<s>
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Atlus	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
,	O
the	O
central	O
series	O
of	O
the	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
franchise	O
,	O
though	O
no	O
direct	O
story	O
connection	O
exists	O
to	O
previous	O
entries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
is	O
reminiscent	O
of	O
previous	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
games	O
,	O
carrying	O
over	O
the	O
turn-based	O
Press	O
Turn	O
battle	O
system	O
,	O
where	O
players	O
and	O
enemies	O
fight	O
and	O
exploit	O
weaknesses	O
,	O
allowing	O
either	O
side	O
to	O
gain	O
additional	O
turns	O
or	O
lose	O
them	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
began	O
after	O
the	O
completion	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
:	I-Application
Strange	I-Application
Journey	I-Application
,	O
with	O
the	O
team	O
deciding	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
fourth	O
numbered	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
based	O
on	O
fan	O
requests	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
intended	O
to	O
evoke	O
the	O
style	O
and	O
feeling	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
puts	O
the	O
player	O
in	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
samurai	O
Flynn	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
battle	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
Flynn	O
and	O
three	O
demons	O
,	O
with	O
one	O
AI-controlled	O
human	O
support	O
character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
battle	O
,	O
both	O
player	O
and	O
enemy	O
actions	O
are	O
governed	O
by	O
the	O
turn-based	O
Press	O
Turn	O
System	O
,	O
a	O
battle	O
system	O
carried	O
over	O
from	O
previous	O
entries	O
in	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
 '	O
StreetPass	O
system	O
,	O
players	O
can	O
trade	O
demons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
world	O
separate	O
from	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
games	O
,	O
even	O
though	O
recurring	O
demons	O
and	O
abilities	O
are	O
present	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
His	O
default	O
name	O
is	O
:	O
as	O
with	O
previous	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
player	O
characters	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
a	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
,	O
with	O
his	O
actions	O
and	O
attitudes	O
determined	O
by	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
important	O
characters	O
include	O
,	O
Flynn	O
's	O
AI	B-Application
assistant	O
;	O
,	O
a	O
powerful	O
demon	O
from	O
Tokyo	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
a	O
former	O
childhood	O
friend	O
of	O
Flynn	O
's	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
begins	O
with	O
Flynn	O
and	O
his	O
friend	O
Issachar	O
traveling	O
to	O
Mikado	O
Castle	O
to	O
undergo	O
a	O
test	O
as	O
to	O
whether	O
they	O
are	O
worthy	O
of	O
becoming	O
Samurai	O
,	O
the	O
guardians	O
of	O
Mikado	O
who	O
both	O
confront	O
and	O
control	O
demons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
new	O
Samurai	O
prentices	O
receive	O
electronic	O
gauntlets	O
containing	O
A.I.s	O
:	O
Flynn	O
's	O
A.I.	B-Application
,	O
Burroughs	O
,	O
supports	O
him	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
advice	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
began	O
around	O
August	O
2009	O
,	O
after	O
development	O
had	O
finished	O
on	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
:	I-Application
Strange	I-Application
Journey	I-Application
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Device
DS	I-Device
,	O
and	O
lasted	O
for	O
three	O
and	O
a	O
half	O
years	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
listening	O
to	O
fan	O
demand	O
,	O
Atlus	O
decided	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
fourth	O
numbered	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
subseries	O
,	O
something	O
not	O
seen	O
in	O
Japan	O
since	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
Nocturne	I-Application
in	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
reason	O
for	O
the	O
ten-year	O
gap	O
between	O
III	O
and	O
IV	O
was	O
that	O
the	O
company	O
had	O
made	O
other	O
successful	O
titles	O
,	O
and	O
had	O
not	O
had	O
the	O
time	O
to	O
develop	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
planned	O
from	O
an	O
early	O
stage	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
to	O
be	O
on	O
a	O
portable	O
platform	O
for	O
reasons	O
of	O
player	O
convenience	O
;	O
it	O
was	O
originally	O
planned	O
to	O
be	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Device
DS	I-Device
using	O
the	O
Strange	O
Journey	O
engine	O
,	O
but	O
eventually	O
development	O
was	O
moved	O
to	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
led	O
to	O
the	O
decision	O
to	O
use	O
a	O
different	O
engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
development	O
team	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
dubbed	O
Team	O
Maniacs	O
,	O
included	O
both	O
staff	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
previous	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
titles	O
and	O
newer	O
staff	O
who	O
had	O
not	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
an	O
example	O
of	O
this	O
,	O
game	O
director	O
Kazuyuki	O
Yamai	O
said	O
that	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
staff	O
would	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
contemporary	O
games	O
featuring	O
"	O
sweet	O
"	O
female	O
characters	O
who	O
"	O
say	O
