Review for Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux. Nintendo 3DS game, the video game was released on 26/10/2017
The Shin Megami Tensei series returns to be talked about, riding the positive wave of ATLUS thanks to the recent Persona 5, the JRPG taken from a spin-off series born by Shin Megami Tensei. We are about to talk about this new title, although it is the updated port of a title born on Nintendo DS in 2009, that is Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux, which will be available from 18 May 2018 only on Nintendo 3DS, once again brought to Europe thanks to Deep Silver.
The title is however a spin-off, although it was initially conceived as Shin Megami Tensei IV, but it has nothing to envy compared to the other chapters, indeed, it has different strengths thanks to its alternatives in terms of settings and battle-system. .
The first huge difference a fan of the series can see in this title is the setting. Shin Megami Tensei has always been known - even with titles after Strange Journey Redux - for being set in post-apocalyptic Japan. The events take a decidedly different turn here, as a paranormal phenomenon called Schwarzwelt occurs in the South Pole and could engulf the Earth in a sort of black hole in the near future. The planet will have to face this threat, and a team of agents from all over the world will be sent to the place to find out what it is and intervene.
As an American soldier, we will live this bizarre experience within alternate dimensions, representing different facets of human society, which are teeming with demons and angels, creatures always present in the series. As always our choices will affect the alignment of the protagonist etherefore, some courses of events including the different endings present in the game.
The battle-system of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux is typical of the series, but has some small variations, as the classic Press-Turn System is not present, by which it was possible to get an additional move if you hit an enemy with something to which it is weak. This is replaced by Co-Op attacks, which allow a group attack following an effective attack on the opponent's weaknesses. However, to unlock the maximum potential of this mechanic it will be necessary to have demons in the team that present themselves with the same alignment (Law, Neutral or Chaos): the more party members are of the same alignment, the more effective the Co-Op Attack will be.
Continuing to talk about differences, it should be immediately noted that the growth of the protagonist will no longer be at our total discretion, but will be some answers given to an exam at the beginning of the game to mark the tendency of a certain parameter during the Level Up. The remaining elements present in the mother series have not abandoned us, such as the negotiations with the demons and the possibility of merging them, thanks to the Demonic, a special equipment given to the protagonist and the other members of the expedition in view of this ordeal.
Ordalia made even more difficult in this port, due to the presence of Alex. This girl, present only in the Redux version, will leave a further aura of mystery during this "strange journey" as she is hunting for the protagonist and possesses equipment very similar to that supplied to the expedition group that will face Schwarzwelt. Alex will obviously not be the only novelty in terms of content in Strange Journey Redux: there will be many new demons, while some of the “classics” have received a re-design; a new alternative route to the classic Law, Neutral and Chaos; and finally a new cool dungeon which will significantly lengthen the hours of play.
On the other hand, porting often also means facilitations to make the title more accessible even to a neophyte of the series, but not only: to the delight of those who have enjoyed the native version of this Shin Megami Tensei, it will in fact be possible to use a slot of rescue called "Field Save", usable outside the rescue terminals inside the dungeons, and the possibility of "dashare" during explorations, making them more hasty during the grinding phases between a casual encounter and another.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux is the third of the video games that Atlus announced for Nintendo 3DS last year and, as we saw for example with Radiant Historia: Perfect Chronology, the company knows how to do it when it comes to ports and JRPG. This title is no exception, receiving a nice repaint as regards animated cutscenes, portraits of the characters and less edgy graphics. In addition, we will finally enjoy a dubbing - albeit exclusively Japanese - not present in the title born on DS.
The question that fans, especially those who have already purchased the base game, will be able to ask themselves at this time will probably be “Is it worth buying Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux?”. Our response is overwhelmingly positive, thanks to what has been listed so far in this review. And let's face it, a new route in a title that already features three is definitely the biggest incentive. So enjoy this alternative experience in the Shin Megami Tensei series, celebrating 25 years of the series with Atlus. In this long journey there are many hours of gameplay, a planet to save and many intertwining characters and higher entities. What will your path be? A savior driven by order, an agent driven by chaos or maybe you will choose the new alternative path? Sculpt your destiny!
► Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux is a JRPG type game developed by ATLUS Lancarse and published by ATLUS Deep Silver for Nintendo 3DS, the video game was released on 26/10/2017
