PlayStation 2 era JRPG Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne was a landmark entry in its series in a multitude of ways. For one, it changed the franchise's then stalwart first-person perspective to third-person, helping to bring the somewhat niche series into the modern-day. It was also the Shin Megami Tensei franchise's first mainline entry to be released in the West, opening the door for more SMT and Persona, the popular spinoff of the SMT franchise.
Atlus is commemorating the nearly 20-year-old game by bringing it to modern consoles. Much of what Nocturne offers is based on the original Western release, which was actually an upgraded version of the Japanese release. Here's everything gamers should know about the HD Remaster's pending release.
The Story of Shin Megami Tensei III
As a remaster, the game's story remains completely unchanged from the original release and is in a separate continuity from the first two SMT titles. Nocturne takes place in a modern Tokyo that has been engulfed in a sphere after the world was remade in an event called The Conception, brought about by the disastrous actions of a maniacal cult. The result is a post-apocalyptic city filled with demons; there are also Reasons who hold god-like power and seek to remake the world again. The Reasons are opposed by none other than Lucifer himself, with the factions warring over humanity's remains.
The protagonist is a nameless, silent "Demi-fiend" that's joined by a few other survivors of the Conception, including his former teacher and colleagues. He possesses many demonic powers of his own, owing to his inhuman appearance when using these abilities. The Demi-fiend and his allies stand in the middle of the war between the Reasons and Lucifer, determining Tokyo's future and the world at large by who they ally themselves with. Like in previous Shin Megami Tensei titles, the player's choices affect the game's outcome, offering several different endings depending on the player's moral allegiance. Though the presence of demons evokes the series' traditional inversions of Judeo-Christian concepts, Nocturne also adds Gnostic and Buddhist concepts as well.
Gameplay
Nocturne is a third-person, turn-based RPG, though the game is traversed via a 2D world map. There, the players can interact with NPCs. Likewise, the battle-oriented gameplay is encountered in the three-dimensional dungeons, where random battles against hordes of demons ensue. These battles employ normal turn-based rules, with the player attacking their enemies or healing their team during their turns and the opposing demons doing the same during theirs. The player can also equip Magatama outside of battle, which gives them new skills and abilities and create different effects in the heat of battle.
As is the norm for the series, the player can also recruit demons to join their party. This is done via negotiation, which doesn't always work. It involves bribing the demons with items or answering correctly to their random philosophical questions. Demons can also be obtained by fusing them at a cathedral. This mechanic initially earned Shin Megami Tensei a reputation as "Pokémon in hell" when released in the West.
Release Date
The game's HD remaster was announced back in July 2020. It will be based on the original version's Maniax Cut, which added voice acting, a new dungeon and a new ending. It also added a new character in the form of Dante from the Devil May Cry series, who fit right in with all the demon-slaying. Dante will be available via DLC for the HD Remaster, while the base game allows players to play as Raidou Kuzunoha from the Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner spinoffs. It will also contain an additional, easier difficulty made with modern gamers in mind.
Nocturne released in Asian last October, but Western players will have to wait a few more months when it releases for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows on May 25, 2021. The base game will cost gamers $50, but the Digital Deluxe Edition is $70, contains all of the DLC and release four days earlier.