SMT IV Director Doesn't Believe "Social Games Are Good Enough"

Sarah LeBoeuf

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SMT IV Director Doesn't Believe "Social Games Are Good Enough"



Kazuyuki Yamai, the director of upcoming Atlus RPG Shin Megami Tensei IV, wants to eliminate the notion that video games can't be serious and complex.

For JRPG fans, Shin Megami Tensei IV is a long time coming; the last game in the core SMT series was the 2003 PS2 title Nocturne, though spin-off titles like the Persona games have helped fill the void since then. Speaking with NicoNico News [http://news.nicovideo.jp/watch/nw636262] about the upcoming Atlus title, director Kazuyuki Yamai gave some interesting reasons why SMT IV finally went into development. Describing it as a "bitter and serious drama" and "something that can move people," Yamai stated that he wanted to eliminate the belief that "social games are good enough."

Yamai also wants people to stop thinking "games are childish," clarifying "this title isn't only for younger people" and saying he hopes adults will play it as well. Considering that SMT titles generally receive Mature ratings in North America, that should be a given, but the mindset of "games are for kids" is certainly alive and well outside of the gaming community.

With Shin Megami Tensei IV's North American launch a few weeks away, Yamai expressed how the narrative's "necessary decisions" that could affect the outcome of its story. "The story you experience will vary according to each player," he said, and hopes fans will discuss their different experience with the game online. SMT IV was released in Japan last month, where it was met with positive reviews and chart-topping sales. It is due to come out on July 16 in North America, with a European version hitting later this year.

Source: Siliconera [http://news.nicovideo.jp/watch/nw636262]

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Fappy

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Why is it so hard for me not to think of SMT's head devs as god-like demons? I don't know, for some reason I think of characters like Philemon when I think of an Atlus dev. It's the same phenomenon that I experience when I think of the head Morrowind lore dev as Vivec himself >.>
 

The Wykydtron

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"EU Edition later this year"

Ok NA guys! See you in about 12 months! Enjoy your new SMT without us! Well, on the bright side, it is NOT Persona 5. I hope in that time between SMT4 and P5 they can sort their fucking publishing out. I do not want to spend 12 months dodging spoilers. ESPECIALLY if they go down the mega mystery route again. Though after P4A being proclaimed canon Persona 4 spinoffs can be the full mystery deal while P5 proper can be its own thing with or without heavy mystery elements.

SMT4 has a release date anyway? That slipped by me oddly enough... Then again i'm not an "SMT" fan exactly, i'm a "Persona" fan. Primarily the fourth one. I did start playing Nocturne though, it was pretty good but gah random battles ohgodwhy T_T
 

Colt47

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*Buries head into a wall.

Why the 3DS if the target audience is supposed to include adults? I have a 3DS, but the screens are too freaking small and it seems like retailers like to make trading up for the 3DS XL a headache by not providing a way to handle the system transfer. (That and upgrading costs $170 USD with cost of the game included...)

Captcha: Total Shambles.

Yes Captcha, that is the insides of my head at the moment.
 

ScrabbitRabbit

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At least it's getting an EU release. I was kinda worried it wouldn't. I had to import Strange Journey but the 3DS is region locked so that plan woulda been down the shitter.

Why do Atlus hate us over here anyway?

OT: I absolutely cannot wait for this game.
 

Frostbyte666

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I too would take his announcement more seriously if SMT wasn't on a handhold, they have a place, usually travel. But deep involved RPG's I'd rather be on a couch playing it on my big TV with surround sound for a couple of hours without worrying about neck-crink.

Though it is nice it's coming out in the EU i won't be getting it for the reason above, and I'm not willing to be a 3ds for it.
 

Denamic

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Why 3DS? WHY?! Is it fun switching platforms all the time so long time fans have to buy more shit just to play the games? Do you enjoy it Atlus? Do you like my pain?!
 

CharrHearted

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Denamic said:
Why 3DS? WHY?! Is it fun switching platforms all the time so long time fans have to buy more shit just to play the games? Do you enjoy it Atlus? Do you like my pain?!
If you didn't already buy a 3ds for Monster Hunter ultimate, POKEMON x and Y, Animal crossing new leaf and so many other delicious titles, then you should probably check em' out, some are released already, some coming out soon. If you're not a fan of them then i'm sorry, but a 3ds can be bought as cheap as like 100 pounds now...
 

zinho73

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It's funny, but I'm also not a handheld type. Yes, I like a lot of games that are handheld exclusives (like Strange Journey, Ace Attorney and Etrian series), but i would gladly prefer to play them on the couch, surround sound, and the works.

