Shin Megami Tensei IV

 3DS
  • Publisher: Atlus
  • Release Date: Jul 16, 2013
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 626 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 434 out of 626
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 626
  3. Negative: 158 out of 626
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. midipon
    Nov 19, 2014
    9
    This is no doubt one of the very best 3DS games. The music, the visuals, the battles, and everything else are all incredibly well done. This is a game that really shows off what it's system can do and what can make or break a JRPG. My only complaint is that the story could be put together better. You won't be able to put it all together in one playthrough, you have to play through it toThis is no doubt one of the very best 3DS games. The music, the visuals, the battles, and everything else are all incredibly well done. This is a game that really shows off what it's system can do and what can make or break a JRPG. My only complaint is that the story could be put together better. You won't be able to put it all together in one playthrough, you have to play through it to get the different endings to see what all was going on during the overall plot.… Expand
  2. Carlitoxic
    May 15, 2015
    10
    Shin Megami Tensei IV is a greatifull surprise like one of the best RPG of the year. Very interesting and darkness story and characters, great combat system and beautiful graphics and designs. I see this game like the most favourite of the Nintendo 3DS. First Persona 4, now SMT IV, I can say that I discover one treasure in Atlus games.
  3. GoombaJMR
    Jul 4, 2015
    9
    Multiple endings, a load of quests to do, and a very.... very lengthy campaign through a variety of locations marks this one of the biggest games to hit the 3DS... ever. I've played through the game twice, putting 75 hours or so and finishing the Chaos and Law endings. The battle system is simple yet complex, easy but hard to get good at, and the demons are just awesome. There are so manyMultiple endings, a load of quests to do, and a very.... very lengthy campaign through a variety of locations marks this one of the biggest games to hit the 3DS... ever. I've played through the game twice, putting 75 hours or so and finishing the Chaos and Law endings. The battle system is simple yet complex, easy but hard to get good at, and the demons are just awesome. There are so many demons in this game that it makes your own group very custom and unique feeling. The replay value is pretty high in this game, assuming you don't take the neutral route and finish all quests on that route. The music is superb, and the art is nice to look at - although 3D models found in Etrian Odyssey IV would have been nice. I found the characters to be wonderful (compared to what the critics say) and felt like an emotional anchor to me as the events folded later on. Buy this game.

    Gameplay: 9.5/10
    Story: 8.5/10
    Music: 9.5/10
    Presentation: 9.5/10
    Length: 9/10
    Overall: 9/10    … Expand
  4. TheDavyStar
    Dec 31, 2015
    10
    For the first few hours, Shin Megami Tensei IV is a slog, a total disservice to the fans it has gained since Nocturne. It's been stripped of Nocturne's 3D cutscenes and battles, and you can only help but feel as though corners have been cut elsewhere. Its modest budget is painfully obvious.

    Ten hours in, you find yourself exploring a whole new world residing underground and marvel at    For the first few hours, Shin Megami Tensei IV is a slog, a total disservice to the fans it has gained since Nocturne. It's been stripped of Nocturne's 3D cutscenes and battles, and you can only help but feel as though corners have been cut elsewhere. Its modest budget is painfully obvious.

    Ten hours in, you find yourself exploring a whole new world residing underground and marvel at its style, substance and populace.

    Twenty hours in, you're searching for a masked killer while acting the mediator in a gang war over a land forsaken by God.

    Thirty hours in, it's the best mainline MegaTen game yet, with its integration of an interface that's totally at home on 3DS, and how it crosses out everything you hated about RPGs before - the infuriatingly rigid save points for one, as SMT IV lets you save anywhere you like.

