Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 2,134 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster Game Cover
Quite possibly one of the greatest RPGs ever made, Nocturne has stood the test of time and demands to be played.
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Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster is a remastered version of the classic RPG set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, where you must navigate a world consumed by chaos and decide the fate of the city by making choices that can lead to life, rebirth, or death. The game features updated 3D models and backgrounds, additional difficulty settings, voiced audio options, and Steam achievements. Your journey is accompanied by challenging turn-based combat and negotiation with demons to add them to your party.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,134 reviews
music91 positive mentions
grinding87 negative mentions
  • music388 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and atmosphere, showcasing the signature style of composer Shoji Meguro. However, many reviewers express disappointment over the music being heavily compressed, retaining the low-quality audio from the original PS2 release, which detracts from the overall experience. Players are encouraged to use mods to restore the uncompressed soundtrack for a significantly improved auditory experience.

    • “The music is very memorable too and it fits the game's tone perfectly.”
    • “The music, aesthetic, and demon design are very engaging.”
    • “The soundtrack is pure fire, the dungeon design is supremely alien and horrific at times, and the options for party growth and load outs are massive.”
    • “The music is still compressed, the main cut scenes are still in its 4:3 ratio.”
    • “The remaster still kept the compressed music despite not needing to because it was released in 2021 with hardware being way more powerful than in 2003.”
    • “The only downside is that the music is the original compressed one; thankfully it's easily modifiable, but there's no excusing Atlus for being that lazy.”
  • story296 mentions

    The story of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is often described as dark, philosophical, and unconventional, focusing on themes of morality and the human condition rather than traditional character-driven narratives. While some players appreciate its depth and the multiple endings based on player choices, others criticize it for being sparse, with shallow characters and minimal storytelling between combat encounters. Overall, the narrative is seen as a unique experience that may not appeal to those seeking a more conventional RPG storyline.

    • “The story, setting, character designs, and especially the overall art direction from Kazuma Kaneko are absolutely top-notch.”
    • “The story deals with some great themes of death and rebirth after an apocalypse has taken place, and gets pretty heavy with the philosophical ideals in recreating the world into a better one.”
    • “The story is thought-provoking in the game and makes you reflect on your world views and philosophical and moral views as to how you would want the world to be run and what kind of society you would want in the world.”
    • “The story might as well have been written by a 5th grader; the characters are shallow and their motivation is paper thin.”
    • “Honestly, the story is almost nonexistent, but I was more interested in the gameplay anyway.”
    • “The narrative tends to suffer similar pitfalls to a lot of JRPGs that may or may not be a turn-off to players coming for the story; characters generally aren't super interesting beyond surface-level pseudophilosophy, and the blank-slate protagonist and extensive use of cutscenes fail to live up to the potential of the medium as a method of storytelling.”
  • gameplay241 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mix of challenging and rewarding mechanics, particularly praised for its turn-based combat system and demon fusion elements, which offer depth and strategic planning. However, many players find the high encounter rates and some outdated mechanics, such as random encounters and tedious dungeon layouts, frustrating. Overall, while the gameplay can be punishing, it is also engaging and enjoyable for those familiar with the genre, making it a standout experience for fans of classic JRPGs.

    • “The gameplay is what really makes the game amazing.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and fair with some great battle themes.”
    • “The gameplay and combat are brutal; this game doesn't hold your hand at all, and you can get completely obliterated if you aren't careful or don't know what you are doing.”
    • “Horrible gameplay, don't trust the nostalgic reviews.”
    • “The gameplay is outdated by so many standards that it's hard to play through.”
    • “The story doesn't exist, the gameplay loop is repetitive, the random battles happen way too often, and when you die it'll likely be because of bad RNG.”
  • graphics153 mentions

    The graphics of the remastered version of the game have received mixed reviews, with many noting that while the classic art style and demon designs still hold up, the overall visual improvements are minimal and often lackluster. Critics point out that the remaster feels more like a simple upscale of the original PlayStation 2 graphics rather than a true enhancement, with limited graphical options and persistent issues like low-resolution cutscenes and a locked frame rate. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the addition of voice acting, though many feel the remaster does not justify its price given the outdated visuals.

