hin Megami Tensei has always been a TV series for her. Rules here is very severe – the way to win is comparable to jogging on hot coals lying through hundreds of screens with a sad inscription «Game Over».
However, ostentatious unfriendly long since been replaced by timid attempts to please a wide audience: they usually end with the release of the spin-offs, whether simplified or tactical Persona Devil Survivor.
These quests and resulted in the Shin Megami Tensei 4 , which is trying to please everyone at once. And you know what? She is doing well.
Whereas previously the creators of “Megatena” unceremoniously sent the player straight into the maze of demons, loudly slamming the door behind him, now you gently take the hand to conduct a tour in an unfamiliar world.
The first eight hours should be perceived as an extended learning mode, gradually revealing the essence and important details of your journey.
Play area is modest, the characters are introduced gradually, new gameplay elements are revealed only when the previous one is learned and tested in practice.
Shin Megami Tensei IV tries to please both novices and veterans of the series. And you know what? She is doing well.
Sharp corners did their best to smooth out. For example, after a couple of defeats virtually inevitable you will find yourself on the banks of the river Styx, which offers … buy off death! Help in this matter is not only in-game money, but also coins 3DS – a very unexpected reason to walk more often with the prefix.
In addition to the miraculous resurrection you will be allowed to reduce the complexity or persist at any point in the game – in other words, the authors do their best to make you stay here as it is possible longer.
It turns out a kind of compromise for both beginners and veterans of the series: if you want – ignore all the amenities and scraped to victory as before, do not want – choose a more gentle gameplay.
However, to build special illusions is not: let SMT IV and went to some concessions, it is still very, very difficult game to master which is to end not everyone can.
Gameplay of the fourth part is built around the interaction with the demons. They have to not only fight, but also to type in the command: without the aid of supernatural wards samurai in battle will not last a few minutes. recruitment process is wrapped up in a separate mini-game unpredictable.
Make friends with the devil – it will not tame Pokémon: brute force is not held in high esteem, it is to rely solely on eloquence.
If ordinary demons can simply swing, then earn the sympathy of creatures rank higher in harder times: get ready to flatter, to answer tricky questions or give bribes. And hope that once the demon did not run away, you obsmeyat and robbing to the last thread.
Do not hurry to rejoice, when finally assemble a team worthy defenders: every creature of the local bestiary (by the way, huge) has its own abilities, attacks and the elements.
These features are more important than thoughtless pumping, you can own an infinitely high electric monster, but in the battle against the creatures of the same class, he is unlikely to be useful hilenky water imp.
It turns out that it is always necessary to have a whole horde of demons for all occasions in stock. In addition to this, the devils can be paired with each other to obtain new individuals: some inherit parenting skills, others learn their own, others are dark horses up to the birth.
To effectively move forward, you need a long time to dig into the menu to figure combat tactics and, of course, risks. Leveling, of course, also helps,
After a long introduction of players waiting for new territory, equipment, applications for wrist computer, and a lot of additional jobs.
Unfortunately, the pleasure of SMT spoil minor problems and the monotony. Map of the world is pretty darn inconvenient and makes long and unsuccessfully to knock the corners to find the right location.
Fights start to tire: contractions happen too often, due to which, willy-nilly, stuffing the maximum level of 99. Often do not understand what is required of you further, it can be found only a dozen or interrogating the NPC, one of whom bothered to hint at the location of the next target.
In addition, potentially interesting companions turn into parodies of themselves: companions become the mouthpiece of their own ideologies.
Traditionally, the series will allow you to choose between chaos, order and neutrality (the side of the key to affect the plot of the decision).
From time to time there are situations when you need to decide between equally unpleasant options – just because so wanted developers. Not everything went smoothly and the technical implementation.
Themselves three-dimensional location is not satisfactory (but stereo effect at all “bottomless” – perhaps the most profound on the 3DS), but fighting is fully dimensional and look pretty primitive.
Animated screen savers – rather pleasant exception, not the rule, although the design of the characters and monsters, as always performed at the highest level.
The whole issue of the license of the series looks much worse than the spin-off in the face Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 for PS Vita, which is somewhat disappointing.