    Forty hours in, it's the best handheld JRPG of all time.    … Expand
  5. Tallflipkick
    Jul 21, 2020
    10
    The game so far is amazing and really has a great story and characters. The fusions are easier and the apps system is also good
  6. ShefardAlex
    Jul 9, 2020
    8
    SMT IV does not claim to be the best game on the platform, in a series or genre, but at the same time attracts precisely with its dissimilarity. "Megaten" did not get rid of all atavisms, but was able to radically change, giving a good reason to get acquainted with this amazing universe.
  7. cukertarlson
    Jan 24, 2021
    10
    walter is very thicc naice ass 10/10 best game ever ligma balls pee pee doodie im tucker calrason.
  8. warofexodus
    Jul 17, 2013
    9
    A pretty good game. Surprisingly good graphics. Was a bit worried of the fps styled battle system, but I actually find the battles rather good and wasn't as bad as I thought. The spell effects is nice and challenging enough to keep you at your toes, with these 2 strong points, the fps battles are negligible (was never a fan of fps RPG battles...I wished it was fully modeled but it's not asA pretty good game. Surprisingly good graphics. Was a bit worried of the fps styled battle system, but I actually find the battles rather good and wasn't as bad as I thought. The spell effects is nice and challenging enough to keep you at your toes, with these 2 strong points, the fps battles are negligible (was never a fan of fps RPG battles...I wished it was fully modeled but it's not as boring in this game). Interesting and dark story line. For those who pre-ordered the collector edition, you will be given a walkthrough as well. This walk through helps out immensely as it also points out enemy weaknesses. Hard to imagine how many times I will be getting wiped if not for the walkthrough.… Expand
  9. demonicbrew
    Jul 16, 2013
    9
    This is one of the best 3ds games out right now. If you are looking for a great rpg then look no further than this game. I got the special edition which came with a guide and a cd which was well worth the extra Ten dollars. If you are new to the series no worries this is a new story for the series. do your self a favor and buy this one.
  10. dark001001
    Jul 17, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm a big fan of Shin Megami Tensei series and I think SMT 4 is awesome .Though the dungeon map looks a little simple and crude .The demons are good as always and the control are comfortable .So I give 10 for it … Expand
  11. TIGER-COOL
    Jul 19, 2013
    10
    I've had this game for a couple of days when I saved I was absolutely amazed to see my playtime has already clocked in at about 11 hours. I can't remember the last time I was this absorbed in a game. The fighting system is one of the most enjoyable, in depth, and intricate I've come across in some time. It's getting knocked big time by some reviewers for the somewhat weak story. It isn'tI've had this game for a couple of days when I saved I was absolutely amazed to see my playtime has already clocked in at about 11 hours. I can't remember the last time I was this absorbed in a game. The fighting system is one of the most enjoyable, in depth, and intricate I've come across in some time. It's getting knocked big time by some reviewers for the somewhat weak story. It isn't terrible, just fairly minimalist. It's a portable game, so keep that in perspective. In any case, if I'm having this much fun playing a game, it's doing its job. Trust me, if you have a 3DS and you're up for a challenge, you want this.… Expand
  12. MarcosDead
    May 26, 2015
    10
    I honestly don't see why this game isn't rated higher, it is one of the best games I have played from Atlus. The story is interesting, and it pushes people to think about what they're doing and how they would handle such a situation and the questions they're answering. I adore this game, It brings back fond memories of Nocturne and the Digital Devil games. I adore the battle concepts (TheI honestly don't see why this game isn't rated higher, it is one of the best games I have played from Atlus. The story is interesting, and it pushes people to think about what they're doing and how they would handle such a situation and the questions they're answering. I adore this game, It brings back fond memories of Nocturne and the Digital Devil games. I adore the battle concepts (The free ability to move around, unlike in previous titles offered by Atlus for the 3DS, which ultimately hinder the overall gameplay experience). I hope that the next time they make a game for the 3DS they look at what they did for this one, I honestly regretted many of the decisions I had to make, and loved all the opportunities to talk to different people throughout the game. It also wasn't completely linear, which I came to enjoy, one got to decide on different things to do, instead of just one ultimate goal. I absolutely adored this game.… Expand
  13. bansheespartan
    Jul 21, 2013
    10
    Amazing 4th installment of the SMT series. Kinda upset to see such strange comparisons and laughable ones as well such as; "This game is the Dark Souls of Persona" or "this isn't a waifu simulator I'm disapointed." What makes this game shine is it's dark vibe, intense difficulty, old school dungeon crawling, fantastic graphics and beautiful sprites, a fantastic soundtrack, as well as anAmazing 4th installment of the SMT series. Kinda upset to see such strange comparisons and laughable ones as well such as; "This game is the Dark Souls of Persona" or "this isn't a waifu simulator I'm disapointed." What makes this game shine is it's dark vibe, intense difficulty, old school dungeon crawling, fantastic graphics and beautiful sprites, a fantastic soundtrack, as well as an engrossing surreal apocalyptic story.

