Shin Megami Tensei IV *SPOILERS ABOUND*

Well that explains Navarre at least.

Frankly, I don't mind- Anyone who calls something unique about some group Filth is someone whose opinion is shit.

Can someone explain the DEMONIC GENE again? You'd think something that can turn the "chosen" into demons would be counterproductive to the Archangels' plans...

It was to strengthen their bodies inside the cocoons to make the chosen worthy.

Huh, so they swiped some of the opposition's magic to do that or something? Not So Different indeed...

Well no matter how hard they insist angels are still demons.

Also it was likely a means to root out the filth by having them take a form befitting their sin.

This game's worldbuilding sounds really awesome despite the mixed reception the story's been getting. It sounds like it explains a lot.

Well some of it is mentioned in the artbook and Abdiel brought up only angel dna could achieve the results humans wanted in DEMONIC GENE. IVF just explains in more detail.

And by the way, when I say "mixed" I don't mean it as euphemism for "lower end of middling" like movie reviews do; from the few English speakers that have played it I've seen reactions ranging from "Blows Vanilla completely and utterly out of the water" to "A disgrace to the main series that is a spinoff in all but name."

Say, another question about the Gauntlet reveal... if that's the explanation, then how does that explain why few Casualries and few women are ever picked? Both of these are stated in Vanilla.

Because there's also the explanation given by Demonoid NPC that willpower is required to use it in Infernal Tokyo. Most Casualries are sheep afterall.

So genetics and willpower are required.

edited 16th Jul '16 8:44:50 PM by OmegaRadiance

Ah, yeah, I knew about the willpower explanation, I was curious if the genetics one was an attempt to retcon/override that one.

With 1500 years of descendants there should be enough people who can become Samurai and have the willpower necessary to use it.

Do we know for sure that all the main characters are of Tokyoite stock, then, or were some just strong-willed enough Mikadoites?

We know Flynn, Isabeau, and Jonathan are.

Jon even calls Flynn common stock on Neutral. Ironically Walter is the only one we don't for sure.

I wonder which Navarre is? If he's a Tokyoite he'd probably be killed deader than he already is by a heart attack.

I checked the artbook and here's the entry that specifically mentions this:

So those three are of Tokyoite descent, I don't remember if Isabeau is.

edited 16th Jul '16 9:12:42 PM by Nouct

Considering the Manga=Unclean comment and Merkabah blatanly lying about saving them on Neutral likely not.

Those three are the alignment heroes. Isabeau's the tagalong girl as Burroughs is the heroine.

edited 16th Jul '16 9:15:33 PM by OmegaRadiance

Isabeau is a Neutral Hero, a relatively new archetype that began with Gore.

She's not. Isabeau is just a girl unimportant and unrelated to the cycle of reincarnation. She's Neutral but she is not an Alignment Hero. A very distinct difference.

Especially when IVF/A comes around where the entire party is different shades of Neutral.

In fact due to Hope itself being Flynn you could even say he's the Neutral Hero when he chooses Neutral as Spite and Goodwill support Hope.

edited 16th Jul '16 9:42:27 PM by OmegaRadiance

Nah, she's definitely the neutral hero of Shin Megami Tensei 4.

Ironically for a game with strong themes of hope, the character named Hope is an ineffectual puppet propped up as a pseudo-Big Good (and painfully aware of it).

If there's symbolism there I'm not sure what it is.

And Hugo turns him into a demon in Apocalypse.

Never hope for anything?

If I were to hazard a guess I'd say that it's a reference to Mikado's nature as a False Utopia - the gallant Knight in Shining Armor Big Good whose name is literally "Hope" is plainly dancing on the strings of the Obviously Evil church.