Shin Megami Tensei

[arylonthedancer]

I recently purchaseard Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne, and I am rather psyched to get it started. I think it is going to be a great game. The story is very intriguing, and the battle/gameplay system seems to be very creative. The music rocks as well. It looks kind of like a Castlevania/Devil May Cry/Pokemon RPG hybrid. What do you guys think about this title?

[Camanche]

Personally, I'm quite close to the end and I think it's a great game if one is into the darker mature things. It's not for the impatient though, some of the dungeons can be slightly repetitive and tedious, but all its pro's definately make up for this. Not to mention the story, character and demon designs rock!

[Necronopticous]

Everyone raves about the story and I honestly can't understand why. I played this game for a few hours and just couldn't take anymore. The dialogue was incredibly unbelievable as well as everyone's reaction to their situations. If the world ends (okay gets turned into a donut shape) at the hands of a demonic cult and you get turned into a demon usually your reaction would not be "cool I have powerzz!!"

I couldn't stand the idea of my party members being recruited demons with no personality or purpose. "Slightly repetitive" is a vast understatement of how dull recurring even the first few hours of the game was. I can't remember when I actually said to myself "Okay, nothing this game can do can redeem itself now" but I think it was soon after I fought the demon that looked like a big stingray that said something like "I don't like ya face, I'm gonna mess ya up!"

The game is nothing like Castlevania or Devil May Cry. Pokemon similarities stop at the simple fact that you recruit demons like you would catch pokemon. Pokemon was much more inspired than Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne will ever hope to be.

At least, that's how I feel about the game. I'm sure it's a great game, not my style at all.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

The Megami Tensei games, with all their demon-recruiting aspects, were around years and years before Pokémon. I'm just sayin'.

[Camanche]

Everyone raves about the story and I honestly can't understand why. I played this game for a few hours and just couldn't take anymore.

Well the thing about the story is it takes longer to develop. And if what you said about your first few hours only being in the medical centre, then I don't imagine you could have learned next to anything that would develop the story any farther.

I'm assuming the biggest turnoff in this game is that it takes time and effort. It's not a FF where the dungeons are rather simplistic. The dungeons are reminicent of older games where you are the protagonist, there is a lot of dungeon crawling, and whatever happens to the character is supposed to be what's happening to you.


If the world ends (okay gets turned into a donut shape) at the hands of a demonic cult and you get turned into a demon usually your reaction would not be "cool I have powerzz!!"

I don't really remember any reaction like that from anyone in the game, but I haven't played the beginning in a while.

The reason you don't really get a reaction from the protagonist is that your reactions are supposed to be the protagonist reactions. This game is old-fashioned in many of it's concepts. Most RPG players are used to taking control of a main character who already has their own personality, thoughts, beliefs and actions. We are simply along for the ride and make minor decisions along the way when it comes to how the main character feels.

With Nocturne, this is not the case. As strange as it sounds, this game is meant to make you feel like that is you wandering around in the Vortex world, with the power to decide what it should be reborn as, based on what YOU believe is right.

I can understand how young teenage guys from our side of the hemisphere might have problems identifying with a non-descript, thin Japanese avatar of themselves, but it Japan, I think the character probably served it's purpose well, which helped make the game a big hit.


At least, that's how I feel about the game. I'm sure it's a great game, not my style at all.

Yeah, that's about it overall. It's a game that some will love to death, and a game others will not be able to stand because it's very different, and appeals to a certain crowd. I feel this game is misunderstood a lot because of some of it's old-fashioned concepts of dungeon crawling and harder-than-normal difficulty, but it still won't appeal to some, even after they understand these things. :cool:

[Behold the Void]

I figured I should revive this before it's time expires and it vanishes into obscurity than to make a new one.

I just got this game today, and started playing it. It seems interesting, although I must say that the scarcity of savepoints is somewhat irritating. It seems like an interesting game, I remember a game by the name of Revelations: Demon Slayer in which you recruited demons on your party, just like in this game. I liked that aspect a lot, and am glad to see it has returned to this game.