    I highly recommend this game to anyone who is a fan of old school JRPG's or anyone who is up for a challenge in general.

    Graphics: 8/10 great spritework and excellent third person exploring. More sprite animation would be nice though.

    gameplay: 10/10 old school JRPG goodness

    audio: 9/10 fantastic soundtrack, and great voice acting.

    lasting appeal: 10/10 seriously I see myself losing at least over a hundred hours to this game just trying to unlock everything.

    Do yourself a favor and buy this game.    … Expand
  14. VincentStoker
    Feb 9, 2015
    10
    This is without doubt one of the shining moments for the 3DS. This game is very well presented and crafted by a team who really do know what they are doing. Anyone familiar with the Persona games will be right at home here as a number of the spells and Demons are found here. SMT4 has a wonderful level of detail and presentation. I have seen a number of professional reviews state that theThis is without doubt one of the shining moments for the 3DS. This game is very well presented and crafted by a team who really do know what they are doing. Anyone familiar with the Persona games will be right at home here as a number of the spells and Demons are found here. SMT4 has a wonderful level of detail and presentation. I have seen a number of professional reviews state that the game suffers from shoddy characters and writing but I am just over 20 hours in at the time of writing this and I am loving the story and diverse mix if characters, yes some of them are the stereotypical characters you expect in this kind of RPG but that really is not a bad thing. The difficulty curve in this game is consistently steady and providing you save frequently you should have no problems, just allow a little extra "grinding" from time to time rather than heading from quest to quest. Overall, I can't fault this game. It's worth owning a 3DS for this and a couple of other titles as you will get a large amount of play time from this title.… Expand
  15. BFP
    Jul 26, 2013
    9
    Oh... my... gawd... where can I get more of this?!
    Granted, I haven't been a fan of the SMT meta-series for very long (just really discovered it in the last couple of years), but I can say that I absolutely LOVE this game. Even while it smashes me over the head with its old-school difficulty. It hates because it loves, as far as I'm concerned.
    Visuals are top-notch, both in the 2D and    Oh... my... gawd... where can I get more of this?!
    Granted, I haven't been a fan of the SMT meta-series for very long (just really discovered it in the last couple of years), but I can say that I absolutely LOVE this game. Even while it smashes me over the head with its old-school difficulty. It hates because it loves, as far as I'm concerned.

    Visuals are top-notch, both in the 2D and the 3D departments; each demon has its own unique look, and the characters are distinct and vibrant. For the first time in the series there is voice acting (and quite a bit of it too!), and all of it is top-notch, as expected of Atlus if only the script weren't so bland in spots, but its mostly overcome by the emotion presented through the VA's. Finally, battles are fast-paced and frantic as hell; as mentioned, the Press Turn combat system is unforgiving, and even a small mistake or misstep can really screw you over, making this game feel -REALLY- apocalyptic.

    The only complaints I can fling at SMT4 is that it doesn't get off the ground fast enough it took me about 10 hours before I finally got into the main area of the game, but I did a lot of messing around as well. Newcomers will find themselves being pummeled from the very beginning with the game's unwavering difficulty most of which seems to be a case of "Nefarious RNG Gods". Everything about the Press Turn combat system comes down to finding the opponent's weaknesses and exploiting the living out of them; the game rewards those that find the weak spots, and punishes those that lag behind. Given that there's absolutely NO defense stat in this game, you can easily get party-wiped by a bad run, or worse yet, rotten luck.

    Still... the first couple of actual main story bosses are battles of attrition; if you don't know what you need to bring to each fight, you'll likely be sent home crying. Many, many times. Most likely you'll have to redo these battles multiple times before you squeak through. However, when you do break through you'll feel triumphant for a bit... right up until you realize the game is only just starting.

