Megami Tensei
Encyclopedia
, commonly abbreviated as , is a Japan
ese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani (taking its name from the title of the first of those novels) and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country. The games are published by Atlus
with the exception of the Famicom games, which were published by Namco
.
Although most games in the series have independent stories, the Megami Tensei series has many common elements. Demons and mythology are prominent in each installment, usually giving players a chance to recruit demons into the battle party. Other common elements include certain game mechanic
s and plot themes. Most games in the series feature nonlinear gameplay offering freedom of choice between branching paths and multiple endings
, a conversation system allowing players to engage enemies in conversation, the ability to use or capture monsters, and a moral alignment
system.
Megami Tensei games have met commercial and critical success and the series is usually known as the third main RPG series in Japan, after Dragon Quest
and Final Fantasy
. Several games from the series have been released in North America and found praise from critics.
, was based on the novel of the same name by Aya Nishitani. It was released in Japan in 1987 for both the MSX
and the Famicom
. Alongside its sequel, Megami Tensei II, these are the only two games in the series to have only Megami Tensei in their name. , the title of the Super Famicom remake of the first two MegaTen games, translates to "Old Testament
Reincarnation of the Goddess". The flagship series then became the series, which translates to "Reincarnation of the True Goddess", the Shin in this case being a pun on the meaning "new". As a spin-off of Megami Tensei, it eventually became the de facto subtitle of all non-Japanese Megami Tensei games.
Other games under the Shin Megami Tensei title include Shin Megami Tensei II
for the SNES, released in 1994, Shin Megami Tensei if...
, also released for the SNES in 1994, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
for the PlayStation 2, and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
for the Nintendo DS. An MMORPG
, Shin Megami Tensei: IMAGINE
, was released in January 2008, developed by Cave and published internationally by Aeria Games. The game takes place between the first and second Shin Megami Tensei games, and players assume the role of a Devil Buster who ventures into an apocalyptic Tokyo in light of humanity's resurgence, as well as a sudden onslaught of demons.
, translates to "Record of the Goddess' Strange Tales", denoting a side story or alternate universe. This first game was released in North America in 1996 as Revelations: Persona. The next title in the Persona series was released as two installments: Persona 2
: Innocent Sin, released in 1999, and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, released in 2000. Both games were released on the PlayStation. Only Eternal Punishment was localized and released in North America.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, first released in 2006 on the PlayStation 2
, represented a drastic change in design for the series, as it introduced elements of simulation games. The player controls a high school student, who attends classes during the day; after school, the player's character is free to engage in a number of activities, such as seeing a movie or spending time with a classmate. These actions all have effects on the game's combat, which takes place at night. Persona 3 is also known for the use of Evokers, gun-like objects the game's characters fire at their heads to summon their Persona.
A similar idea had appeared in the 2002 "Dark and Light" anime adaptation of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
where guns called "Devilizers" were used to summon and power up their fighting monsters. They were simply aimed at the air though, not at the user's head.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
, released in 2008 on the PlayStation 2
and announced for the Playstation Vita, expanded on the combat and simulation elements of Persona 3. The game did not, however, include the Evokers of its predecessor; instead, the game's playable characters shatter Tarot cards
to release their Personas.
with two titles: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner in 1995 and Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers in 1997. The series returned in 2006 with the release of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army
and its 2008 sequel, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon
, both for PlayStation 2. Unlike the previous entries in the series, which are traditional turn-based games, the Raidou Kuzunoha series consists of real-time action game
s with role-playing elements. Raidou Kuzunoha, the series's titular protagonist, is a detective living in early 20th-century Japan and the 14th in a line of demon summoners.
Devil summoner is also being made into a manga by Atlus called "Kuzunoha Raidou .vs. The Lone Marebito."
, known in Japan as Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner is the first of two games in the Digital Devil Saga games. It was released in Japan in 2004 and in North America the next year, being released again in the PAL region
in 2006. Digital Devil Saga differs from other Megami Tensei games in that the player cannot summon demons, but must utilize a party of characters and their demon transformations. Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, known in Japan as Digital Devil Saga 2
, is a direct sequel to the first game. It was released in 2005 in both Japan and North America and in 2006 in the PAL region.
or known in Japan as Megami Ibunroku Devil Survivor
is the newest spin-off for the Megami Tensei series. Devil Survivor use Tactical RPG system, mixing the traditional RPG gameplay and modern-day setting, the game was praised from critics and described as "Welcome addition" for Megami Tensei series. A sequel;Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 was released in Japan in Summer 2011 and 2012 in North America, Devil Survivor 2 quickly become popular in Japan and the manga adaptation; Devil Survivor 2 -Show Your Free Will- began to serialized in Comic Earth Star Magazine with Nagako Sakaki as the artist.
