I used the same IGN guide! I blew through Lucifer's Palace in hopes of finishing the game and then he thwomped me again and again and again, so I went back and spent some time grinding and fusing better demons. The Palace was a good place for that at least.
The demons were great in SMT IV. I loved reading the little descriptions of them and finding out where they came from and what people believed about them. I thought the story was interesting but some of the endgame stuff was really cool, like the other Tokyos and the White. I wish that stuff would have happened sooner and gotten more story time.
As a counterpoint, I spent 71 hours on it (which is still long, I know, but not unusual for an RPG). I don't know if James is more patient than I am or just more stubborn lol but when I didn't know where to go next (or if I did but didn't know where that was on the terrible map) I just looked up the next location. Saved me hours of aimless wandering.
I'd suggest checking out The Red Star for the PS2. It's a shooter/brawler hybrid that's very reminiscent of Treasure (high praise if you ask me). It's a great co-op game.
I didn't get a 360 till Christmas of 2010 and a PS3 till a year later, so for me this gen has lots of life left in it.
From what I've heard from others, sounds like the story is better in the first one and the combat mechanics are better in the second. Guess I'll find out 
For November, though, you need to get turned into a turkey or something. I definitely want to hear that story lol
This movie definitely did not wuss out trying to get a PG-13. It didn't need the trappings that often go with R and so they weren't added. It's a good movie. I'd love to hear your thoughts after seeing it.
I can't give you number off the top of my head, but I don't think it's terribly big. You at least gotta try the demo.
The destruction some of those guns can do is amazing. This is definitely a fun game; you just gotta play it in small spurts.