    SMT games have never been for the faint of heart, but the fourth entry in the flagship namesake series is all but a meatgrinder if you go in expecting a cakewalk and free drinks at the beginning. Simply put, there is no hand-holding; its an adventure for those that crave a real challenge. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying.    … Expand
  16. tech101
    Jul 18, 2013
    10
    this is by no means an easy game. you will die often in the beginning till you can recruit a team of at least 3 demons. those that can get pass that part are in for a treat as this game had production value written all over it. demons look great and the story thus far is interesting to say the least. if you are new to jrpgs you might want to stay clear of this one as the learning curvethis is by no means an easy game. you will die often in the beginning till you can recruit a team of at least 3 demons. those that can get pass that part are in for a treat as this game had production value written all over it. demons look great and the story thus far is interesting to say the least. if you are new to jrpgs you might want to stay clear of this one as the learning curve is pretty high however the game does do a great jop of explaining everything.… Expand
  17. Misreckon
    Aug 31, 2013
    9
    The best RPG on the 3DS to date. When I beat the game, I clocked in at about 70 hours. That whole time I was impressed by the smooth battle system and pretty consistent challenge that the game offered.
    Yes, the characters were rather flat throughout, but the world built around them was deep and layered and I caught myself feeling real emotion in the story. Most games I play nowadays can't    The best RPG on the 3DS to date. When I beat the game, I clocked in at about 70 hours. That whole time I was impressed by the smooth battle system and pretty consistent challenge that the game offered.
    Yes, the characters were rather flat throughout, but the world built around them was deep and layered and I caught myself feeling real emotion in the story. Most games I play nowadays can't even make me laugh.
    Great game, definite buy. If you want a heavily-packed experience then you've come to the right place.    … Expand
  18. ironzombi
    Aug 15, 2017
    9
    Shin Megami Tensei 4 was my first introduction to the Megami Tensei world and boy what a ride it was. this is a JRPG through and through and is at its core a dungeon crawler although its presentation has a much grander location than just a bunch of dungeons, I was really able to get a feeling of traveling on a pretty monumental adventure although my biggest complaint for the game is theShin Megami Tensei 4 was my first introduction to the Megami Tensei world and boy what a ride it was. this is a JRPG through and through and is at its core a dungeon crawler although its presentation has a much grander location than just a bunch of dungeons, I was really able to get a feeling of traveling on a pretty monumental adventure although my biggest complaint for the game is the over-world map and navigating did get a bit confusing.
    I would have been tempted to give this a perfect 10/10, the soundtrack is outstanding, the turn-based combat very satisfying and the demon fusion has depth and I easily got hooked on fusing and leveling. SMT4 was one of the only games that when I finished it(Chaos) I started another playthrough straight away and once I had done the Law path I started another playthrough to get Neutral, the way the story unfolds was really well done and while some people criticize the supporting cast as being nothing more than placeholders for their relevant alignments, I felt the voice acting was great and the characters all come together to create a deep story that had me thinking about it well after I had finished playing. I hope to finish my neutral run soon but Im sure I will then have to do the Whites ending. I cant recommend this game enough it is easily one of the best games on the 3ds and one of the best RPG's period!    … Expand
  19. Lyxnn
    Nov 16, 2018
    10
    El mejor juego de 3ds de lejos, de verdad, tanto la historia, como la ambientación, como los personajes y sobre todo el gameplay, todo el mundo debería de jugar a SMT
  20. Royspaceghost
    Jul 21, 2013
    10
    At first, looking at videos and coverage from various websites, I was a little put off by the demon animations being that they look almost like gifs, but oh boy how wrong was I when I started playing it and in 3D. The backgrounds are totally tri dimensional, the world is perfectly designed, and it has this grim, dark vibe attached to it. The music is incredible, it gives this almost horrorAt first, looking at videos and coverage from various websites, I was a little put off by the demon animations being that they look almost like gifs, but oh boy how wrong was I when I started playing it and in 3D. The backgrounds are totally tri dimensional, the world is perfectly designed, and it has this grim, dark vibe attached to it. The music is incredible, it gives this almost horror like feeling with a retro touch to it (if you played previous old school SMT, you'll know what I mean). It also houses more than 400 demons, 400!! Which upscales the replayability of the title by a lot, not to mention the 4 endings, cheap priced DLC and almost 40-50 hours of gameplay already included. It is a must have for RPG fans, especially Megaten fans. I really can't stop playing it, go buy it NOW.… Expand
  21. Vault1o1
    Nov 9, 2013
    9
    As usual, MegaTen delivers on its promise of unrelenting demon collection and RPG action. This game isn't for everyone. Whiny people who can't handle a challenge will almost certainly shrivel away and go back to their Grand Theft Auto and CoD almost immediately, but then again, this game wasn't made for them (This comment is directed towards ragingmerifes, whose gaming profiles areAs usual, MegaTen delivers on its promise of unrelenting demon collection and RPG action. This game isn't for everyone. Whiny people who can't handle a challenge will almost certainly shrivel away and go back to their Grand Theft Auto and CoD almost immediately, but then again, this game wasn't made for them (This comment is directed towards ragingmerifes, whose gaming profiles are pathetic and opinions should not be taken seriously. A zero? What a moron). The 3DS has a lot of great role-playing games, and this one easily stands among the best of them. However, a certain degree of patience is required to progress. Rush into a new area and you could find yourself getting hosed in seconds flat. So, the learning curve is steep, but don't be scared. The graphics are great by handheld standards, the story is interesting, if a bit convoluted, and fusing demons is satisfying. Play this game.… Expand
