Apocalypse is one of my favorite Megami Tensei games - to me, this game offers some of the best combat and boss fights in the franchise, with a wide variety of quick, addicting side quests to keep you constantly engaged and seeing new opponents. The writing, while largely pretty corny, wraps around into being cool as shit near the end with one of the most outrageous power trip endings of all time. I refuse to believe the Anarchy ending wasn't intentionally written as the ultimate payoff for people who did not like this game's cast.

the writing is so crusty it loops back to being enjoyable. almost a parody of anime tropes, to the extent that i'm not entirely sure this isn't satirical. the childhood friend girl-next-door love interest, the comic relief loser sidekick, the cute animal mascot, the stoic boy who's actually a super important special powers boy who got evil science done to him, and Toki. TOKI. she's the WORST, she's like how nerds remember the most marketable 'waifu' traits of Asuka and Rei Evangelion combined into a younger, edgier looking fanservice machine. the gameplay is probably the best mainline SMT has ever had up to this point, its atmosphere and art direction is nowhere near Nocturne's (tho what is) but this franchise's character writing hasn't ever been that strong. if you can have a good time with some anime babes saying shit like "homeslice went bananacakes" and dumbass edgelord demons telling you to unleash your joker's trick, then it's worth playing. if you can't handle that, you're a coward anyways.

Apocalypse is somewhat of an expansion of Shin Megami Tensei IV to put it lightly. But reality is it's own beast with a new story, set of characters, etc. It still uses most of the assets of IV as it was planned to be the refined final revision of the title but ended up being bigger than previously intended. It takes place around the Neutral Ending on SMT IV, almost by the end so I recommend you playing that one before going deep into Apocalypse in case you care about the world building.

It does a lot good, and a lot bad as well. Let me clear out the bad first. The story it's-- alright. Main problem comes from the party cast itself. Ever played a Persona title? The modern ones at least? It's almost the same feeling, whereas most SMT games for the most part never center their stories around characters as any Persona game does. So the story pacing takes a hit, stopping at certain moments to center and develop these characters. That would be all fine and dandy, but the story itself doesn't have enough time to develop them like a Persona game would, which gives us an oportunity to see who they really are. Here instead, a glimpse of it is shown but it isn't enough time to make us really want to care about them. Outside of maybe Navarre.

However, this alone doesn't throw the whole game down. If you end up liking the party cast, you'll have a blast since as most JRPGs tend to flesh out as much of the party members as possible. If you don't like them, well. Look, they're not intolerable or anything but don't expect to see big deep character growth in it. Just stick to the already stablished archetypes and run with it, in case you didn't end up liking them. Personally they were just whatever.

For that very reason I choose to side with Dadga, he's interesting and mysterious. Even after all the tries this game had to convince me that the Bonds Route is the way to go. Denied that in hopes to witness a more interesting take on the Neutral Routes and what Dadga really meant by his plan of going beyond everything: Demons, Angels, Deities and even the creator himself [!$#&]. The game gets really good around the endgame, after about 45 hours or so. Won't get in depth into the combat system just in this review or I'll be here forever and because there are already fantastic videos explaining how it works, better than I ever could here.

As for the positives, the story and battles were really good. Boss battles in particular were much better than in base SMT IV if you ask me. The story itself goes way beyond SMT IV. Remember that I said Apocalypse was supossed to be the "Maniax" version of SMT IV? It is similar from going base SMT: Nocturne to SMT: Nocturne Maniax Edition. I can't get into the meaty parts of the story since there are major spoilers of both SMT IV and Apocalypse itself.

I'm not here to sell you on Apocalypse by any means. However, I think it's a very enjoyable title, but it can't be compared to the more centered experience of SMT IV. It's more of a power fantasy trip in the world of SMT IV rather than a title of it's own, like something totally separated from it that you really don't need to take seriously for the most part.

SMT IV Apocalypse Tem um sistema de batalha acima do anterior e mais justo, você não vai mais morrer por causa de um Walter da vida ter dado agi no chefe.
A historia em geral é boa mas pode acabar não sendo do agrado de todo mundo, maioria dos personagens são muito bons e os do seu grupo também recebem bastante desenvolvimento de personagem. (exceto a Nozomi)

Em geral o jogo foi bem divertido, e com um chefe final desgraçado que me matou em um turno por eu não estar preparado na segunda forma.

