Shin Megami Tensei IV embraces many of the staples of mainline SMT games, but also carries forward the shiny new mechanics and QoL features from Nocturne and the series' numerous spin-offs. The story and characters leave something to be desired, but they're arguably a step up from Nocturne. Unfortunately, where Nocturne sought to subvert the many of the elements that came to define the series, SMT IV feels like somewhat of a regression. Still a great game, though.