  22. PaulSchmidt
    Apr 12, 2015
    9
    This was my first SMT, and i loved it. The plot is just amazing, with a deep philosophical background. This game made me see the world on another angle, it made me notice how we live in a dark world.
    Pros:
    *Incredibly deep plot, most amazing game i ever played *Good atmosphere *Boss battles are amazing *Good gameplay Cons: *After the first 10 hours it gets a bit boring *you'll find    This was my first SMT, and i loved it. The plot is just amazing, with a deep philosophical background. This game made me see the world on another angle, it made me notice how we live in a dark world.
    Pros:
    *Incredibly deep plot, most amazing game i ever played
    *Good atmosphere
    *Boss battles are amazing
    *Good gameplay
    Cons:
    *After the first 10 hours it gets a bit boring
    *you'll find yourself lost SO MANY **** TIMES
    *sometimes you need to explore large areas, and you'll need to suffer with thousands of demons chasing you    … Expand
  23. violentvito
    Jul 18, 2013
    7
    I am 7 hours into the game and I am still not sure what the point is. Are the demons making a come back? The characters on the other hand are very fun and lead the story along very nicely. The battle system is a bit complicated and feels over done, but once you get used to it you begin to enjoy it a lot. Capturing demons is horrible and the worst feature of the game, "stop stealing myI am 7 hours into the game and I am still not sure what the point is. Are the demons making a come back? The characters on the other hand are very fun and lead the story along very nicely. The battle system is a bit complicated and feels over done, but once you get used to it you begin to enjoy it a lot. Capturing demons is horrible and the worst feature of the game, "stop stealing my stuff demons!!" I am enjoying this game so far and it will hopefully continue to improve as I grow used to the SMT mechanics. I recommend giving this game a go if you can get it on sale as I did. $20 after the $30 rebate, already had Fire Emblem. I would not pay $50 for it though.… Expand
  24. birdman3
    Nov 6, 2013
    6
    There are comparisons out there between Pokemon and SMT. I can understand the comparisons to a certain degree, and as someone who had not played a SMT game before this one, I consider their similarities to be limited. In Pokemon, you recruit a team that you develop and strengthen, choosing your strengths and weaknesses explicitly. In SMT, you recruit demons, which you subsequently fuseThere are comparisons out there between Pokemon and SMT. I can understand the comparisons to a certain degree, and as someone who had not played a SMT game before this one, I consider their similarities to be limited. In Pokemon, you recruit a team that you develop and strengthen, choosing your strengths and weaknesses explicitly. In SMT, you recruit demons, which you subsequently fuse into other demons. There is no demon that you can keep with you from beginning to end- this game is not meant for that. As for strengths and weaknesses, you can take steps in this game to eliminate almost all weaknesses. What I mean is this: by the end of the game, all my demons were almost clone copies of each other. The most effective strategy involves trying to give as many of your demons as many different elemental attacks as possible so you can abuse the system to get as many attacks as you can. So I had multiple demons all with Cold, Fire, Lightning, etc.-based attacks so that they could be effective against any enemy. When I fused a cool demon, it was sad knowing that he would be useless in 3 levels and I would just fuse him into another demon, who may or may not resemble anything from a children’s toy to a geographic landmark. The evolutions that are available in the game are somewhat exciting, but they’re rare to find, and the evolutions don’t always make sense. The story in the game is fairly lackluster, and I really disliked having to navigate myself through Tokyo on my own. You have to remember where all the locations are, and even then- the quests have a way of not letting you know exactly where you need to be. I spent a good deal of time lost and having to look up guides online to see where I needed to go next. Overall, my experience with this game was fairly negative- the unique combat system was interesting, but it was also repetitive. Fusing demons was cool when you got cool demons, but most of the time the best demons were ridiculous-looking. I’d have been better off replaying Fire Emblem.… Expand
  25. MistyFalls
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    This is one of the most engaging game I ever played. The game's plot is also greatly developed. I find myself confused on who to align with as I loved all the characters. But the area where this game shines the most is the demon collecting and fusion. Great game and for someone who hasn't played any Shin Megami Tensei game before, this game is totally a great game for the newbies as anThis is one of the most engaging game I ever played. The game's plot is also greatly developed. I find myself confused on who to align with as I loved all the characters. But the area where this game shines the most is the demon collecting and fusion. Great game and for someone who hasn't played any Shin Megami Tensei game before, this game is totally a great game for the newbies as an introductory game. The difficulty may overwhelm you but that's just a classic trademark of SMT games.… Expand
  26. Shinsou
    Aug 26, 2019
    10
    What path will you choose? A world of freedom but chaos ruled by the strong and demons? A peaceful but oppresive world of law ruled by God commands? A neutral but uncertain path trusting in humankind? None of them?

