Thank your lucky stars that in the United States we have publishers like Atlus who bring over games that would otherwise never leave the Land of the Rising Sun. Over the years they have brought us quality titles like Sky Gunner, Disgaea, and now Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. And if you haven’t sampled any of Atlus’ wares, you’re missing out on a distinct flavor that you’re unlikely to find in other games.

But enough of that. Let’s talk about Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne, a game taken from the very popular MegaTen series in Japan. As is usually the case with these titles, the series is very hot in Japan and has been for quite some time and is just now seeing the light of day in the US. The game’s story is dark, eerie, and somewhat disturbing, and can be compared to a number of anime titles, Akira being the most obvious. The game begins with a cloudy dream of a woman telling you that the end of the world is near and you’ve been chosen to take part in its rebirth. When you awake, you find yourself in Tokyo with news that a strange cult started a riot last night with some sort of shifty corporation. Before you know it, the universe has been destroyed, the so-called “Conception” has taken place, and you have been turned into a demon.



The first few hours of Nocturne start out very slowly, gameplay-wise, and you may in fact find yourself wondering just what kind of game this is as early on cinematics and plot development take precedence over playtime. Without any advanced knowledge of the game, you may be tricked into thinking that this is some sort of Japanese animated novel. However, soon enough the game’s true colors come shining through and it quickly becomes apparent that Nocturne plays much like your average turn-based, random-battle RPG. Players looking for an RPG with a deep battle system and revolutionary encounters may be disappointed, but it must be noted that battling is not the primary reason for playing this game. As mentioned, the story is slightly creepy, and moreover, incredibly compelling. In fact, the way the game is presented is a good deal of its appeal. You feel as though you’re squarely in the center of an epic anime and you control the outcome. And, in what seems to be becoming a trend, you’re given great control over just how your character develops. The story revolves around creating the new world and you have a big part in its creation. The way you play the game, interact with NPCs, and fight your battles helps to determine this.

The details of the gameplay are both exciting and run-of-the-mill. Nocturne does allow you to perform different kinds of attacks and contains rudimentary elements of strategy, but one cool aspect is the ability to bribe your opponents into joining your team. A lot of different elements come into play when attempting to do this, but it’s a very nice diversion from what can otherwise be fairly simplistic turn-based play. Your characters also develop and take different forms, which naturally means new abilities. You’ll also spend some time dealing with Magatama, which is basically this game’s magic system. Finding and consuming these elements and experimenting with them will change the way you play the game. These sorts of additions keep Nocturne from being just more of the same.

The game includes a wide variety and locales, though navigating through the world can take some getting used to as the camera tends to not swing properly. You may also often find yourself running into walls due to the somewhat loose controls. All the levels are surprisingly well designed and mostly gorgeous to look at. Nocturne definitely has a unique look and feel that will please not only RPG fans, but otakus as well. As mentioned, the game’s atmosphere can be compared to movies like Akira, which while quite common in Japan, is something of a novelty for American RPG enthusiasts.



I would be remiss if I neglected to mention the inclusion of Devil May Cry’s Dante in the game. As much of the game deals with hunting demons, it seems that the development team felt that the including Dante was appropriate not just for his popularity, but also for plot development.

The strongest aspect of Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne does not lie in revolutionary gameplay or groundbreaking turn-based combat, but rather in its compelling storyline and immersive presentation. The game doesn’t contain the depth of Phantom Brave or Disgaea from a gaming point of view, but it does exceed those games by leaps and bounds in terms of plot and atmosphere. If you’re at all interested in finding out what sorts of games generally don’t make it stateside, by all means check this out.




Article By: John