This journey sure is strange.

[Jamos]

If you couldn't figure it out by the poor and unoriginal title, Strange Journey comes out today. This thread is for the three of us that are actually getting it.

[Loki]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

Oh man it's totally great.

Oh man.

[Marc M.]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

What percentage of the game would you say involves touching Phalic-creatures with a stylus?

If it's below 75% I will be gravely disappointed~

[Loki]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

It's zero cause the only thing the stylus is for is scrolling around the map.

Sorry, Marc.

[Kefka Jr.]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

So, for anyone who played Devil Survivor,how does it compare. Does it have the same JUICE.

and even if you haven't played it, explain what's good about it please

[John Mora]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

I wanna get Strange Journey, but the lack of a job and 7000 other games coming out means it's gonna be relegated to a birthday present, I'm afraid.

[Marc M.]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

It's zero...

zero

ZERO

I...
I just don't...

[Loki]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

So, for anyone who played Devil Survivor,how does it compare. Does it have the same JUICE.

I'd say so. Yes. It's crazy addictive. No SRPG elements but otherwise it has the same mix of compelling story and excellent gameplay. It's most easily described as Etrian Odyssey with the classic SMT gameplay. This means wandering around dungeons where you can talk to monsters to recruit them to your party, which you can then use to fuse together to get more powerful creatures.

There are some slight differences in the details. Hitting a baddie's weakness doesn't net you an extra turns like in Persona 3/4 or Devil Survivor. Instead it causes all party members who share alignment to get an extra attack. The more party members involved, the more damage the extra attack does. Each monster is one of three alignments: Law, Neutral, or Chaotic; while the main character's alignment changes based on conversation choices. Rather than representing good vs. evil the alignments more represent the character's personal philosophy regarding harmony and peace vs. freedom and personal choice as the highest ideal.

The translation is excellent and a lot of care has been put into the demon negotiations. They're a lot more intuitive now and actually make sense unlike the nonsense conversations from Persona 1. When you recruit a demon they get a bio that explains their real world inspiration. To learn that a crazy beaky looking thing was based on a bird spirit worshiped on Easter Island was more than a little neat. The enemy compendium is a variable who's who of world mythology.

The story hooks you early and doesn't let up. Like Devil Survivor it is a compelling situation that invites you to explore its mysteries. A spacial anomaly has appeared near the South Pole and is growing rapidly. Within a few weeks it is the size of a hundred or so kilometers. It destroys anything it touches and scientists predict that it will eventually consume the earth. The UN creates a special international team of researchers and soldiers and arms them with next-gen gear to explore the anomaly. Of course things quickly go wrong insid. The separate divisions of the team are separated, their high-tech transports all sorts of crashed up, and survivors are being hunted down by invisible assailants. As a soldier on the team it's up to you to find out what's going on and ultimately how to stop the encroaching apocalypse.

I like the dungeon exploring more than Etrian Odyssey. The game is much more story driven and gives you bite-sized missions to accomplish rather than EO's "get to the bottom." The gameworld is divided into to several distinct dungeons and as you upgrade your equipment you gain abilities to explore parts of earlier dungeons you couldn't before. It gives the game a Metroidish quality and the pace just flows.

If you liked any of the previous SMTs you'll like this. Great stuff.

[Leish]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

Being a SMT fan, I'd like to get this, but I'm just not a big fan of the first person POV. Honestly, that's the only thing holding me back from getting this, especially since I still don't own Devil Survivor.

[John Mora]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

Oh c'mon and just get it.

[Perversion]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

I just did, and Loki's description, especially the comparison to Etrian Odyssey, makes me glad I did so.



Also, Loki, the word you were searching for above was, "veritable," not "variable." :3

[Jamos]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

So far the game has left me underwhelmed. It does introduce some neat things, but nothing has blown me away. However, I am only six hours into the game so I'm going to try to hold my judgement. Shouldn't take this long to amuse me, though.

[John Mora]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

Did you enjoy SMT3? Because I hear this was almost called SMT4.

[Jamos]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

I wouldn't have spent an ungodly amount of time playing SMT3 if I didn't. The game does feel like a first person Nocturne, but without interesting characters. For now, anyway. I can't say a whole lot more until I get further. I'm sure that opinion will change.

[John Mora]

Re: This journey sure is strange.

There wasn't a lot of character to SMT3 either :V