MiracleMajutsu
9 reviews liked by MiracleMajutsu
「イザナミの優しい瞳に暖かみさが次第に戻って行く。」
By 1987, the Japanese RPG had several sub-categories, each represented by iconic titles: Dragon Quest (1986) and Final Fantasy (1987) were establishing a new standard for the genre, while Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (1986) followed the formula of Hydlide (1984), with its action-RPG overtones. Alongside these new game design explorations, a series inspired by the novels of Aya Nishitani was born. ATLUS's Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei is not, unlike Telenet's eponymous computer game, an adaptation of the light novels, but their sequel. Similarly, the gameplay between the two games is quite different, as the Telenet title opts for a hack-n-slash concept similar to Gauntlet (1985), while the Famicom version is in the pure Wizardry tradition. In this seminal opus, the player takes on the role of Akemi Nakajima and Yumiko Shirasagi, two high school students who team up to eliminate the demons that have invaded the Earth, after Akemi had summoned them with the help of an elaborate computer program. In the novels, the two heroes had already triumphed over Loki and Seth, but they have been resurrected by Lucifer, the game's main antagonist. The quest begins in a large pyramidal building, apparently a kind of kofun for the Shirasagi family. Underneath this structure, a labyrinthine network of catacombs, brimming with demons, unfolds. Nakajima and Shirasagi's mission is to free the goddess Izanami, a captive of Lucifer, and to put an end to the evil yoke.
At first glance, the title plays like a Wizardry game. The player must explore the catacombs further and further, acquiring equipment and experience along the way. But Megami Tensei quickly stands out because of the specificity of its characters. While Yumiko is the only one who can use magic – and therefore heal outside of combat – Nakajima has the COMP action, which allows him to recruit and then summon demons to facilitate the progression. A novelty for the time, this mechanic forces the player to find a new balance in their exploration, as they will necessarily have to visit certain places to find specific demons: to acquire the most powerful creatures, demons must be merged, a task that can prove difficult without a guide. While this mechanic provides significant flexibility in dungeon exploration, it comes with its own constraints. Merging demons only works if Nakajima's level is high enough, thus making the exploration of certain areas strictly dependent on an experience grind, as demons are an essential part of the team's firepower. Furthermore, when demons are summoned into the team, they consume a certain amount of Magnetite for each step. To keep this resource afloat, it is essential to fight regularly, at the risk of seeing the demons lose their HP little by little, if the reserve is empty. These features make Megami Tensei a title that, even more than other entries of this era, makes grinding a central component of its gameplay loop.
As in Wizardry, exploration is divided into several phases. In the first one, the player will map their environment – this is highly recommended, as the title has no automatic mapping –, in the second one, they have to accumulate enough experience to go through the corridors smoothly, and in the last one, they need to reach the dungeon boss and kill them. In the case of Megami Tensei, most of the time will be spent in this second part and it can become very lengthy. Farming sequences have to be interspersed with regular breaks to Micon or Bien, disrupting the progression pace. It is perhaps during the Rotten Sea of Flames segment that the frustration builds up most dramatically, as the return trips tend to be quite protracted. Also, in contrast to Dragon Quest, farming is not such an automatic activity, as some enemies may prove too powerful for the group, due to some of their attacks. Early on in the game, the player learns to avoid as much as possible the demons that can paralyse or turn team members into stone, as this means a mandatory retreat to a town. In the second half of the game, enemies that can permanently remove levels pose the greatest hazard to the group and there is little choice but to flee. It should also be noted that misallocation of attributes during the level-ups can cause some temporary difficulties. Not investing enough in vitality comes at an immediate cost and underestimating Yumiko's Attack or Nakajima's Wisdom proves to be a mistake towards the end of the game.
This cruelly tedious nature is nevertheless compensated for by a unique atmosphere for a console RPG of that era. Admittedly, for obvious reasons, the demons are often rather underwhelming colour swaps and they don't yet reach the eerie esoterism of later installments: but the title manages to have some surprising moments. During the first excursion into Mazurka, the music becomes more ponderous and accompanies the much higher difficulty. This tension culminates in the exploration of the Rotten Sea of Flames, where the walls have an unintentionally very organic texture. The fire damage taken with each step accentuates the viciousness of this place and reinforces the urgency to save Izanami. The final dungeon, meanwhile, has an arcane quality to it, with an all-blue palette that gives way to a dirty red in the final stretch. The various demons and NPCs complement this ambience: the different shops run by humans always impress with their pixel art, which thematically enforces a mood. The equipment shops emerge as restful havens with the fluctuating benevolence of the warm, brown torches. Meanwhile, the healer and especially the House of Heresy play with their purple and green colours to create a sickly impression around the wizards, whose cryptic arcanas cannot be deciphered by the protagonists. It is perhaps the vision of the imprisoned Izanami that contributes most significantly to this eeriness, as the mask that wraps her head draws on the organic imagery of Japanese horror fiction.
