Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster - Easy Allies Review

Nocturne is a brutal but immensely satisfying journey through the apocalypse.
Written by Ben Moore
Video Edited by Isla Hinck
Reviewed on PC
Available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Switch
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[@beanbandit495]

If only Atlus/Sega had price this reasonably, there'd probably be far more people eager for SMT V's launch

[@suicidesqueeze]

They happily got my money.

[@darkhorse744]

I don't think anyone is seeing this as a knock against SMT V.

[@ojasthengadi9681]

@Weston Meyer to be fair SMT III would just turn people off it is not mainstream like Persona 5 is. Also Persona 5 brought persona to limelight maybe its 5th time the charm for SMT as well

[@krono069]

I skipped it over the price. I'll get it on sale.

[@7B7E7N7]

I love their games but I have to agree. Way too much money.

[@brentclouse7791]

As a first time SMT player after coming from Persona 5 Royal, I’m loving Nocturne. Possibly one of the best turn based systems I’ve experienced.

[@omega458]

if you have a 3ds and like dungeon crawlers i recommend SMT devil summoner

[@melxb]

what about the lore/story, environments and all, worth it or find it lacking?

[@TheScratcherStudios]

Get your hands on the PS2 game "shadow hearts 2". thats THE best jrpg in my book

[@brentclouse7791]

@@melxb After P5R, the characters feel pretty one note so far. The story is intriguing and does a lot through its tone and less so with plot, although I’m only partway through!

[@CRedd9830]

@@TheScratcherStudios Shadow Hearts I & II are top ten all time games for me. I want a collection on modern platforms, but of course the IP is owned by a fucking gambling company that doesn't do anything with video games anymore.

[@toddhoward5555]

When I saw the asking price, my jaw literally dropped. Then I saw DLC was sold separately on top of that.. Atlus you crack me up sometimes xD Nope, this is definitely not worth the asking price, and it's my favorite turn based JRPG of all time

[@DARKDEATHKILLER]

The mainline SMT games have always felt like a breath of fresh air in a genre filled with generic heroic tales powered by the power of friendship and anime tropes. Nocturne was my first SMT game and it still is one of my favorites, alongside Strange Journey, which I would recommend anyone who can deal with very hardcore first person dungeon crawling.

[@PK_Scratch]

It also feels very wrong to play on "Normal". Nocturne was also my first mainline SMT, having had played Persona Revelations long ago. The game taunted me with the "thrill of death" and I went in, either out of pride or curiosity. And looking back on it, anything but Hard feels wrong. I would recommend Hard Mode to anyone even remotely curious or tempted. While frustrating at times, it makes for a very unique experience that makes you feel like you are on an even playing field with the demons, truly making you one of them.

[@sonicboom126]

@@PK_Scratch Sounds like the most fun way to make one go crazy dealing with in game stress.

[@sonicboom126]

@@seu_linfgc Damn that sounds masochist if I ever heard through gaming.

[@PK_Scratch]

@@sonicboom126 It certainly can be stressful and extremely aggravating. That said. Context helps. Think of it like it being the breakthrough that Demon Souls was, back in the PS2 days. At that time, nearly all JRPGs were fairly easy with very straightforward combat systems. Then here comes this dark horse of a hidden gem barging in with themes that differed heavily in both implementation and presentation from other JRPGs of it's times and proclaiming itself a challenge to veterans of the genre, while also moving to a new twist on turn based combat when at the time the shift was growing more popular to active time battle systems or crossbreeding between action and RPG And then it proves it's mettle. It's not something I would call masochism, because it's not the pain you enjoy. In fact, most people who played the game on Hard will probably agree that the pains of losing hours of progress was not enjoyable but a horrendous experience. But it's a challenge. Honestly though, in hindsight Hard isn't particularly that hard if you play smart, but it will have moments that will feel unfair that comes from, ironically enough, making the playing field fair as you are as strong as the enemies. It demands your attention and thought, the power that you have to wipe the field of your enemies when you exploit their weakness is present, but so too does the enemy in their ability to do the same to you, which is why I call it a fair playing field that feels unfair. We're accustomed to ripping the mob to shred, not having the mob be able to fight back and do the same unto us. It thematically fits as well, as you're a growing demon (well demi-fiend) and having the mobs be supernatural beings or mythical figures makes your own growth and challenge all the more rewarding. In fact, you have a specific incentive on a NG+ that puts into perspective a bit that on your first playthrough, you were indeed just playing as a regular mob demon, this extra prize you get from taking on some very specific challenges truly makes it feel as though you've graduated from a regular demon to a Boss. (though of course, the gradual growth of your power across the game does an equally great job, as you tackle more commonly known greater deities or mythical beings, a longshot from the small poltergeists and fairies you were fighting in the early game.) It makes you consider skills and strategies that were at the time heavily ignored in the JRPG landscape. One other way to describe it is... And pardon the repetitiveness. Imagine you've been doing martial arts your whole life and you're fairly skilled, but all your practice has been dummy fights, things that you can dispatch with great ease. The fights are flashy and entertaining and your opponents have fun stories to share and are good people. But you're left without a challenge. Without nothing to really test your accumulated martial prowess. That's why I think the only real way to play this game is on Hard mode. It is the challenger, coming to show you the thrill of combat that you've been lacking your whole time.

