SMT (Shin Megami Tensei)

[Mabubeezareel]

So, once I finish Xenoblade, I'm thinking of getting myself into the SMT series, particularly the ones on PS2. Is there any set order that I should play them in? Or any of them in particular that should be avoided?

[Insanecyclone]

Do you mean SMT in general? As in Persona included? Without counting those:

PS2:
Nocturne
Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2

3DS/DS:
Strange Journey
Devil Survivor 1/Overclocked & 2

[Mabubeezareel]

Yeah, Persona not included, at least to start with. How about Devil Summoner 1+2?

[Odin'sLaw]

devil saga are pretty fun but i found you got a bit shafted for healing around the boat area (think it was a boat been about 8-10 years)

[Jeherrit]

Devil Summoner 1+2 are fun but the gameplay is kinda shit. They're action rpgs but the action is kinda limited. If you can get past that they're pretty fun, lighthearted romps. Plus you get to fight android rasputin in the first one which has to count for something.

[Julian]

If you want to go with a general SMT feel, I'd say go with Nocturne.

[Kaelan?]

I'd start with DDS 1 & 2. They're fun, great music (as always) and fairly straightforward. Nocturne can get annoyingly difficult and slightly stagnant at times if you're not used to the "feel" of the SMT games. DDS is a bit closer to your normal RPG, while still being an SMT game.

[Hitoshura]

Start with Nocturne, thank us all later. Amazing game, easily my favorite JRPG on the PS2. I am still in the middle of a first person Hard more run!

Digital Devil Saga 1 is also great, sequel added some great ideas to the combat but the story was a let down compared to the 1st, BUT still worth playing IMO.

[Correction]

Nocturne is the definitive SMT experience but you'll quickly learn if you have a stomach for the series' famously unfair RNG and obtuse fusion/negotiation systems.

[Mabubeezareel]

Ordered up Nocturne and DDS (Saga) 1+2 from Amazon, so will get my feet wet with them next week. Thanks for the insight all!

[Hitoshura]

^I want to know how that went! Also, SMT general thread = win.

[Moridam]

Definitely Nocturne first. I played a large chunk of the DDS games years ago and enjoyed it, but it's nowhere near as rewarding as the former. If you check back over the last 5-10 pages in the 'What are you playing?' thread, you'll find a lot of advice for some of the common roadblocks in Nocturne (i've been playing through the last month or so going for the true demon ending, so i've had loads of questions answered in there, haha).

Probably gonna take the DDS games for another spin after I wrap up Nocturne though.

[Hitoshura]

^Damn we are on the same track lol, I also plan on playing DDS after, not sure about 2 though I guess it deserves another shot, it's been about 7 years.

Bulldozed through Kalpa 4 and 5 this weekend, puzzle boy, tied up every loose end and got every Magatama I could up to this point. Stopped right when I entered Tower of Kagatsuchi, need to climb up to the shop to get one more Magatama to get Masakados and I am golden. Here are some screenshots of my adventure, in no particular order, SPOILERS.

Spoiler: show

[Moridam]

yep, we're in pretty much the same spot. i've finished everything except for baal avatar and the final bosses, just grinding a couple hours here and there to get my MC high enough to start fusing high level stuff, still got a ways to go though :\ i think i got masakados at level 76 or so, last i left off i think i'm almost high enough to get human beelzebub.

[xopher]

Nocturne is so gooooooood.

Simple yet beautiful graphics too.

[Moridam]

Bump, although we're sticking more to SMT proper, I figured this was the place to ask... any of you guys play Persona 3? FES is on sale on PSN for $5 right now, and though I probably won't have a chance to play it for ages as I've got way too much on deck right now (just got my PS3 replaced last weekend and haven't yet finished Nocturne, ugh), seems like a pretty good deal. If it's any good I might snag it now just to have it available in the future.

[Yuri-G]

don't listen to the haters, Persona 3 FES is great. it's not your typical SMT game but it's still an amazing RPG/school life sim with some of the best writing and characterization in the entire PS2 library.

[Viq]

I'm working through P3 Portable these days. I thought I was at the end, and then it through a plot twist in there... after 50 hours. Kind of just want it to be over with P4 Golden coming out next week. That said, I've really enjoyed my time with P3, so for $5 there's no reason not to grab it.

[Sutra]

It's definitely worth checking out, I forget all the changes but they tweaked some parts of the main game (The Journey). I don't know how many people will agree here, but the second part (The Answer) felt a little tacked on.

If you never played the original, then grabbing fes for $5 is a steal though.

[Moridam]

yeah, i never had a chance to play the original. only persona game i've touched besides P4A was a decent chunk of the whichever version of P2 it was that came out on the PSX.