[Camanche]

If you are in the first "dungeon", the hospital, I believe their are only two, maybe three, savepoints. After that, in other areas, they seem to be more frequent. I found that after working my way through the hospital, their seemed to be fewer savepoints there because it was out-of-the-way to move about to get to another one.

How far are you, Behold the Void? I'm getting near the end of the last dungeon and have absolutely loved the game so far. I'm a bit of a perfectionist though, and am trying to get all the demons, and get a party that can defeat the "Maniacs version" final, final boss.

Also, how do you like the game so far? If you like this game, Digital Devil Saga, by Atlus, is coming out sometime in March and looks excellent as well. It seems to have a lot more focus on characterization than Nocturne does, which I think is a plus. That was one of my only real complaints on the game.

[cloud20747]

Isn't this the game that features Devil May Cry's Dante as a enemie or friend depending on your actions?

[The New Kid]

Isn't this the game that features Devil May Cry's Dante as a enemie or friend depending on your actions?

Yes, it is.

I've been meaning to rent this game for some time. I may get around to it next weekend.

[Camanche]

Well I don't see how that's a spoiler, considering it's announced in advertisments, and on the games box, so I'll talk about it freely.

Dante is kinda of either- but still both- good and evil to your hero. To avoid anything that COULD be a spoiler though, just think about his "role" or "occupation" or "title" in his original series of games, and then think of what the creatures of Nocturne's world are. (Including your Hero)

[Behold the Void]

I'm not too far into the game right now. I'm in Ginza at the moment, trying to obtain the money so that the guy will let me move on.

[Camanche]

That guy? Do you mean Loki?

[Behold the Void]

No not Loki, the Mannequin. I just got brutally violated by Matador, I need to get some good demons that aren't weak to Matador's magic.

[Camanche]

Oh, oh! In that tunnel? The Great Underpass of Ginza? I thought you meant just Ginza.

Yeah, Matador is a real pain the first time around, especially if you're not expecting him. I just kind of ran around in circles and leveled up for a while. :spin:

[Behold the Void]

About what level were you when you took him on? I've been considering leveling up to 20 so I can get some good fusions.

[TidaRalique]

level 20+ is around the level I took him on at, and it made it a little easier. He has no weaknesses, so equiping a magatama that allows you to absorb Force will make life easier, as well as being able to reduce his dodge. Then it's all relying on Media and Physical attacks.

eh just what I did, though

[Behold the Void]

Where do you get the null Force Metagama?

[TidaRalique]

You can purchase it from the junk shop located in the Great Underpass.

[Camanche]

Personally, I leveled up until my hero was around level 24. I don't think level 24 was necessary, I only leveled up that much so I could get one of my demons to 'evolve' into Nozuchi, who was very helpful for the fight.

[Behold the Void]

I haven't had much time to play recently, but I think I will try leveling up and getting the Metagama (I'm broke at the moment). Then I can move on. It's a really interesting game, if not depressing.

[Camanche]

It's a really interesting game, if not depressing.

Heh, nice way of putting it. It's indeed a really dark game. I think that's one of the reasons I love it. The depression part of it (especially anything involving the manikins, those poor guys...) really helps add to the depth of the entire world. Damn though, the manikins are depressing. Geez, look what you've gone and reminded me of... ;)

[Behold the Void]

Although the flamboyantly gay one that runs the junk shop is somewhat amusing I must say.

[Camanche]

*Laughs* I always make sure to select the 'Talk' option whenever I get to another one of his shops. That always produces some disturbingly amusing dialogue.

Though it also makes me wonder something. The only manikins that exist, exist because they were created by the strong emotions some human souls left behind after the conception. (eg Futomimi was created from a psychotic killer's deep down desire for love and kindness, Sakahagi was created by a business man's burning hate, rage, and thirst for revenge.) So, if all manikins can exist because of some strong emotion they are based off of in order to come into life in the Vortex World, exactly WHAT strong emotion is the Flamboyantly Gay Manikin created from? :confused:

[Behold the Void]

An uber gay rights activist perhaps?

[Camanche]

Heh, to me, I got more of a pedophile impression to him. (Other than the obviously gay one.) But then again, we don't really know what age the Hero is, so it could be, um, legitimate propositions he offers....:shifty:
...and good God, I'm getting off this topic RIGHT NOW.:yuck:

[Behold the Void]

I recall hearing that there's another game from this series that's coming to America. Have you heard anything of it?

