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In the history of JRPGs, there have been many that have defined the genre as a whole since many years ago, and with the launch of remakes, remasters, and various gaming services, people get the best chances to play or replay them right now. As long as you have the right console or subscription, you can easily access some of them. To help people out, I gathered together some of the more notable ones easily available. Ranging from rich storylines and deep character development to engaging gameplay mechanics, these are some of the best classic JRPGs you can play on current consoles.

https://youtu.be/wOkScEsyOYQ

Final Fantasy VI 5g6pb

No matter how many years , Final Fantasy VI’s story is still one of the most memorable experiences in gaming. The mix of a world right in the middle of a technological revolution and exquisite pixel sprites make this game worth playing now more than ever. You can find it as part of the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster collection on the PS4, PS5, Switch, PC, and mobile devices.

https://youtu.be/VZC_0ePZwjc

Live A Live 4v294

One of the most groundbreaking games of its era, Live A Live was locked away as a Japan-only title for the Super Famicom until 2022. This game guides you through the point of view of six different protagonists from all points across time and space. The latest HD-2D remake of this iconic game brings all the original’s charm and remarkable storytelling to nowadays consoles. You can find Live A Live on the Switch, PS4, PS5, and PC.

https://youtu.be/4dExeEf0OOk

Tales of Symphonia 5r3l5w

Originally released for the Nintendo Gamecube, Tales of Symphonia set the style for many action-RPGs for years to come. Using a cast of interesting characters, a memorable journey, and an engaging real-time combat system, this game will be in the memory of any player who gives it a try. You can play Tales of Symphonia on the PS2, PS3, PC via Steam, or its official remaster on the Switch, PS4, and Xbox One. Backwards compatibility also means you can play it on the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

https://youtu.be/-5U5nPSKv_Y

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne 5p1c6b

The third mainline entry in the Shin Megami Tensei series has been praised by many because of its difficulty. Moreover, elements like the post-apocalyptic Tokyo setting and the demon negotiation mechanic make it one of the must-haves for anyone looking for an unforgettable experience. In addition, it also features Dante from the Devil May Cry series. You can play Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster on the Switch, PS4, and PC. Backwards compatibility also means you can play it on the PS5.

https://youtu.be/824KOq7crys

Dragon Quest III 2b484k

There’s no complete list of great classic JRPGs without mentioning the one who put the genre on the map. The iconic Dragon Quest series introduced players to the main staples of the JRPG formula such as a customizable party, an interesting fantasy setting, and even the traditional turn-based combat, and the third entry may well be the one that perfected all the elements. You can find the Dragon Quest III port on Nintendo Switch, PS4, and mobile devices. Backwards compatibility also means you can play it on the PS5.

https://youtu.be/WoTFkF88rKs

Kingdom Hearts II li2s

Kingdom Hearts II is considered by many as one of the most important games of the PS2 era. Its unique blend of Final Fantasy and Disney characters mixed with an engaging and complex storyline makes it an unforgettable action RPG. The version you can find currently is a revision by the name of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix as part of the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, and you can play it on the PS4, Xbox One, Switch (via the cloud version), and PC. Backwards compatibility also means you can play it on the PS5 and Xbox Series X.

https://youtu.be/K2XjA9XNosU

Persona 4 Golden 375965

Persona 4 stands out because of its fun and endearing mix of turn-based battles and social simulating segments. This is one of the few games in this list set in a more contemporary period, so it recontextualizes many of the genre staples in very creative ways. Furthermore, the Golden remaster brings additional content that delves more into the already interesting base story. You can immediately play Persona 4 Golden on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.

https://youtu.be/KXQqhRETBeE

Earthbound 35pd

The story of Ness in his journey to save the world from an otherworldly menace is one of the most remarkable classic JRPGs. Although being the inspiration for games such as Undertale, Omori, and countless other titles, Earthbound remained for some years one of the most difficult games to find legally until recently. You can play Earthbound right now on Nintendo Switch via the SNES app with an online subscription or as part of the available collection of games on the SNES mini.

