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Originally released for the PlayStation 2, Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne’s HD remaster brings one of Altus’ best RPGs to a mass audience. While Persona fans might be eager to jump into Shin Megami Tensei III, Nocturne is a beast in and of itself – and a challenging one, at that. 

10 Don’t Expect Much Plot

The Persona games are all fairly story heavy, with Persona 5 dedicating an astronomical amount of time to its storytelling. Anyone expecting this same level of narrative from Shin Megami Tensei III will be staunchly disappointed, but this isn’t to say Nocturne is lacking in quality plot. What the story lacks in constant cutscenes or dialogue, it makes up for with rich subtext, nuanced character philosophies, and a script that puts most of the Persona games to shame in terms of pure thematic content. 

9 Or Character Development

On that note, Persona fans shouldn’t expect much character development either. Characters in Shin Megami Tensei are more thematic than anything, representing specific ideologies that reshape them over the course of the story. Not just that, the supporting cast aren’t main fixtures of the game, coming and going only when necessary. This does mean the core characters in Nocturne aren’t as memorable as in the average Persona game, but Shin Megami Tensei’s character writing is more about conveying grand ideas than fleshing out individual members of the cast. 

8 Multiple Endings Are Dynamic

Multiple endings are a staple of the Persona games, but they’re fairly linear in nature. Persona 3’s multiple endings split off from a single decision, Persona 4’s endings simply build off one another, and Persona 5’s multiple endings blatantly push you towards the canon conclusion. This isn’t the case with Shin Megami Tensei III. 

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Nocturne features multiple different endings tied to how you answer questions throughout the story. The Labyrinth of Amala – a bonus dungeon – also spins-off into its own finale independent of the other endings in-game. Seeing every ending in Shin Megami Tensei III means making bold choices and reshaping the Vortex World how you deem fit. It’s far more dynamic than Persona. 

7 The Vortex World Is Oppressive 

Shin Megami Tensei is a hostile franchise compared to other RPGs and Nocturne is no exception. SMT III is set in a world that’s been reshaped by an event called the Conception, essentially blotting out the sky as the Earth rotates around itself. Known as the Vortex World, players will be contending with danger around every corner. Virtually all of Tokyo’s natural agriculture has died, every human has been wiped out, and Demons run wild. There’s levity and decent comic relief, but do not expect Persona’s otherwise lighthearted tone. 

6 Magatamas

While the average Shin Megami Tensei features traditional weapons and armor just like in Persona, Nocturne does not. In lieu of equipables, players augment their stats through the Magatama system. You can only have one Magatama equipped at a time, but each one offers a unique spread of stat bonuses and teaches Demi-Fiend new skills on certain level ups. Using the right Magatama at the right time is crucial to success in Nocturne. 

5 Demon Negotiation

Modern Persona fans will only be slightly familiar with the Negotiation system. Players can speak with enemies in-battle to sway them into their party. Unlike in Persona, Shin Megami Tensei III’s Negotiation system is a bit more complex. Not only are Demons more demanding, they’re nowhere near as friendly and their high levels mean they aren’t liable to join right away. There’s far more trial and error involved when it comes to Nocturne’s Demon Negotiation, so don’t feel demoralized when demons won’t join up. 

4 Press Turn 

The Press Turn Battle System was introduced in Shin Megami Tensei III and has been a staple of the series ever since. Through the Press Turn system, every party member gets their own Icon which is expended whenever an attack or skill is used. Guarding, getting a critical hit, or exploiting a weakness only uses half an Icon. 

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This forces players to be strategic in even the most basic of battles, ensuring that combat is never mindless like it can be in most of Final Fantasy’s random encounters. The fact enemies can also make use of the Press Turn System means your party is bound to take some serious punishment if you’re careless. 

3 The Difficulty Curve

Persona games are harder than the average RPG, but they’ve only been getting easier with time. Persona 4 was easier than Person 3, Persona 5 was easier than Persona 4, and Royal is even easier than 5. Shin Megami Tensei III is one of the hardest games in the franchise, throttling anyone who so much as refuses to use buffs or debuffs. Smart enemy AI and the Press Turn system means you need to play smart and prepare for the worst. Bosses are dangerous and grinding will only take you so far. 

2 Complex Dungeon Design

Persona’s dungeon design started strong with the original on PlayStation followed by the Persona 2 duology, but Persona 3 and 4 settled on much simpler set pieces. While Persona 5 strived to feature more sophisticated dungeon design, the series still isn’t on the level of Shin Megami Tensei. Nocturne in particular has some of the most complex dungeon design in the franchise, taking players through dense mazes, grueling climbs, and thought provoking navigational puzzles. You actually need to think about your surroundings unlike in Persona. 

1 The Raidou Kuzunoha Connection

The original Shin Megami Tensei III featured Dante from the Devil May Cry series as a rather important supporting cast member. The game’s later Japanese re-release (which the HD Remaster is based on) replaces Dante with Raidou Kuzunoha – the main character of a Shin Megami Tensei spin-off, Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha. Raidou himself is a detective who survives the Conception, coming after the Demi-Fiend and making Nocturne’s role in the greater SMT multiverse all the clearer. 

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