Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
Main game
3.88 average rating based on 197 ratings
- Developers
- Atlus
- Publishers
- Atlus, Atlus USA
- Franchises
- Megami Tensei
- Series
- Shin Megami Tensei, Shin Megami Tensei IV
- Platforms
- Nintendo 3DS
- Genres
- Adventure, Role-playing (RPG)
- Themes
- Action, Fantasy, Horror, Science fiction
Release Dates
User Stats
How Long Is Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse?
Related Content
Great Follow Up to SMT IV
This review is for the Nintendo 3DS version
Depending on what you're looking for in SMT games (did you discover SMT after a few Persona games? Is this your first ever Atlus game? Did you just happen to buy this game randomly based on the cover?), this game hits a lot of marks that appeal to players that enjoy JRPGs and dystopian stories. This game can technically be played as a standalone, but will greatly benefit you as a player to be played after SMT IV for the full story and background information. I would not advise playing this game without playing the former, particularly if you achieve the Neutral route.
For those who have played SMT IV, you'll notice this game has more of an emphasis on the friendship with your various companions along the way, very much like Persona games. To me, it felt like this game took the approach to combine elements that make SMT separately appealing and Persona separately appealing into this one game. For me personally, I did not care too much about the friendship aspects, but I can see how it benefits during battles.
The battle system has some improvements from IV, with the smirking more balanced, and a wider range of …
Depending on what you're looking for in SMT games (did you discover SMT after a few Persona games? Is this your first ever Atlus game? Did you just happen to buy this game randomly based on the cover?), this game hits a lot of marks that appeal to players that enjoy JRPGs and dystopian stories. This game can technically be played as a standalone, but will greatly benefit you as a player to be played after SMT IV for the full story and background information. I would not advise playing this game without playing the former, particularly if you achieve the Neutral route.
For those who have played SMT IV, you'll notice this game has more of an emphasis on the friendship with your various companions along the way, very much like Persona games. To me, it felt like this game took the approach to combine elements that make SMT separately appealing and Persona separately appealing into this one game. For me personally, I did not care too much about the friendship aspects, but I can see how it benefits during battles.
The battle system has some improvements from IV, with the smirking more balanced, and a wider range of support options from your buddies. The demons are mostly similar from IV, with some updated designs (you won't be particularly shocked by anything). The map is mostly identical to IV, but it does not feel too repetitive; there are a lot of new side quests and stories to make it feel fresh again.
You will meet a lot of new faces along with old faces, which is nice to see how the characters have grown/changed since IV. I wish Atlus did this more with their games - not so much have a direct sequel to all SMT and Persona games, but utilize popular characters to connect different stories with one another. For those who may have played Persona 1 and 2, something like that is pretty cool in my book.
Overall, great game, solid sequel. Personally, after playing IV and IV:A back-to-back, I prefer the story of IV more, but you can't go wrong with either or both.
thedudeman45's review of Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse
strong contender for the blandest cast of characters i've seen in a video game but the gameplay slaps hard as hell so it balances out.
L'apocalisse: Parte 2
Ottimo side-story a SMT IV, con una trama più elaborata, anche se scade nei clichés tipici del genere. Gameplay rifinito e esplorazione di Tokyo eccellente. Consigliato caldamente. Voto: 8.5/10
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse - The Sequel We Really Wanted
I was definitely skeptical about Apocalypse at first. The design that looked a bit too edgy, reusing a lot of the same content from IV... it felt unnecessary and like it was stepping toward a visual direction not like the series.
Boy was I ever wrong. The story and visuals improve greatly upon the original, creating a story that divides the Neutral route even further, with an almost Persona like peace route where character development is highly improved and a Nocturne-like route for players looking to shape the world in their own image. The visuals on new monsters are far more consistent and far less ugly (creatures like Merkabah and Medusa actually look much less janky and out of place) and the story manages to go in new direction and feature new and interesting challenges, including a solid Neutral antagonist and the big creator himself, YHVH.
The combat is also much more refined, taking advantage of and balancing the smirk system to properly go well with the press turn system. Along with some free DLC, there's a flexible variety of difficulties (don't worry, things get plenty difficult if you make it so) and a level cap that goes above 99. …
I was definitely skeptical about Apocalypse at first. The design that looked a bit too edgy, reusing a lot of the same content from IV... it felt unnecessary and like it was stepping toward a visual direction not like the series.
Boy was I ever wrong. The story and visuals improve greatly upon the original, creating a story that divides the Neutral route even further, with an almost Persona like peace route where character development is highly improved and a Nocturne-like route for players looking to shape the world in their own image. The visuals on new monsters are far more consistent and far less ugly (creatures like Merkabah and Medusa actually look much less janky and out of place) and the story manages to go in new direction and feature new and interesting challenges, including a solid Neutral antagonist and the big creator himself, YHVH.
The combat is also much more refined, taking advantage of and balancing the smirk system to properly go well with the press turn system. Along with some free DLC, there's a flexible variety of difficulties (don't worry, things get plenty difficult if you make it so) and a level cap that goes above 99. Exploration does feel same-y compared to some areas but the game keeps it surprisingly fresh for content that released years ago.
With story, visuals, combat, etc. all of the above stronger than Shin Megami Tensei IV, the game manages to take its place in the top pantheon of MegaTen games and shows that even a remake we never asked for can become an amazingly solid and replayable gem. It's also quite approachable and can even be played by those who haven't played the first Shin Megami Tensei IV, though it's highly recommended that people play both to get the full richness of a world that felt unrealized in the first game but is now an amazing presentation through both packages.
I would like to finish this soon. It's been my go-to 3DS for a while now. I'd love to finish it and focus on finishing another title or even purchasing a new one. Majora's Mask comes to mind.
Played for a few hours the other day while the fiance was playing The Witcher 3. The first hour or so felt very familiar. I swear I'd played through it before. I must have forgotten to save and then had the 3DS die on me.
Regardless, I'm still really enjoying the game and despite my reservations about V, I might end up playing it in the future.
28 hours in.
Next up in my attempt to finish games I've started or am over halfway with completing is this one. I look forward to getting back to it as I've been meaning to get back to it for a while.
Fires up the 3DS the other day and pumped another 8 hours into it since then. I'm roughly halfway through it now (20 hour mark) and it's still as compelling and addictive as it was when I first started.
The world continues to engage me with its depressing atmosphere that has been cultivated perfectly through fine attention to detail such as the music and aesthetic qualities.
Keen to finish this up so I can move on but damn if it hasn't been an awesome ride.
Back to playing this a little bit here and there (handheld gaming is fantastic to have handy on the beside table!) and really enjoying it. Highly likely I'll grab another Shin Megami Tensei game on the 3DS in the future.
I noticed that Shin Megami Tensei V is supposed to be coming to the Switch alongside a remake of Nocturne I believe which is another game I'd be interested in getting. They're so addictive.
Damn this game is good. I'm a little under 10 hours in and digging every second. Pretty keen to play the other games when I finally finish with this one.
That feeling when you have a massive backlog and download a game just because you'd heard good things about it because it's on sale and it easily chews up a few hours of your weekend. Looking forward to putting some more time into this over the weekend.