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The Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection will gather a large amount of dungeon-crawling content for players to enjoy when it releases, but Sega and Atlus want to sweeten the pot with some fan service. That fan service is targeted towards those familiar with the Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series, as early purchases of the Etrian Odyssey Origins bundle in Japan will include Persona and SMT character DLC. [Thanks, Dengeki!]

During a February 9, 2023 broadcast about the remastered games, Sega and Atlus revealed that early purchases and pre-orders of the Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection would receive an Atlus Collaboration Adventurer Illustration Pack. This DLC pack will unlock the ability to change the appearance of any party member to one from various Atlus works. The visual customization will feature renderings of characters from Persona, Shin Megami Tensei, and Soul Hackers 2 in the distinctive character style used in Etrian Odyssey.

Each game in the Etrian Odyssey Origins trilogy will have two character art unlocks from the DLC.

• The remastered Etrian Odyssey will unlock character sprites based on Ringo from Soul Hackers 2 and Joker from Persona 5.
• The Etrian Odyssey II: Heroes of Lagaard remaster will unlock sprites based on Demi-fiend from Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne and Teddie from Persona 4.
• The remaster of Etrian Odyssey III: The Drowned City will have character sprites to make an adventurer look like Nahobino from Shin Megami Tensei V or Aigis from Persona 3.

Additionally, early Switch physical editions of the Etrian Odyssey Origins bundle will include a stylus that works on the Switch's touch screen. Since they were DS-based titles, the original Etrian Odyssey games were famous for having players use the handheld's built-in stylus to draw and mark out maps of the dungeons, highlighting threats and ages.

The Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection will launch on the Nintendo Switch and PC on June 1, 2023. The games will also be sold separately.

The post Etrian Odyssey Origins Collection Adds Persona, SMT Costumes appeared first on Siliconera.

Pre-orders finally opened for the much teased SMT III Nocturne Demi-fiend figma figure. In December 2022, it will show up in Japan. Then in February 2023, it will come to North America. It will cost ¥11,000/$109.99.

The reveal also means details about what people get with it. There are two face plates with articulated eyes. One is an emotionless expression. The other is more angry. He also comes with items like the Menorah and effect parts to make it look like he’s using Deadly Fury or Magma Axis. A stand is included with it as well. A number of additional hands are included for preparing various poses.

Here's a full gallery looking at the SMT III Nocturne Demi-fiend figma.
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This is actually a second figure inspired by SMT III Nocturne. Years ago, a Pixie figma appeared too. In addition, a Raidou Kuzunoha XIV figma is on the way. While he's namely from the Devil Summoner series, people might also recognize the character from a SMT III Nocturne appearance.

The SMT III Nocturne Demi-fiend figma figure will come to Japan in December 2022 and North America in February 2023. SMT III Nocturne is available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC.

The post SMT III Nocturne Demi-fiend Figma Figure Will Appear in 2023 appeared first on Siliconera.

The Demi-Fiend from Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne will receive a figma, alongside Raidou Kuzunoha XIV from the Devil Summoner series. The Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne Demi-Fiend figma was originally announced in October 2020, but this is the first time the figma has been shown painted. However, the production of the Raidou figma is an entirely new announcement. The colored version of the Demi-Fiend figma, and the Raidou Kuzunoha figma were announced during WonHobby 35.

Specific details regarding each figma have yet to be revealed. Information regarding a potential price point and release date will come at a later date. Additionally, Good Smile Company only released a "Coming Soon" image of the Raidou figma. A proto-type of the figma should appear in the future.

You can take a look at the painted Demi-Fiend figma and the Raidou figma announcement below.

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Raidou Kuzunoha is the protagonist of his series and he appears in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne as a guest character. He is one of two guest characters players can potentially recruit in Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne. The other available guest character is Dante from the Devil May Cry series.

Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD is immediately available on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

The post Shin Megami Tensei III Demi-Fiend and Raidou Figmas Revealed appeared first on Siliconera.

SuperGroupies opened pre-orders for its new SMT III merchandise items. The brand will release watches, bags, and wallets designed after the Demi-Fiend, the protagonist of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne.

All three items will feature a black base with green patterns inspired by the Demi-fiend's tattoos. They will also have the Magatama design that looks like the number 6.

The $180 watch will come with additional day and month subdials. The $148 backpack and the $118 wallet will have inner patterns designed after the Terminals. All prices listed are still subject to tax.

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Pre-orders for these items are available until September 5, 2021, at 11 PM ET. SuperGroupies will ship the SMT III Nocturne items in Japan between December 2021 and January 2022. All items are expected to arrive in the United States around mid-May 2022. The brand has previously revealed items based on many other well-known anime and game franchises, such as Cowboy Bebop and Type-Moon's The Garden of Sinners.

Atlus originally released Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne for PlayStation 2 in 2003 in Japan and 2004 in North America. An HD remaster of the title is immediately available worldwide on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. In July 2021, Atlus held a survey asking Western players about the recently released remaster, among others.

The post SMT III SuperGroupies Items Will Let You Become the Demi-Fiend appeared first on Siliconera.

There’s a new Atlus survey to take on an official site, and the focus is on SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster. The brief questionnaire doesn’t imply anything about the future of the SMT series. However, it does ask for people’s preferences when it comes to versions of games, if people subscribe to certain services, and includes questions about the HD remaster.

The SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster survey from Atlus is fairly typical. It first asks for information about yourself, to determine your demographic. Then, it asks about game genres you like and the platforms you use.

Then, it gets into cloud-based services and games. It asks if you subscribe to services like Xbox Game , PlayStation Plus, Nintendo Switch Online, Apple Arcade, and Google Stadia. After that, it asks your “preferred method of accessing video games,” with digital, physical, and cloud-based all as options.

After that, the Atlus survey starts asking about SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster. It kicks things off with a question that seems designed to determine, as it asks someone to pick an option that is an animal (and not a kind of chip). Then, it adds questions like how you heard about the game, when you bought it, which version you own, why you bought it, how many hours you played it, and if you enjoyed it. At the end, you can say what you’d like to see from the series in the future.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC. The original game appeared on the PlayStation 2.

The post Atlus Survey Asks for Thoughts on SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus shared a new video going over its latest Shin Megami Tensei game. In the new SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster segment, Director Kazuyuki Yamai discussed the different paid DLC packs released for the game. He also expressed his excitement at people worldwide being able to play the RPG again.

Here’s the full Yamai video. It begins by talking about the Maniax Pack that adds Dante from the Devil May Cry series. After that, he talks about the Mercy and Expectation Map Pack, which include maps to help earn money and experience more quickly. He then went over the BGM pack, which includes two songs each from SMT, SMT II, SMT IV, and SMT IV Apocalypse.

A special message from Director Kazuyuki Yamai! ????

Take a look inside the Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster Digital Deluxe Edition, and thank you for all your !

SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster is available now: https://t.co/RGmMOsy71Q pic.twitter.com/PQC2YcwlLA

— Official ATLUS West (@Atlus_West) June 9, 2021

As a reminder, there are two free add-ons too. The Merciful difficulty is one. It is designed to allow people to enjoy the story. The Chronicle Pack is also free and adds Raidou Kuzunoha the XIV, from the Devil Summoner games, in place of Dante from the Devil May Cry series.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is available for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC via Steam. All five pieces of SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster DLC are also available now.

The post SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster Director Describes Its DLC appeared first on Siliconera.

