@Mr_Mustache

Really hard to compare the two. Very different RPGs with few if any real mechanical similarities. I dunno if you've ever played it but the closest comparison I have is the Persona series. Both games' systems focus on weakness to various elements (fire, ice, electricity, wind, etc.) but TMS is much more forgiving.

@Mr_Mustache
I did go ahead and get the DLC, though I bought it digital, so it didn't come with the game like the collector's edition. I haven't tried out the extra dungeons yet. I'm still on chapter 1. If I have one complaint it's that I'll go into the dungeon, fight two battles, unlock a unity, get called back, go back and do that, then have the same thing happen again two minutes later. Still really enjoying the game though.

Lesson for the day: if you think you might be underleveled, and it looks like you might be underleveled..chances are you are underleveled. RUN. (And they're "Savage" for a reason.)


@DeputyVanHalen

I had that happen, too, as soon as I got in the 106. A Game Over a good half hour later (*sigh*) put me back right outside where I'd saved, but man, i just lost a bucnhc. My post-Bloom Garden stuff has been saved, but the 106 is basically untouched now (in-game), even though I've experienced it.

I pretty much save obsessively, makes those match losing set backs less irritating. At least that is the hope since I haven't gotten a game over yet

@chrisbg99My only game over so far was getting caught by a group of lvl 16 savage enemies when I was only lvl 10 and being unable to escape. I save a lot though so it didn't hurt much.

Oh hey, that wasn't so bad. Game was delivered today! Guess I'll try this later.

@chrisbg99

Did you do any of the DLC stuff? GAME OVER CITY

@DeputyVanHalen

In the 106? They got me, too!

Haven't touched any of the DLC. I don't think I've even highlighted that option.

@chrisbg99

Well, if you get around to it, its accessible right off the Bloom Garden. I ran the first two missions a few times, and one of them you pick up a Gold Bar? They sell for 50K each -- you'll never go hungry again. (I used some Skill Books to finish off one of Touma's Spears in 5 fights, too. Solid!)

EDIT- Still in the 106, worked up around the purple mannequin deal. Savages; do they repopulate, or do you kill it and its GONE? I thought I saw one near the "arms down" purple, and when I went to engage I got a text from someone and it wiped my screen. Tried walking around a little bit more and couldn't get it to trigger again. Ideas?

I am really, really enjoying this game. The SMT names for magic spells, the Persona-style dungeons, and the hints of Fire Emblem music throughout create quite an experience. Plus, Idols! What a strange game.

@Mr_Mustache
I'm pretty sure the savages repopulate. They simply seem like high-level grunts

I'm wary of using the DLC dungeons because the eShop description of them basically says "These are for people who want to over-level easily and beat the game without effort." I'm paraphrasing, but that seems to be the case.

As an aside: I appreciate the Rei (from Persona Q) costume from the DLC pack. I wish they had more Persona costumes.

ploot said:

As an aside: I appreciate the Rei (from Persona Q) costume from the DLC pack. I wish they had more Persona costumes.

I like the Nurse one! Yum!

--Had a pretty good Tokyo Mirage Session tonight, logged a few hours, made my way to Ch1 Intermission. I can dig it. Slowly my game is coming together nicely, though I'm a little bummed that my Itsuki/Tsubasa/Touma LEVEL UP TOGETHER party has been crashed. Ah well.

This game is super weird so far. That's all I have to say about that right now.

And a bit scary for my 5-year old to watch me play. Guess it'll have to be a game I play when I'm either home alone or after the kiddos have gone to bed.

@GameDadGrant

Yeah, doesn't really give a "this is a kid's game!" vibe. How many hours in are you? I think I eclipsed 10, but I'm taking my time.

@Mr_Mustache

Oh, pfft. I'm like, a half hour in. Had to quit when my daughter got scared when the bad guys first showed up. She had a clear view of what was going on since its on the TV.

I wouldn't have this problem if this was on a handheld...!