    This game is absolutely not for everyone but it should be played by everyone. It's a little hard to write a review with so much things to say because Shin Megami Tensei IV    What path will you choose? A world of freedom but chaos ruled by the strong and demons? A peaceful but oppresive world of law ruled by God commands? A neutral but uncertain path trusting in humankind? None of them?

    This game is absolutely not for everyone but it should be played by everyone. It's a little hard to write a review with so much things to say because Shin Megami Tensei IV not only turned into my favorite game in life but it was my initiation to one of the best videogame series I've ever played.

    Being as objective as a human can be. While some aspects are improvable, they're relatively insignificant compared to the good points. Everything touches the excellence.

    The plot is not only interesting and entertaining, but it's meaningful and deep, because Shin Megami Tensei games are more than only rpgs with a story to follow, they're more an introspective experience to live. Characters are there to teach you different points of view. Every decision you take it has to be thought following your own ideas, because all of them will take you to one route or another, and at the end you'll know yourself a little better. While this is a gimmick you can see in other games, the dark atmosphere and mystery of the SMT setting is unique.

    Gameplay-wise SMT4 is addictive, exploring dungeons and buildings in a complete 3d world trying to get advantage of the enemies by pressing the A button is just the beginning. Turn-based battle system has its own challenging but fair rules that forces you to pay attention to every move. More than once the game will defeat you, but with a good strategy and perseverance everything will go onward. The demon fusion functionality is easy to use but it'll take a lot of your time, nonetheless it'll be absolutely worthy. Finally, all you need to do is read, think carefully your answers when they ask you for them, be smart and always gain more power. Everything is about power, and the wisdom to use it.

    Graphics tops the 3DS capacities, and the music... the music rocks everytime. Because it's perfect for almost every situation and place.

