<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Apocalypse	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2016	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Atlus	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
,	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
post-apocalyptic	O
alternative	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	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
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
gameplay	O
mechanics	O
from	O
previous	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
releases	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
the	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>
The	O
story	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
an	O
alternate	O
timeline	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
,	O
and	O
focuses	O
on	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hunter	O
Nanashi	O
,	O
a	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
who	O
dies	O
and	O
is	O
resurrected	O
by	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
Dagda	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
began	O
shortly	O
after	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
received	O
generally	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
,	O
who	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
feel	O
and	O
quality	O
of	O
life	O
changes	O
from	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
sold	O
approximately	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
debut	O
sales	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
during	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
still	O
considered	O
successful	O
for	O
a	O
non-numbered	O
series	O
entry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Apocalypse	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hunter	O
Nanashi	O
as	O
they	O
explore	O
locations	O
including	O
a	O
post-apocalyptic	O
Tokyo	O
and	O
the	O
medieval	O
kingdom	O
Mikado	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
setting	O
,	O
most	O
demons	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
a	O
large	O
number	O
of	O
mechanics	O
are	O
carried	O
over	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
predecessor	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
in	O
battle	O
,	O
Nanashi	O
has	O
a	O
party	O
of	O
three	O
demons	B-Operating_System
and	O
a	O
"	O
Partner	O
"	O
,	O
an	O
automated	O
companion	O
with	O
a	O
unique	O
demon	B-Operating_System
roster	O
,	O
giving	O
them	O
a	O
different	O
set	O
of	O
abilities	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>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
fighting	O
demons	B-Operating_System
,	O
they	O
can	O
also	O
be	O
persuaded	O
to	O
join	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
side	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
only	O
way	O
to	O
gather	O
a	O
party	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
does	O
not	O
immediately	O
attack	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
open	O
to	O
negotiation	O
and	O
can	O
be	O
persuaded	O
to	O
join	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
agrees	O
to	O
join	O
but	O
Nanashi	O
's	O
level	O
is	O
too	O
low	O
,	O
another	O
demon	B-Operating_System
is	O
called	O
in	O
to	O
take	O
the	O
first	O
demon	B-Operating_System
's	O
place	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Once	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
party	O
,	O
demons	B-Operating_System
can	O
engage	O
in	O
dialogue	O
,	O
and	O
grant	O
skills	O
and	O
bonuses	O
to	O
Nanashi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Certain	O
abilities	O
also	O
effect	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
's	O
health	O
,	O
magic	O
and	O
elemental	O
resistances	O
,	O
with	O
certain	O
attack	O
types	O
either	O
inflicting	O
penalties	O
or	O
granting	O
additional	O
status	O
buffs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Two	O
or	O
more	O
demons	B-Operating_System
can	O
be	O
fused	O
into	O
a	O
new	O
form	O
,	O
granting	O
new	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Apocalypse	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
2038	O
in	O
Japan	O
,	O
within	O
the	O
same	O
setting	O
as	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Twenty-five	O
years	O
prior	O
,	O
a	O
devastating	O
war	O
was	O
waged	O
between	O
the	O
angels	O
and	O
the	O
armies	O
of	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
it	O
protected	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
resources	O
became	O
progressively	O
scarcer	O
over	O
the	O
following	O
years	O
,	O
while	O
angels	O
and	O
demons	B-Operating_System
ruled	O
over	O
humans	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
incorporates	O
folklore	O
from	O
ancient	O
religions	O
,	O
including	O
deities	O
such	O
as	O
Krishna	O
,	O
Odin	B-Application
,	O
and	O
YHVH	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
is	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hunter	O
cadet	O
Nanashi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
is	O
killed	O
while	O
on	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hunt	O
and	O
he	O
is	O
contacted	O
in	O
the	O
afterlife	O
by	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
Dagda	O
,	O
who	O
offers	O
to	O
restore	O
the	O
protagonist	O
to	O
life	O
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
becoming	O
his	O
"	O
godslayer	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
returned	O
to	O
life	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
manipulated	O
by	O
Dagda	O
and	O
Odin	B-Application
into	O
freeing	O
Krishna	O
from	O
a	O
prison	O
made	O
by	O
YHVH	O
,	O
who	O
forms	O
an	O
alliance	O
of	O
various	O
polytheistic	O
deities	O
called	O
the	O
Divine	O
Powers	O
,	O
for	O
the	O
claimed	O
purpose	O
of	O
saving	O
humanity	O
and	O
opposing	O
Merkabah	O
and	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
storyline	O
takes	O
follows	O
from	O
the	O
beginning	O
of	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
's	O
neutral	O
route	O
:	O
protagonist	O
Flynn	O
and	O
his	O
companion	O
Isabeau	O
have	O
chosen	O
to	O
ally	O
with	O
the	O
people	O
of	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
