Shin Megami Tensei IV Final looks so good in this new trailer I'm going to get off my butt and finally start playing the first SMT IV in early 2016

So, one of my great gaming regrets of the last few years is buying Shin Megami Tensei IV as soon as I was able and then failing to even pull it out of its packaging until now.

Mark my words, though: I'm going to do my best to change that shortly after I return from vacation.

What prompted this turnaround? To be honest, I've been thinking about finally starting the game for a while now, but the thing that pushed me over the edge was watching the new Shin Megami Tensei IV Final trailer that can be seen below.



Hopefully I'll be able to finish, or at least put a good dent in, the original Shin Megami Tensei IV before Final is released in my neck of the woods--assuming it's actually released outside of Japan, of course.

How about all of you? Are you excited about the possibility of experiencing this Shin Megami Tensei IV follow-up at some point in 2016?

Also, have any of you played the first version of Shin Megami Tensei IV? If so, what did you think about it?

I think I'm finally free of New Leaf's grasp

And all it took was the "triple combo" of Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale, the just-released Bravely Default demo and the four new-ish 3DS StreetPass Mii Plaza games.

Of course, I was heading down this path--to not checking in on my two Animal Crossing: New Leaf towns every single day, at least for a few minutes--before I nabbed all of the above from the 3DS eShop, but I'm not sure I would've done so as quickly as I have without their "help."

Illustration by leav

All that said, it's possible I'll slip back into my old, nasty ways once I've beaten both Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale and the Bravely Default demo, but I'm going to do my best to keep that from happening--mainly by booting up a few of the games I picked up in 2013 but have yet to actually play.

A couple of examples: Airu de Puzzle (PSP), Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (3DS) and Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS). And then there are a few older games that I've wanted to sink my teeth into for some time, like Contact (DS), Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon (Wii), Opoona (Wii) and Touch Detective (DS).

There's also the Feb. 7 release of Bravely Default to consider--because once that sucker's in my hands I probably won't even think of playing anything else until I've beaten it. (Assuming I don't falter at the very end like I did with its predecessor, Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light.)

Anyway, all of this is just a really long-winded way of saying, "I'm finally free of New Leaf's grasp!"

I'm not entirely sure why I feel the need to share that here, but rather than overanalyze why that may be let's just celebrate the fact that it means I'll be playing--and, as a result, blogging about--a lot more games in the next six or so months than I did in the preceding ones.

Five games I'm going to start playing (or get back to playing) as soon as my obsession with Animal Crossing: New Leaf fades a bit

It's no secret (or it shouldn't be, at least) that I've been a bit obsessed with Animal Crossing: New Leaf since it hit North American store shelves just over two months ago. In fact, I've played little else these last few weeks.

Although I have no idea when that obsession will fade, I'm fully prepared for when it does thanks to the following list, which details the five games I'm going start playing or, in some cases, get back to playing as soon as my heart yearns for something other than a little New Leaf action.

1. Attack of the Friday Monsters! A Tokyo Tale--I've been hot to play this 3DS eShop title (see screenshot below) ever since the Japanese version was announced many moons ago. Those feelings only intensified when it was miraculously brought to North America. I hear it's a pretty brief experience, but that's OK with me--as long as it's as enjoyable as everyone (the guys over at tinycartridge.com, especially) says it is.



2. Black Rock Shooter--This curious-looking PSP game (below) landed in my lap shortly after its release, but I've yet to even boot it up. That's kind of the story of my gaming life these days, isn't it? Anyway, my neighbor (of sorts--we both live in the same Seattle 'hood), Brad Gallaway of the Drinking CoffeeCola blog, swears it's a worthwhile endeavor, so I'm determined to give it a go before this year is out.



3. EarthBound--Sometimes I think it's just not meant to be with me and this SNES classic. I mean, I've started it on at least three separate occasions, but I've yet to see its credit roll. That has nothing to do with me disliking the game, by the way; on the contrary, I love every aspect of it. For whatever reason, though, I've always been pulled away from it partway through the adventure. Don't worry, I'm going to do whatever I can to buck that trend when I return to last playthrough in the next couple of weeks.

4. Shin Megami Tensei IV--This poor 3DS game has been staring at me since it arrived on my doorstep a few weeks ago. That's because I have it sitting on my desk--in part to serve as a reminder that I have to get off my ass and play it. Sadly, all it's done so far is make me feel guilty that I've ignored it for so long. If what I've read about it so far (about its difficulty) is any indication, though, I have a feeling it'll savor the sweet taste of revenge in the end.



5. Xenoblade Chronicles--I was a little apprehensive about adding this much-ballyhooed Wii RPG (above) to this list, I have to admit. Although I enjoyed what I played of it late last year, there was something about the gameplay that just didn't sit well with me. Will those feelings fade away and allow me to make some real headway when and if I return to it sometime soon? I certainly hope so.