[@sonicboom126]

@@PK_Scratch Jesus Christmas I cannot believe you wrote all that and made me read all that to make sure you didn't waste waste your damn time just to do the ultimate explanation.

[@TheFenrir666]

I kinda like having to be careful even in random battles. Having a Pixie crit me to death is embarrassing but hilarious. 😂😂

[@kingofthesharks]

I love it when oppressive atmosphere/narratives are interwoven with relatively difficult gameplay. That's what Soulsborne got right foremost. Hopefully SMT games eventually get higher budgets & better treatment alongside Persona, as both series deserve to shine in the future

[@soridosuneku]

Really hoping SMT V is at least close to what we saw with P5 graphics-wise. Granted, P5 used a lot of highly-stylized 2D effects and the characters wore masks in combat, but the combat animations are still pretty nice. Mainline SMT is not as colorful and very likely won't use that sort of pop-art menu design and effects but I'd expect and want the battles and background to look several steps above Nocturne.

[@melxb]

100% i would love for them not to have simple corridor dungeons or even the hub/overworlds like in persona to be static press x to pass time, but maybe actual playable activities, at least a bit more deeper like their awesome turn based combat

[@afxboc]

@@soridosuneku Yeah, Persona's presentation wouldn't really fit with the tone and the setting of a SMT mainline game. That doesn't mean SMT V won't have a modernized menu/UI, and I'm guessing they will reuse a lot of models from the demons/personas from P5. Really hoping we can see more of SMT V in Nintendo's Direct at E3

[@kaksoispistev5403]

I really hope Smt v has 3d battles, not like smt iv or apocalypse

[@raistlinmajere7149]

I think if anything Persona games are what I play when I feel like shit and need somthing to cheer me up. While SMT is more for when I'm pissed off and need to take my anger out.

[@albertzinger7132]

This game should have been 20$ like Persona 4 Golden on Steam.

[@shanpatrickbaker988]

I would have purchased it instantly. It is the price tag stopping me, for sure.

[@Ruko]

Nah that was an easier port, this had to be done from scratch, i'd say $40

[@Scruffy729]

@@Ruko I got it for sale for $40 a few days ago

[@masyan3457]

@@Ruko scratch? This is not a remake dude

[@otterdonnelly9959]

@@Ruko Scratch? Do you not see the cutscenes and world map?

[@bloodhoundtown]

Digital Devil Saga next I hope! Great review, certainly explains why it’s a classic but fair score for modern audiences

[@Bootleg64DD]

& devil summoner too

[@danielstrakosch8390]

I think Shin Megami V next :P

[@Afr0Punk]

God I hope so.

[@suicidesqueeze]

DDS remaster is a dream of mine. people would still be like, why the random encounters?

[@penttikoivuniemi2146]

Yeah if they port DDSs, Raidou stuff, SMT1, 2, if... Personas 1 and 2, etc. to PC I'll buy it all in on day one. I even wrote that in the customer survey they had some months ago, I basically just spammed "bring your games to Steam" into every open wish it had lol.

[@philbarton2832]

The very definition of a 'pick up on sale' game. That price point is ridiculous

[@apex9580]

yea It went on sale for $30 on GameStop and amazon

[@user-ze6ns9pq2y]

@@apex9580 should be $20

[@darkhorse744]

I'd think being able to pick your own skills would be a pretty sizeable improvement, well, other than that, the review was great.

[@xRocketzFighterx]

I've always prefered this over most jrpgs which most of them play it way too safe, formulaic and boring gameplay/story progression. Not everything or even the protagonist should be nice. I rather still play SMT or Persona over the poke'mon games.