A common thread for Shin Megami Tensei games is to offer multiple endings, and SMT III Nocturne (and its HD Remaster) is no different. These are incredibly thoughtful titles. Each one forces you to examine what is going on in its world. Maybe you consider the sorts of decisions your avatar would make, based on the personality you impose on them. Perhaps you think about what you would do. But the key here is that you aren’t going with a general alignment, like you would with SMT IV or other installments. Rather, SMT III Nocturne involves Reasons, inspired by different factions. In addition to the questions it proves, this sort of arrangement builds up the game further since you aren’t immediately going with a traditional “chaotic” or “lawful” choice.

Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for most of the SMT III Nocturne endings below. No spoilers are presented in any of the images. r3j4j

As a Demi-fiend, players aren’t “human” enough to develop a Reason to shape the world. Rather, you’re a chosen one with a will strong enough to help one rebuild the Vortex World. Each person who does have a Reason will essentially impose their desires on the world around them. But because there is that selfish element, there’s more nuance to what’s happening with each one. We have a better grasp of why things will happen. By following certain people’s paths, SMT III Nocturne offers constant for the possible worlds.

Isamu is a perfect example. He has a devotion to his teacher both before and after the Conception. But while his friends were by his side before, after he finds himself alone. He watches as his friend, the chosen Demi-fiend, constantly succeeds while he fails. He’s constantly imprisoned while trying to make a difference. He eventually “escapes” to the Amala Network and decides to go it alone. And as he embraces that with Noah, he works to a world where everyone will be alone. We can see how Isamu ended up isolated, and he embraced that. So much so that he rejected everyone else throughout his personal journey and ending.

Likewise, we see Chiaki and Hikawa’s experiences shape their stories and SMT III Nocturne endings. And, in a way, I like to think each one represents a different element of control. Chiaki is desperate for it after the Conception. She’s managing to survive in the Vortex World. However, she describes it as a “nightmare.” We see someone desperate for a chance to feel safe. And for her, a world in which she sides with Baal and sees the strong dominating the week allows her that control. Even if it means watching her back, she sees it as a sense of security. With Hikawa, we have a cult leader who already held control. He is established in both worlds. And accordingly, his path and ending works toward precision. It’s someone already in charge of a machine, the Cult of Gaea, applying it on a grander scale.

While these Reasons are, for lack of a better word, reasonable and plausible, choosing other options fit as well. Which shows exactly how expertly Atlus crafted SMT III Nocturne. All of the above make sense and lead to conclusions the game builds up to. You can clearly see how to get on their paths, as all you have to do is agree with people. But if you reject that, it feels as natural due to the way the Lady in Black and Lucifer interject themselves along the journey. Not accepting anyone’s Reason and being confident about that choice gives us perhaps the “best” chaotic ending. Things return to what they were, with a hint that things might not be over. If you aren’t confident, the chaotic Vortex World filled with demons remains unchanged. But if you complete the Labyrinth of Amala, you embrace your newfound power and Lucifer against the Great Will. Again, all three are foreshadowed in the same way as the standard Reasons.

Which is a good way to look at the SMT III Nocturne endings in general. Atlus is constantly foreshadowing what could happen. Even with all of the possible Reasons you could . There’s constant that makes them all make sense. It shows how well crafted its narrative is.

SMT III Nocturne is available for the PS2, while SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster is available for the PS4, Switch, and PC.

The post SMT III Nocturne Is Constantly Building Up to Its Endings appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus amended its streaming guidelines for Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster. It revised the rules ahead of the PC and global releases of the game. [Thanks, 4Gamer!]

In a recent tweet on the Japanese Shin Megami Tensei Twitter , Atlus reminded streamers and ers to add spoiler warnings to videos that contain story content, such as event cutscenes. The guidelines allow individuals to videos of the game with a non-profit objective and proper displays of Atlus and Sega's copyright marks.

The Japanese game publisher had previously published a stricter streaming guideline when SMT3 III Nocturne HD Remaster launched earlier in Japan in October 2020. Compared to the previous version, it removed restrictions in publishing endgame content and using additional devices like capture cards. This is because the new PC release does not have any hardware-based recording restrictions, unlike the PS4 and Switch consoles.