This atmosphere helps to make Megami Tensei distinctive and very gritty. With some effort, the player understands what is expected of them and the importance of choosing demons, but the title remains merciless. Unlike Wizardry, whose dungeon is built in a linear fashion, Megami Tensei revels in its convoluted nature. While Daedalus remains classic, it serves primarily to filter players. For those who triumph over the Minotaur, the real challenge now begins and the next sequence opens with a dilemma. Two areas can be explored: Valhalla and Bien. The latter is technically the prime objective, in order to liberate the city and secure a new base of operations. But it is likely that foes within the area are still too powerful, so a preliminary exploration in Valhalla, a region that meanders between two floors, is necessary to acquire better demons. However, venturing too far into Valhalla may prove to be a mistake, because of the walls that can only be crossed from one side. This difficult choice gives an insight into the difficulty of the title and is repeated over the course of the game. Yet Megami Tensei balances the difficulty with its Game Over system, which is very similar to Dragon Quest's, as the player resumes the adventure directly in the first city, only stripped of half of their money. Later on, the different regions also have two entrances, one accessible by piloting Bien's Sky City to land atop the dungeons: this second point of entry eases the exploration and shortens the back and forth to heal one's team.
Despite its very harsh difficulty, Megami Tensei can be tamed by patient players who are not put off by the fusion system. The title has some gentle accents amidst the harshness of its atmosphere and making progress through the various puzzles always brings great satisfaction. Undoubtedly, the title is not for everyone, but rather for the most ardent fans of the franchise or for those in need of archaic dungeon crawlers. For them, Megami Tensei would be a more subtle title than it seems, featuring a very unusual bestiary, its creatures coming from all the mythologies of the world. It is true that the scenario is still very simplistic, but the series proved more ambitious with its sequel, released three years later.
By 1987, the Japanese RPG had several sub-categories, each represented by iconic titles: Dragon Quest (1986) and Final Fantasy (1987) were establishing a new standard for the genre, while Ys I: Ancient Ys Vanished (1986) followed the formula of Hydlide (1984), with its action-RPG overtones. Alongside these new game design explorations, a series inspired by the novels of Aya Nishitani was born. ATLUS's Digital Devil Monogatari: Megami Tensei is not, unlike Telenet's eponymous computer game, an adaptation of the light novels, but their sequel. Similarly, the gameplay between the two games is quite different, as the Telenet title opts for a hack-n-slash concept similar to Gauntlet (1985), while the Famicom version is in the pure Wizardry tradition. In this seminal opus, the player takes on the role of Akemi Nakajima and Yumiko Shirasagi, two high school students who team up to eliminate the demons that have invaded the Earth, after Akemi had summoned them with the help of an elaborate computer program. In the novels, the two heroes had already triumphed over Loki and Seth, but they have been resurrected by Lucifer, the game's main antagonist. The quest begins in a large pyramidal building, apparently a kind of kofun for the Shirasagi family. Underneath this structure, a labyrinthine network of catacombs, brimming with demons, unfolds. Nakajima and Shirasagi's mission is to free the goddess Izanami, a captive of Lucifer, and to put an end to the evil yoke.
At first glance, the title plays like a Wizardry game. The player must explore the catacombs further and further, acquiring equipment and experience along the way. But Megami Tensei quickly stands out because of the specificity of its characters. While Yumiko is the only one who can use magic – and therefore heal outside of combat – Nakajima has the COMP action, which allows him to recruit and then summon demons to facilitate the progression. A novelty for the time, this mechanic forces the player to find a new balance in their exploration, as they will necessarily have to visit certain places to find specific demons: to acquire the most powerful creatures, demons must be merged, a task that can prove difficult without a guide. While this mechanic provides significant flexibility in dungeon exploration, it comes with its own constraints. Merging demons only works if Nakajima's level is high enough, thus making the exploration of certain areas strictly dependent on an experience grind, as demons are an essential part of the team's firepower. Furthermore, when demons are summoned into the team, they consume a certain amount of Magnetite for each step. To keep this resource afloat, it is essential to fight regularly, at the risk of seeing the demons lose their HP little by little, if the reserve is empty. These features make Megami Tensei a title that, even more than other entries of this era, makes grinding a central component of its gameplay loop.
