After having collected the deserved success with Persona 5, reiterated with the Royal version and the sequel musou Strikers, ATLUS now seems to want to focus on Shin Megami Tensei parent series. While we wait to see the fifth chapter (of which we still know very little, but which is still expected by 2021), we will soon have the opportunity to get our hands on one of the most successful chapters of the saga.
This HD Remaster a version of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne coming to PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC will surely be an opportunity for longtime fans to embark again on the dark adventure already experienced on PlayStation 2 (which arrived in Europe with the subtitle of “Lucifer's Call“), but it is also an excellent opportunity for newbies to approach the series.
The first impact with the graphic aspect is quite positive. The high resolution textures of polygonal models they don't look bad on the screens: forget to see the protagonist's energetic tattoos with those pixelated edges that were already noticeable on PS2. The environments may have benefited less from the process, since in comparison they appear a little more bland and fuzzy, but you will hardly notice much.
The graphic aspect is generally pleasant, but obviously you have to keep in mind that we are still talking about a game from three generations ago. A game that certainly did not explode in terms of quantity and quality of details and details on the screen. After all, not only was it the first "serious" 3D title that Atlus brought to the console (after the forgettable Maken Shao: Demon Sword, which in any case was a remake of a game for Dreamcast), but in general SMT has never sought a spectacular visual impact, if not for its unique style and oppressive atmospheres. It is also a pity that the FMV movies maintain the same quality as the original game, therefore in 4: 3 format.
Among the additions of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster we have found very appreciable the new English dubbing that certainly gives more depth to the characters that cross in the adventure. The interpretations of the characters seemed more than discreet, although obviously we could not hear them all. The less versed in languages will also appreciate the introduction of the Spanish language for dialogues and menus.
The highlight of Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne however remains his addictive and challenging gameplay, which still remains one of the high points of the saga today. Defeating, enlisting and growing the dozens of demons in the game in your party is as exciting as we remembered it, and we are sure it will also be for newcomers who may come from the experience of Persona.
Among other things, by great demand Atlus has also entered the ability to customize abilities inherited from demons created through fusion; an absolutely fundamental feature to avoid absurd waste of time in trying to obtain an ideal combination for the new demon created. Also great is adding a function of quick save which allows you to save your progress even without having reached a save point.
With Atlus's prospect of making this HD Remaster more accessible to the general public it was also added a “Clement” level of difficulty, selectable at any time during the game. In this mode the challenge level drops in a really exponential way: the enemies cause much less damage and their accuracy drops a lot, so it becomes really difficult to be put in difficulty. For those who have already played the original, it is enough to know that, without particular preparation, we easily defeated even Matador. The frequency of random encounters in this mode is drastically reduced, and the battles reward the player with triple experience points and Macca (the game's currency) even five times.
While understanding Atlus' will not to scare newbies, the Clemente mode is exaggeratedly easy and it diminishes much of the identity of the game, which also resides in the commitment it requires of the player.
Overall, Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster left us with a more than positive impression. Atlus didn't add much content over the original, but the base game was already very solid. The features introduced are certainly appreciable, except for the Clemente mode which will certainly be ignored, or at most inserted occasionally to speed up the grinding phases. We refer you to our review for the final verdict.
► Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a JRPG type game developed and published by ATLUS for PC, PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch, the video game was released on 25/05/2021 The version for Nintendo Switch is scheduled in the 2021.