I think it's pretty obvious the writers of this game were inspired by the Persona stories. And while I dont think it comes close to those... for what it is I did like the story and characters for the most part... There were characters I hated for most of the game like Asahi and Toki but then there were the best boys Gaston and Hallelujah. The character development could have used more screen time however they probably didnt want too many cutscenes as SMT tends to be more gameplay focused over Persona. Overall I liked the cast and how varied they were in their backgrounds and personalities but it could've been better. Hearing Asahi and Toki fight to simp over the main character was just so cringe, I dont really like how Toki went from a badass child assassin to... whatever she ended up becoming. I loved Dadga, he's really cool and I love the philosophy he holds in contrast with the "power of friendship" theme the group cast had. I also think all the background lore and how it's expanded from 4 is really sick even if I didnt understand all of it. The story was definitely mixed at times but it had enough stand out moments for me to consider it better than most game stories. And I really did love the ending, it felt satisfying after the climax of fighting Yhvh with Flynn and the original cast from SMT 4. It wrapped everything up perfectly and it was just so sweet seeing a happy ending. Gameplay was about as good as 4 it's just a bit easier, but smirking feels less random and the addition of proper partners that feels like a proper mechanic you have to account for and not just a random annoyance like in 4 certainly makes the battle system to me better. The only problem with the gameplay is the final 2 dungeons which drag on for way too long... other than that though it was great.

While the gameplay is very enjoyable, being a more balanced take on 4 alongside the introduction of demons having stats that make moves better/worse depending on whether they're compatible (AKA don't give the ice demon fire skills ya dingus) which I have mixed feelings on. On one hand, it makes demons more unique but skills as a whole got more expensive to compensate. The minimap also isn't terrible anymore, so yay!
But the main reason you'll see people criticize this game is the story, and I have to agree. Without acknowledging the very concept of making a direct sequel to a game built on multiple endings, the new take just isn't great. It feels like it tries to combine the gritty darkness of SMT with the Shounen-esque power of friendship of Persona. All of the characters not from the original feel like stock shounen character templates with not much to add to them. (also this game has a love triangle. WHY!?) The game also misses out on the multiple choices the series is built around even if options like teaming up with the divine powers would have been a great decision, because the ending choices feel token and boil down to 'Be a dick' or 'Don't be a dick'
So while I enjoyed it, it's the worst of the mainline SMT games I played.

The Nintendo 3DS is one of the single worst designed systems, ergonomically speaking. The very flat, boxy shape is complete hell on my hands, and to be fair it's not like it was ever designed to be clutched for long sittings. I bought all the Shin Megami Tensei games off the eshop when I found out it would be going down, not wanting to miss a chance at these titles forever (I am not paying the after market price on these, it's insane and it's only going to get worse), so I felt compelled to really sink some serious time into each one. As soon as I finished SMTIV I went right to its direct sequel, Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse and all it got me was a case of tendonitis.

This is no exaggeration. My right thumb began to catch and even minor amounts of use would result in a burning pain along the length of the thumb and my wrist. A month of wearing a compression glove and taking it easy and I came out the other end just fine, but that also meant a month of not playing SMTIV:A. Anyone who has quit an SMT game and come back to it later, especially during the late game like I did, can attest to how disorienting it is to jump back in. This is all a long walk to say my thoughts are a bit scattered, and the final act did not land with me as well as everything that preceded it, but I hardly fault Apocalypse for that. I fault the 3DS. Piece of junk- this handheld hurt me!!

Apocalypse is a divisive game, maligned among SMT purists for failing to capture the tone and gravitas of previous entries in the mainline series, seemingly trading on all its hallmarks for something far more in line with the tone of Persona. This is a fair criticism. It's definitely a more huggy-feely, "let's show them the super power of friendship!" kind of game, and while there's been moments of brevity in the mainline games, the writing in Apocalypse is purposefully humorous throughout. However, I like Persona. Gun to my head, the mainline games are my favorite, but I enjoy the Megami Tensei game franchise very broadly and am not so easily turned off by Apocalypse's stronger emphasis on personal bonds.