, one of the numerous spin-offs, can be translated as "Reincarnation of the Demon God". In the Megaten franchise, Majin / Demon God is usually a clan title used to categorize the chief deity from various pantheon like Vishnu
, Horus
, and Baal
who are not demonic in nature. In the Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne English version, 魔神 is translated simply Deity. Giten Megami Tensei, commonly abbreviated as GigaTen, is a more SF-oriented installment for Japanese personal computers. The title translates to "Pseudepigrapha Reincarnation of the Goddess". The Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible
series is another side series, most of which is for the Game Boy Color
. The Last Bible games replace the modern setting with a fantasy world. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
is another side series consisting of handheld games. Devil Children games were aimed at a younger target audience and are generally brighter and less complicated.
The Megami Tensei series differs among other Japanese console role-playing games because it generally eschews the genre's typical pseudo-Medieval
settings and sword and sorcery
elements. MegaTen games typically take place in modern or near-future Japan and are centered around the occult
, at times combined with cyberpunk
elements.
Megami Tensei translates to "Reincarnation
of the Goddess". The heroine of the first game was actually a reincarnation of the Shinto
goddess Izanami. Despite their retaining of this part of title, this story feature does not occur in most of the other games, although there are always characters who could be considered to be said goddess.
Each game in the series features some type of communication between human characters and demon characters and players are often allowed to persuade demons to join the battle party. Also, during gameplay, the player is often asked to make moral
or philosophical
choices that affect the game's storyline and ending.
and many games in the series feature first-person perspective
dungeons and other buildings. This mechanic has typically not been used since Revelations: Persona. Players can issue commands during battle for each party member to follow, typical to most turn-based RPGs. Although most games in the series are turn-based, the Majin Tensei games and Devil Survivor feature tactical role-playing game
game mechanics, while the Devil Summoner games feature real-time action role-playing game
combat.
The enemies in the series tend to be referred to as rather than the "monster
" term used in many other RPGs. The player can recruit akuma to their side so that they become – "friendly demon", a homophone for . It is also possible to fuse multiple nakama to create another, more powerful nakama and, similarly, to upgrade weapons by fusing them with akuma. (This is not universal however- most games do not allow you to fuse demons with items, and demons are not captured at all in Digital Devil Saga.) MegaTen games are heavy in mythological
references; deities
and creatures from Graeco-Roman
, Norse
, Celtic
, Judeo-Christian
, Egyptian, Chinese
, Hindu
and Japanese
mythologies are featured, to be battled or recruited by the player.
Other common gameplay elements include nonlinear gameplay offering freedom of choice between branching paths and multiple endings
, a conversation system allowing players to engage enemies in conversation, and a moral alignment
system.
Megami Tensei, the first game in the series, was based on Megami Tensei, the first volume of the Japanese horror novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani. Although the series originated in Japan in 1987, Revelations: Persona was the first game to be localized for North America, in 1996. While Persona is set in Japan, when localizing the game for North America, developer Atlus attempted to remove as many references to Japan in the game as possible. In addition to being given more English-sounding names, the appearance of several of the game's characters was changed. The character Masao "Mark" Inaba, just named Mark in the English version, had his appearance changed from Asian to white. The hair color of several other characters was also changed. The characters were returned to their original appearances in the PSP remake.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
was the first game in the series to be developed with localization in mind. Kazuma Kaneko, the game's producer and creative designer revealed that he set the game in Antarctica instead of Japan to appeal to audiences outside of the game's native country. Also, Atlus decided not to designate a number in the title in order to cause less confusion outside of Japan where players were not as familiar with the series.
for the PS2, which has a high rating of 82 on Metacritic
and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
for the DS, with a rating of 80. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (considered to be the fourth game in the main series) was released in North America March 23, 2010. All the Persona games have been localized and have received high praise from critics. Revelations: Persona has an 80 on Metacritic, while its PSP remake earned an 83. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
received an 83, Persona 3 earned a Metacritic score of 86, and Persona 4
earned a 90. Other games in the series to receive similar scores are Devil Survivor
, Digital Devil Saga
, Digital Devil Saga 2
, and the Devil Summoner games.
