A samurai, an army of demons, and a kingdom hanging over the abyss.

On few votes, the profile already has character. For a desert island pick, this SMT IV climbs ahead of 79% of games, and its soundtrack goes even higher, ahead of 89% of titles, a fine score to confirm on two duels. Fun in hand follows, ahead of 71%. Only attachment stays right in the middle, as if people respect the game without quite holding it close. No big contradiction, more a coherence: a dense RPG you take for the length and the music, a little less for the intimate bond.

In the Atlus galaxy, SMT is the dark, demanding wing, far from the comfort of Persona. A punishing turn-based JRPG, more cerebral than cuddly. You feel it here, the head shows up, the heart stays a notch behind.

So, who is it for? You, if you love tough Japanese RPGs, soundtracks that stick, long deep dives. Much less if you want characters to latch onto right away, here attachment is earned slowly.