Shin Megami Tensei (video game)

Did You Know?

• The game developer Toby Fox cited Shin Megami Tensei as inspiration for his 2015 game Undertale, specifically its dialogue system.
• Kaneko's concept of the Chaos Hero's transformation was later used as the main gameplay mechanic of Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga.
• A fan translation of the Super Famicom version was developed by the team Aeon Genesis, who also released translations for Shin Megami Tensei II and Shin Megami Tensei if...

Synopsis

Shin Megami Tensei is set in a near-future Tokyo, first in the year "199X" and then thirty years later in a post-apocalyptic version of the city. A rift to another world allows demons to invade, and a computer program enables humans to communicate with and summon them. The story follows a teenage boy protagonist who, after a nuclear attack on Tokyo ordered by the United States government, is transported into the future. There, he becomes involved in a conflict between the Order of Messiah and the Ring of Gaia, cults serving Yahweh and Lucifer respectively. Moral decisions throughout the game align the protagonist with the law, chaos, or neutral path.

Development

The staff saw it as a remake of Digital Devil Story: Megami Tensei II, so they knew the story's direction and development went smoothly. The main staff included director Yōsuke Niino, producer Hideyuki Yokoyama, programmer Kouji Okada, writers Ryutaro Ito and Kazunari Suzuki, and composer Tsukasa Masuko. Kazuma Kaneko handled character and sprite design, world concept and visual design, and creation of visual assets. An early design decision included a Law Hero and Chaos Hero alongside a neutral protagonist whose actions affect alignment. The team wanted to break the gaming status quo with dark imagery and a sense of reality. The main theme was a person waking to inevitable destruction and relying on their own abilities. The scenario underwent multiple revisions; earlier drafts planned the finale in Israel after a journey across Japan.

Release

Shin Megami Tensei was first released on the Super Famicom in Japan on October 30, 1992, and remained exclusive to that region for 22 years. It was the first Megami Tensei title published by Atlus rather than Namco, which drew some complaints. Subsequent ports appeared on the PC Engine (December 25, 1993), Mega-CD (February 25, 1994), PlayStation (May 31, 2001), and Game Boy Advance (March 28, 2003). The PlayStation port was a direct port, while the PC Engine port added story scenes and the Mega-CD port included additional demons.

The Game Boy Advance version featured remastered music, eased gameplay, and data exchange capabilities. Mobile ports for iOS and Android, based on the Game Boy Advance version, were released in 2012; the iOS port was localized for North America and Europe on March 18, 2014, but became incompatible with iOS 11 in 2017. The game was not initially localized for the West, likely due to controversial religious content clashing with Nintendo's policies.

Unofficial English translation patches have been released by fan groups for the Super Famicom, GBA, and PlayStation versions.

Reception

According to writer Ryutaro Ito, the Super Famicom release was a great success for Atlus, helping establish it as a developer and publisher, though it received criticism for its high encounter rate and map difficulties. The PlayStation version sold 85,991 copies in Japan by the end of 2001, ranking 119th for the year. Famitsu's four reviewers each gave the original Super Famicom version a score of 9/10; one noted improved presentation, another found graphics weak, and two praised the atmosphere, with one comparing it to the manga Devilman.

Reviewers appreciated the ability to talk to, recruit, and fuse demons instead of only fighting. Along with Dragon Quest V and World of Illusion, Shin Megami Tensei received the highest Famitsu scores of 1992. Reviewers of the PC Engine port complimented voice acting and sound quality but criticized load times, with one noting battles could have over 20 seconds of loading. For the Mega-CD version, two Famitsu reviewers preferred the more realistic graphic style, while two others liked the 2D overworld map with place names; two felt controls were sluggish.