Atlus has been known for its stringent approach towards video streaming to prevent spoiling its title's storylines to newcomers. Even the streaming monetization allowances made by its parent company Sega for the general Japanese public and company-d streamers like Hololive Vtubers do not apply to Atlus games.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is immediately available for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch in Japan and East Asia. The Western release, which also includes a global PC release on Steam, will be available on May 25, 2021.

The post SMT III Nocturne Streaming Rules Amended Ahead of Global Release appeared first on Siliconera.

When it comes to a remaster of a game, sometimes being available with quality-of-life adjustments is enough. People weren’t aware of a thing when it launched and realized later it was worth it, but now can’t go back. That's especially heartbreaking when a series explodes in popularity. Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne is in that position. People might not have known about it when it launched, since we didn’t get the first two games! It didn’t get the attention it deserved! SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster arrives to change history. It’s multiplatform. It’s launching when Persona and SMT fervor is at an all-time high. It’s also way less intimidating. It’s a perfect storm.

As is common with Shin Megami Tensei games, SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster is all about facing deities who feel they know what’s best for humanity and the world alongside demon buddies as everything is about to end. Though in this case, well, everything does end. But then it also begins again! The avatar and two of his classmates head to a hospital to meet with their teacher the day after a major incident with a cult resulted in so many deaths.

Except the hospital is abandoned, the player runs into a cult leader, and suddenly a world-altering event transforms everything. The player is now the Demi-Fiend, a half-human and half-demon hybrid. You head out across a transformed Tokyo to its new denizens and survivors. As you meet with different factions, you eventually gain the power and knowledge to shape the future.

For those who know SMT, the general formula remains unchanged. This is a turn-based RPG with multiple dungeons to explore and potential paths to take. In battles, you and up to three of the allies you’ve recruited face foes. The Press-Turn system determines how often each side can act, with exploiting weaknesses and “ing” allowing you to earn extra turns or choose who acts. Demon recruitment is again a critical key to building a strong array of allies. As is fusion, which lets you combine (and sacrifice) party to make them stronger.

As for the Demi-Fiend, you influence his own build and future. You choose which Magatama are acquired and equipped. These influence your stats, strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. Though as you level up, you also can choose how to invest stat points to alter his build. Also, as you meet people from different factions, you’ll be able to choose how he responds and who he might side with to influence the ending.

In general, the keyword for SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster is accessibility. It’s easier to play it, since it’s multiplatform worldwide. It’s easier to play the version you want, since you choose whether you want Dante from the Devil May Cry series or Devil Summoner’s Raidou Kuzunoha XIV as a potential ally. It’s also downright easier to play, since there’s a new Merciful difficulty level. You can even pop into options and quickly change to make things easier or harder on yourself.

Granted, not all things are as easy to change as the difficulty. Due to the nature of Dante and Raidou’s inclusions, that’s an either-or situation. You also have to pay extra for the Devil May Cry star himself. There’s actually quite a bit of DLC, should someone be into extras. Fittingly, they too are designed to be accommodating. The Mercy and Expectation Map Pack are designed to reduce the grind by offering means to get experience or money. There are song packs with music from past SMT games.

But for me, the best part of SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster is the additional accessibility that comes from playing it on the Nintendo Switch. This is a game that makes you put in a lot of effort to make sure your demonic allies are ready for any situation. (Something that can take time, since fusions’ movesets aren’t as customizable as they are in more recent SMT games and spin-offs.) Like I knew Matador was coming and made sure to do my grinding before facing that duel again. Having it on the very portable Switch made that a lot easier. So did a quick resume option, which meant I wasn’t always searching for a terminal. (Not that finding a save point was ever an issue here.)