[@Teremei]

I mean that's cool. I love darker games like this, Shadow Hearts, Dark Souls, etc. . But I also like bright games like Dragon Quest and Pokemon.

[@rawshakj480]

Great review! Never played an SMT game before and to be brutally honest only really first heard of it when SMT V got announced but damn I really need to grab this game! Love the art style too, gives me serious Killer 7 vibes...

[@pingunooty]

i've only played a bit of killer7, but i definitely agree that it has similar vibes. also if you do end up getting it, the ps2 version is super cheap on the ps3 store, and like the video said this isn't that great of a remaster (still a great game so far though, I'm at the infamous Matador boss fight at the moment)

[@yeahyeahyeah0yeah]

Playing on Switch and loving it.

[@reed1645]

This has been on my to play list for years so i'll definitely pick it up at some point :). Awesome review as always! Here's hoping we hear more about smt 5 at E3 this year :).

[@calebbones6502]

this is the first video of yours that i have seen and it has made me feel very nostalgic for old X Play reviews

[@__dane__]

Choosing the Kichijoji theme as the bg music for the video is a great choice

[@PapaSarged]

Edited by Isla Hinck. We love to see it

Great review Ben!

[@xmyvibex]

this game defined my childhood ... and the whole megami series with digital devil saga... i loved every moment of them, and till this day I always remember the stories. and the music!.

[@amuro9624]

I still remember the first time I played smt. I had a snes emulator with A LOT of games that I got from a friend so when trying out random games I came across smt 1 and the way the game begins made me feel like I had come across some demonic dark web game lol. Especially since it was in the middle of the night. I couldn't really play it cause it was too complicated for a kid but then years later after finishing college and failing at the career I was pursuing I went back in my home town feeling depressed. So I bought a ps2 with all the rpgs I never got to play or finish. That's when I played nocturne for the first time and fell in love with the series. The feeling of being lost in a harsh hopeless world but still finding the strength of fighting gave me some courage to keep trying and not give up just because things didn't go my way.

[@SomaBT]

lol Dante getting Flacon Punched tho 5:52

[@TheDeadTexan]

I’ve played this game to death on the PS2 release so no way I’m paying full price for it especially for such a lazy “remaster”. Glad more people will get to play it at least.

[@amuro9624]

To be fair you can still play the old version since it aged so well. I think the remaster is more for those who never got to play it or were à bit intimidated by the old school aspect of the game.

[@RagnarokMic]

Really not much more could be done from the remaster side, you can only polish existing games to a certain degree, it'd need a full on remake to drastically change. Other than a few quality of life things, it actually plays extremely well for what little has been done.

[@sorterwoodsteel]

@@RagnarokMic it’s not that, it’s more they’re asking $50 for minor enhancements with the framerate still being 30 if not performing worse than the original. It’s the same debacle as skyward sword. Atlus being greedy.

[@TheLastDaysOfSorrow]

Great review. Hope that price point will be brought up with the Skyward Sword remaster as well.

[@gtafan110010]

zelda is always worth 60 or more. no exception and no timelimit

[@CassidyListon]

@@gtafan110010 that's a very opinionated view.

[@uroboloss]

@@gtafan110010 Sorry, but you're wrong about that. I love Skyward Sword but that remaster is super overpriced.

[@jaidens.g.1920]

@@uroboloss I think we'll need to wait until it comes out, they've been super sparse with details about SS's remaster compared to Wind Waker and Twilight Princess's both of which had a bunch of change and updates to make them worth it

[@thedapperdolphin1590]

@@gtafan110010 A not very well received game from a decade ago that actually costs ten more dollars than when it came out, being priced the same as the new game that people actually like, and the sequel coming out. No. At least WW and TP HD had effort put into them, with new textures and such.

[@juanramos8903]

I have this on Ps2 never knew they remade it. Thanks for the great video.

[@kidhavii]

A highlight of this game for me is HellBiker’s English voice actor doing a Randy Savage impression. It was a very pleasant surprise, I reloaded my save just to here it again.

[@igis92PL]

This is one of my favourite games of all time and would have bought it in a heartbeat if not for this ridiculous price. Great review!

[@thedarkgenious7967]

Forneus' dialogue still amuses me, especially since, by the endgame, you're not only powerful enough to deal with multiple of him in 1 fight, but the boss-fights-in-limited-turns sidequest down in the labyrinth requires you to literally 1 shot the boss version of him. "Almighty" indeed

[@PhotonSieve]

Here for the review.