[Camanche]

Well there's Digital Devil Saga, that's going to be released sometime between March 8th and the beginning of April if they don't change the release date again.

If you want to see some stuff on it I'd download some trailers at http://www.gametrailers.com/gamepage.php?id=326 and the "official tralier" from the games website. http://www.atlus.com/dds/

(I love the official one, it has an awesome song to it by Etro Anime that's going to be in the game hopefully.) Watch out for the trailers listed as "cinemas" at www.gametrailers.com though, they have some spoilers. :p

Even though when it comes over here it will say "Shin Megami Tensei" on the box, I don't believe that DDS is not an official part of the SMT series like Nocturne is. (They slapped the SMT name on DDS for name recognition in NA. DDS is a spinoff of the original SMT series, like how Persona was. DDA was originally called Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner, not SMT: DDS, but meh, technicallity, stil lthe same game.) I believe Nocturne is actually number III in the SMT series, so I have no idea if they are bringing any of the earlier SMT games over here, but hopefully they will bring number IV and everything after from the series.

DDS is a more traditional RPG and not as much of a dungeon crawler as Nocturne was, while still having all of the style and substance that the original SMT series seemes to have.

[Behold the Void]

Do they follow the same basic premise or are they different?

[Camanche]

Same basic premise? I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that, but I'll have to answer that, more or less, no, it does not.

The stories of the game are completely different and unrelated. It's like the Final Fantasy series. Each game is from the same series, but overall, they are completely different, with a few things in common. (Moogles, Chocobos.) Nocturne and DDS both have random encounters against the same types of demons, but no, they are completely different RPG's that share a similar artwork and story style (dark, etc.)
(I've also heard they use a lot of the same demons from Nocturne, but I could be wrong on that one, I don't really know. And you don't recruit demons in DDS, you have actual characters in your party.)

I believe there are branching endings as well, but I could be wrong. Since the game hasn't been released yet, I cant tell you that, for sure, the games are completely unrelated except in mechanics and enemy demon designs, so we'll just have to wait until it's released I guess.

I know one reason I think this game looks a bit more promising than Nocturne is because it's not as linear on the story, and is more focused on the characters and what not instead of the gameplay.

[Behold the Void]

Well, it does sound good.

But by premise I meant post-apocalyptic demonic. I see the demon element is still there though.

Have you ever played the old gameboy color game Revelations: Demon Slayer? I remember owning it a long time ago and you recruited demons onto your team by talking to them. I think this was a Shin Megami game but I'm not sure.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

"Digital Devil Saga" has been appearing in the games' titles since the very first one, preceding the "Shin Megami Tensei" label, so I wouldn't exactly call it a spin-off.

Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible and Last Bible II were released on the GameBoy in '92 and '93. Then they were rereleased for the GameBoy Color in '99, but only the first one was brought to America--apparently handled by the same team that gave Persona its abominable translation, since it was renamed Revelation: The Demon Slayer.

[Camanche]

DDS has been in the games titles? I had no idea, I thought it was the other way around, SMT being the 'main', staple series, and DDS being a recent 'spin-off' if you will. Well, learn something new everyday. My mistake. Sorry for misinforming you, Behold the Void.

And if that's what you meant by the same basic premise, then yeah, DDS does have the whole post-apocalyptic demonic thing going on.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

I just saw an ad for Avatar Tuner in the latest issue of OPM. The logo says "Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga," but strangely, it still says "Avatar Tuner" below that in katakana. So, they didn't translate that part of the title, but they didn't exactly bother to remove it, either. Crazy.

[Camanche]

Yeah, that's what I heard. That it was originally "Avatar Tuner", but they tacked the SMT name on it. I wouldn't know that they didn't remove the "Avatar Tuner" in Japanese, because unfortunately, I can't read a lick of it. :p

[Behold the Void]

I did enjoy Revelation: The Demon Slayer quite a bit. No wonder I've been enjoying Shin Megami. It's good to see that more are coming over, it's a good series, I think.