Shin Megami Tensei IV - tons of early game details

- the choices you make will effect not just you
- the game starts with a vortex swallowing up Flynn
- he awakens in a city covered in flames
- another voice instructs Flynn to run over
- a figure talks about fighting and then says that, now that Flynn has arrived, he can take form
- the figure is Walter, one of the samurai in Shin Megami Tensei IV
- Flynn is whisked away to a desert-like area
- a stone head and another glowing entity lie ahead
- a voice says “Good, now I can take shape, too. I prayed and waited longing for the day you would come.”
- this ends up being the voice of Jonathan, who has the opposite vibe of Walter
- Jonathan say, “The two of us are going to make a world where the peace we know today lasts forever.”
- a blurry image of a girl comes into view
- this girl asks Flynn to revive her
- then Flynn is back in the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado
- Isshachar greets Flynn and talks about the Gauntlet Rite
- features event scenes similar to Fire Emblem: Awakening
- event scenes have added zooming effects
- explore the Eastern Kingdom of Mikado through menus similar to Devil Survivor or Etrian Odyssey
- residents in Mikado are split into two classes—the Luxuror and Casualry
- visit the Casualry residences or head straight to Aquila Plaza to begin the Gauntlet Rite
- when Isshachar and Flynn arrive, another person is going through the ceremony
- this person fails to become a samurai and complains that the rite is just for show anyway
- camera then switches to a first-person view as Flynn walks towards Hope
- Flynn has a choice to extend his arm out to see if the Gauntlet accepts him
- if you choose not to, the ceremony head will grab your arm and force you into the gauntlet
- the first dungeon is Naraku the Hall of Flame
- L and R shoulder buttons control the camera
- use the analog stick to move around
- dungeons have objects to interact with, like points Flynn can jump from and tunnels to crawl under
- these have contextual controls like pressing up to leap and down to crawl
- enemies appear on-screen
- press Y to swing your sword and strike demons before a battle begins
- the sword tip has to hit the cuboid demon figure
- if this doesn't happen, the enemy team gets the first strike
- press turn system rewards ally demons and enemies with an extra attack if they hit you with a weak point
- “smirk” is a buff you get after exploiting weaknesses a couple of times in a row
- a smirking demon gives that demon a guaranteed critical hit on their next turn
- this means they also get an extra press turn
- monsters in the first dungeon like the Griffon can attack twice
- you don’t start out with a healing spell
- Flynn can learn new skills through the Whisper system
- when demons level up, they can pass skills down to Flynn
- pick and choose skills like Bufu and Dia if you can add Napaea the nymph in your party
- negotiate to get demons to join your party
- each conversation has three options
- sometimes you have to give demons items to convince them to join your party
- sometimes poor negotiations can result in an entire demon party to attack you
- if you talk to a demon that you already have in your party, you can end a fight right there and possibly get an item as a gift
- you can also run from enemy encounters
- Mikado has barracks you can rest at and recover your party for free
- there's also a blacksmith that sells weapons, and an expensive item shop
- the first dungeon boss is a pink entity that turns into the Disaster Horde, an army of reaper-like figures
- use Revival Beads to bring party members back to life
- needle shot attack has a 3D blood splattering effect
- special spell effects are more prominent
- Zan wraps an enemy in a tornado
- Bufu freezes the screen
- defeat the Disaster Horde to obtain an item that proves Flynn worthy of being a samurai
- Jonathan and Walter are also vying for the same item
- Hope congratulates Flynn on retrieving the item

Link