I've never finished an RPG in a handheld and finished almost all I have played on the big screen and on PC.
 

RaikuFA

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Fappy said:
Why is it so hard for me not to think of SMT's head devs as god-like demons? I don't know, for some reason I think of characters like Philemon when I think of an Atlus dev. It's the same phenomenon that I experience when I think of the head Morrowind lore dev as Vivec himself >.>
I picture the guy who decided to bring over Demon Souls as Mara. And it is funny.
 

DRTJR

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zinho73 said:
It's funny, but I'm also not a handheld type. Yes, I like a lot of games that are handheld exclusives (like Strange Journey, Ace Attorney and Etrian series), but i would gladly prefer to play them on the couch, surround sound, and the works.

I've never finished an RPG in a handheld and finished almost all I have played on the big screen and on PC.
I love my RPGs on handhelds because I'm fairly mobil and the ability to play the game anywhere is a Godsend, besides the DS and it's successor the 3DS are great breading grounds for JRPGs that succeed everywhere. Radiant Historia, Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon(which sold much better than Radiant Dawn. Also first time Stateside so it's new to us.), The World Ends with you, Fire Emblem Awakening, SMT: Devil summoner:SOUL HAKKERS(first time it hit the west so I'm counting it), and the mother of portable RPGs pokemon. Then you have the remakes like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 4, and pokemon HG&SS. It's just natural progression JRPGs do well on the DS & 3DS so they make more JRPGs for that line and it continues to snowball they prove that the JRPG lives... on Nintendo Handhelds.
 

deserteagleeye

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If the 3DS had cross play with the WiiU then I'd finally have a reason ,other than SMT x Fire Emblem, to buy one. It's the same gripe I had with P4:Golden. I mean it didn't stop me from dropping the money on a Vita the instant I heard about it but still, I want to sit back and experience these games on the big screen damn it.
 

The_Scrivener

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Biggest Atlus fan on the planet here. Will not buy because its on 3DS. You want the game to be for adults? Then release it on a console.
 

neonsword13-ops

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The_Scrivener said:
Biggest Atlus fan on the planet here. Will not buy because its on 3DS. You want the game to be for adults? Then release it on a console.
C'mon dude, that's not the right mindset. Adult games can be released on handhelds. 3DS also has both of Devil Survivor remakes and Soul Hackers. All of those are Atlus games and they are all very adult games in their own rights.

Also, the Vita has all 5 Persona games. Not like those are mature games are anything.
 

Colt47

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neonsword13-ops said:
The_Scrivener said:
Biggest Atlus fan on the planet here. Will not buy because its on 3DS. You want the game to be for adults? Then release it on a console.
C'mon dude, that's not the right mindset. Adult games can be released on handhelds. 3DS also has both of Devil Survivor remakes and Soul Hackers. All of those are Atlus games and they are all very adult games in their own rights.

Also, the Vita has all 5 Persona games. Not like those are mature games are anything.
There isn't any problem with it being released on a handheld. It's just that making it exclusively the 3DS when the Vita and PS3 also have a significant SMT fan base seems kind of silly. Also, as I stated earlier my personal gripe is more so with how annoying the system transfer issue is when running on a budget and the deficiencies of the original 3ds release compared to the 3DS XL.
 

Lunar Templar

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j-e-f-f-e-r-s said:
Denamic said:
Why 3DS? WHY?! Is it fun switching platforms all the time so long time fans have to buy more shit just to play the games? Do you enjoy it Atlus? Do you like my pain?!
It's a successful platform that allows them to reach a large audience while still keeping development costs under control?

Just throwing that out there...
you speak carazyness, a developer/publisher, keeping costs under control so that even modest sales can turn a profit? HA I say.

anyway, that's two games for my 3DS I have planned to acquire now, Nintendo gonna pull their heads out an gimme a Metriod game that I don't have to make excuses for?
 

Silvianoshei

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There are a ton of great games for the 3DS that are mostly enjoyed by adults. I got a 3DS XL just for FE: awakening, and now I have it to play a massive back-catalouge of great DS titles and soon Animal Crossing to take up my life.
 

MeChaNiZ3D

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I wonder who it was that suggested games can't be serious and complex. Because whoever they are, they clearly haven't played any decent videogames.