Megami Tensei Topic

[Demon_Princess_Kay]

I think it's about half and half in terms of plot and getting them in shops I do believe the Expel/Death ones are plot related I could be wrong, but either way you WILL find them  without even going anywhere out of your way. There's only like 5 of them max that you have to go out of your way to get.

[Starmongoose]

Mudo and Hama isn't Instant Death in Nocturne, they just take away a % of your current HP. Plus Ahnk is one of the earliest Magatama you get so it isn't that hard to stick it on if you are really afraid of enemies with them. I think Persona 3 & 4 version of hama/mudo is more frustrating.

[Demon_Princess_Kay]

No hama/mudo are instant death (their descrpition is Fatal (low odds)), there's just more of a variety in the elements then there is in P3/P4. Expel and Death have some standard attack spells as well. Radiance is the Expel equivalent of Ma(whatever)dyne.

And yeah Ankh is the 3rd magatama you acquire, and you get Anathema for death spells a little later.

[Starmongoose]

x.x really? I need to replay that game. My bad, carry on.

[Demon_Princess_Kay]

lol i had to load up one of my files to make sure you weren't right. Regardless they aren't even really a problem either way since they barely hit, and there's tons of ways to prevent them the magatama, endure, etc.

[Klyde Chroma]

Well now I've commit a good chunk of time to Nocturne and I must say.... while the game has a wicked soundtrack and very intriguing plot, decent gameplay and a nice dark and brooding atmosphere... it just feels lacking to me in some respect.... It may have something to do with the fact that I'm a real sucker for a strong main cast I can get attached to and watch develop, but I just feel sort of unmotivated to press on in this one.... I will however continue because it is a really decent game, just not of the caliber I expected.....  and I REALLY hate how the MC looks.... I know thats a stupid reason to be turned off by a title, but as I said I'm a sucker for characters..... Heck, I hate Agarest Wars and still play that just for the aesthics....

[badsanta]

Well now I've commit a good chunk of time to Nocturne and I must say.... while the game has a wicked soundtrack and very intriguing plot, decent gameplay and a nice dark and brooding atmosphere... it just feels lacking to me in some respect.... It may have something to do with the fact that I'm a real sucker for a strong main cast I can get attached to and watch develop, but I just feel sort of unmotivated to press on in this one.... I will however continue because it is a really decent game, just not of the caliber I expected.....  and I REALLY hate how the MC looks.... I know thats a stupid reason to be turned off by a title, but as I said I'm a sucker for characters..... Heck, I hate Agarest Wars and still play that just for the aesthics....

Hate to say it, but this game isn't about the characters; the game explains their 'reasons' and whatnot by the end, but you don't really get to know them that well. And that's the idea; the game's story's purpose is to keep you emotionally detached so that you can stay objective, and really think about what's going on without making an emotional investment, which becomes more important as the the game continues, and things keep getting more and more out of control. I'd have to say that while it's not my favorite kind of approach, (I too, like a strong cast,) it certainly works when done right, as it is here.

[Klyde Chroma]

Hate to say it, but this game isn't about the characters; the game explains their 'reasons' and whatnot by the end, but you don't really get to know them that well. And that's the idea; the game's story's purpose is to keep you emotionally detached so that you can stay objective, and really think about what's going on without making an emotional investment, which becomes more important as the the game continues, and things keep getting more and more out of control. I'd have to say that while it's not my favorite kind of approach, (I too, like a strong cast,) it certainly works when done right, as it is here.

Things get even more out of control!? As if they weren't so already..... But that "left in the dark" about much of what is actually happening I appreciate... It lends to the overall macabre nature of things..... And I tend to agree with you on the point of how aspects of this game that I typically would hate are well executed and actually work well with this title.... There are some things though I just cannot accept due to my own personal affinites and distastes, no matter how well done... Dante being any part of this game and the M.C looking more like a raver than a demon being two examples of things I simply have a hard time looking past.... Again, admittingly stupid gripes but everyone has their own respective "RPG" values I suppose.

