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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 
RECOMMENDED SPINOFFS:
These are what I’d call my REAL recommended entry points, especially if you’re intimidated by the difficulty of SMT or if you’re coming in from Persona. They have elements that I’d recommend to anyone, but they’re also great transition points into mainline.
These are what I’d call my REAL recommended entry points, especially if you’re intimidated by the difficulty of SMT or if you’re coming in from Persona. They have elements that I’d recommend to anyone, but they’re also great transition points into mainline.
DIGITAL DEVIL SAGA 1 & 2
Tribes of heavily armed fighters fight in a world called the Junkyard for the right to ascend to Nirvana. When they suddenly gain the power to turn into cannibalistic demons, everything changes.
Tribes of heavily armed fighters fight in a world called the Junkyard for the right to ascend to Nirvana. When they suddenly gain the power to turn into cannibalistic demons, everything changes.
The DDS duology are extremely good games, but I ESPECIALLY recommend them if you’re coming in from Persona, as they were written by the same writer as the Persona 2 duology. They also end up tackling the standard SMT themes in some surprising ways!
DEVIL SURVIVOR
You and your friends are suddenly trapped within Tokyo by the Japanese military after demons appear within the city. You have seven days to prevent the deaths of everyone in the city. Can you survive?
You and your friends are suddenly trapped within Tokyo by the Japanese military after demons appear within the city. You have seven days to prevent the deaths of everyone in the city. Can you survive?
Devil Survivor is MY personal favorite entry on this list, and like DDS, it’s an EXCELLENT transition point from Persona. I would call it SMT-lite in terms of its writing, as it takes a lot of the mainline games’ themes and makes them very digestible.
However, Devil Survivor (and its sequel) are also STRATEGY RPGS, which can make or break your experience with the game. I know as many people who love it as I do people who hate it because of that. It’s also all about time management.
As a final note: play the 3DS version. While the voice acting can be iffy, the gameplay improvements and the 8th Day epilogues for some routes greatly improve the experience over the DS version.
DEVIL SURVIVOR 2
The more well known sequel to Devil Survivor. Strange, alien creatures called the Septentriones attack Japan, and it’s up to you and a sketchy government organization to fight them off. Ends up going in places surprisingly close to Nocturne.
The more well known sequel to Devil Survivor. Strange, alien creatures called the Septentriones attack Japan, and it’s up to you and a sketchy government organization to fight them off. Ends up going in places surprisingly close to Nocturne.
DeSu2 is all about its characters, down to having a Persona-style social link system. It’s also completely unrelated to the greater SMT multiverse, so don’t worry about missing any DEEP LORE playing this one.
Like the first game, it’s all about time management too. The 3DS version also has an extra scenario that is a whole separate game in of itself, along with voice acting and a touched up translation.
INTERESTING SPINOFFS:
These are games that I wouldn’t recommend as your first game for one reason or another, but you should DEFINITELY check them out at some point regardless.
These are games that I wouldn’t recommend as your first game for one reason or another, but you should DEFINITELY check them out at some point regardless.
DEVIL SUMMONER: RAIDOU KUZUNOHA
A duology of ACTION RPGs for the PS2 that feature the titular Raidou Kuzunoha being a demon summoning detective. I don’t recommend them for their gameplay, because Devil May Cry they are not, but there’s some really fun writing here.
A duology of ACTION RPGs for the PS2 that feature the titular Raidou Kuzunoha being a demon summoning detective. I don’t recommend them for their gameplay, because Devil May Cry they are not, but there’s some really fun writing here.
Also, if you’re a lore fiend: these games mark the point where Persona splits off from the greater SMT timeline! The Devil Summoner games, SMT if, and Persona all take place in the same timeline!
SOUL HACKERS:
Tl;dr: You are a demon summoning hacker in THE 21ST CENTURY... as envisioned in the mid 90s. This is a game that is best enjoyed if you RELISH in anachronisms. It’s also a great way to transition into older SMT from newer ones since it has a lot of that jank.
Tl;dr: You are a demon summoning hacker in THE 21ST CENTURY... as envisioned in the mid 90s. This is a game that is best enjoyed if you RELISH in anachronisms. It’s also a great way to transition into older SMT from newer ones since it has a lot of that jank.
Those are all of the points that I think are worth checking out as a newbie to SMT! There’s a LOT to dive into here, but if you know what kind of RPGs you like, you’ll definitely find something for yourself in here. Try something out! You might have fun!
