Is Strange Journey Shin megami Tensei 4?

[Golbez]

I read some rumors about strange journey being considered the fourth chapter of the main series.Is that true?

Do`you feel that a new megami tensei actually deserves an home console treatment and tech?

[Olethros]

It is essentially 4 without the actual number associated.

Not being on an actual console is the only reason why I have yet to even play the game. While I own it I'm not sure I ever even will play it to be honest.

[trismegistus]

Strange Journey is an odd game, in that it feels nothing at all like Nocturne, and quite a bit like SMT 2. If it had been released in 1997 as SMT 3 on the PSX, no one would've batted an eye, yet because it feels (to me, at least) like a step back from Nocturne, I do admit I wish that Atlus wouldn't canonize it as SMT 4 and that I still have a chance for the 'next game' in the main series.

[Inzaghi]

Originally Posted by Olethros

It is essentially 4 without the actual number associated.

Why do people always say this? It's not, any more than If.... was "essentially 3 without the actual number associated."

It's Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, an unnumbered entry in the main series. It's not that complicated.

[Yukichin]

Inzaghi, didn't Atlus Japan--maybe Kaneko--say themselves they categorized it as SMT 4...?

[Olethros]

Yeah, that's what I was going by. I had thought I read it somewhere that it started developement as SMT 4 and that they changed the name/numbering later but for all intents and purposes...

That said, I defer to Inzy on this. If he says it's not, then it's not. He has far more knowledge and expertise on the subject than I do.

If I muddied the waters further or inadvertantly led anyone astray then I do apologize. It was definitely not my intent.

[unknown]

Originally Posted by Inzaghi

Why do people always say this? It's not, any more than If.... was "essentially 3 without the actual number associated."

It's Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, an unnumbered entry in the main series. It's not that complicated.

Shin Megami Tensei IV confirmed? lol I'm just kidding, please don't hurt me

[Stalwart Harbinger]

The fact that the name of the game is Shin Megami Tensei and not Megami Ibunroku, the fact that Kaneko said 'for all intents and purposes, it's SMT 4', the fact that it's in the Main Series section of Atlus USA's forums should end this questioning/debate.

[Setsuka]

For all intents and purposes it is, but I'm waiting for what I'd call a true next step in the SMT series: a next gen console release. Not at all interested in portables.

[KShirokan]

Not to add-on to the necro, but...Harbinger is right. It was offically confirmed to be the fourth title in the main series.

Is that not enough for you? What's the gameplay of Strange Journey most similar to regarding other SMT titles? Not Persona, nor Devil Summoner, definitely not Devil Survivor, and Digital Devil Saga is way off. It's closest to Nocturne, where you play a human (or initially human) protagonist in a four-member party, with demons filling in the other three party slots. Demon negotiation and exploration are similar to that of Nocturne, as well.

What platform the game is released on is NOT a factor.

[felixrush]

I liked it. It went a few steps back in certain respects but it seems like the series was going back to its roots. The compendium was definitely more expansive and the plot was pretty well done. Apart from the predictability of certain plot points I thought it was great.

It brought a different setting, tone, and overall feeling. If you play Persona, or SJ, or DDS, or Nocturne. All of them give you different vibes and I think that's wonderful about a series.

I actually prefer this to some over-glorified HD game that'll be sixty dollars spent and 7 hours long like most 'next-gen' games today. Although, I do hope the next game is as expanding and open as Nocturne. Since Nocturne had 6 different paths and SJ only had three.

[Esoteric]

Originally Posted by KShirokan

Not to add-on to the necro, but...Harbinger is right. It was offically confirmed to be the fourth title in the main series.

Do you know what is good for arguments? Sources! Yay sources!

At any rate, this is a pointless argument on a pointless subject.

Now everyone go donate blood.

[Inzaghi]

Originally Posted by KShirokan

Not to add-on to the necro, but...Harbinger is right. It was offically confirmed to be the fourth title in the main series.

I'm pretty sure that when people say it was "officially confirmed" or "Kaneko said so," they're referring to an Iwata Asks interview with the team. What actually got said in that interview was "During development, we considered calling this Shin Megami Tensei 4, but because of the different setting we decided not to." Everyone latches onto the "we were going to" part and ignores the "but then we didn't," which you would think would be equally important.

[Evilkinggumby]

Originally Posted by Inzaghi

I'm pretty sure that when people say it was "officially confirmed" or "Kaneko said so," they're referring to an Iwata Asks interview with the team. What actually got said in that interview was "During development, we considered calling this Shin Megami Tensei 4, but because of the different setting we decided not to." Everyone latches onto the "we were going to" part and ignores the "but then we didn't," which you would think would be equally important.

Inzaghi, are you telling me all those years of training as a child to use and implement the "no backsies" rule were for nothing?! He can't start to say one thing and then.. take it back and refute it! It's absurd!

though I have to say you and the other moderators patience staggers me.. it's like the same 6 arguments pop up seasonally and rarely do we get something new.. and I haven't even been with the site that long.. I don't know Olethros or any of you do it.. haha.

