Shin Megami Tensei III Nocturne HD Remaster

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,308 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

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,308 reviews
music183 positive mentions
grinding174 negative mentions
  • music783 mentions

    The music in the remastered version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne has received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and memorable soundtrack composed by Shoji Meguro. However, a significant number of players are disappointed by the heavy compression of the audio, which detracts from the overall experience, especially given the advancements in technology since the original PS2 release. Most reviewers recommend using community mods to restore the music to a higher quality, as the default audio remains subpar and reminiscent of the original's limitations.

    • “The music is very memorable too and it fits the game's tone perfectly.”
    • “The music is amazing, I really dig that late 90s-early 2000s PS sound that blends techno, jazz, funk, and heavy guitars, probably one of my favorite soundtracks.”
    • “The music, aesthetic, and demon design are very engaging.”
    • “The biggest problem is that the battle music sounds awful, like it was recorded off YouTube with a Nokia phone. It's baffling because most of the other music sounds fine, but the music you will categorically hear more than everything else suffers.”
    • “The remaster still kept the compressed music despite not needing to because, you know, it was released in 2021 with hardware being way more powerful than in 2003.”
    • “The music is compressed for some reason so you can't even enjoy this game's banging OST (there's a mod that gives you uncompressed versions of the music, but it isn't done yet).”
  • story606 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 amidst a post-apocalyptic setting. While some players appreciate its depth and the multiple endings based on player choices, many criticize the narrative for being sparse, with shallow character development and a lack of engaging storytelling. Overall, the game is seen as more gameplay-focused, appealing to those who enjoy strategic combat and atmospheric world-building rather than a rich narrative experience.

    • “I loved every aspect of the game; the story is amazing, the atmosphere, the encounter design, boss design, dungeon design, skills, the way to 'eat' megatama from demons to get their powers, being able to convince demons to become your servant and fuse them.”
    • “The story is written like a biblical parable with all of its philosophical context and religious symbolism.”
    • “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 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.”
  • gameplay492 mentions

    The gameplay of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne is characterized by its challenging and strategic turn-based combat, which rewards players who master its mechanics, such as the press-turn system and demon fusion. While many players appreciate the depth and complexity of the gameplay, some criticize its outdated mechanics, high encounter rates, and frustrating dungeon designs, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game remains a cult classic for its engaging combat and unique atmosphere, appealing primarily to fans of the genre.

    • “The gameplay is what really makes the game amazing.”
    • “The gameplay, however, is easily the best part of it and that isn't just because the game is difficult.”
    • “Fun, challenging, and rewarding gameplay, a great story that asks philosophical questions, an oddly beautiful, yet gloomy art direction from Kazuma Kaneko, and a fantastic soundtrack, this overall is a must-play for any fans of the genre.”
    • “The gameplay is brutally difficult for an RPG game.”
    • “This game made me apologize for playing it; 100 hours in and you can still lose hours of gameplay to a random encounter where enemies act before you do.”
    • “The gameplay is outdated by so many standards that it's hard to play through.”
  • graphics315 mentions

    The graphics of the remastered version of Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne have received mixed reviews, with many noting that while the art style and atmosphere still hold up, the overall visual enhancements are minimal and do not justify the remaster's price. Critics point out that the game retains a dated look reminiscent of its PS2 origins, with limited graphical options and some technical issues, such as low-resolution cutscenes and a locked frame rate. Despite these shortcomings, the game's unique aesthetic and character designs continue to be appreciated by fans.

    • “The hd graphics update is solid and the overall design is so good that it feels like a modern game in many ways.”
    • “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.”
    • “Despite the janky PS2 graphics, I felt immersed and on the edge of my seat the entire time I was playing this dark, desolate game.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding176 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and necessary for progression, particularly in challenging battles. While some appreciate the depth and strategy that grinding can bring, others criticize it as a frustrating and time-consuming requirement that detracts from the overall experience. The introduction of DLC options to ease grinding has been noted, but opinions vary on whether this undermines the game's challenge or enhances accessibility.

    • “Game is grindy af :(”
    • “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.”
  • atmosphere176 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique, dark, and immersive qualities, often described as oppressive and surreal, effectively enhancing the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the game's exceptional art direction and sound design, which contribute to a haunting and dream-like environment that captivates players. However, some criticisms arise regarding the remaster's impact on the original atmosphere, particularly due to changes in lighting and performance issues that detract from the intended experience.