For the umpteenth time I'll mention that Nocturne is my favorite game of all time. Its somber, lonely atmosphere is unparalleled, masterfully executed. However, I am not so cold that I can't find something to enjoy about the way Apocalypse's main cast of characters grow and bond with one another. Even Navarre, who existed in IV as nothing more than a means to highlight the upper-class' disdain for the impoverished in the Kingdom of Mikado, is so fully realized as a character that I found myself smiling ear-to-ear when his character arc finally came full circle. If this game can actually get me to care about a character like that, I think it's got something going on.

Mechanically, Apocalypse makes vast improvements over IV. Difficulty balancing is a lot more sensible, though the game is plagued by a few too many boss battles that are designed to be lost (a trope I absolutely hate.) You're able to select who the guest party member is now, each with their own clearly defined utility. Their AI actually seems competent this time, far less likely to pelt a boss with an attack they're immune to, and after a certain number of turns a meter will build up that allows them and the rest of your party to unleash an all-out attack. This also buys you another turn, which set up a satisfying loop of buffing my party right before the all-out attack just to ensure I could take advantage of any "smirks" I've gained in the aftermath (a mechanic where your attacks will become critical so long as the effect is applied.) It adds another layer to a combat system that I felt was pretty well perfected already.

Navigation similarly feels better. Tokyo isn't as much of a nightmare to explore, and you actually have a functional map that isn't a total pain in the ass to use. Quests are automatically accepted, reducing the amount of times you have to jump into and out of the menu, and claiming rewards is similarly a breeze. Sidequests themselves are much more compelling, too. Whereas they were a major point of contention for me in the previous game, I actually completed most of them by the end of Apocalypse.

The visual design is much more consistent as well. IV was downright confused, with artwork for the various demons you encounter being cobbled together from multiple artists, with no attempt at unifying designs. This resulted in a lot of ugly, blurry art occupying the same screen as other demons that used high res illustrations, and several designs that pushed a bit too far away from the aesthetic design that links the Shin Megami Tensei games together. This would be like someone redesigning Pikachu to be a cockroach monster, but Charizard looks the same, it just doesn't really work. In Apocalypse, many demon designs from the previous game that failed to gel with that aesthetic were redrawn, and they look a hell of a lot better for it.

There are of course some rough patches. A few dungeons failed to land with me at all, the final dungeon in particular. Each screen looks so similar it's very difficult to get your barrings, and the maze-like structure doesn't seem entirely thought out. I was able to circumvent it several times, which actually resulted in me missing things required to advance much later. There's also just a lot of dead open space and very few enemies roaming around, with most encounters being forced by sudden ambushes, which kinda just sucks. At this point in the game I was already level 99 and had no need to continually blow through fodder.

The DLC is also just kinda so-so. The Diamond Realm DLC which brings back the main characters from Shin Megami Tensei's 1-3 definitely appeals to me from a fan service perspective, but holy hell my team composition was just not right for it at all. The DLC is meant to be tackled at such a high level, really you ought to already be at the cap, and even then it feels like you need to be carefully considering what team you're building towards well in advance, making careful use of your macca so as to not do what I did and be flat out broke with a horde of demons capable of clearing the main game, but functionally useless for the DLC you blew real money on. Whoops! I'm not sure if the DLC scales for NG+, maybe you're supposed to wait until a second run or something. I won't be doing that because I don't care to ever put my hands through that kind of agony again, and I still have two whole 3DS SMTs to beat...

Apocalypse is certainly not my favorite SMT game, probably not even in my short list of the best in the series, but it improves on IV in absolutely every way. Perhaps that's blasphemy to some SMT fans, but I don't care. This is my opinion and these are my hands and they hurt and I'm tired and I am going to BED!

Shin Megami Tensei IV is a fantastic, densely packed, endlessly interesting game, but it had some (admittedly very minor) shortcomings. For me, it’s story and character development felt underdone, like they had wanted to do more with the incredible setup they had, in a dramatic sense. While the characters were more present than previous games, they still mostly felt like voices for the alignments instead of interesting characters in their own right. That’s fine for an SMT game btw, it works great in all the others, it just felt like they wanted to do more. My only other complaint is IV reduced the complexity of the alignment decisions from Nocturne’s 4 or 5 back to the classic 3, as a throwback. I understand why, but it still felt like a step back instead of forward. Other people also complain about the smirk system in combat feeling cheap and the bosses feeling too easy, but i never got annoyed by the former and DO NOT AGREE with the latter lmao.