    If you're interested on esotericism, occultism, sci-fi, demons,post-apocalyptic settings, human nature, or simply the experience of a very unique JRPG, Shin Megami Tensei IV is for you.    … Expand
  27. poker909
    Dec 5, 2013
    4
    Being a huge Shin Megami fan, I originally rated this title a 7 due to it's clunky PS1 style dungeon controls and shallower story than SMTIII. After some more time with this title I am dropping my score to a 4. The level design is horrible, you should not need to use a guide or walkthrough to get through a game, but there is never a clear path to the next goal, and random encounters areBeing a huge Shin Megami fan, I originally rated this title a 7 due to it's clunky PS1 style dungeon controls and shallower story than SMTIII. After some more time with this title I am dropping my score to a 4. The level design is horrible, you should not need to use a guide or walkthrough to get through a game, but there is never a clear path to the next goal, and random encounters are pretty much unavoidable. You can only have 1 active mission at a time, so a simple marker on the map would have made this a much easier experience. In the dungeons, you move with the analog stick, but if you want to go up or down a simple ramp or ladder, you have to use the D-pad, and then go through a confirmation screen, just to get a visible item on top of a box. Aside from the 3DS visuals, there is nothing about this game that feels like it came out in 2013. It's nice to see a new roster of demons, but many seem uninspired. The music is not even as good as previous SMT titles. The story is also pretty bland for the SMT universe. If you are a hardcore jrpg fan or smt fan, you will do what you need to get through this title, but it feels like a step backwards for the series, which is a shame.… Expand
  28. Ganondork
    Jul 24, 2013
    9
    SMT IV being my first entry into the MegaTen series (spinoffs included), I only expected a few superficial concepts: demon collecting, dark atmosphere, and teenage/young adult main characters. I hope this review can make others who are newcomers to the series think carefully about playing this game.I am about 20 hours into the game, and I feel like I have seen enough of it to write thisSMT IV being my first entry into the MegaTen series (spinoffs included), I only expected a few superficial concepts: demon collecting, dark atmosphere, and teenage/young adult main characters. I hope this review can make others who are newcomers to the series think carefully about playing this game.I am about 20 hours into the game, and I feel like I have seen enough of it to write this review. For those who are accustomed to this series, please be gentle as I am not an expert and am ignorant of many features.

    Gameplay:
    The gameplay is turn-based, but has a lot of depth which lends itself to the variety of strategies which one can utilize in any given battle. Each demon has its own elemental affinities and ailment affinities, as well as the ability to learn nearly any type of skill through demon fusion. Such skills can be "whispered" (more on that later) to your main character, giving him a great assortment to complement your demons. It also allows you to mix things up on the fly if you're having trouble against a boss. Smirks add a lot to the combat and can occur via critical hits (via the luck stat or using a skill which is super effective). As far as I know, these increase the damage next turn for that character and defend him/her from damage if the enemy attacks. You have four characters which comprise your "Party": the main character (you), and three demons of your choosing. You also have a "Stock" with which you can swap out members of your party. You can upgrade your Stock to increase the number of demons you can carry, but I am unsure of the limits. I have currently upgraded to 13 slots in my stock. The demons in your stock earn EXP, but at a slower rate than your party members. This is just one reason why demon fusion (discussed in features) is so critical. The main character can use items, varying from basic healing items to items which mimic full-blown attacks, which helps characters lacking in elemental attacks. Your demons are not capable of such a feat unless they learn a skill which allows them to use items. You can "pass" your turn to the next character in your party. This is useful for many reasons, the most basic being to avoid using an ineffective attack.

    When all is said and done, the most critical point of gameplay is perhaps conversing with demons. This allows you to bring them onto your team as allies. Sometimes they will steal your life, items, or MP, and won't even join your side. Other times, they will immediately join you after you have slayed their companions. You can even ask them for Macca (in-game currency) and earn additional XP for successful conversations.

    Finally, this is a game of exploration. Exploration occurs in third-person and you will often encounter demons who will immediately charge upon your approach. You can avoid these encounters with swift maneuvers, but often times the XP is more than worth the trouble avoiding them. You loot treasure chests and unlock new areas through exploration.

    Features (Menu-Based):
    1) Skill Whispering:
    This feature has been one of the most useful I've seen from any RPG: the ability to copy attacks from your demons. As previously mentioned, this gives the main character a wide array of skills to choose from and suits your needs for any situation. Each demon has a specific level at which they can whisper skills to you. Once you have learned the skill, other demons can whisper the same skill again to increase its potency and decrease its cost to use.
    2) Cathedral of Shadows
    One of my favorite features of the game. With it, you can do one of two things: demon fusion, or use the compendium. Demon fusion consists of choosing two or more demons and combining them to create another. Simple, right? Well, it's made simpler with the recommended fusions, but it is very in depth. Upon fusion, the parents provide skills to pass down to the product. This allows a huge amount of variety in the skillsets of the demon you're producing. Because you can keep fusing demons over and over again, you can get the exact skills you want on any given demon. The demon compendium allows you to acquire the demons you've aligned yourself with, something which I have used a few times after fusion to get back the parent demons.
    3) Character Customization
    Like other RPGs, you can outfit your main character with gear possessing elemental affinities and special properties. You can also specify which stats you want to specialize in after leveling up.
    4) Apps
    Apps are paid for by leveling up your character to earn App Points. You can spend these on passive buffs. Some of these include increasing your stock capacity, the ability to ask for Macca from demons, and increasing the stat points a demon earns upon leveling up. There are a TON of apps.