while	O
Flynn	O
's	O
former	O
companions	O
Jonathan	O
and	O
Walter	O
have	O
respectively	O
become	O
the	O
hosts	O
for	O
Merkabah	O
,	O
leader	O
of	O
God	O
's	O
angelic	O
forces	O
,	O
and	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
,	O
ruler	O
of	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hordes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
post-apocalyptic	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
Nanashi	O
is	O
killed	O
by	O
demons	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
afterlife	O
,	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
named	O
Dagda	O
offers	O
to	O
resurrect	O
him	O
in	O
exchange	O
for	O
his	O
service	O
as	O
a	O
Godslayer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
party	O
then	O
sets	O
out	O
to	O
defeat	O
Merkabah	O
and	O
his	O
angels	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
and	O
his	O
demons	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nanashi	O
has	O
the	O
option	O
of	O
siding	O
with	O
Merkabah	O
,	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
,	O
or	O
humanity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Supporting	O
Merkabah	O
will	O
destroy	O
Tokyo	O
and	O
transform	O
Mikado	O
into	O
the	O
new	O
Kingdom	O
of	O
God	O
,	O
while	O
supporting	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
will	O
destroy	O
Mikado	O
and	O
plunge	O
the	O
world	O
into	O
anarchy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nanashi	O
can	O
lead	O
humanity	O
to	O
victory	O
if	O
he	O
kills	O
both	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
and	O
Merkabah	O
in	O
a	O
massive	O
three-way	O
battle	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
During	O
the	O
celebration	O
afterwards	O
,	O
Flynn	O
murders	O
the	O
surviving	O
Demon	B-Operating_System
Hunters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
reveals	O
himself	O
to	O
be	O
Shesha	O
,	O
reincarnated	O
in	O
Flynn	O
's	O
form	O
,	O
and	O
explains	O
that	O
Krishna	O
faked	O
his	O
own	O
defeat	O
to	O
manipulate	O
the	O
Hunters	O
into	O
eliminating	O
the	O
angels	O
and	O
demons	B-Operating_System
;	O
the	O
real	O
Flynn	O
remains	O
in	O
Krishna	O
's	O
clutches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Afterwards	O
,	O
humanity	O
is	O
finally	O
freed	O
from	O
the	O
gods	O
and	O
a	O
new	O
peace	O
is	O
forged	O
by	O
Tokyo	O
,	O
Mikado	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
demons	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Apocalypse	I-Application
was	O
created	O
as	O
the	O
developers	O
wanted	O
to	O
see	O
what	O
they	O
could	O
do	O
with	O
the	O
characters	O
from	O
IV	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
began	O
after	O
development	O
ended	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
in	O
2013	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
part	O
of	O
their	O
development	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
looked	O
at	O
player	O
feedback	O
with	O
their	O
goal	O
being	O
to	O
make	O
"	O
the	O
number	O
one	O
RPG	O
on	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Satoshi	O
Ohyama	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
as	O
main	O
programmer	O
,	O
was	O
assigned	O
as	O
director	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Demon	B-Operating_System
designs	O
from	O
the	O
previous	O
game	O
were	O
refined	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
characters	O
Medusa	O
,	O
Merkabah	O
and	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
human	O
forms	O
of	O
Merkabah	O
and	O
Lucifer	B-Algorithm
were	O
based	O
around	O
the	O
idea	O
of	O
the	O
monotheistic	O
factions	O
drawing	O
power	O
from	O
human	O
faith	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Tying	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
themes	O
is	O
the	O
fact	O
that	O
the	O
main	O
protagonist	O
comes	O
from	O
a	O
far	O
lower-class	O
,	O
less	O
elite	O
force	O
than	O
the	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
music	O
was	O
handled	O
by	O
composer	O
Ryota	O
Kozuka	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
as	O
composer	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
worked	O
on	O
Apocalypse	O
alongside	O
his	O
work	O
arranging	O
tracks	O
for	O
Persona	B-Application
4	I-Application
:	I-Application
Dancing	I-Application
All	I-Application
Night	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
first	O
teased	O
through	O
the	O
main	O
website	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	O
when	O
a	O
specific	O
hashtag	O
had	O
been	O
forwarded	O
through	O
Twitter	O
15,000	O
times	O
,	O
a	O
rocky	O
surface	O
hiding	O
the	O
title	O
would	O
break	O
and	O
reveal	O
its	O
secret	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Operating_System
3DS	I-Operating_System
in	O
Japan	O
on	O
February	O
10	O
,	O
2016	O
,	O
and	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
September	O
20	O
,	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
:	I-Application
Apocalypse	I-Application
was	O
generally	O
well	O
received	O
by	O
critics	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
sales	O
figures	O
were	O
approximately	O
half	O
of	O
the	O
debut	O
sales	O
for	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
IV	I-Application
,	O
and	O
were	O
noted	O
by	O
Siliconera	O
as	O
a	O
good	O
performance	O
for	O
a	O
Shin	B-Application
Megami	I-Application
Tensei	I-Application
game	O
outside	O
of	O
new	O
,	O
numbered	O
entries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
USGamer	O
Jeremy	O
Parish	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
called	O
it	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
most	O
"	O
uniquely	O
realistic	O
games	O
on	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
Chris	O
Carter	O
writing	O
for	O
Destructoid	O
stated	O
the	O
graphics	O
were	O
"	O
drab	O
"	O
,	O
attributing	O
this	O
to	O
the	O
limitations	O
of	O
the	O
3DS	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kemp	O
for	O
GameSpot	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
"	O
host	O
of	O
improvements	O
to	O
its	O
core	O
gameplay	O
that	O
immensely	O
improves	O
the	O
experience	O
of	O
demon	B-Operating_System
hunting	O
and	O
exploration	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