[@HoldenTudiks81]

I hope we get some path improvement, I did buy it because I loved the original. Would love some kind of quest log , because if I don’t play for two or three days I completely forget where I’m supposed to go if I didn’t write it down. And a quiz log doesn’t have to specifically tell you where to go they could just give you a general direction that would help tremendously and still keep the difficulty.

[@andresbarrerasoza3587]

Written by Ben Moore - *like*

[@tomgiddens2963]

Is this a strictly a downloadable remaster or can you get it on disc?

[@ckhowitt]

If you're going for 100% the exp and money dungeon dlc can knock off about 50 hours worth of grinding. I try to use it sparingly until the end game so that there's still some challenge. Granted I played through the original so I already went through all this before

[@neoguardian3598]

Great Review! Thanks again Easy Allies!

[@zach7602]

I really appreciate the price consideration at the end. Best in the biz!

[@nevy4256]

Nocturne's a classic, through and through. Got every ending on the PS2, will do so again here. PLEASE give this absolute gem of a game a shot, you won't regret it. Easily one of the best damn JRPGs out there.

[@melxb]

but being a person that focuses on story and environments than just the turn based combat and fusing loop i am kinda iffy to pass it and wait for smt v, thinking nocturne will feel dated today with most reviewers bring those aspects up as lacking, no?

[@melxb]

altho i do wish i finished it on ps2 back then I'm sure it would have felt like a gem like the many other jrpgs i played

[@nevy4256]

@@melxb The story is by no means lacking, the best part of the story just isn't the "main quest line". Plus, people overstate that. A lot of the storytelling comes from the atmosphere, the tone, the different endings, and the interactions throughout.

[@melxb]

@@nevy4256 interesting sounds like what made me love the soulsborne games so much, i may have to at least try it sometime/keep it in my backlog or after a great price drop

[@ds90seph]

SMT IV was my first and I've never played 3 before. Something about it pulled me in like nothing else when I heard the remaster was coming out, so I picked it up to quench my thirst for the strange vibes and groovy music. I am loving it. Even more than IV, as well as Persona 3 (my first atlus RPG) and the persona series in general. I have a soft spot for Strange Journey Redux as well though I've never finished it. Nocturne is just perfect with mood and atmosphere.

[@mattlandry]

Great review!

[@tabris95]

Fantastic review. Really hit the nail on the head with everything the game does right and wrong

[@gabriellejameseran3094]

Hey, EasyA, will you be doing a Mass Effect Legendary Edition review? More than willing to wait. Just want to know. 😁

[@EasyAllies]

No plans for a review, sorry. Jones is playing through it on Wednesdays though, and you can find the archives on Twitch and Easy Allies Plays. -Bloodworth

[@BC-wt6dw]

No need for a review. It's a must buy. Two all time classics,ne pretty solid game, and all their DLC all for $60. Doesn't get much better than that.

[@Radiant_Silverback]

What do you need to know? They're 150+ hours of greatness, right up until the final 5 minutes, where it shits the bed.

[@nasserharbi7839]

I have the ps2 copy on ps3. Is it worth it get the remastered one.

[@OgagSoriano]

My favorite skills for my demons -Attack All or Hades Blast or Hassohappa -Pierce -Victory cry -Phys Drain -Megidolaon

[@JimsGameRoom]

I love JRPGs, my favourite genre of games. But this game is kicking my ass. I have no shame lowering to Merciful difficulty for some of the bosses. It really does take the fun out of regular encounters though if you leave it on, it becomes way too mindless. Just goes to show how much of a huge spike the bosses are! Still a great game and loving it so far. Thanks for your thoughts Ben!

[@divagaciones1628]

As somebody who's beat a couple of these games, I can tell you that some encounters feel insurmountable at first, but it's not a matter of grinding or using super complex strategy, but rather finding the enemy's weakness and a specific approach. You'll almost never beat a boss on the first try. You may try watching the types of attacks the enemy is using, if they're using buffs or can be weak to a specific debuff or element. Once you do that (which might take getting reckt a couple times), don't be afraid of changing up your party and fusing your monsters around until you find a combination that works. You'd be surprised how a seemingly impossible boss suddenly turns into a breeze just by changing your team around.

[@JimsGameRoom]

@@divagaciones1628 Thanks for the tips! I'll definitely try be more experimental with fusions. But good advice, kind of take the first few encounters of a boss to learn it before even thinking I'll beat it is a good idea.

