Over in Japan, the "Megaten" (Shin Megami Tensei) series is actually rather popular. (The phrase in Japanese is translated as "True Goddess Reborn.") The player usually controls a young male computer user who recruits demons in order to save the world. Sounds "clean" and safe enough, right? So why has this series not been fully translated for American audiences?
The answer is simple: first of all, the games are hard. I mean, old school, brutally punishing difficulty and "obtuse" save system hard. Secondly, the games are surreal. And thirdly, beings from the Judeo-Christian tradition (God, the angels, everyone from it) are painted as not being very nice; It takes a good dose of Milton’s Paradise Lost and places it in a steampunk-esq tradition. (And if you do not know the epic poem Paradise Lost, I highly recommend reading it, or at least reading the Cliffs Notes on it.) It is predominately the last reason why this series has never really made it over to American shores. Until now.
Enter SMT: Nocturne, the first game of this series to make it to American shores. The million-dollar question is this: Is it worth it?
"April is the cruelest month."
— T.S. Eliot, "The Wasteland"
The game starts off with the traditional nameless protagonist and his friends going off to see his teacher who is sick. From there, literally, the apocalypse takes place within 15 minutes of game play. Usually in RPGs, the characters are trying to save the world before this happens. The above quote is one of the earliest lines in the entire game and perfectly sets the stage: The world becomes a wasteland. And from there, we embark on a journey to find out why the world is in its current state, and how we can rebuild it. Suffice to say, the plot is surreal and intelligent. It is also one of the main selling points of the game. God is seen as a dictator, while Satan (or Lucifer, whichever you prefer) is seen as trying to give us all back our freedom. And what about Jesus, you might ask? He never existed, and as such, is not around. To say anything else about it would ruin the plot. It is a dark game with touches of black humor interspersed throughout the plot.
The graphics are awesome. The cel-shading done by the artists perfectly convey the dark atmosphere. The monsters are interestingly re-created from all forms of mythology — from Greek to Norse to Christianity. While some monsters leave a little to the imagination, others do not. Let me write this: You see every aspect of an Incubus, while others wear more provocative "clothing." Of course, there are "cute" demons like the traditional Pyro Jack and Frost Jack (Google them and you will instantly see why).
Sound and music really emphasize the dark atmosphere. Gritty electric guitars, moody pianos perfectly set the mood. It is not the most memorable, but it works and does not hit any nerves. And that is what is really important. If anyone really wants to argue about it, they may, but I'll stand my ground: not everything has to be "Mario standard" to work.
Controls are, as an RPG, very well done. Exploration in the field is quick, easy, and intuitive. This is especially true because of the quick loading automap that will help you figure where you have been, and where you should go. It even notes pitfalls, stairs and save spots.
Combat is a traditional old school RPG fighting system. In other words: turn based combat. Your party goes first, then your opponents. Hit the enemy against one of his/her weaknesses and you get extra turns to keep inflicting damage. Or, if you are unfortunate enough to attack with something the enemy can repel, ignore, or absorb, you will lose turns. The same is true for your opponents. Up to four allies/demons can fight in a battle, and only those who are alive and present to the end gain experience. You can trade out demons (if you have them that is) rather easily, though only the protagonist can withdraw and summon allies — which ultimately means wasting a turn doing so.
That whole paragraph is a fancy way of saying the game is hard. Once you leave the hospital grounds that the game started in, all bets are off. If you do not have a healing demon, then life will be rather difficult for you. Early in the game I fought a battle in which I thought I had to lose. I was not supposed to. I had to level up and "trade-in" my allies for stronger beings. Another battle half-way through the game was literally a battle of who could survive the longest —this was against the Three Sisters of Fate. And even then I think I lucked out in that battle.
But, by far the most alluring draw of the game is recruiting demons. This is predominately done by the protagonist. It is also best done when there are no other demons to interrupt the conversation. And the demons are a greedy bunch. You will answer questions, give money, and items in order to recruit that awesome monster to your side. Thankfully, money and items are rather abundant, though that specific monster you are looking for might not be. I never really found myself really hurting to buy anything except for those pesky insects (more on them later). You will then take those monsters to the dark cathedral for sacrifice. How else will you be able to create stronger monsters? From there, the game takes on an evil Pokémon madness in which you have "gotta catch and sacrifice them all" to find that rare monster that will boast your party’s strength. By far, the coolest aspect is chance to create bosses you fought hours earlier and have them on your side. Did I mention this was really cool?
Stats are increased one point at a time at level up. For your demon allies, this is done at random; the player gets to choose what stat is improved for the protagonist. Furthermore, it is at level-up that new skills are learned. And for the protagonist this is done by the ultra-desirable Magatama. Magatama is an insect that bestows special abilities to those who ingest them. They are rarely found in shops. However, they are mostly one of the "rewards" for taking down a boss. But be warned, each character can only have 8 abilities total — this includes passive abilities! Drop one to make room for a new one, and it is gone. That is it. No take backs. Thus, think long and hard about what skills you keep and let go.
Nocturne is not a game for everyone: It is a dark, tough, surreal, and challenging (both mentally and perceptually) game. As such, it is an odd taste. But, if you properly take the time to explore it, you will find an incredible plot, and great traditional gameplay. In my opinion, this is one of those games that could entice an English professor to start treating games as literature. If you can find it, you might possibly have a blast working your way through the 50+ hours of gameplay. In my opinion, get it. It is worth every cent.