As in Wizardry, exploration is divided into several phases. In the first one, the player will map their environment – this is highly recommended, as the title has no automatic mapping –, in the second one, they have to accumulate enough experience to go through the corridors smoothly, and in the last one, they need to reach the dungeon boss and kill them. In the case of Megami Tensei, most of the time will be spent in this second part and it can become very lengthy. Farming sequences have to be interspersed with regular breaks to Micon or Bien, disrupting the progression pace. It is perhaps during the Rotten Sea of Flames segment that the frustration builds up most dramatically, as the return trips tend to be quite protracted. Also, in contrast to Dragon Quest, farming is not such an automatic activity, as some enemies may prove too powerful for the group, due to some of their attacks. Early on in the game, the player learns to avoid as much as possible the demons that can paralyse or turn team members into stone, as this means a mandatory retreat to a town. In the second half of the game, enemies that can permanently remove levels pose the greatest hazard to the group and there is little choice but to flee. It should also be noted that misallocation of attributes during the level-ups can cause some temporary difficulties. Not investing enough in vitality comes at an immediate cost and underestimating Yumiko's Attack or Nakajima's Wisdom proves to be a mistake towards the end of the game.
This cruelly tedious nature is nevertheless compensated for by a unique atmosphere for a console RPG of that era. Admittedly, for obvious reasons, the demons are often rather underwhelming colour swaps and they don't yet reach the eerie esoterism of later installments: but the title manages to have some surprising moments. During the first excursion into Mazurka, the music becomes more ponderous and accompanies the much higher difficulty. This tension culminates in the exploration of the Rotten Sea of Flames, where the walls have an unintentionally very organic texture. The fire damage taken with each step accentuates the viciousness of this place and reinforces the urgency to save Izanami. The final dungeon, meanwhile, has an arcane quality to it, with an all-blue palette that gives way to a dirty red in the final stretch. The various demons and NPCs complement this ambience: the different shops run by humans always impress with their pixel art, which thematically enforces a mood. The equipment shops emerge as restful havens with the fluctuating benevolence of the warm, brown torches. Meanwhile, the healer and especially the House of Heresy play with their purple and green colours to create a sickly impression around the wizards, whose cryptic arcanas cannot be deciphered by the protagonists. It is perhaps the vision of the imprisoned Izanami that contributes most significantly to this eeriness, as the mask that wraps her head draws on the organic imagery of Japanese horror fiction.
This atmosphere helps to make Megami Tensei distinctive and very gritty. With some effort, the player understands what is expected of them and the importance of choosing demons, but the title remains merciless. Unlike Wizardry, whose dungeon is built in a linear fashion, Megami Tensei revels in its convoluted nature. While Daedalus remains classic, it serves primarily to filter players. For those who triumph over the Minotaur, the real challenge now begins and the next sequence opens with a dilemma. Two areas can be explored: Valhalla and Bien. The latter is technically the prime objective, in order to liberate the city and secure a new base of operations. But it is likely that foes within the area are still too powerful, so a preliminary exploration in Valhalla, a region that meanders between two floors, is necessary to acquire better demons. However, venturing too far into Valhalla may prove to be a mistake, because of the walls that can only be crossed from one side. This difficult choice gives an insight into the difficulty of the title and is repeated over the course of the game. Yet Megami Tensei balances the difficulty with its Game Over system, which is very similar to Dragon Quest's, as the player resumes the adventure directly in the first city, only stripped of half of their money. Later on, the different regions also have two entrances, one accessible by piloting Bien's Sky City to land atop the dungeons: this second point of entry eases the exploration and shortens the back and forth to heal one's team.