Though as good as it is, there are times where this remaster might not do what people have come to expect from such releases. Take the FMV segments. While the rest of the game ditches the 4:3 aspect ratio for 16:9, allowing you to see more, these videos don’t. They also don’t get the same sort of HD cleanup as the newly retextured models, improved lighting, and other adjustments found in the rest of the game. They look better, sure, but it’s jarring compared to the rest of the game. Also, given the relatively sparse look of the “new” world design decisions from the 2003 release, some of the improved textures might not offer the shocking overhaul you’d expect. But also, this was mitigated a bit during my Switch run since, well, I was playing in Handheld Mode 80 percent of the time.

This is a case of Atlus counting on people missing SMT III Nocturne the first time around. It doesn’t do a terrible job of making it accessible and slightly modernizing things. SMT III Nocturne just doesn’t go to the same lengths as, say, SaGa Frontier Remastered. And that’s okay! It doesn’t have to! When one of the original selling points of a game was “featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series” back in the day, being capable and readily available might be enough. After all, it is still telling a haunting story, making you think both in and out of battle. SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster does what Atlus JRPGs do best, and that’s captivate an audience.

SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster will be available on the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC on May 25, 2021. It is available on the Switch and PS4 in Japan.

The post Review: SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster Lets You Shape the World Again appeared first on Siliconera.

One of the more novel parts of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne is how it created the “Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series” meme due to the PS2 box art including a sticker promoting the crossover. The HD Remaster of the game includes that same cameo as DLC. To help celebrate that history and legacy, Sega of America Communications Manager Arianne Advincula took to the PlayStation Blog to share an HD .png file of that sticker for people to use as they see fit.

To help show how it might look in action, Sega also offered an example of the PS4 SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster box art with the HD version of the “sticker” applied.

And here’s the actual Featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series HD sticker as a .png file.

If someone were to use a site like Pixlr, they could add the .png to other images by choosing “add image” and “browse.” For example, here’s how the sticker looks on the Nintendo Switch version’s box art.

The announcement also included an explanation from Director Kazuyuki Yamai about how the Dante crossover happened. Yamai noted:

The dev team initially thought it was a crazy idea to pursue a crossover across two different publishers. However, they were also captivated by the idea of the two characters’ encountering one another and their ensuing battle. So they brought the proposal to Capcom, and the rest is history!

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will come to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC worldwide on May 25, 2021. It is immediately available in Japan.

The post Sony Shared a Featuring Dante From the Devil May Cry Series HD ‘Sticker’ appeared first on Siliconera.

Atlus’ latest SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster trailer looks at one of the more critical elements of the game, which are its reasons. Throughout the JRPG, players will encounter different people they might have met before the Conception. Each one will have their own Reason, which could shape a new world. The video shows three that players could have the Demi-Fiend choose and follow.

Each one of the options shown in the video offers a brief explanation and look at the character representing it. Things start with Chiaki, whose Reason involves strength and power. Then, you see Isamu. His Reason is Isolation. Finally, Hikawa talks about Emotionless Balance. At the end of each introduction, you might also get to see the dialogue options you could choose to side with or reject each of those SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster Reasons.

Here is the full SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster Factions & Choices Trailer. In addition to showing the different possible sides to take, it also lets you hear Chiaki, Hikawa, and Isamu’s English voice actors.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will come to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC worldwide on May 25, 2021. It is immediately available in Japan.

The post SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster Reasons Trailer Looks at Potential Allies appeared first on Siliconera.

They say that you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but in many ways that’s exactly what Atlus will get to do with SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster. The original PS2 game appeared outside Japan in 2004, three years before Persona 3 really got people talking about Shin Megami Tensei games, and there wasn’t that same appreciation and awareness for the series back then. So now, this remaster is a means of introducing an old installment ahead of SMT V’s debut and further establishing the brand worldwide.

Like many SMT games, it begins with the introduction of demons and grand upheaval in a world unaccustomed to things on that scale. The player is an ordinary high school student meeting his teacher with two of his friends. After being unable to reunite at a park due to an event that left people dead, the trio meet up at a nearby deserted hospital. After exploring and searching for your teacher, you learn she’s involved with a world-altering event. You then find yourself surviving the Conception as the Demi-Fiend, a half-human and half-demon hybrid capable of making pacts with demons and facing the onslaught of foes ahead of you.

