a year and i am still confused to what a fairy queen does.

[@grady3236]

Story wise, SMT4A is what people who dont play/dont like persona think that persona is

[@sebastianmendoza8707]

56:08 It's so weird to me that many people don't realize Shesha steals your soul when he eats you. The game makes it clear more than once.

[@Not_Alanius]

"I devoured their faith - their souls."

[@aokyoutsuki7744]

yeh, so many forget or didnt realize that "bringing you back" is soul based, not fully intangible

[@richardendresz161]

Stephen: oh hey a messiah lemme just…. - puts wheelchair into Cathedral of shadows mode - Let me help you

[@SilvarusLupus]

The Divine Powers had a much better Japanese name, it was the Polytheistic Alliance. Also yes Hallelujah is best boi

[@Windermed]

"The Divine Powers" legit sounds like a religious knock off of Power Rangers idk why but yeah Polytheistic Alliance sounds way more cooler imo

[@woodenspoon8183]

I ended up loving Apocalypse's gameplay, but yeah, vanilla IV had such a better story. A game with Apocalypse's gameplay and IV's story would be one of my favorite games of all time.

[@lubbo5261]

A SMT4 Remake?

[@Pokemen396]

Eh, remake implies more than gameplay. Maybe redux would fit the bill better. These games need to be brought out of the gay baby jail that is the 3ds though.

[@mr.kato2485]

I think when people refer this game's writing as persona-ish, is not just the comedic banter or more the character focus writing but how more of a clear-cut cheesy good guys the characters are. This game story really wants you to lean on the peace ending with the Dagda being a dick, everyone reminding you how much of a good friends, and the story's illusion of choice (which granted some smt games have in some instances but your choices do compile into what ending you get in the final strech). And I think with everyone being the good guys of the game, the dispute of beliefs (law, chaos and neutral) is left out of the picture, the thing that at least as I see it is one of the appeals of the series. And even if we dismiss that part, the story is not that well balance in giving its character their proper screen time or even progresion (gaston and navare rob the show alone). Hallelujah never really grows out of his moderator role of the team (even though that role was supposed to be for Nozomi, being she is the adult but well she is a mess), Toki is just weird (but really op on combat, she has like double turn and is perfect for hordes) and Isahi is just boring after the middle of the game. (Hell, even the edgy bitches from smt 3 have a little more substance in their character than most of the bozos in smt4A). But hey, it was still fun to watch your reaction to the hotmess that divided that whole fandom

[@porkadillo9752]

This is it. The theme of friendship has never been the raison d'etre of mainline SMT. It has always been used as a narrative vehicle and those narratives have always accepted it as a fleeting thing on principle. Persona is the exact opposite. There the friendship IS the point of the game. The 2 different approaches work well because of their settings, but when you mix them like in Apocalypse it just feels annoying. Imagine playing a Persona game where the MC or party members were unabashed edge lords or sociopaths for 99% of the game and you'd get the same dissonance.

[@snailthelostcow63]

"15 year old just lead a whole mob of gangster" Ah yep, just like Giorno Giovanna did- OHH... so that's why his name is Hallelujah...

[@CallieBlader]

wait, hallelujah's a jojo reference? aside from the mob leading thing, i don't follow why that's his name

[@infernaldisdain8051]

@@CallieBlader Giorno son of DIO is a Jesus allegory. DIO means God and Diavolo is Devil.

[@CallieBlader]

@@infernaldisdain8051 doesn't explain hallelujah which is an exclamation of something great happening

[@infernaldisdain8051]

@@CallieBlader Hallelujah literally means “Praise the Lord” it’s not a generic exclamation.

[@Bulkynemesis4534]

I forgot they actually made Krishna an antagonist in this game and its weird to me because he is one of the dieties i worship and go to temples of. I was scared shitless to continue playing this game after learning about it

[@sarafontanini7051]

the hurdles of forgetting hinduismis a real ass religion. granted at least you can take solace in the idea of christians being equally uncomfortable with fighting literal christian god as the final boss.