Despite its very harsh difficulty, Megami Tensei can be tamed by patient players who are not put off by the fusion system. The title has some gentle accents amidst the harshness of its atmosphere and making progress through the various puzzles always brings great satisfaction. Undoubtedly, the title is not for everyone, but rather for the most ardent fans of the franchise or for those in need of archaic dungeon crawlers. For them, Megami Tensei would be a more subtle title than it seems, featuring a very unusual bestiary, its creatures coming from all the mythologies of the world. It is true that the scenario is still very simplistic, but the series proved more ambitious with its sequel, released three years later.
Cosmology of Kyoto
1993
Lol Roger Ebert was fully convinced that games could be vital art after being captivated by this intricate, atmospheric exploration game and he probably only changed his opinion after seeing how awful and immature every capital g Gamer's shitty taste is
Frogger
1997
Frogger is likely the worst platformer I have ever had the displeasure of playing. I don't mind platformers being unfair if they arent a complete waste of time, and there's not many games that respect the player's time as little as frogger.
With a few fails in each level the game sends you back to the start of the level, the goal of each level is to collect 5 frogs and you have to keep repeating it till you can get all 5 without dying too many times. Add to that the fact that there's a timer so often you have to just jump in and make your way through trial and error cause there's barely enough time to learn how the hazards work.
Not only does the game not let you see more than a feet at a time due to the tiny field of view making you unable to see the dangers, there are certain platforms that would randomly kill you, and there's some rng involved with how the paths of the hazards will cross over with yours.
I cant tell if this design is pure malice or incompetence or mix of both, like there are turtles that would go underwater 1981 fucking 1981 frogger figured out how to show that they were about to go down.
I will say it was not all bad the jump of the frog in this game feels weighty and satisfying, I like the visuals and general presentation and if you cheat in infinite lives some of the levels can actually become fun to play.
But is that worth going through this game?
No, absolutely not! There are levels that take more than half an hour to beat while the music loops and you go insane trying over and over again only to die to random bullshit, do not play this game.
With a few fails in each level the game sends you back to the start of the level, the goal of each level is to collect 5 frogs and you have to keep repeating it till you can get all 5 without dying too many times. Add to that the fact that there's a timer so often you have to just jump in and make your way through trial and error cause there's barely enough time to learn how the hazards work.
Not only does the game not let you see more than a feet at a time due to the tiny field of view making you unable to see the dangers, there are certain platforms that would randomly kill you, and there's some rng involved with how the paths of the hazards will cross over with yours.
I cant tell if this design is pure malice or incompetence or mix of both, like there are turtles that would go underwater 1981 fucking 1981 frogger figured out how to show that they were about to go down.
I will say it was not all bad the jump of the frog in this game feels weighty and satisfying, I like the visuals and general presentation and if you cheat in infinite lives some of the levels can actually become fun to play.
But is that worth going through this game?
No, absolutely not! There are levels that take more than half an hour to beat while the music loops and you go insane trying over and over again only to die to random bullshit, do not play this game.
Deus Ex
2000
You will go into the woman's restroom
You will eat the soy bar
You will learn the killphrase
You will tell her to get a job
You will use the GEP gun
You will eat the soy bar
You will learn the killphrase
You will tell her to get a job
You will use the GEP gun
Super Hexagon
2012
How much bullshit can you handle
Will you persevere
Do you have what it takes
Can you pass the threshold where the obfuscated becomes the simple
Where your eyes bleed and everything becomes slow motion for you
Or will you die like a dog
Will you persevere
Do you have what it takes
Can you pass the threshold where the obfuscated becomes the simple
Where your eyes bleed and everything becomes slow motion for you
Or will you die like a dog
Soul Hackers 2
2022
Bland dungeon design, mediocre combat system, meh story and characters, idk man, Soul Hackers 2 just isn't hitting many marks. And then there's the horrendous DLC and some weird issues on PC like Ringo's movement speed being tied to the framerate. Overall a pretty disappointing game
Soul Hackers 2
2022
Probably one of the most unremarkable SMT games in the franchise, with the safest approach taken to one of the most radically unique franchises within the JRPG space. The title languishes in flat, samey combat within overlong dungeons, wrapped around a completely by the numbers budget JRPG story.