Anyways, Apocalypse is an alternate universe sequel to IV that directly addresses all of these issues, and much like the Persona 2 duology, these are both fine games in their own right, but together? Christ I got a bit emotional after the final boss in apocalypse just like, watching the wrap up. It’s not a tear jerker at all, it’s just that good.

The combat’s been tightened up, with a new partner system and smirk system to replace the old ones, and bosses feel about as hard as vanilla IV except there’s so many boss rushes, it’s completely crazy, which feels like an adequate compromise to me.

As far as the things that actually bothered me before, the new story and themes are all character focused, but still manage to hit philosophy in that classic SMT way. SMT IV was all about getting to know this version of Tokyo as a place, understanding its past and deciding its future. Apocalypse is about the people who live in that city on a micro level. The way they live, what they eat, how they survive, and how they came to exist in the state they do. It assumes you know the world and mood of the first game, and doesn’t waste any time establishing it beyond a small reminder of the state of things.

Instead of ideologues, you end up with a true blue JRPG party. Misfits and ghosts and references to the first game all fighting alongside you for the safety of the people they love. They exist for their own reasons, to further their own intertwining arcs, but as a group they act as an illustration of the main theme of the game (not saying it, play the game). The characters are all full and warm and their arcs are lovely, in a huge change for the mainline games.

Together, the SMT IV Duology has pretty much everything I want out of an SMT game. All the god killing and heavy handed philosophical debate, and with more emotional core than the series has been able to muster so far (and including V, which lands around 4 in a lot of areas for me). These are fun dungeon crawlers and thought-provoking visual novels all rolled into one, and for me they sit at the top of that pile.

One last note on the final dungeon, which I finished up after writing the rest of the review. It’s much longer, more complex, and tougher than any other dungeon in the game, and because of that opinion is pretty divided on it. Personally I loved it, a real challenge for people who’d gotten through at least 80 hours total between SMT IV and Apocalypse, and a nice throwback to the ending of SMT 2, both in dungeon design and boss choice. It probably should’ve been a super dungeon rather than required to roll credits, but if you’re this deep in you’ll probably do fine. Plus it’s always ok to lower the difficulty if you’re having trouble (particularly with the final boss lol)!!


Anyways, that was a truly lovely game.

Just about every review here praises the gameplay. It fixes the map, companion, and smirk problems of SMTIV, while adding more difficultly options, more demons, more skills, etc. It wouldn't be controversial to say that this has the best gameplay in the series. The reason most people aren't also rating it 10/10 is the story, so let's focus on that.

Even though Megami Tensei games almost always have multiple endings there's usually one ending that has by far more content than all the other endings, like SMTIV's Netural or Nocturne's True Demon Ending. Many players, like myself, just want the ending with the most content, and therefore don't consider any other criteria for choosing an ending.

Apocalypse is somewhat unique because it has two bad endings, that end the game quite early; and two good endings, that both have the same amount of content. Though these two good endings have the same gameplay content the story differs significantly.

The reason many people dislike the story is because of the cast of teenage party members focused on the power of friendship. Some people like these characters as they get more developed character arcs and personalities compared to SMTIV's partners. Some people find them annoying and would prefer less dialogue though. No matter your stance I can't see this as being a negative. If you like them then there's a good ending where you join forces, and if you don't like them then there's a good ending where you go against them. Either way you still get the same amount of content and true final boss.

I recommend everyone who played SMTIV to play this game. The gameplay is better in every aspect. I think the backlash is just that people assumed that the ending where you turn against your party members would be a bad ending, so even though many people wanted to do that they didn't because they thought it wouldn't get the true final boss. Now that you know you can do either you should love this game like I did.

I finished this game about 2 weeks ago and have been waiting to collect my thoughts on it.
I understand people's dislike for this game because of the main cast, but I feel it's very unfair to call this game even close to bad.
To me it has the most engaging and fun combat in the series, with over 450 demons and some of the coolest boss fights in the series.
The plot is really cool and simple, with some nice twists here and there and my favorite main villains in megaten.
I don't wanna go too indepth as to not spoil anything but really,give this game a chance. If you liked 4 you'll definitely like this game