Shin Megami Tensei IV cover art

Shin Megami Tensei IV

Handheld SMT where smirk RNG stings but fusion planning and weakness knowledge carry you.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION1 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE5 /10OPTIMIZATION9 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    1/10

    Menu combat with no execution ceiling.

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Demon negotiation is random personality scripts.

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    5/10

    Smirk procs and negotiation RNG swing fights hard.

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    9/10

    Fusion apps, weakness charts, and builds solve the game.

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Loop Hero cover art

Loop Hero

Pure Optimization · deckbuilding autobattler

E
R
V
O
Loop Hero
Diablo II cover art

Diablo II

Pure Optimization · action RPG

E
R
V
O
Diablo II
Fallout 2 cover art

Fallout 2

Pure Optimization · isometric RPG

E
R
V
O
Fallout 2
Vampire Survivors cover art

Vampire Survivors

Pure Optimization · survivor-like autoshooter

E
R
V
O
Vampire Survivors
Baldur's Gate cover art

Baldur's Gate

Pure Optimization · classic CRPG

E
R
V
O
Baldur's Gate
Persona 4 cover art

Persona 4

Pure Optimization · social sim JRPG

E
R
V
O
Persona 4

Game details

Released
2013
Developer
Atlus
Franchise
Megami Tensei
Platforms
3DS
Modes
Single player
IGDB critics
86/100
IGDB users
80/100
Role-playing (RPG)Turn-based strategy (TBS)AdventureFantasyScience fictionHorror