    • “The graphics are charming as is -- Nocturne's art direction still holds up after 18 years.”
    • “Its art style manages to hold strong and bring forth some of the most aesthetically pleasing scenes and locations that I've witnessed in a video game, let alone one that came out in the early 2000s.”
    • “The updated graphics look nice and the addition of voice acting is lovely.”
    • “The game runs like complete garbage with awful visuals and controls.”
    • “Overall this game really hasn't aged well, and remastered visuals don't do much to help the outdated design.”
    • “Despite this game being billed as a 'remaster' it really just cleans up some of the visuals and allows the game to run at a higher resolution...if you're expecting them to replace all of the low rez textures, low poly models, or redecorate the environments, you will be disappointed.”
  • grinding88 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players expressing frustration over the necessity of grinding to progress effectively. While some appreciate the challenge and find it rewarding, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, especially with the inclusion of DLC that can alleviate some of the grind. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some players enjoying the grind as part of the RPG experience, while others find it excessive and detrimental to gameplay.

    • “Very grindy, nothing interesting at all.”
    • “Unfortunately, it is extremely grinding.”
    • “You'll have to do quite a bit of grinding if you don't want to struggle with every major battle.”
  • atmosphere86 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique, dark, and immersive qualities, often described as surreal, oppressive, and dream-like. Players appreciate the excellent art direction, moody soundtracks, and the ability to evoke feelings of loneliness and tension in a post-apocalyptic setting. However, some critiques mention that recent remasters have diminished the original atmosphere due to poor lighting and graphical choices, though the core experience remains compelling and atmospheric.

    • “The atmosphere is immaculate.”
    • “The odd architecture and crazy visual effects instill a lucid, almost dream-like atmosphere.”
    • “The game creates a dark, ominous atmosphere centered around the apocalypse and the occult.”
    • “One of the laziest and worst remasters I've ever seen. The game was remade in Unity but somehow looks worse than the original on PS2. The atmosphere is completely ruined due to the horrible new lighting system they introduced, making the game look like you're on the surface of the sun. The fact that this game came out running at 30 fps on modern consoles and PC, and the music still sounding compressed, is a laughable joke.”
    • “The atmosphere is constantly dreadful because you need to reach save points, and aside from a few rooms and areas, it's not safe anywhere.”
    • “Parts of the game that are known for the atmosphere and mystery are just... gone now.”
  • optimization31 mentions

    The optimization of the remastered game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and audio problems, particularly during combat and cutscenes. While some users experienced smooth gameplay, others noted that the game is locked at 30fps and suffers from bugs that can disrupt the experience. Overall, the remaster appears to have cut corners, leading to dissatisfaction among players who expected better optimization for modern hardware.

    • “Good SMT game if you like the SMT way of doing things, runs smoothly (now, supposedly it didn't at launch but I didn't play it on PC at launch and I cannot mark it down for something that got fixed before I bought the game a second time). The only real negative, which really isn't a negative seeing as it is turn-based, is that it is locked at 30fps which is not really a big deal; still looks smooth despite being locked.”
    • “Performance-wise, the game played smoothly.”
    • “I've experienced zero issues with the PC version, so I have no complaints on the performance of the game; it's pretty much just how I remember it.”
    • “But rather it's Atlus Sega for cutting corners on such a classic, just slapping 'HD remastered' on an old game that isn't even properly optimized for larger modern screens is a real scam.”
    • “Not only does this game not run at more than 30fps, it also stutters a lot, especially when using buffs/debuffs during combat, and it straight up dies when you go to the config settings.”
    • “Capped at 30 frames, screen tearing everywhere, bugs that happen randomly, and if you didn't save recently you get screwed, terrible microstuttering, and the audio is just so low quality it's not even funny.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as dark, snarky, and often hilarious, particularly through the interactions with quirky demons and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics. While some players find the humor to be a highlight, others note that it can become repetitive, especially in the context of random encounters and challenging gameplay. Overall, the game's comedic elements, including witty dialogue and amusing character quirks, contribute significantly to its charm, despite some technical issues.

