Almost 20 years after the original game’s release, Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne HD Remaster delivers the same JRPG elements and dark storytelling that made the original a cult classic, but it also adds some modern upgrades to the package. In addition to its high definition visuals, the Shin Megami Tensei 3 remaster’s gameplay improvements could make it easier for new and returning players to jump in.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 was originally released in 2003 for the PlayStation 2. Its turn-based battle system, occult atmosphere and dark humor paved the way for future Atlus games like Persona 5. However, the original Shin Megami Tensei 3 lacked features later games would embrace; most notably, the original was tougher than many other games of its time – even on Normal difficulty – especially since it lacked suspend saves.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 HD’s Merciful difficulty mode, available via free DLC, should make playing through the remaster much more manageable. This new easy mode doubles the damage dealt, halves damage received and increases the amount of money obtained after every battle. This will obviously benefit players looking for a more casual experience, but those hoping for a challenge can still play the original Normal and Hard difficulties. Difficulty settings can be adjusted at any time, so players can tweak the game’s challenge as needed without having to start over. On all difficulties, the remaster allows players to save whenever they’d like via the game menu, removing the need to risk lost progress in search of one of the original’s save terminals.
Shin Megami Tensei 3 HD Remaster Differences Explained
In addition to the difficulty adjustments and a graphical upgrade, Shin Megami Tensei 3 HD adds full English voice acting for the first time. The original was only in Japanese, subtitled in the player’s language of choice. This will likely help freshen up the experience for those who’ve already played the game – as will the final difference from the original, which involves the Demon Fusion mechanic.
In order to gain more powerful party members, Demon Fusion allows players to combine two or more demons into one better one. In the 2003 game, demons created through fusion had skills randomly selected for them, whereas the remaster updates this mechanic to be more akin to later Shin Megami Tensei games. Now, players can maximize their demons’ potential by deliberately giving them the best skills, rather than leaving it to chance. All of these quality-of-life improvements mean Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne HD Remaster could be worthy of a look from fans of the original and newbies alike.
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