Aeria Games has been working on a new game based off the popular console series about a post-apocolyptic Tokyo, where after a cataclismic incident that unleashes demons unto the world, now the Human population has begun to dwindle, and demons have begun to run amok.

But of course, there's always some good guys, right? Of course, that's where us, the players, come in. Currently in closed beta-testing, I have been able to get some insight into the game's mechanics, and I have to say, this is quite a great take on the original game, made into a Massively Multiplayer world. You begin the game going through the basic function's learning what buttons do what, where to go, all that. You basically are a beginner Demon Buster, people whom work with demon's they have befriended to thwart the evil demons that are causing terror and chaos. You don't begin with a demon pet, though, for that is for later on in the game, and I won't go into detail how the beginning of it is, because believe me, you will fall in love with the story that they created.

But enough with the story. Let's get into the nitty-gritty, shall we? This plays out with you having the choice, after the tutorial, to choose what kind of class you want to be. Either a close-combat melee type, a long-range gun-wielding type, or a maging type. But that isn't what you are only stuck with, because throughout the whole of the game, you get to choose what you get to do. Let's say you want to be a warrior that has some knowledge of healing or destruction magic. Well, go ahead and start training both of those, if you want. Or maybe you want to be a ranger that is just as deadly close-up, guess what, you can be. The choice is completely up to you, but of course with some points where you can't get any better than you are.

Now for the gameplay, such as combat and demon allies. I'm not going to get too far into detail, because this is just something you have to experience for yourself, but I won't leave it in shades of gray, either. For combat, this game is basically near perfection. You have the ability to fight a numberless amount of enemies, of course, but the thing about it is, each and every one of them, you can make into your own ally, to fight alongside you. This game has been made to seem like the Online version of Pokemon, in some cases. Me, I think that to be far from the truth.

Of course, what would an MMO be without some quests, right? Hehe, well, this game has a very immersive storyline, where from the beginning, the absolute beginning, you are already put into the story, before you have a second to breathe. That's right, just the tutorial, right when you're getting used to the game, you immediately are put into the story. You aren't just there, as is in many other MMO's, which isn't anything to be ashamed about.

So what does all this mean? One great time playing one awesome game, does that fit perfectly well for ya?

Shin Megami Tensei: Imagine Online

Developer: Aeria Games
Genre: Science Fiction Fantasy
Status: Closed Beta-Testing
Platform: PC
Website: http://megaten.aeriagames.com/