[Olethros]

That's why I get a bit curmudgeonly from time to time.
It's not even the repeated arguments/debates or the million-and-one repetitions of the same question that get to me, though. It's when people refuse to accept logic or the "official" answer because they somehow know better that almost always ends up getting me to fly off the handle.

[Onion of Mystery]

Originally Posted by Evilkinggumby

though I have to say you and the other moderators patience staggers me.. it's like the same 6 arguments pop up seasonally and rarely do we get something new.. and I haven't even been with the site that long.. I don't know Olethros or any of you do it.. haha.

How do we do it?

VOLUME!

Huh. On preview, the "broken" spoiler box is even more hilarious, so I'm leaving it in.

[Crow T. Robot]

Originally Posted by Inzaghi

I'm pretty sure that when people say it was "officially confirmed" or "Kaneko said so," they're referring to an Iwata Asks interview with the team. What actually got said in that interview was "During development, we considered calling this Shin Megami Tensei 4, but because of the different setting we decided not to." Everyone latches onto the "we were going to" part and ignores the "but then we didn't," which you would think would be equally important.

Thank you thank you and thank you.
I've been having this debate with a few folks on Siliconera and I could not, for the life of me, find the interview in which Kaneko said such.
Than this big misunderstanding happened and they kept thinking I hated 'SJ' when, in fact, I loved it.

[felixrush]

Um... okay, this may sound foolish but that isn't a source either. The interview is in Japanese so we can't know unless we have a reliable translator...

[Esoteric]

Originally Posted by felixrush

Um... okay, this may sound foolish but that isn't a source either. The interview is in Japanese so we can't know unless we have a reliable translator...

Atlus USA localizes games from Japanese to English. I would assume that they probably have at least one person there who speaks Japanese. (Note: The red mods you see are Atlus staff)

Also, again, this argument is the most worthless argument in the history of arguments, so I don't know why people keep bringing it up.

GLHF

[Dharos]

I have like 160 hours into it(doing everything I can, Neutral), and I would say yes it is SMT4 for all intents and purposes, at least until a SMT4 is officially announced.

[Girlyboi]

Using some of the logic in this thread we can also conclude:

Street Fighter X Tekken is Street Fighter 5, cause its the closest thing that's out to a SF4 sequel until they make SF5
and
Devil May Cry is actually Resident Evil 4 cause it started development as a Resident Evil title and then they changed the name cause the gameplay had become too different.

[Dharos]

Originally Posted by Girlyboi

Using some of the logic in this thread we can also conclude:

Street Fighter X Tekken is Street Fighter 5, cause its the closest thing that's out to a SF4 sequel until they make SF5
and
Devil May Cry is actually Resident Evil 4 cause it started development as a Resident Evil title and then they changed the name cause the gameplay had become too different.

I know you are going for sarcasm but there is an actual RE4(and 5, and 6 announced) so your post doesn't make much sense.

[Oberon]

That and Strange Journey was in development as SMT 4, so it's not even that it's spiritually a main series game, as far as we're concerned, it is. The problem is when they make the next main SMT game, are they going to call it IV, V, or just drop the number system all together?

[Girlyboi]

Originally Posted by Dharos

I know you are going for sarcasm but there is an actual RE4(and 5, and 6 announced) so your post doesn't make much sense.

Because RE4 had not been made yet when DMC came out, therefore had it remained a Resident Evil title, it would have been RE4.

[Dharos]

Originally Posted by Girlyboi

Because RE4 had not been made yet when DMC came out, therefore had it remained a Resident Evil title, it would have been RE4.

The concept for DMC was done way before even RE3 was out actually, it was never even considered for RE4, though some of castle concept art inspired some the Spanish locations in 4 but that's about it.

[Noctre]

I think we should let this thread rest in piece.

It doesn't have a number.

I never thought I'd get an SMT-related headache without actually playing a game.

[LoD776]

Strange Journey in SMT IV Gaiden in my opinion. SMT If... had the SMT title on the cover but it started the persona series, this game is the same way.

[VirulentDecapitation]

It's a trash that won no award and will be forgotten.

[SultanM]

Originally Posted by VirulentDecapitation

It's a trash that won no award and will be forgotten.

Ouch man. I don't believe you, I still want it.

[Crok425]

Originally Posted by VirulentDecapitation

It's a trash that won no award and will be forgotten.

You're an ass. A game doesn't need an award to be good. If you don't like the SMT franchize, then don't be here in this forums. You're just a stupid troll, so I say that please, someone ban him.

Back on the subject.

It's funny how people were arguing that SJ was SMT IV and now you know that it wasn't (I always knew) because of an official announce XD.
And yes, it's like Inzaghi said, just because it has the SMT label in it doesn't make it IV, the same could go for If... and Devil Summoner (the first game was labeled as well as SMT). Just treat it as SMT 3.5 like a lot of people said, or then again, like a spin-off like If... it too has the Law, Neutral and Chaos alignment so treat it like a spin-off or not, your decision.