@GameDadGrant
I'm a HUGE 3DS fan, but man it'd be a shame to lose the crisp, pretty art in this game.

@GameDadGrant
ploot said:

@GameDadGrant
I'm a HUGE 3DS fan, but man it'd be a shame to lose the crisp, pretty art in this game.

YEAH, GRANT. YEAH. Hasn't that system ruined ENOUGH games?

(Seriously, I cringe every_time they show something on a Direct and its a jaggi-fest)

@ploot, @Mr_Mustache

Ha! You guys sound like Sony and Microsoft fanboys from last gen, trying to explain why their PS3/360 versions of a game are SSSSSOOOOO much better than your Wii version...!

@Mr_Mustache

Jaggi-fest!

I get that joke.

It's nice to see Atlus step up their efforts and collaborate with Intelligent Systems for a sit-down home-console big-screen RPG. Been putting a lot of play-time into this game. If you've played SMT Strange Journey you'll find lots of references to:
...Demon-Cooperation (ie: hitting an enemy's weakness alone doesn't do that much extra damage. It's the attacks-of-opportunity provided to your allies that do the bulk of the weak-point damage, and if you have the leader-skill that let's 'em switch targets upon an overkill, it becomes an essential strategy for taking out strong groups quickly.)
...Strange Journey's Forma (ie: "Per"-forma), including the Rare- and Unique variants of Forma, to craft your new weapons and skills.
...References to Macca/Magnetite (items in the demon world used as sustenance and currency, not always in that order)

If you have kids, shoo them out of the room. Even if you don't know anything about Shin Megami Tensei series games, TMSFE is rated 'T' so you can at least expect swears that kids will take out of content and gleefully attempt to mimic as loudly as they can while you're doing your grocery shopping. SMT traditionally deals with mature themes. Religions, lots of swears, issues of suicide, cannibalism, sexual-violence, generally the kind of anarchy you can expect to happen if all the religions turned out to be true and all their demons, angels, gods, goddesses, other mythological figures, and some historical figures decided to wage all-out war on Earth with humans caught in the middle (and sometimes used as cattle and/or slaves).

The Shin Megami Tensei series started out on the Super Famicom (or Famicom if you count certain games), by the way, so this is not exactly new or unfamiliar territory for Nintendo gamers.

People who don't know about SMT will often joke about it being "that game with the penis-demons." They're talking about this: (trigger warning: no joke, it's a demon that is shaped like a penis): http://megamitensei.wikia.com/wiki/Mara. I'm not saying that Mara or its kind are guaranteed to appear in TMSFE, but it does feature some sexually charged themes, as there are bouncing breast-physics, double-entendres, and characters that like to flirt and will prompt you to respond while knowing full well you'll feel awkward about flirting with a video game character.

@GameDadGrant

But its a significant difference, dude. Its like comparing GameBoy and NES. Seriously.
I mean..3DS doesn't even look "Wii good" yet.

Dark Weres said:

It's nice to see Atlus step up their efforts and collaborate with Intelligent Systems for a sit-down home-console big-screen RPG.

See, Grant? The thirst is there, and has been for a long time.

@Dark Weres

I'm QUITE unfamiliar with SMT, though I am enjoying what I'm playing. I want to talk to someone else who has played Arc Rise Fantasia (and this), but thats a short, short list.

As for the flirting, I totally told Ms. Maiki I'd be ok staying afterwards for a little one on one. Itsuki is so dense though that Tsubasa felt like a pig. Awesome!

---

Macca / Rare Encounters: Just how RARE are we talking? I've noticed that the Gold Macca or whatever it is is required for THREE different Carnage deals, and I've only encountered ONE Rare enemy (not Savages) in 10-11 hours of gameplay. Idears?

After clearing out dungeons, can you still return to them later? I cleared one but I think there's treasures that I wasn't able to get to... and couldn't really figure out how to reach them. But should I get those before beating the boss?