[MeshGearFox]

1. I would argue that the game DOES have a strong cast. The writing is minimalist, but stuff like Chiaki's "evolution," or just watching the way that everything falls apart as a whole, is interesting. The game is essentially driven by the actions of the characters, although more in terms of the Reasons they represent an less their personal agendas.

2. wrt death/expel, the HP-halving attacks ARE classed as those, but they're not the Mudo/Hama set.

[Eusis]

People say Demon's Souls is hard... Man, I think those people should play Nocturne.

Funnily enough, both of those games gave the same feeling of satisfaction I don't usually get from games, I'd actually say they're roughly equal in difficulty, although Nocturne spikes with the Metador.

Actually, if you do go through DDS you may want to give Nocturne another shot after that. I kind of let Nocturne languish and blazed through the DDS games, then came back and had a better grip on the battle system and how to optimize my team.

[CDFN]

1. I would argue that the game DOES have a strong cast. The writing is minimalist, but stuff like Chiaki's "evolution," or just watching the way that everything falls apart as a whole, is interesting. The game is essentially driven by the actions of the characters, although more in terms of the Reasons they represent an less their personal agendas.

Exactly, watching the characters evolve from typical teenagers to demons with enough power to create a world in their own image is way more interesting than most jrpg stories out there. There isn't much plot but they made every second of what is there count. You only truly realize it when you finish it and look back on it. The way Chiaki decides to use her power is rather shocking. Everytime you encounter one of them they change, first they are your childhood friends, then they are scared and confused and ultimately they manage not only to survive but to take control of their destiny. Every line spoken in these events is important, there's no filler. Eventually you are confronted with important choices. You might even get the most humiliating ending ever or go above and beyond everyone's expectations.
The game's difficulty is part of its charm, you really have to conquer your place in this world.

[MeshGearFox]

Also the main character is pretty badass when you think about it. Most main characters in RPGs use weapons and armor. The Demi-Fiend is too much of a badass motherfucker for either.

And in most games, Chiaki would be the princess that you have to save constantly. Yeah.

[Eusis]

And in most games, Chiaki would be the princess that you have to save constantly. Yeah.

Actually, I think your teacher fills the role.

Code:

And of course it defies JRPG tradition in that you can't save her short of getting the Neutral ending.

[Farron]

People say Demon's Souls is hard... Man, I think those people should play Nocturne.

Funnily enough, both of those games gave the same feeling of satisfaction I don't usually get from games, I'd actually say they're roughly equal in difficulty, although Nocturne spikes with the Metador.

Actually, if you do go through DDS you may want to give Nocturne another shot after that. I kind of let Nocturne languish and blazed through the DDS games, then came back and had a better grip on the battle system and how to optimize my team.

I might actually do just that. As I was saying, I put DDS on hold to finish Nocturne but I think I'll do the exact opposite.

Well now I've commit a good chunk of time to Nocturne and I must say.... while the game has a wicked soundtrack and very intriguing plot, decent gameplay and a nice dark and brooding atmosphere... it just feels lacking to me in some respect.... It may have something to do with the fact that I'm a real sucker for a strong main cast I can get attached to and watch develop, but I just feel sort of unmotivated to press on in this one.... I will however continue because it is a really decent game, just not of the caliber I expected.....  and I REALLY hate how the MC looks.... I know thats a stupid reason to be turned off by a title, but as I said I'm a sucker for characters..... Heck, I hate Agarest Wars and still play that just for the aesthics....

I'm with you on this. It's hard to explain but there's something that makes me wanna keep playing but there's also something that makes me wanna go away from it.

After all these points taken into consideration, the next SMT game I play I will consider very much playing on easy. Although contradicting myself, when I was playing Persona 3 on the PSP ( as I had already beaten on the PS2) I decided to put it on easy just to breeze through the plot and after a few hours I regretted so much because the game became way too easy.

[Lucca]

I finally found my old PS2, and gamefly just sent me Nocturne after being on very low status for ages.

I'm expecting demons, badasses, and many game overs.