I just "dealt" with the Black Samurai, and have been doing the challenge quests and gathering fusion fodder. I still haven't managed to streetpass anyone far enough (or not lazy enough) to have a DDS demon set up. I am enjoying the hell out of this one but after Nocturne, it has seemed a bit easy.

The difficulty in the beginning (due to limited skill slots, demon roster, etc.) is putting off a lot of people, but I'm glad most powered on and managed to get to the good stuff. It's still a difficult game, but for different reasons than Nocturne did. I think for every bit that we've denounced was making it "too easy" (visible encounters, skill inherit selection) they've added alternate dimensions of difficulty (near-absent defense stat, scaled damage, enemy Smirking).

Not really deriding it. I just have Tetrakarn on like 5 or 6 demons from messing about with fusion.
I find the visible encounters make it harder for me actually. They have a tendency to spawn in well lit areas becoming near invisible or around corners, leading to more ambushes than I'd like. Though that is really my fault and not the game's.
The challenge quest to fight David killed me a bunch, and Minotaur was a bit rough, but since then I haven't had much problem.
I love the horde mechanic, as it gives you a different style of encounter than the find a hole and punch it style of combat that every game in the series has. Single target abilities usually do squat to them so you have to use field clearing spells. Making your money off of relics is fantastic and reminded me of when I beta tested IMAGINE for North America. The only thing I loathe about it in my region is the day one PAY dlc. Sure they gave you a few freebies, but they pumped out over $10 worth of extras in the first week alone. Plus in Canada at least one of the dowloads was listed as free but actually cost around $2. These things aside, It feels the same with enough different to make it stand out on its own. I am still hoping to find a few of my favorites from the past and I really wanna fuse up Demonee-Ho! when I hit level 75.

We should trade then. Mine's 2578-3378-1538.

I'll be picking it up soon, though reminds me I still gotta finish the Soul Hackers remake. Can find my code at 4554-0800-6173.

On that note, you looking forward to the crossover?

Added! Will go log this thing on to a Wifi hotspot later.

I'm pretty much "oh, okay, neat" about SMTxFE until we know more, but if the producer's saying things like "I imagined a Pegasus dropping in from the sky onto a Shinjuku rooftop" I'm sure it'll be wild.