    I have never been so enthralled by a RPG. I've played my fair share, but this is the first where the gameplay truly grabs me. It is a deep and rewarding game, with beautiful presentation and a wealth of variety in strategy.    … Expand
  29. ericiidx
    Oct 14, 2013
    9
    If you can see past the inherent hardcore RPG tendencies, generally linear story, and glaring plot holes that start building only an hour or two in, this is a great game and one of the best on the 3DS.

    Pros: great graphical presentation in character and environmental art. Memorable soundtrack (very reminiscent of 90's sci-fi PC games). Voice acting (for the most part most minor    If you can see past the inherent hardcore RPG tendencies, generally linear story, and glaring plot holes that start building only an hour or two in, this is a great game and one of the best on the 3DS.

    Pros: great graphical presentation in character and environmental art. Memorable soundtrack (very reminiscent of 90's sci-fi PC games). Voice acting (for the most part most minor characters are laughable, such as the guy who charges you Macca to cross a bridge, and a young woman who is clearly voiced by a man). Hardcore gameplay, and the familiar SMT battle formula exploit the enemy's weakness, and don't get exploited yourself.

    Cons: navigation becomes a nightmare if you aren't intimately familiar with Tokyo. Most quests are breadcrumb-type quests that lack the breadcrumbs you're told to go somewhere, and rarely given any indication on how to get there. Some may find the old school battle presentation lacking, while others will find it charming (very similar to Devil Survivor; your party of demons is not visually represented on-screen, while enemies and attacks are lightly-animated sprites.) Finally (without giving too much away,) your party is thrust hundreds of years into the future, from a medieval kingdom into a post-apocalyptic Tokyo. Your party is hardly amazed, let alone confused at their surroundings and all of this new technology. It's something that bugged me for my entire time spent with this game; for example, they'll be intrigued by "strange food" served at Tokyo's various taverns, but have no problem operating elevators and watching surveillance videos on an HDTV monitor.    … Expand
  30. caffeine305
    Jul 25, 2013
    9
    The story is sufficiently enthrilling to keep you engaged and the mix of both monster recruiting and quest system makes the game to feel like an evil, more mature "Pocket Monster Hunter" game.

    The gameplay also winks on these two great franchises (Pokémon and MonHun), like scavenging for delivery items and finding which type of attack is super effective (and which is weak) against    The story is sufficiently enthrilling to keep you engaged and the mix of both monster recruiting and quest system makes the game to feel like an evil, more mature "Pocket Monster Hunter" game.

    The gameplay also winks on these two great franchises (Pokémon and MonHun), like scavenging for delivery items and finding which type of attack is super effective (and which is weak) against which demon, still the push turn system is (as long as I know) an inheritance from previous "New Goddess Reborn" games.

    The difficult level is rather high. Kinda reminded me of Dragon Quest 1 (Dragon Warrior in America) even demons 10 levels down from you can get you in some trouble if you're not careful.

    Overall, a great RPG and a must for fans of the genre.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best 3DS Game of 2013
8
#8 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2013
5
#5 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 48 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 48
  3. Negative: 0 out of 48
  1. Hobby Consolas
    Jan 23, 2015
    90
    The combat system, character development and demons are a great evolution from previous games, but graphics needs some improvement.
    Read full review
  2. games(TM)
    Jan 8, 2015
    90
    An incredibly in-depth RPG that should result in no two players having a similar run-through. [Issue#156, p.122]
    Read full review
  3. FNintendo
    Jan 4, 2015
    80
    It keeps some of the best aspects of the series, while adding new and always welcome content. The game's pace keeps the player interested non-stop and its overall quality redeems Shin Megami Tensei IV from the late European release.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »