Shin Megami Tensei IV: A Review In Progress

Hi all: Just thought that I would endow upon you some of my current thoughts on Shin Megami Tensei IV.

As I draw closer to a review of Shin Megami Tensei IV, I would like to reflect on my experiences. The game has a mysterious, foreboding atmosphere that is heightened by its excellent sound work and static artwork backdrops. The pacing, so far, varies-- pending on my interest in challenge quests, which comprise the ancillary objectives within the game. One does not have to look far to get a sense of thrill and chill in the city of Tokyo. Tokyo is presented as a land of dread and demon fermentation. But, I would be remiss to divulge any more on the setting that I have learned in the game thus far. I believe the experience is shaping into one of diligence. In so far as you must be willing to give your attention to the nuances of the press-turn battle system. Striking enemy weaknesses and enemies targeting your own, has never been more engaging. This allows even the most mundane of demon encounters to provide there share of entertainment and shiver. 

I must say that I am impressed with the ingenuity behind the game. The resources,I'm sure, were possibly lacking, thus the graphics are not spectacular. But, with the polish and care that a studio like Atlus pours in is commendable, leading to graphical fidelity being last on the list, behind an exemplary and unapologetic for what it is, experience. The sounds, as I have mentioned, are nothing short of "ear-(a)-mazing"--sorry, I couldn't resist. The voice work fuels the narrative superbly, especially in the absence of cut-scenes. The characters, for the most part, sound believable and ,again, just the pitch alone of the audio is great. The character and monster portraits are distinctive and some are of a better resolution than others--as some monster images look to have been recycled from previous games, without a touch-up. Even though the artwork is good the lower resolution on the 3DS as a whole can hold it back, in comparison to Persona Golden on the PS Vita. There is also a lack of variety in the visuals. As there are no real animations-- beside the ones in Tokyo when you roam the different areas of the map--every character devolves into one of a few stock cut outs, who, sometimes, have the pleasure of being delightfully voice acted.

The interactions you have with other characters can be equally stiff as during conversations there is a lack of animation or differentiation in the portraits that portray certain characters up-close.  All-in-all the game is simmering with me. It has, thus far, presented me with a sense of wonder and a sense of awe. The imagination may be needed for certain points in-game where exposition and narrative are presented that are of dramatic accord, and all you can see is flat and unemotionally vested card board cut-outs. But, with the sound the clean artwork and the willingness to treat you as a being with a functional frontal lobe, Shin Megami Tensei IV may just get a seal of approval--at least in my opinion. 


Thanks for reading. Any thoughts, concerns, etc. let me know. Stay tuned for more.