Just wanted to chime in and say i'm glad you played SMT4. I definitely agree with you regarding the paths and the endings, but I still loved the game. Like you, I also really liked being thrown into Tokyo after going through all of Naraku. It was really special. I also think the world map was a little too clunky, especially compared to Nocturne.
The series is weird for me, since I usually really focus on an RPGs plot; but with the mainline SMT games (and spinoffs), i just find the gameplay (and the fusion, if available, just like you said) so satisfying and well-done that I am okay with flawed or more simple plots. The press-turn system is so fun because it's fair for the player and fair for the enemies since they will take advantage of your weakness(es) and exploit them just like you would to them.
My favorite game in the SMT universe is SMT3:Nocturne on ps2. It's the only rpg I have played that made me feel as satisfied as when I played Chrono Trigger and FF6 (my favorite rpgs). The gameplay is the same, the music is sublime (go listen to some), the world is fantastic, the game is aesthetically gorgeous and still looks good to this day, and the game has wonderful dungeons (something I found very lacking in SMT4). Unfortunately, like Nocturne, story is not as satisfying as the world/gameplay. Also, fusion is not as refined as it is in SMT4 (understandable since Nocturne is from 2003). If you have a ps2, you really should play it.
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