Principally, one of main reasons I get into this franchise is the satisfying progression loop of acquiring stronger demons. Most games lets you do this via demon negotiation, and subsequently fusing demons you obtain. However, Soul Hackers 2 finds a way to make that feel worse too, since recruitment is now wrested from player control and given to randomly appearing nodes, of which a random demon emerges which is two layers of RNG just to obtain the demon you want, which is absurd. On top of that, the game ends around the level 60-70 mark so you never get to experience the ceiling of demons in a normal playthrough which is pretty absurd to me. It makes the progression feel stunted, and I find myself pretty attached to certain demons because of gameplay history so it's disappointing that I just didn't get to use them here.
The story is the most painful part here, because its not even bad enough to get like AVGN mad at, because it's just the most stereotypical JRPG plot you can think of in this regard without anything else to hold it up. Character storylines come and go in a flash and it's hard to care about anything outside of just a tenuous attachment to character personalities, of which yeah Saizo and Milady are pretty cool characters but their storylines amount to nothing. The main plot just glides by then switches gears right as the ending is about ready to float on through and before you know it the game is over, nothing interesting to say, no food for thought, probably the most vapid thematics in an SMT game since like, TMS#FE but even that game had something to say about the entertainment industry.
This game really just coasts along on franchise recognition, good aesthetics, the baseline good gameplay as expected from an Atlus JRPG, but with none of the flavour, the substance, or anything that'll make this game worth talking about even years from now, and it really makes me sad because I've been opining for years about how Atlus had regressed in making SMT spin-offs, only to be met with this, I think I'd be happier with just the Persona and mainline SMTs.
Principally, one of main reasons I get into this franchise is the satisfying progression loop of acquiring stronger demons. Most games lets you do this via demon negotiation, and subsequently fusing demons you obtain. However, Soul Hackers 2 finds a way to make that feel worse too, since recruitment is now wrested from player control and given to randomly appearing nodes, of which a random demon emerges which is two layers of RNG just to obtain the demon you want, which is absurd. On top of that, the game ends around the level 60-70 mark so you never get to experience the ceiling of demons in a normal playthrough which is pretty absurd to me. It makes the progression feel stunted, and I find myself pretty attached to certain demons because of gameplay history so it's disappointing that I just didn't get to use them here.
The story is the most painful part here, because its not even bad enough to get like AVGN mad at, because it's just the most stereotypical JRPG plot you can think of in this regard without anything else to hold it up. Character storylines come and go in a flash and it's hard to care about anything outside of just a tenuous attachment to character personalities, of which yeah Saizo and Milady are pretty cool characters but their storylines amount to nothing. The main plot just glides by then switches gears right as the ending is about ready to float on through and before you know it the game is over, nothing interesting to say, no food for thought, probably the most vapid thematics in an SMT game since like, TMS#FE but even that game had something to say about the entertainment industry.
This game really just coasts along on franchise recognition, good aesthetics, the baseline good gameplay as expected from an Atlus JRPG, but with none of the flavour, the substance, or anything that'll make this game worth talking about even years from now, and it really makes me sad because I've been opining for years about how Atlus had regressed in making SMT spin-offs, only to be met with this, I think I'd be happier with just the Persona and mainline SMTs.
motherless behavior
Shin Megami Tensei V
2021
I should preface this by saying this game is an absolute banger, in terms of the series however I find myself a little more mixed. The series doesn't exactly have a game that encapsulates all the good parts that have come before and Shin Megami Tensei V continues this trend with some incredible leaps forward, and a few stumbling points I had at the back of my mind my whole time playing.
Principally, this series has always been one of the mechanically strongest series in the genre and thankfully V continues that with an excellent system in it's own right, combining the Nocturne systems (one of many aspects it really wants to be Nocturne in) with the conveniences of the 4 duology. Unfortunately, I did find there was a seriously annoying regression with the main character's death equalling a game over, something the previous game had corrected. On the other hand, this game introduces the essence system which adds a whole new layer of customisability and preparation to the strategic gameplay which is a fantastic addition, on a more sentimental level it also allowed me to keep demons I like relevant throughout the whole game, even rewarding me for doing so since demons I kept around for a while often had higher stats than newly fused demons up until I hit the endgame demon 90+ chads.