I have to note that I'm also planning to get back to playing THE "DENPA" MEN 2 once I've put Animal Crossing: New Leaf to bed (or at least convinced it to take a bit of a nap). I've put a good 17 hours into it so far, but I have a feeling I've got many hours to go if I want to see its ending.

With all that said, are any of you in the same boat as I am, spending all your gaming time with New Leaf and basically leaving everything else to rot on the vine? Even if you aren't feel free to share which games you are playing at the moment in the comments section below.

Am I a bad person if I buy Shin Megami Tensei IV and not Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers?

The thing is, I originally planned to buy both of these Atlus-made RPGs.

That was before the Great 3DS Game Flood of 2013 occurred, though--a rather long-lasting flood that's already swept Etrian Odyssey IV, Fire Emblem: Awakening, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed into my path and will soon add Animal Crossing: New Leaf to the growing pile of rubble at my feet.

Because I've only sunk a few hours into Fire Emblem: Awakening and Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed and I've yet to even stick Etrian Odyssey IV or Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon into my 3DS, I've decided to pass on Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers, which will be released throughout North America on April 16, for the time being.

I won't be passing on the just-announced-for-North-American-release Shin Megami Tensei IV, though--despite the fact that publisher Atlus USA will be shipping it sometime this summer (apparently with a premium-sized price tag attached to it).

Full disclosure: I've never played a mainline Shin Megami Tensei title (as opposed to spin-offs like the Persona games), so I'm a bit nervous that I'll be thrown into the deep end with this release, but I'm going to give it the old college try anyway.

Are any of you similarly stoked by this announcement? If so, have you played any of the previous entries in the series, or will this be your first time at the Shin Megami Tensei rodeo, too?

(Via tinycartridge.com)

Sorry, but I don't have a one-word reaction to share RE: yesterday's Nintendo Direct

I do have a few words to say about it, though--if anyone's interested in hearing them.

This latest Nintendo Direct broadcast, which focused on third-party 3DS games, began with Satoru Iwata showing some new footage of Tomodachi Collection: New Life, the sequel to a Japan-only DS life sim that's sold more than three million copies to date.

I don't know about you, but Iwata had me hooked at the get-go thanks to his Famicom-themed room.



The question is: will the game, which will be released in Japan on April 18, do what its predecessor did not and make its way westward? I hope so, although I have my doubts.

Iwata then went on to discuss a number of upcoming third-party games, some of which I'm interested in and some of which I'm not, including Level-5's Professor Layton and the Legacy of Super Civilization A (aka Professor Layton and the Azran Legacies) and Youkai Watch, Success' Touch Detective: Funghi's Big Breed (a match-three spin-off of the company's Touch Detective series) and Namco Bandai's Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission and Super Robot Wars UX.

Far more intriguing to me was the news that Level-5's Guild 02 compilation will now be released digitally rather than via retail. That said, only one of the Guild 02 titles really intrigued me, with that title being Spaceship Damray, a "suspense adventure" that's being developed by game designer Asano Kazuya and novelist Takemaru Abiko.

Atlus' Shin Megami Tensei IV and Capcom's Monster Hunter 4 wrapped up this installment of Nintendo Direct, and both looked pretty great to these presser-weary (after Sony's PS4 event of a few days ago) eyes.



I've been on the Shin Megami Tensei IV hype train since it was first announced, of course, but I haven't always had such a favorable impression of Monster Hunter 4 (or any Monster Hunter game, for that matter), so it'll be interesting to see if I follow through and buy the series' latest entry should it be released here in North America.

I have to admit that I was hoping a few new 3DS games--like a Final Fantasy V remake using Bravely Default's engine--would be announced during this broadcast, but I guess it wasn't meant to be.

Maybe next time, Nintendo?

Hey, Atlus USA: It's about time you made a few 3DS game announcements, don't you think?

Specifically, I'd love for you to announce North American release dates for Etrian Odyssey IV, Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers and Shin Megami Tensei IV.

Of course, Shin Megami Tensei IV has yet to receive even a Japanese release date, so it's unlikely North American gamers are going to get a release date for our region anytime soon.

An announcement that the game will, indeed, be brought to our shores at some point (hopefully next year) shouldn't be out of the question, though, don't you think?

Speaking of Shin Megami Tensei IV, Atlus' Japanese arm released a new, rather gorgeous trailer of the game yesterday morning. Here it is:



Doesn't it look divine?

I have to say, the first thought that popped into my head while watching the trailer above was, "Man, this would look great on the 3DS XL."

As such, I really hope Nintendo of America lets it be known soon that it'll be bringing the PINKxWHITE 3DS LL to our shores later this year or early next.

(Via tinycartridge.com)