Nintendo Power
has noted that Atlus always mixes "familiar gameplay" with surprising settings when creating games for the series, citing Persona, with its "modern-day horror stories" and "teams of Japanese high-school kids", as the perfect example. The editor also added that Strange Journey followed a similar system, calling it a "science-fiction makeover" of the series.
s 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time" audience poll at #58 and #59, respectively. For the past decade, the Shin Megami Tensei series topped several "RPGs of the Decade" lists. RPGFan's "Top 20 RPGs of the Past Decade" list was topped by Digital Devil Saga & Digital Devil Saga 2, followed by Persona 3 in second place, while Persona 4 ranked fourth place. Meanwhile, RPGamer
's "Top RPGs of the Decade" list was topped by Persona 3.
Many games in the series have won awards. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne received G4TV
X-Play's
"Best Role Playing Game of 2004". GameSpot
and RPGFan named Persona 3 the best role-playing game of 2007. GameSpy
named it the 2007 PS2 RPG Game of the Year and placed it second in the 2007 PS2 Top 10 Games of the Year. 1UP.com's 2007 game awards, which ran in the March 2008 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly
, included Persona 3, given the award for "Most controversial game that created no controversy". Persona 4 was awarded the "PlayStation 2 Game Prize" in the Famitsu Awards 2008, voted by readers of Famitsu. It was also recognized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
as one of the recipients for the "Games of the Year Award of Excellence" in the Japan Game Awards 2009. The game was given the award for its "high quality of work", "excellent story, automatically generated dungeons and impressive background music".
s, manga
, tabletop role-playing games
and collectible card game
s based upon games in the series have also been released. There have been two OVAs
and three animated television series based upon the Digital Devil Story novels and Megami Tensei software, particularly Devil Children, which spawned 50 and 52 episode anime in 2000 and 2002, and Persona whose 2008 anime was 26 episodes.
An anime
sequel to Persona 3 entitled Persona: Trinity Soul aired in Japan starting in January 2008 and ran for 26 episodes. Taking place ten years after the events of the game, the anime features Akihiko as a secondary character. There is also a manga
adaptation of Persona 3, written and illustrated by Shūji Sogabe, and published monthly in the Japanese magazine Dengeki Maoh
. Several figurines of the characters have been produced by Kotobukiya, a Japanese collectible toy company. They include the Protagonist of the game, Aigis, Mitsuru, and Akihiko. The figurines have interchangeable parts, such as an Evoker or weapon, which can be stored in the base. Alter, another Japanese company that specializes in collectibles, has also released 1:8 scale figurines of Elizabeth, Aigis and Mitsuru. The headphones worn by the Protagonist are sold by Audio-Technica, model ATH-EM700.
With the release of Persona 4, Atlus has also produced a line of merchandise, including action figures, published materials, toys and clothes. Most items were only released in Japan. Other Japanese third-party manufacturers also produced figurines and toys. The action figures include a 1/8 scale PVC figurine of Yukiko Amagi as well as Teddie and Rise Kujikawa, produced by Alter. Licensed Atlus merchandise sold by Cospa
includes Persona 4 t-shirt
s, tote bag
s, and the jacket and other accessories worn by the character Chie. Persona 4 was also given a manga
adaptation. It is written by Shūji Sogabe, the artist for Persona 3s manga, and started serialization in ASCII Media Works
' Dengeki Black Maoh magazine on September 19, 2008. It was then published per volume by Bros.Comix Ex.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese console role-playing game metaseries which was originally based on the novel series Digital Devil Story by Aya Nishitani (taking its name from the title of the first of those novels) and has gone to become one of the major franchises of the genre in its native country. The games are published by Atlus
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
with the exception of the Famicom games, which were published by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
.
Although most games in the series have independent stories, the Megami Tensei series has many common elements. Demons and mythology are prominent in each installment, usually giving players a chance to recruit demons into the battle party. Other common elements include certain game mechanic
Game mechanic
Game mechanics are constructs of rules intended to produce an enjoyable game or gameplay. All games use mechanics; however, theories and styles differ as to their ultimate importance to the game...
s and plot themes. Most games in the series feature nonlinear gameplay offering freedom of choice between branching paths and multiple endings
Multiple endings
Multiple endings refer to a case in entertainment where the story could end in different ways, described as an alternate ending.-Literature:...
, a conversation system allowing players to engage enemies in conversation, the ability to use or capture monsters, and a moral alignment
Alignment (role-playing games)
In some role-playing games, alignment is a categorisation of the moral and ethical perspective of the player characters, non-player characters, monsters, and societies in the game....
system.
