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SO YOU WANT TO PLAY A REAL SHIN MEGOOMI TENSEI GAME: A THREAD
Shin Megami Tensei is an old, very influential RPG series that a lot of people chiefly know because it spun off into the Persona series.
Shin Megami Tensei is an old, very influential RPG series that a lot of people chiefly know because it spun off into the Persona series.
With Nocturne and SMTV both coming out for Switch next year, I feel like now is a great time for people to try and break into the series as a whole. However, it’s also a very OLD series, and I could not in good conscience tell people to start at SMT1. Hence the thread!
The main themes of SMT tend to carry through in every game, though some games don’t include every element. There’s almost always a conflict between the forces of Law and Chaos, people who summon and control demons through technology, and heavy philosophical theming.
There’s two main points of entry to consider here: mainline games and spinoffs. Mainline games are the numbered entries (including Nocturne), while spinoffs are everything else.
Mainline games tend to be VERY gameplay heavy and atmospheric. How much you enjoy the gameplay will make or break your experience with mainline SMT.
Spinoffs tend to be more like the usual RPG experience, with more character focus and a story-based experience.
Spinoffs tend to be more like the usual RPG experience, with more character focus and a story-based experience.
I don’t think there’s any shame in preferring the experience of the spinoffs to the mainline SMT games. However, I think it’s also important to understand the series’ roots, too. At the very least, consider watching an LP of them!
RECOMMENDED MAINLINE GAMES:
When it comes to these, there are two points that I think it’s good for newbies to get in with: The SMT4 duology and, despite everything, Nocturne.
When it comes to these, there are two points that I think it’s good for newbies to get in with: The SMT4 duology and, despite everything, Nocturne.
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI: NOCTURNE (PS2, soon PS4 and Switch)
The one everyone’s talking about. Nocturne starts with the world being destroyed and the survivors looking to shape the world that comes after in their own image.
This game is infamous for being ballbusteringly hard.
The one everyone’s talking about. Nocturne starts with the world being destroyed and the survivors looking to shape the world that comes after in their own image.
This game is infamous for being ballbusteringly hard.
Nocturne is not MY personal recommended entry point in the release that currently exists, due to its difficulty. HOWEVER the upcoming HD version will have an easy difficulty option, which makes it much more accessible
THERE IS NO SHAME IN PICKING THE EASY DIFFICULTY IN NOCTURNE.
THERE IS NO SHAME IN PICKING THE EASY DIFFICULTY IN NOCTURNE.
Gameplay-wise, Nocturne is where the gameplay system that modern Persona and most of the turn-based spinoffs use comes from.
Play Nocturne if you want to understand the hype and see some GORGEOUS environment design. However, it’s the least story focused entry on the list.
Play Nocturne if you want to understand the hype and see some GORGEOUS environment design. However, it’s the least story focused entry on the list.
SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI IV (AND APOCALYPSE)
The latest entries in the franchise. These two games form a weird duology (Apocalypse is an AU/sequel of IV I think???) so they go together.
The latest entries in the franchise. These two games form a weird duology (Apocalypse is an AU/sequel of IV I think???) so they go together.
Loose premise of IV: You’re a “samurai” from a feudalistic kingdom. Demons keep coming from the dungeon underneath the kingdom. Then some lady in a power suit shows up and bad stuff happens! And then Tokyo! Why? Find out!
Pros:
- Probably the most accessible of the mainline games, since it’s both on a console most people can play and isn’t as ball bustingly hard as other games.
- Much more plot and character focused compared to Nocturne.
- Probably the most accessible of the mainline games, since it’s both on a console most people can play and isn’t as ball bustingly hard as other games.
- Much more plot and character focused compared to Nocturne.
Cons:
- There’s a lot of guest artists who worked on IV, and most of the guest designs are baaaaaad. Lucifer is a standout if you’re familiar with his usual design.
- Presentation is much less pretty than Nocturne due to being on the 3DS.
- There’s a lot of guest artists who worked on IV, and most of the guest designs are baaaaaad. Lucifer is a standout if you’re familiar with his usual design.
- Presentation is much less pretty than Nocturne due to being on the 3DS.
I’d say play SMT IV if you’re interested in a mainline experience and prefer more story-based RPGs. As a note, while SMT IV is not AS hard as Nocturne, I wouldn’t call it an easy game either.
Mainline Entries I do not recommend for beginners:
- SMT1&2:
The OG games (assuming we’re not counting Megami Tensei, because who ever does tbh). English patches for the SNES versions of these exist, but they have a LOT of archaic game design choices. Watch an LP.
- SMT1&2:
The OG games (assuming we’re not counting Megami Tensei, because who ever does tbh). English patches for the SNES versions of these exist, but they have a LOT of archaic game design choices. Watch an LP.
- Strange Journey:
The game that was supposed to be SMT IV but wasn’t. It’s incredibly difficult. Harder than Nocturne in places, imo. On top of it, its endings all suck. Redux has an easy mode, voice acting, and new endings if you REALLY want to play it, though.
The game that was supposed to be SMT IV but wasn’t. It’s incredibly difficult. Harder than Nocturne in places, imo. On top of it, its endings all suck. Redux has an easy mode, voice acting, and new endings if you REALLY want to play it, though.
I’ll come back to this thread with my personal spinoff recommendations in a bit, I’m out of time to type 
