Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

The forces of chaos clash with those of order, now in beautiful HD, in Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster. A PS2 classic, this JRPG with dark themes is revered by fans as the best in its franchise, and it’s still easy to see why. A strong plot and complex characters are just some of the elements that make this game feel special.

Featuring the series usual battle system, the gameplay of Nocturne might actually be one of the game’s downsides. However, that doesn’t mean that Nocturne’s gameplay is awful – quite the contrary, actually.

Devils and Spirits

The Shin Megami Tensei series is massively popular in Japan for its dark themes and interesting character designs. The plot of Nocturne takes place in modern-day Tokyo, where your character lives as a normal student.

However, after a cult unleashes a cataclysmic event, you’re transformed into the Demi-fiend, a sort of demonic entity with the power to either save the world or enslave it.

At its core, Nocturne HD plays very much like the original: a turn-based RPG based on systematically exploiting the enemies’ weaknesses. Sure, beating the demons can be lots of fun, but, as the Demi-fiend, you can also enlist their help. The demon recruitment system is a unique element of the Megami Tensei series, and it’s the core concept that differentiates it from its cousin, the Persona series.

If you’ve never played a Megami Tensei game, but are familiar with Persona 5, many characters in Nocturne HD will be familiar to you. Many of the “Personas” in the other games are actually demons from the Megami Tensei series, and their skills are similar between the two series.

3D Models and Otherworldly Battles

Nocturne was one of the first Megami Tensei titles to use entirely 3D models rather than character sprites for the demons. Each enemy and boss is fully 3D-rendered, and their character models are true to their drawn counterparts.

Unlike many other games in the series (like the popular Shin Megami Tensei IV,) the player character is also visible during battles. This has no effect on the gameplay, but it’s certainly cool to be able to see your character instead of the first-person view of other Megami Tensei games.

Unfortunately, the gameplay is still a bit slow, especially when compared to other JRPGs in the same style. Enemy encounters quickly devolve into exploiting the enemies’ weaknesses, spamming whatever elemental attack is most effective. While this might not sound like much of a deal, enemies also take advantage of this, using their strongest attacks against your party with tedious repetition.

HD Remastered

The new HD Remaster includes an array of visual improvements to bring SMT III Nocturne to the new generation of consoles. Featuring visuals in crisp HD, this is a worthy upgrade over the PS2 original.

Aside from the higher resolution, the HD Remaster also includes two new difficulty modes to appear to a larger audience. For those looking to experience the story without much hassle, the Merciful difficulty will be right up their alley. Additional content like Raidou Kuzunoha and Dante from the Devil May Cry series also return in this remaster, making it the ultimate way to enjoy this devilishly fun RPG.

Pros:

• Interesting plot
• Well-written characters
• Excellent HD upgrade

Cons:

• Combat can get repetitive