[@Bulkynemesis4534]

@@sarafontanini7051 over the years i have overcome that fear mainly because my views of the world has changed and how i perceived god and religion and now i find it fascinating how SMT incorporate these deities and their lore and mannerisms into the game's story

[@seanplaysgames2551]

im jewish and seeing the star of david as a demon summoning hex is disturbing at the very least for me lol, and the final boss is obv the abrahamic creator god who shall not be named so that just adds to it

[@mlabs6005]

@implord4197 maybe the real megami tensei was the heresy we committed along the way

[@anhramainyu2027]

Krishna here is based on Mahabharata'w Krishna as a character of the story not as a religion aspect of him. And yeah, Krishna in Mahabharata is complete asshole and from the reader's point of view (again, as a poem, not as a religion text) he can be considired as the main antagonist of the story.

[@Kasaaz]

50:28 - That's definitely his Smirk face from SMT IV

[@conspiracypanda1200]

I let my sister play this game for a couple of minutes. She named herself "Toast", not knowing how accurate that would be. She then turned down the offer in the afterlife and laughed to hard when the game ended right there. Anyway, IV:A isn't my favorite SMT game but Gaston is the best SMT character and I'm 100% ready to throw down with anyone who dissagrees. (Unless you wanna shit talk his assist skill. His turn stealing is bs.)

[@Bladehound83]

Gaston might not be the best partner, but he is the funniest. So naturally I used him whenever possible.

[@ellagage1256]

I feel like Apocalypse's problem is more it's pacing and tonal whiplash. I mean I definitely get the Persona comparisons considering the obvious good route is called the "Bonds" route of all things, and the 4A cast at their worst at least aren't hollow representations of ideologies. Though I think that's also the main problem for some people. Bad characters in 3 usually just annoy for a few minutes and then leave you alone. 4A forces to be around that writing at every moment possible. The Persona games actually know how to space out it's serious and comedic moments, how to "Take It's Time" in establishing who a character really is before dumping them into your party Sorry long rant, I just totally agree that people saying "lol it's Persona writing" is so dumb and counterproductive

[@patricionunez3521]

"Is Dagda this game's Burroughs?" First, how dare you? Second, HOW DARE YOU? Burroughs is probably the best character out of a main SMT game, while Dagda is... Dagda

[@conspiracypanda1200]

Imo Dagda is a big hypocritical bitch. Literally just SMT3's Isamu all over again but this time with mommy issues.

[@sarafontanini7051]

at leats you get to mruder dagda c:

[@neuxdex9740]

Burroughs simp

[@Windermed]

as much as i like Burroughs i can't deny that Dagda's just funny given how his edginess makes me laugh whenever it comes up.

[@CodeAndGin]

Adrammelech: My name is Ah-drah-meh-lehk Crystaahhl: ok A-drama-leek

[@xavierjohnson2321]

CrystAAHHL: If they end up making me like Nevarre, imma be mad! Didn't she say something similar about Akechi in P5R?

[@dutczar5436]

51:00 "Nobody steals Press Turns like Gaston!"

[@TruePeaceSeeker]

I personally disagree that this game is not influenced by "persona writing". There is very much more lean in unbreakable friendship that persona games forces upon. But at the very least in this game, conflicts between interest do happen, albeit not much. Weirdly enough P5 Royal, feels more leaning to SMT with the conflict of ideologies and that is why that game is so much better than base Persona 5.

[@altgus6501]

1:03:45 that moment goes so hard damn

[@jwolternova1051]

1:14:20 THE PERFECTLY CUT SMIRK I CAN'T-

[@jwolternova1051]

For those who don't know I recommend searching for YHVH vine boom.

[@pepperjack3412]

You Could have had hallelujah as your partner to prevent status ailments as well as prevent krisha from blowing away your demons with wind. But a demon like alice who is immune to status ailments works too.

