It's funny to think how much hype there was around this game when the translation came out even though all the subsequent disappointment was clear as day by just looking at the release date and comparing it to II's. It's evident that this game was made as an extra low-effort release.

The story being practically non-existent wouldn't be an issue if the gameplay was good, but the problem is that the dungeons suck. You need to beat like over half the game before they start getting complex and the lows like the world of sloth have rightfully gotten their place as laughing stocks in the fandom. That honestly makes it even more egregious that Akira's route is locked as a NG+ route since there all the dungeons feel like proper smt dungeons.
I will say that the guardian system helps spice up the combat and prevent it from being nothing than the old tired auto-battling old megaten games are known for.