[@PenguinsAreColdish]

merciful bro? i can understand doing that for the random encounters but bosses is where the game shines

[@Pewpewpew182]

Bought it on ps2 17 years ago.... guess I’ll finish it on ps4 lol

[@Guckkasten85]

Same here... or pc

[@InnerRise]

Looks too old for me

[@awesomemark1234100]

Until you face matador

[@jojonta2119]

@@awesomemark1234100 matador is only difficult until you understand what you're doing

[@flamuralaj3302]

Let's hope the future of SMT & Persona become multi-platform, because I really wanted to play SMT V on PlayStation, so maybe that'll be the case with SMTVI if Atlus doesn't plan to port it over later on. Also, those Raidou Kuzunoha games sure deserve a remaster, too.

[@amuro9624]

Yea... In 10 years when they release it it might be multiplatform lol

[@flamuralaj3302]

@@amuro9624 I don'y know if you catch Atlus's acknowledgement of P4G's financial performance on Steam, and them realizing how well their games can do while moving them over to more platforms.

[@amuro9624]

@@flamuralaj3302 I'm not arguing about that. He said smt6 there's usually about 10years between mainline smt games

[@flamuralaj3302]

@@amuro9624 You right about that, but that habit doesn't need to be the case anymore with the way consoles are built now. PS4, PC, and Switch alone can carry both SMT and Persona at the same time from now on. Granted, they'd probably need to give exclusive content to each platform to maximize their sales, but that'll be up with SEGA & Atlus. Still waiting for that Project RE Fantasy that I hope shows up at E3.

[@ds90seph]

Hearing Jones close out the review with that music playing behind him is simply brilliant

[@warnacokelat]

The forgot to HD the audio when they HD the visuals.

[@raistlinmajere7149]

As someone whose only turn base JRPG played and beaten was P5R I think this is an awesome game. I think the story and atmosphere is well done and I'm glad the game emphasis on learning its mechanics. That said this game is very punishing! I played on normal for sometime and this game's been kicking my ass. I highly suggest not playing on hard start with normal. If your really struggling I would even suggest dropping the difficulty to merciful. I think that if you really are new to JRPGS like me and have no idea what your doing consult guides and youtube videos. There's tons online and they explain alot in terms of how to improve and what you're doing wrong. I think in general this is a experince designed for people who are well versed in games like this. That why I would suggest if your new tailor the experince to your pace and desire for what you want to get out of the game.

[@jairoflores85]

I love your reviews

[@jairoflores85]

Unlike ign you really play the games

[@297fihsy]

Having additional paid DLC available for a remaster feels gross, especially after Mass Effect Legendary Edition packed it all in

[@297fihsy]

@Weston Meyer for sure, but then look at Xenoblade Chronicles DE and how they just packaged their new stuff in with the remaster.

[@otterdonnelly9959]

We knew since the JP release it should've been $30... Square and Atlus are taxing the classics and not actually packaging them as well as they are capable of. I would've assumed Nocturne (arguably the most important SMT mainline game) would've got red-carpet treatment after P5 and it is almost too clear now that Atlus is not trying to clean up SMT to have it on par with Persona at least presentation wise. I would say it deserved the Bluepoint makeover out of any SMT but Atlus may do that for Persona 3 at this rate.

[@trashl0rd]

Didn't they also get rid of random skill inheritance when fusing demons in this remaster? Some would say that's worth the price of admission alone. Still, I'll be waiting for a sale.

[@RagnarokMic]

Yeah, you can now select which skills are inherited.

[@Anglerbe]

It's always funny to me when I hear people talk about Nocturne being difficult because it's one of the only jrpgs I've ever really played. Leave it to me to start with something like this lol. I still haven't played any of the Persona games.

[@TheScratcherStudios]

nr1 tip "shadow hearts" especially "shadow hearts 2". Persona 4 is in only my opinion the best persona but only if you can sit through ours of reading.

[@Anglerbe]

@@TheScratcherStudios Never heard of it until now but it sounds sort of like Parasite Eve which I also haven't played yet

[@TheScratcherStudios]

@@Anglerbe PE has resident evil controls and gameplay while shadow hearts has a more "mature" story but is a jrpg with turn based combat

[@Vyse195]

I've been playing this on switch and just beat the Matador I can't wait to get off work so I can play it some more.

[@viewtiful1doubleokamihand253]

Hope you loved his Zan-based evasive style :) I am going up against Thor right now. Advice: it's 3 battle-stages, remember to take magatama/ summon demons which/who can negate fire on the first battle and anyone electricity-negating. Thor is really fat shocky.