Megami Tensei games have met commercial and critical success and the series is usually known as the third main RPG series in Japan, after Dragon Quest
Dragon Quest
, published as Dragon Warrior in North America until 2005,Due to the inconsistent usage by sources since Square Enix obtained the naming rights to Dragon Quest in North America. Dragon Quest has been used by sources to refer to games released solely under the Dragon Warrior titles...
and Final Fantasy
Final Fantasy
is a media franchise created by Hironobu Sakaguchi, and is developed and owned by Square Enix . The franchise centers on a series of fantasy and science-fantasy role-playing video games , but includes motion pictures, anime, printed media, and other merchandise...
. Several games from the series have been released in North America and found praise from critics.
Games
The first game, Digital Devil Story: Megami TenseiDigital Devil Story: Megami Tensei
is the first game of the popular Megami Tensei series of console role-playing video games. Although Atlus has published a majority of the series, the first two games were created by Namco , after it bought the video game rights to the Japanese horror novel series by Aya Nishitani, the first named...
, was based on the novel of the same name by Aya Nishitani. It was released in Japan in 1987 for both the MSX
MSX
MSX was the name of a standardized home computer architecture in the 1980s conceived by Kazuhiko Nishi, then Vice-president at Microsoft Japan and Director at ASCII Corporation...
and the Famicom
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
. Alongside its sequel, Megami Tensei II, these are the only two games in the series to have only Megami Tensei in their name. , the title of the Super Famicom remake of the first two MegaTen games, translates to "Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
Reincarnation of the Goddess". The flagship series then became the series, which translates to "Reincarnation of the True Goddess", the Shin in this case being a pun on the meaning "new". As a spin-off of Megami Tensei, it eventually became the de facto subtitle of all non-Japanese Megami Tensei games.
Other games under the Shin Megami Tensei title include Shin Megami Tensei II
Shin Megami Tensei II
is a video game and direct sequel to Shin Megami Tensei for the Super Famicom released on March 18, 1994 in Japan. It was later remade for PlayStation in 2002, and then for Game Boy Advance in 2003. It is a console role-playing game and part of the Megami Tensei series...
for the SNES, released in 1994, Shin Megami Tensei if...
Shin Megami Tensei if...
is a Japanese console role-playing game that was released for the Super Famicom in 1994. It is a side story to the Shin Megami Tensei series, rather than a direct sequel, and is part of the larger Megami Tensei series...
, also released for the SNES in 1994, Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
is a role-playing game for the PlayStation 2. It is the third main game in the Megami Tensei series. Shin Megami Tensei III was released nine years after Shin Megami Tensei II, and was the first Megami Tensei game in the series to be released into the United States using the "Megami Tensei" name...
for the PlayStation 2, and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
is a role-playing video game developed by Atlus and Lancarse for the Nintendo DS. It is a title within the Megami Tensei series of video games, and was released in Japan on October 8, 2009 and in North America on March 23, 2010...
for the Nintendo DS. An MMORPG
MMORPG
Massively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
, Shin Megami Tensei: IMAGINE
Shin Megami Tensei: IMAGINE
, formerly , is a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game based in the Megami Tensei universe. Aeria Games acquired the rights to the game from Cave Co., Ltd. Shin Megami Tensei is a major intellectual property of the Japanese developer and publisher, Atlus Co., Ltd...
, was released in January 2008, developed by Cave and published internationally by Aeria Games. The game takes place between the first and second Shin Megami Tensei games, and players assume the role of a Devil Buster who ventures into an apocalyptic Tokyo in light of humanity's resurgence, as well as a sudden onslaught of demons.
Persona
A spin-off from Megami Tensei, the Persona series centers around groups of teenagers who possess the ability to summon facets of their psyche, known as Personas, into being. , the title for the original Persona game released on the PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
, translates to "Record of the Goddess' Strange Tales", denoting a side story or alternate universe. This first game was released in North America in 1996 as Revelations: Persona. The next title in the Persona series was released as two installments: Persona 2
Persona 2
is a two-part series of Japanese console role-playing games for the Sony PlayStation, developed by Atlus. and are two chapters of the same storyline...
: Innocent Sin, released in 1999, and Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, released in 2000. Both games were released on the PlayStation. Only Eternal Punishment was localized and released in North America.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, first released in 2006 on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
, represented a drastic change in design for the series, as it introduced elements of simulation games. The player controls a high school student, who attends classes during the day; after school, the player's character is free to engage in a number of activities, such as seeing a movie or spending time with a classmate. These actions all have effects on the game's combat, which takes place at night. Persona 3 is also known for the use of Evokers, gun-like objects the game's characters fire at their heads to summon their Persona.