nice	O
things	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
a	O
result	O
would	O
want	O
to	O
add	O
that	O
"	O
sweetness	O
"	O
to	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
;	O
meanwhile	O
,	O
Yamai	O
saw	O
the	O
series	O
as	O
having	O
"	O
bitter	O
"	O
content	O
,	O
and	O
thought	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
not	O
be	O
possible	O
to	O
add	O
"	O
sweetness	O
"	O
to	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Additionally	O
,	O
the	O
staff	O
members	O
had	O
differing	O
images	O
of	O
the	O
meaning	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
;	O
Yamai	O
thought	O
that	O
the	O
good	O
points	O
of	O
each	O
staff	O
member	O
's	O
interpretation	O
should	O
go	O
into	O
the	O
aspects	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
they	O
were	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
,	O
while	O
not	O
deviating	O
from	O
the	O
"	O
bitterness	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
concept	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
punk	O
feeling	O
the	O
original	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
was	O
emulating	O
when	O
it	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Strange	O
Journeys	O
dungeon	O
traversal	O
had	O
been	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
"	O
old-school	O
Megami	B-Application
Tensei	I-Application
"	O
,	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
was	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
similar	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Nocturne	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Press	O
Turn	O
battle	O
system	O
,	O
first	O
introduced	O
in	O
Nocturne	B-Application
,	O
was	O
given	O
an	O
overhaul	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gameplay	O
difficulty	O
was	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
adjustable	O
to	O
tempt	O
new	O
players	O
to	O
try	O
out	O
the	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
series	O
,	O
which	O
had	O
gained	O
a	O
reputation	O
for	O
having	O
a	O
high	O
difficulty	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eiji	O
Ishida	O
,	O
who	O
worked	O
on	O
Nocturne	B-Application
and	O
Strange	O
Journey	O
,	O
acted	O
as	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
art	O
director	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Doi	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
series	O
before	O
as	O
an	O
environment	O
designer	O
for	O
Nocturne	B-Application
,	O
but	O
this	O
was	O
his	O
first	O
time	O
as	O
a	O
character	O
designer	O
for	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Burroughs	O
(	O
an	O
evolution	O
of	O
the	O
AI	B-Application
companion	O
from	O
Strange	O
Journey	O
)	O
,	O
Isabeau	O
and	O
other	O
female	O
characters	O
were	O
also	O
designed	O
to	O
be	O
strong-willed	O
and	O
have	O
a	O
strong	O
physique	O
,	O
being	O
based	O
on	O
"	O
strong	O
female	O
archetypes	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Their	O
battle	O
stances	O
and	O
the	O
handles	O
of	O
their	O
katanas	O
were	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
Jedi	B-Application
of	O
the	O
Star	B-Application
Wars	I-Application
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
demon	O
designs	O
were	O
handled	O
by	O
multiple	O
designers	O
,	O
including	O
Doi	O
,	O
Keita	O
Amemiya	O
,	O
Yoshihiro	O
Nishimura	O
and	O
Kyouma	O
Aki	O
;	O
as	O
Yamai	O
liked	O
Super	O
Sentai	O
and	O
Kamen	O
Rider	O
,	O
and	O
aimed	O
to	O
have	O
some	O
demons	O
matching	O
Kaneko	O
's	O
designs	O
and	O
some	O
inspired	O
by	O
the	O
Ultraman	B-Application
series	O
,	O
several	O
of	O
the	O
chosen	O
demon	O
designers	O
were	O
tokusatsu	O
artists	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
music	O
to	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
was	O
composed	O
and	O
arranged	O
primarily	O
by	O
Ryota	O
Kozuka	O
,	O
with	O
additional	O
compositions	O
by	O
Kenichi	O
Tsuchiya	O
and	O
Toshiki	O
Konishi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Motifs	O
from	O
earlier	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
games	O
were	O
also	O
incorporated	O
to	O
add	O
an	O
air	O
of	O
familiarity	O
for	O
fans	O
of	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
release	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
the	O
game	O
topped	O
the	O
weekly	O
chart	O
with	O
sales	O
of	O
188,562	O
copies	O
,	O
overtaking	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
3	I-Operating_System
exclusive	O
Kamen	B-Application
Rider	I-Application
:	I-Application
Battride	I-Application
War	I-Application
(	O
2nd	O
)	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
PS3	I-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
Resident	B-Application
Evil	I-Application
:	I-Application
Revelations	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
later	O
assessment	O
,	O
this	O
was	O
cited	O
as	O
Atlus	O
 '	O
second	O
best-selling	O
title	O
in	O
recent	O
history	O
,	O
just	O
4000	O
units	O
behind	O
the	O
debut	O
sales	O
of	O
Persona	B-Application
4	I-Application
in	O
2008	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
follow-up	O
game	O
,	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Apocalypse	I-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
in	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
special	O
physical	O
edition	O
titled	O
Double	O
Hero	O
Pack	O
,	O
that	O
contains	O
both	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
games	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
2018	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