[@viewtfulzexal5026]

How does it run on the switch? Does it smoothly or is it broke like everybody says it is?

[@Vyse195]

@@viewtfulzexal5026 I notice slowdown once for a fee seconds during a cutscene. but that's really it.

[@TevyaSmolka]

sounds like a interesting game

[@NamekianPOSTBOY]

If you play this game and like it, find a way to play SMT IV and Apocalyspe. Apocalyspe is on another level.

[@theconman5540]

Its 40 bucks on amazon rn which is the best i’ve seen so far

[@TechWithSean]

Gonna grab this (again) on a Steam sale eventually.

[@TKtheLAW]

Classic!

[@mrdeath06]

"Doubt this place has any sushi or geishas" He meant pizzas and geishas, right?

[@nevy4256]

I mean, while that answer WOULD fit Dante, I also really don't think the Vortex World would have sushi OR geishas.

[@thenewsupermonkey122]

Played persona 5, and royal, loved them, bought this the other day, loving it

[@viewtiful1doubleokamihand253]

Welcome to the mother-series :)

[@vgFaisal]

Amazing review Ben! Maybe because this is my second fav game of all time, I didn't care about the price that much. Playing it again with voices and the ability to select skills for fusion changed my experience. Although Atlus too lazy to do anything with the visuals, the art style of this game will carry it till the end of time

[@divian22]

The guy that use to do the game trailer retrospectives is here. Great!

[@miley4tina]

Can't wait to play this on the switch, hope to see more of the series on switch

[@franciscobutte]

Well V is coming exclusively on Switch.

[@melxb]

@@franciscobutte yep altho atlus been surveying a lot asking if we want to see the new smt on ps pc and vice versa persona on switch, so never know could also end up coming to more later, but for sure the fact it's coming regardless and owning both the systems I'm ready

[@masyan3457]

@@melxb yea i hope they announced it on pc or release it on pc not too long after the switch version, if not people just gonna play it from emulator same with mh rise case

[@melxb]

@@masyan3457 not sure if u seen monark just got announced it's made by devs from shin megami and it's for pc ps and switch, least another similar game to look forward to

[@masyan3457]

@@melxb yea i've been waiting for monark since it's announcement, hope it's doing good with all platform so atlus might consider to stop making their newer games exclusive to one platform.

[@SwampyJox117]

Thanks for reviewing this one. It hasn't been getting much attention which is disappointing

[@xelisk1]

I see your quick save auto delete and raise you save data back up.

[@skloodzi]

It's a shame, the FMVs in this game are not remasterred at all. :/

[@viewtiful1doubleokamihand253]

Not too sure hope they can remaster those. Would probably look even more stretched-out and not good.

[@skloodzi]

@@viewtiful1doubleokamihand253 I dont mind the blurry bars, it's more the lego look of the FMV itself. In this case, they schould've remade them. With some tricks its surely possible with in-game graphics.

[@viewtiful1doubleokamihand253]

@@skloodzi Doubt there were spare money in the budget sheets for that kind of work. It’s a really budget release. Nocturne is being re-released to make some money back on the now-lenghty SMTV development. I don’t have a problem with FMVs, HD textures are enough for me. But the sound... now that is the problem.

[@TheMagnificentGman]

The framerate on switch can drop to single digits

[@Alextheskater91]

I’m waiting for apocalypse to be remastered and 4. Those two were my favorite

[@spaced0ut23]

Mine too

[@GamerConnoisseurRei]

I waiting for the game to get sale discount

[@bemaod]

Between this and a couple friends saying Nocturne is a game I should play I may dive in when it goes on sale. But with SMT V supposedly coming soon I may just file Nocturne under the "sorry I missed you" category.

[@theLikou1]

You shouldn't. Play it.

[@rs660alec3]

At 20 or 30 bucks they could have had this fly off the shelves

[@rashid2898]

i played digistal devil saga before this or Persona i still dont' know the fucking diffrence between this and the penis version of PS2 Digital devil saga seems like the main character too, just got it in steam hope its a continuation or prequel

[@nas2914]

Great game, had it in ps2 now have it in ps4 as well.. too bad the game it gets easier as you start using demons like fiends or demons with insane immunities. Really wished they added a harder difficulty in the ps4 port instead of the easier difficulty..

[@Ragnarok540]

You can always self impose a challenge.

