Shin Megami Tensei if... is the third and final SMT game on the SNES and considered to be the third mainline title in the series.
Unlike SMT 1 and SMT 2, the game features a smaller-scale story that takes place in a school setting and a place called The Expanse, where you go through several dungeons named after the seven deadly sins, like the World of Pride, Gluttony and Sloth, which is where I eventually abandoned this game. (There are additional areas you unlock through a NG+ route). Still, I have some thoughts here as someone who did manage to finish SMT 1 and SMT 2 (and enjoyed both), so here goes.
SMT if... is a game that I'm glad exists. It features a school setting for the first time, and it introduces the Guardian system, which are special demons given to aid you. You get your first when you die the first time and they change each additional time you perish. Both of these points are what became common in the now much more popular Persona series, a series that includes some of my favorite games of all time. That said, nothing else you will be familiar with is included in this game, apart from the combat and demon-fusing gameplay of course, meaning no in-depth character interactions, social bonds etc.
And that's OK. This is an SMT game after all. What I wanted from this game, just like the previous two, was an addictive gameplay loop, a depressing atmosphere in hostile environments, an interesting plot filled to the brim with symbolism and metaphors and overall, enjoyable enough dungeon crawling. If you really liked SMT 1 and/or 2, SMT if... has a lot of the same features that will appeal to you. That said, for the 8 or so hours I played this, it features less plot and, as mentioned, less high-stake plot, to pull you along. Worst yet, it features some horrific dungeons, namely the World of Sloth, which I quickly learned was something the community unanimously agreed on. The dungeon is a test of endurance in the worst way, a test I did not pass, and I'd imagine the majority of you will feel similarly. If you, however, are someone who loves to suffer, I invite you to take a shot at it yourself.
OVERALL | 72/100 ⭐⭐⭐
SMT if... is the precursor to the Persona series as I mentioned, so it did more than even the developers would have probably thought at the time, because other than that, it doesn't really bring the series forward in a meaningful way. It plays like a worse SMT 2 for the most part, and it even has a lot of the same tracks and of course the same mechanics and visuals. There is a route you can choose for a NG+ playthrough which actually introduces completely new dungeons and songs, which after reading up on it, sounds pretty interesting, but I'm not going to force myself through one normal run to experience it.
Finally, to those of you who still want to check it out, I recommend the Reiko route, which based on the story synopsis for the routes available at the start, seems to offer the most content.
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