Shin Megami Tensei

[scott]

Ha if anything strange pops up I'll prolly comment on it.

Also, I love that you go to the Police to buy weapons and gear. "Yes officer, I'd like the baddest ass sword you got. I need to maim and murder after midnight."

[amauriel]

And that the police really don't seem to know what it's for...he just trusts Akihiko and that's good enough for him. Tee hee.

[scott]

Totally, like, Oh you have flak jackets for sale too? Sure I need 4 of those and the cute girl needs a new bow... obviously this isn't for gang violence. So were cool, right?

[desocietas]

I remember when I first got really excited about the game, before I bought it, and then even MORE excited when I had the game and was playing it...  I was really excited to talk to other friends about it, but when describing the game... well...

"It's this Japanese RPG where your characters shoot themselves in the head to unleash their inner demon... With their demons, they have to go to their high school to fight after midnight because everyone has turned into coffins except for them.  Also, you get to join clubs, answer test questions, and date people!"

P4 managed to be a little crazier and almost too ridiculous for me

[scott]

Ya, when the one girl (I'm new, I don't know names yet) was rescuing you and you get to the roof and then she put the evoker to her head, I was like... wtf is going on? Then the main character snags it from the ground and some how instinctively know to do it to summon Ophedus(?) in that first battle. It was the most bad ass thing I've seen in gaming in a while.

[desocietas]

Ya, when the one girl (I'm new, I don't know names yet) was rescuing you and you get to the roof and then she put the evoker to her head, I was like... wtf is going on? Then the main character snags it from the ground and some how instinctively know to do it to summon Ophedus(?) in that first battle. It was the most bad ass thing I've seen in gaming in a while.

Yeah, great intro sequences.  Definitely one of those intros where if someone walks into the room in the middle of it you want to just turn off the game and start again from the beginning to not miss anything.  Yelling or heavy sighing might be involved.

I'm assuming the girl was Yukari and the Protagonist's persona is Orpheus

[scott]

Ya that intro was epic.

Also, wtf is up w/ only being able to do 2 floors (maybe) before people start getting tired? I just ran through 3 floors before I found a teleporter with all 3 characters tired, and then was laid up for 2 days before I could go back to the tower... grrr

[desocietas]

Ya that intro was epic.

Also, wtf is up w/ only being able to do 2 floors (maybe) before people start getting tired? I just ran through 3 floors before I found a teleporter with all 3 characters tired, and then was laid up for 2 days before I could go back to the tower... grrr

If I recall correctly, I think later on you and your teammates' stamina improves or something, so don't fret!  It'll get better.  Plus, the game also wants to keep you on its timeline to a point... you'll see

I thought the same thing, though!  The randomized floors kinda mess with you on that regarding the teleporters...

[scott]

Is it just me, or is it not a good idea to fully explore each level? This fatigue thing is a real pain in the ass, ha.

[scott]

I found myself looking into Persona 2 for PSP. Also tempted to get P4... sigh.

[amauriel]

First off, there are actually two Persona 2's: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment. Innocent Sin was never released in the U.S. before the PSP version because of an epic fight with Hitler, among other things. So when you are considering getting the PSP game, know that you are probably going to be investing in Eternal Punishment as well. (Which at the moment is still only PS1. There's an announced version for the PSP in Japan but nothing about localizing it yet. And with the Vita's inability to transfer UMDs in the U.S., unlike Japan, who knows if they'll bother.)

Also, the Persona 4 gameplay and story is going to be much closer to what you are playing now. Persona 3 was sorta like Grand Theft Auto 3, they changed the gameplay enough that a lot of new people started there.

Not trying to skew your view of the games or try to convince you to go for one or the other, but I do know that most of my friends have loved 3 and 4 but hated 1 and 2. Actually...the only guy I know that loves them all is the guy that introduced me to the Shin Megami games...and I think he did that with Persona 3 and Digital Devil Saga for a reason...he knew I'd be hooked and go back and play them all.

[scott]

I actually just dumped my 10h save, and started over. Because I realized I wasn't managing my time well. Honestly that doesn't bother me at all.

Ya I realized that there were 2 Persona 2 games, that is kinda what interested me the most, I'll get them eventually. I think they'll bring Persona 2: Eternal Punishment stateside. But I doubt it would be on store shelves and would be an Amazon type purchase for sure.

[jcalder8]

So what is the best game to start with?

[amauriel]

I'm biased because it was my first, but I'd say Persona 3. It's easy to get into and a good idea of what the entire Shin Megami series is about. It's also not as heartless as some of the other Shin Megami games, difficulty-wise. And it's got Junpei....I LOVE Junpei.

[scott]

And it's got Junpei....I LOVE Junpei.

Junpei is pretty win.