Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne remains a JRPG peak. Broken Tokyo, demons to recruit and combat tense to the bone. An Atlus cornerstone that has lost none of its magic.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player16+
Description
An Atlus RPG released in 2003, the original Japanese edition of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne. Tokyo undergoes the Conception, and the amnesic high schooler hero becomes a half-demon in a devastated world haunted by demons. Brutal Press Turn combat, demon fusion, multiple Reasons. Original Japanese edition (4491 USA, 4490 EU).
Shin Megami Tensei III - Nocturne review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
A post-apocalyptic Tokyo emptied of humanity, demons of venomous design by Kazuma Kaneko and an austere palette: the universe breathes a chilling strangeness. The sober cel-shading and oppressive framing settle a singular unease. This visual direction, stripped-down and disquieting, marks the peak of the Megami Tensei style.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"Mild"
Addictiveness
"Captivating"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Wandering a devastated Tokyo, half-human half-demon, unfolds a dark JRPG where recruiting and fusing demons shapes an ever-renewed party. The labyrinthine dungeons, the fearsome difficulty and the branches leading to several endings stretch the adventure across long hours. That demanding density earns the title its status as a pillar of the cult JRPG.
Technical info
💾1,4 GB📅20/02/2003
Published by Atlus
Shin Megami Tensei III - Nocturne (PS2) price, value & rarity
The Asian pressing of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne, made in low volume for a restricted market from the original version of the Atlus RPG. Its appeal lies in this limited regional distribution, markedly tighter than the Japanese editions, making it a variant hunted by specialists of Asian pressings. A sharp target for SMT collectors in Asia.
A questionable morality
Recruiting demons by chatting them up has an almost diplomatic charm, until you grasp their real purpose: raw material. You coax them, collect them, then fuse them two at a time to forge a stronger ally, dissolving the previous ones without ceremony. Survival in a ruined world easily excuses this faintly cynical little alchemy.
Is Shin Megami Tensei III - Nocturne still worth playing in 2026?
Released in 2003 on PS2 and known under various titles including Lucifer's Call in Europe, Atlus' project plunges a high schooler turned half demon into a Tokyo devastated by a silent apocalypse. The turn based combat, built on the Press Turn system that rewards exploiting weaknesses, keeps a rare tension. Demon fusion, the cold art direction and the freedom of moral alignment give the game a strong identity. The merciless difficulty and the austerity turn away hurried players. A major piece of the dark Japanese RPG, recommended for demanding fans of the genre who value strategic depth and a bleak atmosphere over comfort.
