Can someone explain the structure of the game? And recommend a guide for missables/outcomes?

[RAWRmonger]

By this I mean: I believe there's a choice you make early on (path of creation/vengeance) and then there are the choices that affect alignment. But it's not quite clear to me.

Also, what is the best guide that details missables and quest outcome rewards? I heard there were some timed missions, and sometimes we can decide which demon to side with which affects the rewards.

[Chrisme]

For precise information just check the steam guide section really.

When starting the game you must choose whether to take the girl's hand or not. As you already noted taking her hand means that you started path of vengeance. Otherwise you play the default game. I'm no expert but people often say that path of vengeance is all around better (an improved version of the original game) even though you only get two possible endings instead of four.

Alignment decides the ending you get. In general it's pretty obvious when an alignment choice takes place when progressing the main story. You don't get to choose very often. It's usually about maintaining the current order / protecting humanity or voicing a preference for chaos and individuality. There are a couple of guides on these alignment choices and endings.

There are some optional side-quests that also count as a minor alignment choice. These too are pretty obvious. On the first map for example you get to choose between helping helping a communist water spirit who collects sheepish followers or a vampire promoting self-improvement and darwinism. At any time during these quests you can still choose to help the other side instead. These quests reward you with the demon you helped. The other one can still be obtained, just a little bit later and you have to get it via combining demons.

The game always warns you about quests that are available only for a certain time. You miss out by doing these specific quests too late, so just do them the moment you get them and you will have no problem. For example there is a quest about an abducted student. Obviously you have to do the quest soon because the game cannot pretend that this task is still available after progressing the main story further. It wouldn't make sense that he is still in this predicament later on.

You can still miss out on some dialogues at times. It's not always obvious where the main story progresses next so you might trigger it before having finished all the content in your current area yet. I don't know if you can miss out on anything important this way but I think it's mostly just flavour stuff.

In short: just play the game, it's not like you must read a guide aforehand unless you really want to spoil everything for yourself to obtain a specific ending.

[Arifufu]

this game mean to be played 7 playthrough, just enjoy the game.

[Mistie]

The side you choose when meeting demons who ask to get rid of another demon. They simply affect your karma, that is, law/chaos.

If you play the canon of creation (don't take the girls hand), in fact, it doesn't play such a big role, because in this line everything depends only on the final choice of which of the 3 sides you will stand on.

But if you are already playing the canon of vengeance (take the girls hand), then this will already determine the ending. That is, if you behave well, if possible, do not kill and spare and do not behave like an a**, the game will go in the direction of the law = good ending. And also take the side of good demons like Apsaras and Kresnik.

If you kill all the demons instead of sparing them and choose the sides of evil demons like Kudlak and Adramelech, then this leads to the ending of chaos, although it is difficult to call it an evil ending, rather an ending of pure chaos and start everything from scratch.

[Argonisgema]

Originally posted by Mistie:

The side you choose when meeting demons who ask to get rid of another demon. They simply affect your karma, that is, law/chaos.

If you play the canon of creation (don't take the girls hand), in fact, it doesn't play such a big role, because in this line everything depends only on the final choice of which of the 3 sides you will stand on.

But if you are already playing the canon of retribution (take the girls hand), then this will already determine the ending. That is, if you behave well, if possible, do not kill and spare and do not behave like an a**, the game will go in the direction of the law = good ending. And also take the side of good demons like Apsaras and Kresnik.

If you kill all the demons instead of sparing them and choose the sides of evil demons like Kudlak and Adramelech, then this leads to the ending of chaos, although it is difficult to call it an evil ending, rather an ending of pure chaos and start everything from scratch.

As choices go in this game the chaotic choices don't seem as bad in this game then say SMT4A where in that game all the chaotic choices just amount to you acting like a straight up jerk.
In 5 from what i see its more along the lines of "i disagree with this idea"
and then everyone else is like "Based"

[Mistie]

Originally posted by Argonisgema:

Originally posted by Mistie:

The side you choose when meeting demons who ask to get rid of another demon. They simply affect your karma, that is, law/chaos.