[@andrewwillcockson8120]

Dynamite teddy bears for everyone

[@mrm0nty550]

Alright, Crystal. Now you have got to play Devil Survivor Overclocked

[@CallieBlader]

this so much. DESU 1 and 2 are incredible games

[@Windermed]

can't wait til she finally plays peak megaten lol

[@Justapassingkamenrider]

By choosing isabeau as a goddess you have unknowingly comitted NTR by stealing flynn's love interest

[@namoma4922]

I mean she picked her knowing that in this specific playthrough she hated her, there's definitely spite involved

[@chrisdixon7377]

Homeslice went bananacakes

[@Draecid]

Strangely enough i really enjoyed the last dungeon. But i also like when my party members in Persona do their own thing :)

[@Official_RetroMania]

Apocalypse is so DOPE! I love how dark and brutal unforgivable and unjust the world of SMT IV and specially Apocalypse is.

[@SolProxy]

Apocalypse is just a mess tonally.

[@jerryvermillion933]

homeslice went bananacakes

[@Slasher9485]

I can't believe that no one told her that she could fuse Krishna.

[@Blarglesnarfe]

I love how like... every one of my opinions she ends up having. It's so cathartic

[@Meretrix2]

(Kinda) fun fact: Nozomi in this game is voiced by Karen Strassman, better known as the original va of Aigis 😭😭

[@PokemonaMoni]

I really liked Apocalypse, I know the story could be better, but I liked the main cast a lot, in contrast with SMT4 where I didn't care much about the story. They can't be compared to me because each one has its own strength. I think SMT4 is better in exploration, tone and sidequests. While SMT4A is better in combat and characters. But that's just my opinion

[@cidredwood6170]

This just shows the goodest boy’s never gonna be Koromaru, Amaterasu, or any other dog It’s actually Orcus

[@QuiluaH]

She not realizing that Gaston takes her turn is gold

[@arterplaysmelodica]

3:20 I'm not doing fusion, Asahi. I AM the fusion.

[@jasonterre1056]

I guess due to the last game giving Flynn too much free will that the final alignment choice will get rejected if you have too much points in either law/chaos. While this game spends too much time rejecting your already limited freedom and only mattering at the moment of truth, by that time you're sick of everyone's shit you'll just settle with the lesser of two evils (Dagda).

[@Dragon-md4gr]

...in a situation where your options are to commit genocide, murder everybody in existence, destroy the Universe, enslave people and become God and just siding with your friends to protect the world, how is the first one the lesser of two evils?

[@jasonterre1056]

Personal tolerance and reward.

[@Dragon-md4gr]

@@jasonterre1056 If you’re just doing it because you tolerate Dagda more and like what he offers more, that’s not really the lesser of two evils. That’s just prioritizing self-aggrandization over ethics and empathy.

[@jasonterre1056]

I'm aware. I just prefer one over the other, just like everyone else.

[@Zorin1]

Navarre's redemption arc. SMTIVA made me like Navarre.

[@NicoTheCinderace]

Game: "Please avoid names are are offensive." CrystAAHHL: "Bitchen." 😎👍

[@Joker_Kirby]

9:58 this is howI felt first time fighting the King Frost boss in P5 Strikers

[@Kasaaz]

If this was Fire Emblem, that would confirm Nikkari as one of your parents.

[@lifeofanerd5113]

As someone who just finished watching your SMT4 video YESTERDAY and thought to myself "Man I wonder if she's played Apocalypse" this was great to open KZbin to.

[@CallieBlader]

she has a twitch and an archive channel you know

[@TruePeaceSeeker]

The worst decision in this game is unable to side with krishna :(

[@samantherblaner4309]

oh my god i thought she was saying "a drama leak" i was so confused until i realized she was saying adramelech

[@mayzenharriz8083]

It's cool you like this game. Might I recommend Devil Survivor Overclocked. You'll love it, I can guarantee ^^

[@DamienStarry0w0]

Really pissed me off how we couldn't side with Krishna in this game I would've really love to see what a world in his image would look like

[@rasdan1192]

Shiva defeating Vishnu-Flynn is such an irony.