[@omega458]

I want this :( but i need to beat horizon zero dawn, the mass effect trilogy, nier, and just got spiderman miles, so that first since its short

[@amuro9624]

Nier is probably the game you should prioritize. It's so fucking good and one of the best games I've ever played even though I usually don't like action games. And it's very close to smt in term of depth and philosophical exploration

[@amuro9624]

@Fanjanhong * I was talking about nocturne.

[@gallowsgradient]

I gave up on JRPGs after DDS2 came put. Nocturne was the last game in the genre that I loved.

[@frickthefuckoff]

Try out SMTIV if you ever get chance! It's so good imo

[@babatundeismail6732]

Need persona 3 and 4 to be brought to ps4 as well

[@josh440]

That's a great thumbnail right there

[@matteste]

Honestly, this was an HD remaster that deserved better. Atlus really gave it the shaft. And man, the state it launched in coming from them was just baffling. But man that segment at 1:55 really hit, especially given how the main series has gone in recent years.

[@suicidesqueeze]

I bought it day one and it has run perfectly for me.

[@thehalvening8942]

I would get it but I'm not paying 60 bucks for just a serviceable remaster of a ps2 game. The need to reduce the price of this game or include it in a package with other smt games

[@Arexion5293]

Trade offer! I receive: 1 Life Stone You receive: 1 Life Stone

[@rodrigomarcondes5857]

this review hits right where it scared me away from buying it, i enjoyed nocturne on the ps2 but asking 50 dollars for this is just too much

[@jeffreygifford1015]

too bad havent put smt 5 on steam yet...about the only reason i had a switch besides smash bros...seems like a waste to offer nocture and few other shin megami titles and not newest entry which has lot of same feel and heart that other games had and its a great entry to the series and also fingers crossed for dig dev saga series. Think steam is overlooking shin megami franchise and selling power with all games in franchise.

[@UltimaOmega777]

I really do love this game despite it kicking my ass and be ripped off by demons during negotiations, freaking Hua Po, but I think I'll wait for the 1.07 update that lets you choose the skills rather than it being randomized during fusion. *Update: I stand corrected, you can select skills rather than them being randomized. Nice.

[@acaciastr4in]

This is already in the game

[@UltimaOmega777]

@@acaciastr4in Oh shoot! I thought it was still random, thanks for the heads up!

[@amuro9624]

I remember Dis in this game used to really be a bitch when you try to recruit her. To this day whenever I play a smt I have to commit Dis genocide cause fuck her lol

[@luklopskywalk]

great review

[@chrisgroth9028]

The only problem I had with this game is that you aren't given any clue as to upcoming boss battles. Like the review states, you walk into those with the wrong setup or demons and you'll get your ass handed to you. It's not even close, whereas in some RPGs you can get by with a weak team, in Nocturne that's not an option. A way to swap out demons mid-battle from your roster would have gone a long way to fixing this. But, I will concede that it would have cut the difficulty by a LOT. And thus making the game not as challenging. Challenging=good, frustrating=bad.

[@theLikou1]

You can swap demons during battle, but it costs the turn of that demon and Demi-fiend's. Just choose dismiss and then, with Demi-fiend you choose what demon you want to summon.

[@chrisgroth9028]

​@@theLikou1 From what I remember (last played about twenty years ago so go easy on my poor memory) was that you could only swap from a limited roster and not your full collection. It's that combo of needing the right support magic with being the right "element" that made things frustrating. Yes, I have a demon who can debuff the enemy. But, so sorry, he's weak to physical attacks. I did enjoy the game and should give it another go (still have original PS2 copy)

[@theLikou1]

@@chrisgroth9028 You can swap anytime, but it costs the turn of two characters. So there are big chances of you being really vulnerable.

[@quezcatol]

I once asked my japanese friend about his top 5 rpgs of all time he said: Shin Megami Tensei III, Persona 5 Royal, Nier Automata, Skyrim and Final Fantasy 7. So its def a fan favorite among some people with "good taste".

[@TheScratcherStudios]

no~ what about shadow hearts? why do so little people even know of the best jrpg in existance?

[@degapalgamer3772]

@@TheScratcherStudios tf is shadow hearts?

[@TheScratcherStudios]

@@degapalgamer3772 just one of the absolute best jrpgs out there. just google it?

[@degapalgamer3772]

@@TheScratcherStudios I like the art style but it looks dated was it released on ps2? and what makes it so good anyway? just interested.

