First Impression Review

Let’s get straight to what I think the most important point of this game, before I explain it:

If you are looking for a good graphic and effects MMORPG, this game is definitely not for you.  But if you are looking for features, you can CONSIDER this game to play.

When I enter the game for the first time, my first impression is that this game wasn’t made to satisfy your eyes and hungers for good graphics, or colorfull environment, or even a great effects and animation.  This game just want to carry on their licensing title power where they succeed at console game.  Given the current technology, I was dissapointed at how they present the game at online level.  Believe me, I am not a great graphic game demanding player.  For me, graphic is not everything.  Yes, they will influence my opinion about the game, but it is not the main point of value.  I play some brower based game, and some of them are completely text based.  I also still playing 2D game online game.  And I even re-play some SNES RPG.  But still I am dissapointed at how they bring this game online.  For me, Shin Megami Tensei (SMT) Online really lack of polish.  You don’t have to bring the best graphic out there to your game, but for at least I really want to see that the game is well prepared, including the polish.

Since I’m a fan of Shin Megami Tensei series, especially persona, I really expect them to bring for at least the latest graphic and polish level as I see in the console.  But well, I guess, the game is merely just a “realliving project” since their release in Japan 2007.  That’s why Cave doesn’t emphasize more on their graphics and polish.  And that’s where my dissapointment lies.

                                                    Imagine                                                                                 Persona 4

However, for all of you who love the Megami Tensei series system, you can cheer up because they bring all the good stuff of the system to online.  Although the persona system is not implemented in here, the way you treated your demon, may give a different response and interaction in the future.

For all of you who haven’t got a chance to play Megami Tensei series, basically this series allow you to recruit demon that you encounter during your mission and adventure.  Later you can fuse these demons that you’ve recruited to become a more powerfull demon.  The result of these fusions may vary according to your existing alignment and skill of demons.  So even though you have demons with same name, but different skill, the result of the fusions can be different.  And all of that features apply in Imagine.  Imagine also give you chances to explore on how you recruit your demons.  You can either persuade them or even threat them and later they will be demon that entitled being slaved by you.  Each of your recruited demon, has their own level, stat abilities, and skill.  People who love pet features in any online games would fine this feature very attractive as they can have more than one demon to be recruited.

Imagine doesn’t apply a click based only attack mode.  Because fighting will be different from time to time, depending on what demons that you face.  Some of them would need you to counter, some of them just need a regular combo attack, some of them are really weak againts certain elements of magics, while some of them would be fun to be recruited.  All of that action, combo attack, threat or persuade, counter, and magic, can be placed on action shortcut like all other online game.  So, for people who get bored on how the same click to attack mode in most of today online game, try this game.  It will give you different feelings on playing games (although I heard that Mabinogi also a non click based only attack mode game).

The stat of your character is not a predetermined mode, you can customized which attributed to be raised during your level up.  The skill also has a vast range to choose.  So you will mostly meet a different build of character during your encounter with other players.

Overall, this game can be a good alternative for people who seek a different set of game environment, or to Megaten series fan who just want to see the series features being brought online.  As for me, the lack of polish and no relatively new additional features compare to the console, has made me consider not to put this title in my favourites list of online game.  This is not the kind of Megami Tensei series that I ever Imagine to be online.