[@reluctantgoalkeeper7780]

My favorite mainline

[@dylanmatthewper2003]

#CrystAAHHL Dagda is the Celtic god of Great power, prestige and good. King of the Tuatha Dé Denann and husband of Mórrigán and Boann!

[@Kasaaz]

This game does kind of explain the whole egg thing better than SMT III

[@sarafontanini7051]

hell I'd say this game has better villains. its pretty interesting what they tried to do with them in SMT3 but they were on the whole pretty basic and undercooked, especially the dude who kickstarted everything. Meanwhle we have Dagda who'd you either like because he saved you or hate because he removes your chocies from you and is a violent dickhead, krishna who cares so little about humanity despite fighting for a better world and finally the OG himself, newly updated for a modern generation.

[@Kasaaz]

@@sarafontanini7051 It does kind of feel like a do-over attempt by them of 3.

[@achisenpai1888]

*sees video in recommended* “I’ve been waiting for this!” [X] Attack [O] Relent

[@TheCaliMack]

YOU DID SO WELL NANASHI

[@sebastianramirez9090]

What Medusa said was so bad even SMT censored her

[@Tstar-vf5tc]

this was one of my first smt games and I enjoyed it so much and it holds a special place in my heart. also got to the 2nd to last boss then lost all my game data and never got around to playing back up to that point but i've been on my 3ds a lot lately so I'm gonna pick it back up.

[@chocodysseus]

The adorable levels when Crystaahhl notices that she matches drip with nanashi lol

[@pokecordthrowaway]

smt3 had very heavily environmental storytelling, I think "persona writing" is a comment on how you're travelling with a gaggle of orbiters who all feel like they need to comment on everything that happens, as opposed to 3 and 5 (and to a lesser extent 4), where you kinda just roam around and learn about the world as an example, 3/5 would describe or show you a building burning in front of you, whereas everyone in apoc would feel the need to talk about how awful a burning building is

[@Cthululululu]

Crystaaahhhhlll having the normal human reaction to Toki.

[@NachtKaiser666]

I overall liked 4A, but some of the later dungeons did get annoying. Especially WEEWOO's dimension. I think I would've enjoyed it more if there was a Krishna path, even if it was NG+ exclusive. The idea of throwing a new faction in the middle of the classic Law/Neutral/Chaos was really interesting and something I was disappointed to not see come back in 5. Also neither Krishna nor Dagda came back in 5. Also as Crystal points out multiple time during this video, that Dagda will force you to do some actions despite the illusion of choice is kind of annoying. In the original 4 it's usually philosophical questions that are thrown your way that would affect your alignment accordingly. Side note, has anyone told Crystal that the Krishna fusion could be unlocked? I don't know if she'll be going back to this one, but it's worth pointing out that there's a way to unlock him. Anyway, thanks for the video!

[@Chaoszidenrules]

Dagda /was/ apparently going to be in SMTV but was removed at the last minute, he had a model and all in the code

[@NachtKaiser666]

@@Chaoszidenrules well now that just makes me sad...

[@Bladehound83]

@@Chaoszidenrules Guess who's back? lmao

[@dartoney]

If you want something closer to smt iv in tone and story quality play Strange Journey

[@ultimateretroasd]

Compared to SMTIV, this Apocalypse's gameplay is way better, but the story and characters ruins the whole experience. og SMTIV gameplay is broken af, but the story and decision making is just incredibly tough but enjoyable

[@86fifty]

17:40 - hooohh I just realized - that's Kokichi's voice :O

[@FirlowXD]

I love Apocalypse, it was my first SMT game and still the only one I've completed.

[@markeyiszra]

13:10 Krishna got some drip. The thing that missing that he isn't blue.