A similar idea had appeared in the 2002 "Dark and Light" anime adaptation of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
is a spin-off from Atlus' own RPG series Shin Megami Tensei. The Devil Children games are developed by Multimedia Intelligence Transfer and published by Atlus....
where guns called "Devilizers" were used to summon and power up their fighting monsters. They were simply aimed at the air though, not at the user's head.
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...
, released in 2008 on the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and announced for the Playstation Vita, expanded on the combat and simulation elements of Persona 3. The game did not, however, include the Evokers of its predecessor; instead, the game's playable characters shatter Tarot cards
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
to release their Personas.
Devil Summoner
The Devil Summoner series started on the Sega SaturnSega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
with two titles: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner in 1995 and Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers in 1997. The series returned in 2006 with the release of Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army
is an action role-playing game in the Megami Tensei franchise published by Atlus for the PlayStation 2 in 2006. It differs from the two previous Devil Summoner titles in having real-time battles and a named protagonist and is first in the entire franchise to be set in the past – specifically the...
and its 2008 sequel, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon, simply known as in Japan, is an action role-playing game in the Megami Tensei franchise. Along with the previous game Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. The Soulless Army and the official derivative novel Devil Summoner:...
, both for PlayStation 2. Unlike the previous entries in the series, which are traditional turn-based games, the Raidou Kuzunoha series consists of real-time action game
Action game
Action game is a video game genre that emphasizes physical challenges, including hand–eye coordination and reaction-time. The genre includes diverse subgenres such as fighting games, shooter games, and platform games, which are widely considered the most important action games, though some...
s with role-playing elements. Raidou Kuzunoha, the series's titular protagonist, is a detective living in early 20th-century Japan and the 14th in a line of demon summoners.
Devil summoner is also being made into a manga by Atlus called "Kuzunoha Raidou .vs. The Lone Marebito."
Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil SagaShin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, known in Japan as , is a PlayStation 2 role-playing game developed by Atlus and first released in Japan on July 15, 2004...
, known in Japan as Digital Devil Saga: Avatar Tuner is the first of two games in the Digital Devil Saga games. It was released in Japan in 2004 and in North America the next year, being released again in the PAL region
PAL region
The PAL region is a television publication territory which covers most of Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Western Europe...
in 2006. Digital Devil Saga differs from other Megami Tensei games in that the player cannot summon demons, but must utilize a party of characters and their demon transformations. Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, known in Japan as Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, known in Japan as , is a direct sequel to the video game Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, directly continuing the story where it left off. The game marks as the final chapter in the series and answers certain questions left from the open-ended prequel...
, is a direct sequel to the first game. It was released in 2005 in both Japan and North America and in 2006 in the PAL region.
Devil Survivor
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil SurvivorShin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on 15 January 2009 and was released in North America on June 23, 2009. Its character designs are handled by Suzuhito Yasuda...
or known in Japan as Megami Ibunroku Devil Survivor
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on 15 January 2009 and was released in North America on June 23, 2009. Its character designs are handled by Suzuhito Yasuda...
is the newest spin-off for the Megami Tensei series. Devil Survivor use Tactical RPG system, mixing the traditional RPG gameplay and modern-day setting, the game was praised from critics and described as "Welcome addition" for Megami Tensei series. A sequel;Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 was released in Japan in Summer 2011 and 2012 in North America, Devil Survivor 2 quickly become popular in Japan and the manga adaptation; Devil Survivor 2 -Show Your Free Will- began to serialized in Comic Earth Star Magazine with Nagako Sakaki as the artist.
Other games
Majin TenseiMajin Tensei
is a tactical role-playing game spin-off series from another Atlus series, Megami Tensei. The series contains MegaTen game elements, among them the concept of demons, demon races, and the summoning of demons...
, one of the numerous spin-offs, can be translated as "Reincarnation of the Demon God". In the Megaten franchise, Majin / Demon God is usually a clan title used to categorize the chief deity from various pantheon like Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
, Horus
Horus
Horus is one of the oldest and most significant deities in the Ancient Egyptian religion, who was worshipped from at least the late Predynastic period through to Greco-Roman times. Different forms of Horus are recorded in history and these are treated as distinct gods by Egyptologists...