    • “This game is insanely funny with manual fusion moveset editing.”
    • “This game is evil, but in a funny way 10/10.”
    • “It's bound by a dark and snarky humor that pops out at the best of times, reminding you that the people you interact with, whether through combat or dialogue, aren't just fodder; they're all sentient.”
  • stability17 mentions

    The stability of the game has received significant criticism, with users reporting frequent crashes, random freezes, and various bugs that disrupt gameplay, such as graphical glitches and framerate drops. While some players have noted improvements in performance on certain platforms, the overall experience is marred by instability, leading many to feel that the port is poorly executed and not up to par with the original PS2 version.

    • “Played it to completion on a PS2, twice on the Switch, and not much on the PC because at release it wasn't Linux compatible, but now it runs great with Proton.”
    • “Way more accessible than even emulation... though that shouldn't be a problem for most people with even a somewhat older gaming setup. The game has been touched up and runs great.”
    • “Sadly it randomly freezes, and usually recovers, but sometimes crashes, so I'm not playing it on my deck anymore.”
    • “The game drops to 1 fps when using buffs/debuffs and if you have an encounter with more than 4 enemies, the game literally freezes and you have to wait it out or the game crashes.”
    • “It feels like you're playing the game waiting for it to crash; every battle the game looks as if it freezes but nope, it's just the way this version plays.”
  • character development9 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally considered weak, with many reviewers expressing a desire for deeper story dialogue and more engaging relationships among characters. While the character designs are praised for their distinctiveness and longevity, the human characters, including the protagonist, are often described as uninteresting and lacking depth, leaving players craving more substantial development. Overall, the game's art direction and soundtrack are highlighted as strengths, but they do not compensate for the shortcomings in character growth.

    • “The story, setting, character designs, and especially the overall art direction from Kazuma Kaneko are absolutely top notch.”
    • “The character designs are distinctive and hold up despite this being a 20-year-old game.”
    • “On the other hand, character development is a bit flawed.”
    • “I was craving more character development and story dialogue.”
    • “Don't expect any kind of character development or relationships to care about; the human characters are pretty uninteresting, the protagonist most of all; he is a blank slate by design.”
  • monetization7 mentions

    The monetization of this remastered game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many users feeling that the pricing is unjustified given the lack of substantial improvements over the original. Despite the enjoyable gameplay, players express disappointment over the high price tag for what they perceive as a lazy port, leading to a general sentiment of being insulted by the value proposition.

    • “I will continue to play it till I beat it, but it is not at all what I expected, and at the price tag, even on sale, it is a complete cash grab in every way.”
    • “First and foremost, this is just a quick cash grab from Atlus and I don't support it.”
    • “I don't regret buying it, as it saves me from dragging out my PS2 to play it, but really, I think gamers should be pretty insulted by this, especially when they're charging $50 to $70 for what was basically a neutered port that was used as a cash grab for people like me that had a nostalgic attachment to the original.”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players report a deeply emotional experience with the game, highlighting intense feelings of attachment to characters and a powerful narrative that evokes tears and strong reactions. The music, particularly the title screen OST, adds to the emotional weight, enhancing the overall impact of the story.

    • “I cried till my eyes ran dry.”
    • “I had more emotional attachment to the first pixie than any other actual character in the game.”
    • “I personally really got engulfed in the story, and the title screen OST is so beautiful I almost shed a tear every time I hear it.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability with multiple endings (up to six), various team compositions, and the pursuit of completing all magatama for abilities and stat boosts. Players can also explore hidden areas and engage in different difficulty settings, ensuring that each playthrough can be a unique experience. Overall, the content justifies the price, making it a worthwhile investment for JRPG fans.

    • “The game also has incredible replay value, as there are many different team compositions that you can have fun with, many hidden areas, and 6 different endings.”
    • “Add in the replayability factor with 5 different endings and the completionist aspect of going for all the magatama, which are basically what give you your abilities and some stat increases, along with trying to negotiate with all the demons or fuse them.”
    • “I've seen a lot of people complain about the price, and while I admit it could be better, for the amount of content you get and the replayability, I don't regret spending $70, nor do I feel like it was a waste.”
    • “With all the different endings and difficulty settings, combined with the 'maniax'/'chronicle' versions, there’s certainly lots of replay value here. Even for one playthrough, you will need at least around 50 hours, so all in all, I can recommend Nocturne to all JRPG fans out there.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

Buy Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

Play time

28hMedian play time
27hAverage play time
10-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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