In its earliest hours, it feels like accessibility is the focal point for SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster. After all, people have three difficulty options to choose from this time around. Normal is as straightforward as usual and feels about like what one would expect from a Shin Megami Tensei game. After going through the opening experience on Merciful, I can say that it struck me as a far more forgiving experience. It seemed like the encounter rate was reduced, the Demi-fiend and his allies were strong, and enemies didn’t pack a punch.

That also includes being able to play it on additional platforms. For the purposes of the preview, I was looking at the Switch version of SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster. Having a substantial RPG is handy on such a device. The visual fidelity seemed about equal whether I was docked or undocked throughout the introduction. It meant I could easily conduct some level grinding, then put the game aside for a time. Given the original only appeared on the PS2 worldwide, the extended reach feels like it could be a boon for it.

One could also consider the ability to choose whether or not the game would be featuring Dante from the Devil May Cry series part of its accessibility. Both Dante and Raidou Kuzunoha with Gouto are optional cameo characters in this release, with someone choosing when they begin which one will show up. In my brief and early experience with the game, I was able to see the hint at Raidou’s debut, with Gouto questioning how the two would handle the Demi-Fiend and approaching him in Tokyo after the Conception.

It all comes down to an opportunity to give SMT III Nocturne a second chance to thrive with HD Remaster. There are many ways in which this feels like the same game. After all, some of the main selling points this time is to make it more accessible via additional platforms and difficulty levels and perhaps a bit prettier. In about a month, we’ll see how that pays off.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will come to the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PC worldwide on May 25, 2021. It is immediately available in Japan.

The post Preview: SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster Feels Like an Accessible Reintroduction appeared first on Siliconera.

Plenty of SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster trailers appeared in Japan ahead of the game’s launch, and now we have a new English trailer. Atlus shared a “The World’s Rebirth” video. This offers glimpses at footage from the game to remind people of what life is like when the Conception begins, Tokyo changes forever, and players become the Demi-fiend.

Here’s a better look at the SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster “The World’s Rebirth” trailer.

And here are some English screenshots, so everyone can see how the localization looks. The console versions will have English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish subtitles. The PC version will also include Japanese, Korean, and Traditional Chinese language options.

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As a reminder, SMT III Nocturne HD Remaster pre-orders are open. Like Persona 5 Strikers, there is an early access incentive as part of the offer. People who buy a Digital Deluxe version ahead of launch both get the Maniax Pack with Dante (from the Devil May Cry series), the Chronicle Pack, and other add-ons. It also means you get to play on May 21, 2021 instead of May 25, 2021.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will come to the Switch, PS4, and PC on May 25, 2021. However, Digital Deluxe pre-orders will grant access four days earlier on May 21, 2021.

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The Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster release in the West now has a date. The game will hit PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam on May 25, 2021. Atlus also announced that preorders for the game are now open.

A special Digital Deluxe edition of the game will include early access, with the game unlocking for players on May 21. It also includes the “Maniax Pack,” which adds Dante from the Devil May Cry series. Rounding out the Digital Deluxe offerings are the Mercy and Expectation Map Pack, a bundle of background music from the numbered entries in the Shin Megami Tensei franchise and an easier “merciful” difficulty. This Digital Deluxe edition is available for $69.99. The standard edition’s price, meanwhile, is $49.99.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster brings back the PlayStation 2 original with touched-up visuals, additional difficulty settings and suspend save. It also sports voice acting in both English and Japanese. Added in this edition is a new story branch focusing on Devil Summoner’s Raidou Kuzunoha. The Western release will include fixes and upgrades that were patched into the original Japanese version.

Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster will release on PS4, Switch and PC on May 25, 2021. The game will also see physical release on PS4 and Switch.

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