[@TheScratcherStudios]

@@degapalgamer3772 1. the first one looks and feels quite dated, true. but the second one looks and feels great even today. (the third one is trash, dont bother) 2. yes ps2. but as I said the second one is great still 3. why? darker more mature athmosphere, story etc. not your usual happy jrpg in which a bunch of 10 year olds go save the world with the power of friendship. BUT of course its not miserable (like shin megami tensei) but still has quite a bit of humor and beauty. the characters are all great, interesting, fun. its not as linear as other jrpgs, when playing I´ve noticed that some small things changed when I went back to a town or dungeon or that suddenly new sidequests or secrets opened up, so it was even fun to go back even though the game never asks you to backtrack ever. combat system was tough at first but really engaging and fun when i got used to it. (its not just press x to attack but every action requires a ... thing...you best check out a review on youtube, they are sure to mention it) anyway yeah - check out reviews of "shadow hearts covenant"

[@jonylee1419]

This game so expensive in my country, almost 80 dollars. Won't buy for such a ridiculous price

[@TheEndofThis]

Just buy the game on PS3 store for $10, trying to charge $60 for this should not be tolerated by anyone. Completely ridiculous and shady as hell

[@johnnydoe1484]

One more god rejected!

[@jdbruiser]

I'm not sure whether this game warrants an 8.0. Ben was quite critical of the remastered state here and this being a remaster is what truly counts. This review suggests the game ought to be scored a 7.0 or a 7.5-but then Ben is quite generous to Japanese games so it's not all that surprising.

[@asiancinemabuns8203]

Lmfao you can fight Dante from Devil May Cry

[@badfrad1754]

JRPG fans when every game has the same combat system

[@jeanfcp]

This is a great game. While I don't have a problem with pricy remasters if the game is worth it, I think a re-release of an older game should include the full package by default. The fact that Dante is being sold as DLC is a huge turn-off for me, I just can't support that... Even EA got it right with the new Mass Effect remaster, minus the 3 multiplayer.

[@84jesterx]

Dante being sold like that had to happen. He's owned by Capcom and the voice acting had to be contracted out. Now for the other DLC? That's where it makes zero sense to me, especially with the starting price at $49.99 USD. There should have only been one version sold of this game for the available platforms, and Dante as the only optional DLC.

[@84jesterx]

I still have yet to push the buy button on any version of it due to what Ben and Jones detailed in this, but I still can't wait to do so when the right discount lands. I'm still leaning on the Switch version because SMT anything just works on a handheld you can play anywhere. Shame the that version has the most visual and audio hinderances...for some reason.

[@0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0]

NOT paid for by Friends of Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne.

[@arjungandhi1242]

I’ll definitely get this on sale

[@orangecat9275]

The map is blocky, the story is quite dull , but the battle system is super awesome 9/10

[@pingunooty]

story aint dull tho.. at least not so far

[@walter4180]

@@pingunooty it's pretty dull man. The characters are quite one note outside of MAYBE Isamu and Yuko and since the story is presented as you being more of a bystander than an actual force (least for law/chaos) at times, it's pretty basic outside of the themes it presents.

[@pingunooty]

@@walter4180 Idk, yeah the characters are one note, but i don't think the story is trying to focus on them anyways. Personally i don't mind that, since the strength of the story lies elsewhere (in the themes, world and atmosphere)

[@Froggy-nw5cf]

@@pingunooty Yep that's why so many people love nocturne the atmosphere word and philosophy just finished my playthrough and it was great!

[@theLikou1]

Playing in japanese and with Dante. My boys.

[@blvk3]

persona is not a series it is a *SUB-SERIES* of shin megami tensei technically they are part of the same series

[@viewtiful1doubleokamihand253]

Of the same franchise, yes. Megaten is less recognized due to heavier tone. It's fine. They are great games. That's what's important. Because being great helps games getting bought :)

[@xxoverprotectedxx]

EZA are my go to gaming news and reviews station. I just wish they can upload reviews faster

[@wolverinescratch]

This should have come out at half price that remaster is very disappointing

[@MrBrightside390]

this game is a stone cold classic but as a remaster that's $50 it's hugely lacking. I'm shocked they even called it a remaster since it's more of a direct port.

[@kingofthesharks]

They added voice acting and the game is in HD for the first time. Visually, it is the bare minimum but still a remaster. A flawed barebones one, but it'd look 3x uglier on your TV if it was a direct port.

[@amuro9624]

@@kingofthesharks yea let's stay fair with the criticism.

[@kingofthesharks]

@Fanjanhong * I never said it was haha I'd personally pay like $20 max for this package. Maybe if they packed in the Persona 2 games it'd be more tempting.