Shin Megami Tensei IV

I've been playing a lot of 3DS lately, in part because of nostalgia, but also because the form factor of the console is some of the best that handheld gaming has to offer. It also gives me an excuse to work my way through some classic titles for the system that I've never played, such as Shin Megami Tensei IV. I have some experience with this particular brand of JRPG, as I played Persona 3: Reload some time ago. The combat mechanics were very much the same in both games, with some added complexity in SMTIV due to the "smirk" system. Interestingly, this game starts off more difficult than it's conclusion, particularly as you traverse the games first dungeon - Naraku. I appreciated this, as it made the early stages feel more high stakes, rather than the simple post-tutorial levels most games provide. This, in combination with an interesting story that hooks you right away, made me stick with the game despite some of it's immediate flaws. The combat is barebones and harkens back to the earliest JRPGs, with their menus and lack of animations; Traversing the world can be confusing, almost necessitating a guide; NPCs rarely offer interesting insight, at most giving quests/items or revealing lore. The story, as well as the soundtrack, are of very high quality and complement each other quite well. In short, you undertake a journey to save Tokyo, but I won't reveal much more than. The culmination is excellent and features three different endings depending on your decisions - one of which being the "true ending". There are persistent themes of good against evil, along with many religious references that make for a mature atmosphere. The demons you encounter, capture, and summon take this even further, referencing religions and legends from across the world. The level of care put into the demons compels you to seek new ones, particularly as they get to a higher level and become more recognizable - summoning Yggdrasil or a similar iconic myth is a fun moment every time. The sprite work for the game deserves a special shoutout, with some incredible designs that make up for the lack of 3D modeling. Although there are some issues with Shin Megami Tensei IV, it is a memorable game and a worthwhile play on the 3DS console. I look forward to giving the sequel a try eventually, so keep an eye out for that!

Play it for the:

• Stellar story with multiple endings
• Fitting and thematic soundtrack
• Unique difficulty curve

Reviewed on 2026-09-02

The demon sprites are great, especially for the more powerful ones later on.