[@sarafontanini7051]

I quite liked SMT 4A, as the first SMT game I played to completion. yeah I didn't play SMT 4, don't judge me >.> I feel that even if the majority of the cast aren't that strong, I thin its a great continuation to the neautral ending of SMT4, especially if you wanted to see the samurais get over their shit and ruinite, which apart from killing that asshole dagda is a seeling point of this game's neautral ending, getting everyone together and seeing flynn and co/ fight togetehr alongside you to battle one of the more popular villains in SMT, YHVH. Also you get to fight Stephen in one ending which is fuckign WILD. If you do play the older SMT games I hope you enjoy them, even though in my opinion the main SMT games aren't exactly the best in terms of characters.

[@Blade12113]

I really lije both games but I 100% agree that base 4 is better. Outside of the cobat changes, which are amazing by the way, 4 just did most things better.

[@ImPyroChad]

Now it's time to play Devil Survivor Overclocked and seeing how much better the endings in that game were compared to vanilla IV 😭

[@Night_Raptor_5991]

I would like to see her reaction to that

[@leonzen2958]

Homeslice went bananacakes, my guy.

[@Kasaaz]

This is spooky... or KZbin really does have me trained, or maybe the impending closure of the eShop? I was thinking about this video for the last two days hoping it would come soon. That's the one SMT I've never played and was thinking about buying it, but now that I'm old, the 3DS leads to some intense physical pain if I play for too long. This is perfect.

[@Pixel_Rocket23]

4A is a divisive game. I really liked it personally I don't really get most people's complaints. I'll admit fighting multiple bosses back to back and YHVH's dungeon is bullshit tho.

[@thecurseofstain]

The writers knew what they were doing when they named him hallelujah

[@TheRedGoon]

I think when it comes to the story, presentation and character driven narrative and actual choice that factors in how your experience pans out, SMT IV does it better than III, Apocalypse and especially V It sucks you in, and doesn't shove a bunch of characters into your face. You're given just a handful to work with, who experience the game just as you do, and don't really come off as anime cliches like the ones in Apocalypse tend to. Gameplay-wise, Apocalypse is an improvement, but the only characters worth a damn in it are Navarre, Hallelujah and Isabeau. Everyone else are just god awful and I'll never forgive how badly they butchered Nozomi. Oh, but we did at least get the new Odin, and Satan design, and Krishna, who I'm baffled wasn't allowed to be in SMT V. lol

[@CallieBlader]

i disagree with some of the changes for IVA, the split of taru making a makakaja skill now, the smirk benefits, the level up apps giving you heals when it should've already done so, the story progression locking of certain apps (mostly skill expansion) one of the few good changes was hama and mudo being actual useful skills that do damage

[@conspiracypanda1200]

IV:A has a good battle system, but in terms of getting to make interesting decisions I think base IV and Strange Journey are better with the same/similar mechanics. In fact, I kinda think Strange Journey's route representatives are superior to IV's as well in their development.

[@kichiroumitsurugi4363]

@@CallieBlader Smirk is more balanced in IVA than it was in IV, full honesty, and actually worked alongside Tarukaja (it didn't in IV)

[@LumiLunar]

Haven’t played SMT 4 yet but I’ll get there. I’m playing Devil Survivor right now. I think you’d really like it. It’s FE + SMT. Hope you give it a try someday.

[@kain1799]

I did think crystal would like smt4a more honestly but I'm also not surprised

[@lovingfool2060]

I get where the "persona writing" arguments come from. I dont see it as literal as it is the tonal whiplash of what was established in 4 (say what you will about 3 and even 5, there was mostly a consistency), but yeah it also comes off as a bit of a strawman or people describing a feeling they have no other way to articulate I guess.. That being said despite its heavy handedness and huge amount of narrative flaws, I still walked away from 4A on good terms with the expanded lore and some of the character stuff I genuinely was engaged with.

[@tacoman422]

I'm honestly still a fan of this one even if the plot and characterization is kind of messy. I still think I prefer this game's story to V's, since with that game it kind of feels like they never pick a plot thread to commit to so each section of the game feels like the basic idea of a story that they never fully flesh out. Here it feels like we have too many ideas running up against one another but at least they feel more fleshed out instead of something someone gave up on after a single chapter.