In terms of atmosphere and world design, I quite enjoyed what this game had to offer. Instead of the dungeons the mainline series was known for, this opts for island pockets of areas connected to each other and it works well for the most part. The designers clearly did put some consideration into how a demon's circumstances dictated the kinda place they would hang out at (mermaids at a lake, Jack Frosts in a warehouse etc.) and it's very ambient in it's own way since the world at play here is also not really anything like the other games in the series, and this is where the world sorta loses me. In the other SMT games, demons at one point or another acclimate their society into the ruins of whichever Japanese city the game takes place in, but in this one they're kinda just hanging around which is strange, with the exception of the final overworld area, and there isn't really much thought put into how these demons function in this society, and yes I am aware that it's because in this entry society is just desert but later revelations make me question this viewpoint as well.
Philosophically, this series might be the weakest to date, Apocalypse aside, the representatives for each faction are somehow weaker than the 1 dimensional guys from the SNES games. It's strange because they're present throughout the entire game, and this entry opts for less extreme worldviews on the Law and Chaos spectrum, so they're views are even less pronounced to me. I actually still genuinely don't understand what the Chaos representative's character even is. SMT might not be a franchise that really focuses on stories, but the front facing characters for alignments has always been an important factor for illustrating how these worldviews align with a human point of view, and this game fails pretty hard in this regard.
And importantly I should note that this game seems really beholden to Nocturne and I don't think it works in it's favour. There are a lot of shared iconography and references which are cool nods but I'd hazard to say it contributes much to the game's own identity, which is already in a questionable state due to it's thematics and philosophy being as weak as they are.
However, these negatives don't really kill the game for me, the gameplay and encounters always had that Shin Megami Tensei seal of quality for me that at least kept the game really good and engaging that I'd just spend my free time plowing through it all as much as I can, and in a year of excellent games I'd still say this manages to stand high amongst the titans of this year. I'd overall recommend this entry as a great entry point for newcomers too, it is the most accessible SMT game for sure, while still maintaining the strengths of SMT as a series.
Principally, this series has always been one of the mechanically strongest series in the genre and thankfully V continues that with an excellent system in it's own right, combining the Nocturne systems (one of many aspects it really wants to be Nocturne in) with the conveniences of the 4 duology. Unfortunately, I did find there was a seriously annoying regression with the main character's death equalling a game over, something the previous game had corrected. On the other hand, this game introduces the essence system which adds a whole new layer of customisability and preparation to the strategic gameplay which is a fantastic addition, on a more sentimental level it also allowed me to keep demons I like relevant throughout the whole game, even rewarding me for doing so since demons I kept around for a while often had higher stats than newly fused demons up until I hit the endgame demon 90+ chads.
In terms of atmosphere and world design, I quite enjoyed what this game had to offer. Instead of the dungeons the mainline series was known for, this opts for island pockets of areas connected to each other and it works well for the most part. The designers clearly did put some consideration into how a demon's circumstances dictated the kinda place they would hang out at (mermaids at a lake, Jack Frosts in a warehouse etc.) and it's very ambient in it's own way since the world at play here is also not really anything like the other games in the series, and this is where the world sorta loses me. In the other SMT games, demons at one point or another acclimate their society into the ruins of whichever Japanese city the game takes place in, but in this one they're kinda just hanging around which is strange, with the exception of the final overworld area, and there isn't really much thought put into how these demons function in this society, and yes I am aware that it's because in this entry society is just desert but later revelations make me question this viewpoint as well.
Philosophically, this series might be the weakest to date, Apocalypse aside, the representatives for each faction are somehow weaker than the 1 dimensional guys from the SNES games. It's strange because they're present throughout the entire game, and this entry opts for less extreme worldviews on the Law and Chaos spectrum, so they're views are even less pronounced to me. I actually still genuinely don't understand what the Chaos representative's character even is. SMT might not be a franchise that really focuses on stories, but the front facing characters for alignments has always been an important factor for illustrating how these worldviews align with a human point of view, and this game fails pretty hard in this regard.
And importantly I should note that this game seems really beholden to Nocturne and I don't think it works in it's favour. There are a lot of shared iconography and references which are cool nods but I'd hazard to say it contributes much to the game's own identity, which is already in a questionable state due to it's thematics and philosophy being as weak as they are.
However, these negatives don't really kill the game for me, the gameplay and encounters always had that Shin Megami Tensei seal of quality for me that at least kept the game really good and engaging that I'd just spend my free time plowing through it all as much as I can, and in a year of excellent games I'd still say this manages to stand high amongst the titans of this year. I'd overall recommend this entry as a great entry point for newcomers too, it is the most accessible SMT game for sure, while still maintaining the strengths of SMT as a series.