If you play the canon of creation (don't take the girls hand), in fact, it doesn't play such a big role, because in this line everything depends only on the final choice of which of the 3 sides you will stand on.

But if you are already playing the canon of retribution (take the girls hand), then this will already determine the ending. That is, if you behave well, if possible, do not kill and spare and do not behave like an a**, the game will go in the direction of the law = good ending. And also take the side of good demons like Apsaras and Kresnik.

If you kill all the demons instead of sparing them and choose the sides of evil demons like Kudlak and Adramelech, then this leads to the ending of chaos, although it is difficult to call it an evil ending, rather an ending of pure chaos and start everything from scratch.

As choices go in this game the chaotic choices don't seem as bad in this game then say SMT4A where in that game all the chaotic choices just amount to you acting like a straight up jerk.
In 5 from what i see its more along the lines of "i disagree with this idea"
and then everyone else is like "Based"

If you mean story dialog choices, yes. It's not like they're bad or something. But there's also side quest and some moments can be really savage. Like game offering me to kill someone for fish... Fish really? This a new level of stupidity making a reason to kill someone for fish.

Or eating golden apple because i'm a mortal human and all mortal humans want to be immortal and live forever. I feal disgusting in this kinda moments.

I was more pissed when someone in the game judge me for not killing someone for fish. Good thing game have pleasurable moments to make up for the negatives in the game, my absolute favorite moment was meeting Muu Shuwuu because she's so damn cute. She's the light in the darkness of this game.

[Argonisgema]

Originally posted by Mistie:

Originally posted by Argonisgema:

As choices go in this game the chaotic choices don't seem as bad in this game then say SMT4A where in that game all the chaotic choices just amount to you acting like a straight up jerk.
In 5 from what i see its more along the lines of "i disagree with this idea"
and then everyone else is like "Based"

If you mean story dialog choices, yes. It's not like they're bad or something. But there's also side quest and some moments can be really savage. Like game offering me to kill someone for fish... Fish really? This a new level of stupidity making a reason to kill someone for fish.

Or eating golden apple because i'm a mortal human and all mortal humans want to be immortal and live forever. I feal Disgusting in this kinda moments.

I don't really see that as being on the same level as jerkness as 4A.
the fish thing is part of a quest that you take but you can totally not do it after fight who you need.
The apple part kind of just comes out of nowhere and again isn't really much of a jerk reaction and even idun doesn't really blame you for wanting to eat one after the fact.

So you feel disgusted for something even Idun herself doesn't really care about.

[Mistie]

Originally posted by Argonisgema:

Originally posted by Mistie:

If you mean story dialog choices, yes. It's not like they're bad or something. But there's also side quest and some moments can be really savage. Like game offering me to kill someone for fish... Fish really? This a new level of stupidity making a reason to kill someone for fish.

Or eating golden apple because i'm a mortal human and all mortal humans want to be immortal and live forever. I feal Disgusting in this kinda moments.

I don't really see that as being on the same level as jerkness as 4A.
the fish thing is part of a quest that you take but you can totally not do it after fight who you need.
The apple part kind of just comes out of nowhere and again isn't really much of a jerk reaction and even idun doesn't really blame you for wanting to eat one after the fact.

So you feel disgusted for something even Idun herself doesn't really care about.

Actually, yes.

[RAWRmonger]

I'm going for the Canon of Creation first and try to make a "complete" save within what's possible. I'll go for the True Neutral ending. It's what looks like the most canon for SMT series to me.

I'll chose demons depending on which one I want on my team.

Then I'll play Canon of Vengance, and also do the same. IDK what path I'll choose yet.

Then I'll play the other endings more casually later on and do the achievements. Problem is my time is limited, so I'd rather focus on the important parts.