[@Anedelgardstan]

It’s sad that I have now realized that Krishna’s Voice Actor is Kaneshiro from Persona 5

[@chaoticchill8744]

Even though it was harder than the other endings, fighting YHVH with the Original squad made it all worth it 😘👌

[@theheromans]

No one tell her that you can recruit Krishna after killing him.

[@CallieBlader]

not really recruit, more like fusion

[@noddypeak]

all you need is shiva is a phrase I have been using in all megaten honestly

[@amandabisby3546]

Oddly enough this was my first JRPG LMAO a very weird introduction to that world, but I was hooked afterwards. In hindsight the game isn’t as great as the ones I play now, but it was such an eye-opener for me to the genre when I first played it and I loved it.

[@JackgarPrime]

How appropriate that you upload Dagda's game on St. Patrick's Day! Was it on purpose?

[@allenwalker957]

Using youtube to censor yourself, RTGame would be proud XD

[@j0rgens64pc3]

I love the usage of KZbin as a censor, it’s an amazing KZbin moment.

[@soulwrite5963]

The reason Luara Bailey couldn't voice Nozomi for this game was because she was pregnant with her son at the time.

[@firepuppies4086]

You shouldn't trust that voice, Odin is Kamoshida

[@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas]

Honestly, the one thing that perpetuated my mind throughout this entire playthrough is: How does Nanashi innately nullify Light as a Godslayer?

[@livingdoubt54]

humans in smt inherently null light its not just a nanashi quirk

[@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas]

@@livingdoubt54 I'm aware of that (sorry I forgot to specify), but shouldn't Nanashi lose it after becoming Dagda’s Godslayer? Sure it isn't guaranteed that a human will lose their Light immunity when part-demon or part-something other than human, but Demi-fiend, a notable example of this, doesn't innately nullify Expel despite being half-human, so how is Nanashi different?

[@livingdoubt54]

@@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas i suppose you have a point

[@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas]

@@livingdoubt54 Now that I think about it, I've always wondered why humans innately nullify Light in the first place, gameplay-wise and in-universe

[@livingdoubt54]

@@ArshadZahid_nohandleideas my only assumption is that light skills are like, blessings of some kind so naturally they would affect a demon hard. but to a human, like, if someone threw holy water on you or prayed over you or something, nothing bad would really happen. its kind of a stretch but thats literally all i can think of lol

[@jhakabrammastrielz7912]

Did you ever get to play the diamond realm dlc for this game?

[@patricionunez3521]

Crystal is so over-critical of characters in the main SMT games but has no problems with letting slide things like Ryuji screaming to everyone that his group is the Phantom Thieves or Makoto trying to scold a group of Yakuzas by herself. While I agree SMT Apocalypse/5 characters are cringe depending on what your choices are, the "Persona writing" is also a thing because Persona characters are super ridiculous most of the time, and this is coming from someone who like Persona games.

[@pikespeakaudio8898]

To be fair, setting also counts for a lot. There's a difference between being a student/delinquent teenager in modern Tokyo and being a Demon Hunter in post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Behaviors that would be tolerable from the former would be intolerable (or worse, nonsensical) from the latter.

[@renren47618]

What's the problem with the Makoto thing? Also she's a teenager so doing stupid things is not really something that absurd I also think that nobody would believe in a guy like Ryuji saying he's part of the Phantom Thieves, is as if i told you i'm a CIA agent, you don't believe on me, right?

[@patricionunez3521]

@@charliewright2985 I was about to mute this thread, but I agree with you, Persona 5 characters fill both quotas.

[@alsaiduq4363]

5's character arent cringe. They might just not exist outsdie of Dazai.. Who's the only character with actual screen time that becomes cringes.

[@PervertedNovaxc3]

@@renren47618 I feel like trying to justify Makoto's actions there as 'some stupid thing a teenager would do' is kind of silly. There's stupid and then there's doing something having a clear lack of self-preservation. That whole thing was a case of having her grab hold of the idiot ball to move the plot along.

[@milesseawind]

Digital devil saga squad