    • “The atmosphere also is just excellently crafted, and this is accompanied with an amazing art direction that still looks incredible to this day.”
    • “The odd architecture and crazy visual effects instill a lucid, almost dream-like atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game hasn't been matched since its initial release.”
    • “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.”
    • “Parts of the game that are known for the atmosphere and mystery are just... gone now.”
    • “While this point will admittedly be a non-point for some, I personally believe that it devalues the original intended atmosphere that the game had in exchange for 'seeing more of the game than you could before' with that sentiment being the only source it seems for the 'HD remaster' subtext of the title.”
  • optimization63 mentions

    The optimization of the remastered game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and audio compression that detracts from the experience. While some users report smooth gameplay, particularly after opting into beta patches, others criticize the game's lock at 30fps and the need for community mods to address audio quality. Overall, the remaster appears to have cut corners, failing to fully optimize the classic for modern hardware and screens.

    • “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.”
    • “Now the bad parts, this port is not great, for anyone playing it they should be aware that it's a better experience if they downgrade the game from its current version to v1.0.1, this is related to stuttering happening as debuff skills are used.”
  • humor43 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark and snarky elements, with players appreciating the quirky dialogue and funny character interactions, particularly with demons. While some find the humor to be a highlight, others note that it can wear thin over time, especially with repetitive gameplay and technical issues. Overall, the game maintains a unique comedic charm that resonates with fans of the series, despite some criticisms regarding its execution.

    • “This game is insanely funny with manual fusion moveset editing.”
    • “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, rather through combat or dialogue, aren't just fodder; they're all sentient.”
    • “This game is evil, but in a funny way 10/10”
  • stability34 mentions

    The game's stability is notably poor, with frequent crashes, random freezes, and significant graphical glitches reported by users. Many players experience game-breaking issues, particularly during cutscenes and battles, leading to frustration and a sense of playing while waiting for the next crash. Despite some improvements in accessibility and performance on certain platforms, the overall consensus is that this port is plagued by bugs and stability problems that detract from the experience.

    • “Way more accessible than even emulation...though that shouldn't be a problem for most people with even a somewhat older gaming setup...but the game has been touched up and runs great.”
    • “Played it to completion on a PS2, twice on the Switch, and not much on the PC because on release it wasn't Linux compatible, but now it runs great with Proton.”
    • “Sadly it randomly freezes, and usually recovers, but sometimes crashes, so I'm not playing it on my deck anymore.”
    • “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.”
    • “The intro works up until the cutscene of the conception, but it always, always freezes and I can't seem to find any information on how to fix it.”
  • character development19 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 distinctive character designs and overall art direction are praised, the protagonist is often described as a blank slate, leading to a lack of emotional investment in the human characters. Despite these shortcomings, the combat mechanics and engaging gameplay elements manage to keep players invested in the overall experience.

    • “The character designs are distinctive and hold up despite this being a 20-year-old game.”
    • “Character designs are great, especially for the protagonist.”
    • “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.”
  • monetization14 mentions

    The monetization of this remaster has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many users feeling insulted by the high price tag for what they perceive as a lazy and underwhelming port of a classic game. While some appreciate the nostalgia and gameplay, the consensus is that the pricing does not reflect the quality of the remaster, leading to disappointment among fans.

    • “I will continue to play it until 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.”
    • “This is an incredibly lazy cash grab port.”
    • “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.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its multiple endings (up to 6), diverse team compositions, and completionist elements like collecting magatama and negotiating with demons. Players can enjoy different difficulty settings and hidden areas, ensuring that even a single playthrough can take around 50 hours, 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.”
    • “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.”
    • “With all the different endings and difficulty settings, combined with the 'maniax'/'chronicle' versions, there’s certainly lots of replay value here, and even for one playthrough you will need at least around 50 hours, so all in all, I can recommend [i]Nocturne[/i] to all JRPG fans out there.”
    • “Multiple endings keep the story replayable, with hard mode offering series veterans even more challenge.”
    • “Add in the replayability factor with 5 different endings and the completionist aspect of going for all of 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.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    Players express a profound emotional impact from the game, highlighting intense feelings of attachment to characters, particularly the first pixie, and a deep connection to the story. The game's narrative and music evoke strong reactions, with many reviewers noting they cried during and after their experience, indicating a powerful emotional journey.

    • “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.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

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Play time

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

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