, and Baal
Baal
Baʿal is a Northwest Semitic title and honorific meaning "master" or "lord" that is used for various gods who were patrons of cities in the Levant and Asia Minor, cognate to Akkadian Bēlu...
who are not demonic in nature. In the Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne English version, 魔神 is translated simply Deity. Giten Megami Tensei, commonly abbreviated as GigaTen, is a more SF-oriented installment for Japanese personal computers. The title translates to "Pseudepigrapha Reincarnation of the Goddess". The Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible
Megami Tensei Gaiden: Last Bible
The series is a spin-off series of Megami Tensei that is told through four handheld games and one Super Nintendo game. They have all been developed by Multimedia Intelligence Transfer and published by Atlus, except for Last Bible Special, which was developed by Sega...
series is another side series, most of which is for the Game Boy Color
Game Boy Color
The is Nintendo's successor to the 8-bit Game Boy handheld game console, and was released on October 21, 1998 in Japan, November 19, 1998 in North America, November 23, 1998 in Europe and November 27, 1998 in the United Kingdom. It features a color screen and is slightly thicker and taller than...
. The Last Bible games replace the modern setting with a fantasy world. Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Children
is a spin-off from Atlus' own RPG series Shin Megami Tensei. The Devil Children games are developed by Multimedia Intelligence Transfer and published by Atlus....
is another side series consisting of handheld games. Devil Children games were aimed at a younger target audience and are generally brighter and less complicated.
Plot and themes
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
settings and sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery
Sword and sorcery is a sub-genre of fantasy and historical fantasy, generally characterized by sword-wielding heroes engaged in exciting and violent conflicts. An element of romance is often present, as is an element of magic and the supernatural...
elements. MegaTen games typically take place in modern or near-future Japan and are centered around the occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
, at times combined with cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
elements.
Megami Tensei translates to "Reincarnation
Reincarnation
Reincarnation best describes the concept where the soul or spirit, after the death of the body, is believed to return to live in a new human body, or, in some traditions, either as a human being, animal or plant...
of the Goddess". The heroine of the first game was actually a reincarnation of the Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
goddess Izanami. Despite their retaining of this part of title, this story feature does not occur in most of the other games, although there are always characters who could be considered to be said goddess.
Each game in the series features some type of communication between human characters and demon characters and players are often allowed to persuade demons to join the battle party. Also, during gameplay, the player is often asked to make moral
Morality
Morality is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good and bad . A moral code is a system of morality and a moral is any one practice or teaching within a moral code...
or philosophical
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
choices that affect the game's storyline and ending.
Gameplay
In Megami Tensei games, the player commands a party, which will include humans, demons, or both. Enemies are typically randomly encounteredRandom encounter
A random encounter is a feature commonly used in various role-playing games whereby encounters with non-player character enemies or other dangers occur sporadically and at random...
and many games in the series feature first-person perspective
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
dungeons and other buildings. This mechanic has typically not been used since Revelations: Persona. Players can issue commands during battle for each party member to follow, typical to most turn-based RPGs. Although most games in the series are turn-based, the Majin Tensei games and Devil Survivor feature tactical role-playing game
Tactical role-playing game
A tactical role-playing game is a type of video game which incorporates elements of traditional role-playing video games and strategy games. In Japan these games are known as , a designation which might seem peculiar to native English speakers...
game mechanics, while the Devil Summoner games feature real-time action role-playing game
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
combat.
The enemies in the series tend to be referred to as rather than the "monster
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
" term used in many other RPGs. The player can recruit akuma to their side so that they become – "friendly demon", a homophone for . It is also possible to fuse multiple nakama to create another, more powerful nakama and, similarly, to upgrade weapons by fusing them with akuma. (This is not universal however- most games do not allow you to fuse demons with items, and demons are not captured at all in Digital Devil Saga.) MegaTen games are heavy in mythological
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
references; deities
Deity
A deity is a recognized preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
and creatures from Graeco-Roman
Greco-Roman world
The Greco-Roman world, Greco-Roman culture, or the term Greco-Roman , when used as an adjective, as understood by modern scholars and writers, refers to those geographical regions and countries that culturally were directly, protractedly and intimately influenced by the language, culture,...
, Norse
Norse mythology
Norse mythology, a subset of Germanic mythology, is the overall term for the myths, legends and beliefs about supernatural beings of Norse pagans. It flourished prior to the Christianization of Scandinavia, during the Early Middle Ages, and passed into Nordic folklore, with some aspects surviving...
, Celtic
Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure...
, Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian
Judeo-Christian is a term used in the United States since the 1940s to refer to standards of ethics said to be held in common by Judaism and Christianity, for example the Ten Commandments...
, Egyptian, Chinese
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religions that have been passed down in oral or written tradition. These include creation myths and legends and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state...
, Hindu
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
and Japanese
Japanese mythology
Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
mythologies are featured, to be battled or recruited by the player.
Other common gameplay elements include nonlinear gameplay offering freedom of choice between branching paths and multiple endings
Multiple endings
Multiple endings refer to a case in entertainment where the story could end in different ways, described as an alternate ending.-Literature:...
, a conversation system allowing players to engage enemies in conversation, and a moral alignment
Alignment (role-playing games)
In some role-playing games, alignment is a categorisation of the moral and ethical perspective of the player characters, non-player characters, monsters, and societies in the game....
system.
Development and history
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
is a role-playing video game developed by Atlus and Lancarse for the Nintendo DS. It is a title within the Megami Tensei series of video games, and was released in Japan on October 8, 2009 and in North America on March 23, 2010...
was the first game in the series to be developed with localization in mind. Kazuma Kaneko, the game's producer and creative designer revealed that he set the game in Antarctica instead of Japan to appeal to audiences outside of the game's native country. Also, Atlus decided not to designate a number in the title in order to cause less confusion outside of Japan where players were not as familiar with the series.
Reception
Several of the Megami Tensei games that have been released in North America have received positive reviews. Only two of the four games in the main Shin Megami Tensei series have been released in English, those being: Shin Megami Tensei: NocturneShin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
is a role-playing game for the PlayStation 2. It is the third main game in the Megami Tensei series. Shin Megami Tensei III was released nine years after Shin Megami Tensei II, and was the first Megami Tensei game in the series to be released into the United States using the "Megami Tensei" name...
for the PS2, which has a high rating of 82 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
and Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
is a role-playing video game developed by Atlus and Lancarse for the Nintendo DS. It is a title within the Megami Tensei series of video games, and was released in Japan on October 8, 2009 and in North America on March 23, 2010...
for the DS, with a rating of 80. Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey (considered to be the fourth game in the main series) was released in North America March 23, 2010. All the Persona games have been localized and have received high praise from critics. Revelations: Persona has an 80 on Metacritic, while its PSP remake earned an 83. Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Persona 2
is a two-part series of Japanese console role-playing games for the Sony PlayStation, developed by Atlus. and are two chapters of the same storyline...
received an 83, Persona 3 earned a Metacritic score of 86, and Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...
earned a 90. Other games in the series to receive similar scores are Devil Survivor
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor, known in Japan as , is a role-playing game for the Nintendo DS. It was released in Japan on 15 January 2009 and was released in North America on June 23, 2009. Its character designs are handled by Suzuhito Yasuda...
, Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, known in Japan as , is a PlayStation 2 role-playing game developed by Atlus and first released in Japan on July 15, 2004...
, Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2, known in Japan as , is a direct sequel to the video game Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga, directly continuing the story where it left off. The game marks as the final chapter in the series and answers certain questions left from the open-ended prequel...
, and the Devil Summoner games.
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
has noted that Atlus always mixes "familiar gameplay" with surprising settings when creating games for the series, citing Persona, with its "modern-day horror stories" and "teams of Japanese high-school kids", as the perfect example. The editor also added that Strange Journey followed a similar system, calling it a "science-fiction makeover" of the series.
Critical response
The series has been praised for its gameplay, visuals, and plot elements, with games in the series known for having strong character development. Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II and Shin Megami Tensei both appeared on FamitsuFamitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
s 2006 "Top 100 Favorite Games of All Time" audience poll at #58 and #59, respectively. For the past decade, the Shin Megami Tensei series topped several "RPGs of the Decade" lists. RPGFan's "Top 20 RPGs of the Past Decade" list was topped by Digital Devil Saga & Digital Devil Saga 2, followed by Persona 3 in second place, while Persona 4 ranked fourth place. Meanwhile, RPGamer
RPGamer
RPGamer is a media and news website dedicated to covering computer and video game RPGs. Its coverage includes North American game news, European game news, Asian game news, gaming industry news, game reviews, game previews, hands-on game impressions, gaming conventions, game merchandise, release...
's "Top RPGs of the Decade" list was topped by Persona 3.
Many games in the series have won awards. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne received G4TV
G4 (TV channel)
G4, also known as G4 TV, is an American cable- and satellite-television channel originally geared primarily toward young adult viewers, originally based on the world of video games...
X-Play's
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
"Best Role Playing Game of 2004". GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
and RPGFan named Persona 3 the best role-playing game of 2007. GameSpy
GameSpy
GameSpy Industries, Inc., known simply as GameSpy, is a division of IGN Entertainment, which operates a network of game websites and provides online video game-related services and software. GameSpy dates back to the 1996 release of an internet Quake server search program named QSpy. The current...
named it the 2007 PS2 RPG Game of the Year and placed it second in the 2007 PS2 Top 10 Games of the Year. 1UP.com's 2007 game awards, which ran in the March 2008 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
, included Persona 3, given the award for "Most controversial game that created no controversy". Persona 4 was awarded the "PlayStation 2 Game Prize" in the Famitsu Awards 2008, voted by readers of Famitsu. It was also recognized by the Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association
Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association is a Japanese organization that was established in 1996 to "promote the computer entertainment industry [...] with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of Japanese industry as well as to the further enrichment of people's lifestyles." It...
as one of the recipients for the "Games of the Year Award of Excellence" in the Japan Game Awards 2009. The game was given the award for its "high quality of work", "excellent story, automatically generated dungeons and impressive background music".
Other media and merchandise
Merchandise such as collectible figurineFigurine
A figurine is a statuette that represents a human, deity or animal. Figurines may be realistic or iconic, depending on the skill and intention of the creator. The earliest were made of stone or clay...
s, manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
, tabletop role-playing games
Japanese role-playing game
Japanese role-playing games made their first appearance during the late 1980s. Today, there are hundreds of Japanese-designed games as well as several translated games...
and collectible card game
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
s based upon games in the series have also been released. There have been two OVAs
Original video animation
, abbreviated as media , are animated films and series made specially for release in home-video formats. The term originated in relation to Japanese animation...
and three animated television series based upon the Digital Devil Story novels and Megami Tensei software, particularly Devil Children, which spawned 50 and 52 episode anime in 2000 and 2002, and Persona whose 2008 anime was 26 episodes.
An anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
sequel to Persona 3 entitled Persona: Trinity Soul aired in Japan starting in January 2008 and ran for 26 episodes. Taking place ten years after the events of the game, the anime features Akihiko as a secondary character. There is also a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation of Persona 3, written and illustrated by Shūji Sogabe, and published monthly in the Japanese magazine Dengeki Maoh
Dengeki Maoh
is a Japanese seinen magazine published by ASCII Media Works . It first went on sale on October 27, 2005 and is sold every month on the twenty-seventh. The magazine features information on video games, manga, and light novels...
. Several figurines of the characters have been produced by Kotobukiya, a Japanese collectible toy company. They include the Protagonist of the game, Aigis, Mitsuru, and Akihiko. The figurines have interchangeable parts, such as an Evoker or weapon, which can be stored in the base. Alter, another Japanese company that specializes in collectibles, has also released 1:8 scale figurines of Elizabeth, Aigis and Mitsuru. The headphones worn by the Protagonist are sold by Audio-Technica, model ATH-EM700.
With the release of Persona 4, Atlus has also produced a line of merchandise, including action figures, published materials, toys and clothes. Most items were only released in Japan. Other Japanese third-party manufacturers also produced figurines and toys. The action figures include a 1/8 scale PVC figurine of Yukiko Amagi as well as Teddie and Rise Kujikawa, produced by Alter. Licensed Atlus merchandise sold by Cospa
Cospa
is a Japanese clothing company specializing in the production of cosplay costumes and other apparel for the otaku fan base. The company started in May 1995 as the child company of Broccoli. The name "Cospa" comes from an acronym for .-External links:* **...
includes Persona 4 t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s, tote bag
Tote bag
A tote bag is large and open bag, with a handle centered atop each side. In the classic cloth version, arched straps form both handles. Straps' ends run down both sides, ending under the second fabric layer there, which shields the lower surfaces...
s, and the jacket and other accessories worn by the character Chie. Persona 4 was also given a manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation. It is written by Shūji Sogabe, the artist for Persona 3s manga, and started serialization in ASCII Media Works
ASCII Media Works
is a Japanese publishing company in the Kadokawa Group which formed on April 1, 2008 as a result of a merger between ASCII and MediaWorks where MediaWorks legally absorbed ASCII. Despite this, the former president of ASCII, Kiyoshi Takano, became the president of ASCII Media Works. The company...
' Dengeki Black Maoh magazine on September 19, 2008. It was then published per volume by Bros.Comix Ex.
External links
- Atlus USA, Inc.
- Atlus Japan
- Megami Tensei Gashapon Collections
- Digital Devil Database General MegaTen site
- Hardcore Gaming 101's article on the series a very extensive analysis of most of the games in the series
- Megami Tensei Wikia